Four Tips For A Successful Metal Fabrication Project

12 December 2015
 Categories: Industrial & Manufacturing, Blog

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If you need to have metal pieces fabricated, you need to know that the pieces you design can be created by the fabrication shop without a problem. Here are some tips that will help ensure that you have well-designed pieces that are made well.

Use a Shop That Can Accommodate Your Particular Custom Requests

Before doing anything, you need to be sure that the fabrication shop you are considering is able to do the custom pieces you need. For example, you may need to have pieces with a specific spring rate or those with a specific weight. Don't assume that a shop can do the pieces you need, as sometimes they simply lack the equipment to do what you need.

Custom pieces sometimes take longer to produce than others, so you also need to inquire about a shop's workload so that you know that your pieces will be done in a timely manner that doesn't delay your project.

Decide What Finish Your Pieces Require

There are many finishes to choose from that a fabrication shop can use to put a sheen on your completed pieces and protect them. For example, you can choose hot blackening for a thin layer of black oxide that helps your pieces better resist abrasions. You may opt for metal plating so that your pieces can avoid corrosion. Every finish costs a different amount of money, so it is essential that you talk with a fabrication shop in order to find out their pricing and make the appropriate choices.

Make Sure Clearances are Correct

If you are like many people, you use 3-D drafting software to design your metal pieces. However, it can be a challenge to determine whether the drafting package can work in real life. If the clearances are not correct, different parts of your project may not fit together properly or flanges may be the wrong size. Double check your calculations and have the fabrication shop check your work and provide some input about the clearances.

Ask for Additional Ideas

You may have already designed your pieces, but it is important to enlist the help of your metal fabrication shop that may be able to offer you more suggestions. Their advice might help you save money or create a better design for your pieces. For instance, they may recommend a different gauge for your metal sheets or they might be able to show you machines they use with lower or higher cutting tolerances than you thought you would need.

Use the information laid out in this article to help you when doing a metal fabrication project. Be sure to work closely with the metal fabrication shop of your choice to make sure the entire process goes smoothly.