Six tips for improving sheet metal fabrication design

Adhering to the production design steps is very important for sheet steel projects to guarantee success without any problems. The sheet metal industry is actually a $30 billion industry, so it’s important to be ready to produce sheet metal parts and reduce the cost of the project.

1. Design skills of sheet metal parts

1. Determine the hole size

Drilling equipment can be damaged if the hole size is incorrectly designed. Determining the proper hole size will help the sheet steel throughout the manufacturing process. The diameter of the hole should be equal to or greater than the thickness of the sheet metal.

2. Inner radius

As the bend radius decreases, the strain inside the part increases. If the material fatigue point is exceeded, cracks will begin to form. When dealing with thin sheet metal, use the 1x thickness = inner radius rule.

3. Simplify the crease

If you can simplify the design, it will cost less to produce in the long run. Simple curved corners can help you achieve this. These bend radii are equal to or greater than the thickness of the sheet. Keep in mind that designing small elbows for large, thick parts can be inaccurate and expensive. Consider how it is simpler to create a part design that will also be cost-effective and easy to produce.

4. Tooling

The tools you use also limit the shape of the part. Conventional brake tools can bend straight to any length machined from sheet metal. Machining and precision sheet metal parts have very different terms in how they are manufactured and tolerances are allowed.

5. Limit tight tolerance

Excessive tolerances on parts can be unnecessary and expensive. Only a few surfaces are important to its function. These include distance, radius and aperture. Tight tolerance limits will help you create more budget friendly designs.

6. Uniform bending maintenance

Maintaining a properly even bend can increase the load-carrying capacity of the part. Bends at the same location on the part should be designed in the same direction to avoid part reorientation. This helps make parts more cost-effective and easier to produce

By following these tips, fabrication designers can ensure accurate formation and production of thin steel sheets. This helps reduce project costs, shorten lead times and provide customers with better quality. Producing high-quality parts requires careful consideration at every step if you want to be successful.