Top Tips for Reducing Sheet Metal Fabrication Cost Part 2

Tips to reduce sheet metal fabrication costs

Now that you understand the various factors that go into the cost of sheet metal fabrication projects, let’s look at how you can get cost-effective sheet metal fabrication. The following tips will help you reduce the overall cost of your project:

1. Choose the right raw materials

Because raw material costs affect sheet metal fabrication costs, choosing the right raw materials for your project can save you money. Bearing sizes are the best choice in this case. You should also choose the cheapest materials for prototypes.

For example, you should choose aluminum over stainless steel. For the final production parts, it is advisable to choose the cheapest materials that adequately perform the functions of the part.

Manufacturers who buy directly from the factories can also help you negotiate material costs. Their partnership and experience with these plants ensures lower bulk prices that you can take advantage of. Buying materials directly from the manufacturer also means they may have cost-effective options for shipping and storing those materials.

2. Use a common gauge of sheet metal

Whenever possible, ensure that your design uses standard sheet metal gauges and sizes. These standard formats are often cheaper than sheets in special lengths. With thicker materials, it can be difficult to achieve bends and cuts for your part. Therefore, it is best to use a common gauge of sheet metal for your design and select material grades based on current market conditions. In this way you can reduce the cost of the variable thicknesses.

In addition, sheets of variable thickness are often specially ordered. Such specially ordered materials increase the overall manufacturing cost. Therefore, it is important that you work with your fabricator to find a standard gauge that will work for your manufacturing needs and keep your costs down.

3. Avoid complicated design elements

Typically, the more complicated your design, the more expensive it will be. Parts that require multiple cuts, bends, and welds incur higher costs. Special design elements may look fantastic, but they add significantly to the cost. In most cases, it is advisable to strive for simplicity. Therefore, you should design simpler elbows to reduce your manufacturing costs. Such arches should have inside radii equal to 1x the thickness of the chosen material.

Using small bends on large, thick parts is typically inaccurate. Therefore, you should try to avoid them. Another way to make the manufacturing process more cost-effective is to keep the bend radius constant. Also, do not add features such as blind holes, machined pockets, or beveled edges if they are not necessary. These features often result in longer lead times and higher manufacturing costs. The right sheet metal design guide will help you make the best decision for your product.

4. Consider post-processing options to minimize costs

The choice of sheet metal finishing often depends on several factors, including the applications of the part and aesthetic requirements. For example, using pre-coated metals is appropriate if your part will be used in a harsh environment.

However, pre-coated metals such as galvanized metals are not the best choice when you need a weld. You should also consider adding finishing touches such as engraving and screen printing to the later stages of product development.

Some materials are inherently resistant to corrosion. Therefore, they do not require overly special surface treatment. Special finishes can also require estimators to seek outside quotes, driving up price and lead times. Some common surface treatments are less expensive and faster. For example, finishes such as chrome plating, passivation, anodizing and powder coating are readily available and have minimal cost impact.

5. Contact a professional fabricator

If you want cost-effective sheet metal fabrication, a professional fabricator is your best choice. You should choose a manufacturing company that can handle most of the process itself. WinsunProto, for example, will help you with your project from design to assembly. This means you don’t have to incur any additional costs or outsource the process.

Therefore, you should be on the lookout for companies like WinsunProto that use state-of-the-art sheet metal tools. This helps to save costs in the long term because the production process is faster and the product is of the highest quality. In addition, when you work with a professional fabricator, you can be sure that you will efficiently achieve your business goals.

6. Other Tips

Asides from the tips discussed above, some sheet metal fabrication design considerations can also help you reduce costs. They include the following:

Stick with Appropriate Tight Tolerances – Parts with several features with tolerance fallouts usually invite more costs. Some of these tolerance callouts include radii, distances, and hole diameters. Since only a few surfaces of parts are crucial to its functions, it is best to assign critical tolerances to those surfaces. Limiting the use of tight tolerances will make the design more affordable.

Utilize Optimal Bend Radius – Another easy way to save sheet metal fabrication cost is to use optimal geometrics in part design. Internal bend radius should typically be between 0.030 inches and 1x the material thickness. This way, manufacturers will easily form the radii with specifically made tools for those geometries.

Consider Fast, Frugal Fasteners – Using fancy fasteners for your sheet metal projects also drives the costs up while slowing down manufacturing. Therefore, you should stick with fast, frugal, and readily available fasteners.

Conclusion

There are several factors to consider when designing sheet metal parts, and one of them is the costs of fabrication. The tips discussed above will help you effectively reduce sheet metal fabrication costs.

Along with these tips, our highly skilled technicians at WinsunProto have proficient knowledge about custom sheet metal fabrication. We provide leading sheet metal fabrication services to make you quality parts at competitive prices.

We are an ISO 9001:2015 certified company, and we help with DfM analysis to improve your design. Our expert team will provide professional advice for your design to reduce sheet metal fabrication costs. Upload your design model today to get an instant quote.

FAQs

How do you calculate sheet metal fabrication costs?

Fabrication pricing involves the total manufacturing cost from raw materials cost to assembly and final delivery. First, you need to break down the production cycle. This is followed by the calculation of the raw material cost, and then you add the cost of machining. Repeat this process for every phase of the production cycle.

What contributes to the fabrication costs?

The raw materials involved in fabrication are the most crucial factors for estimating sheet metal fabrication costs. Other factors include installation costs, welding and finishing costs, labor costs, and design complexity.

How can you reduce sheet metal fabrication costs?

Always choose the suitable raw materials for your fabrication. At the same time, remember to use a standard gauge of sheet metal to reduce material costs. Furthermore, it is crucial to avoid complex design elements and use affordable finishing options. Most importantly, work with a professional fabricator for efficient and effective processing.