Is your component designed for optimum fabrication?
When designing a sheet metal component, even small decisions can have a surprisingly large impact on how efficiently that part can be manufactured.
Hole placement, bend locations, tolerances, material selection and part geometry can all affect production time, material usage and ultimately the cost of the finished component.
That’s why involving your sheet metal fabricator early in the process can pay off.
Here are seven things to consider:
Don’t Over-Specify Tolerances
Tight tolerances are important when the application requires them. But specifying extremely tight tolerances everywhere on a drawing can add unnecessary manufacturing complexity and inspection requirements.
The better approach?
Identify the dimensions that are truly critical to the function of the part and apply appropriate tolerances accordingly.
A conversation between the engineer and fabricator can often identify opportunities to simplify production without compromising the performance of the finished component.
Consider the Material Before Finalizing the Design
Steel isn’t just steel.
Material type, grade, thickness and finish can affect how a component is cut, punched, formed, welded and finished.
Different materials also behave differently during bending and forming.
Selecting the appropriate material early in the design process can help avoid changes once the job reaches production. Think About Your Bends
Bend locations, bend radii and the distance between bends and other features can significantly affect manufacturability.
For example, placing a hole or slot too close to a bend may cause distortion during forming.
Sometimes moving a feature, a relatively small distance can make a part much easier to manufacture.
Simplify Where Possible
Complexity isn’t always necessary.
A part with numerous unique features, setups or operations generally requires more production time than a part designed around efficient manufacturing processes.
Ask a simple question: Does this feature need to be here?
Eliminating an unnecessary hole, bend, weld or secondary operation may seem minor on one component. Multiply that by hundreds or thousands of parts, however, and the difference can become significant.
Design With Material Utilization in Mind
Efficient sheet metal fabrication isn’t only about machine speed.
It’s also about getting the most from every sheet of material.
Modern CNC programming allows fabricators to arrange—or “nest”—parts on sheet material to maximize utilization and minimize scrap.
Part dimensions and geometry can influence how efficiently those components fit together on a sheet.
Good design combined with effective nesting can help reduce waste and improve overall manufacturing efficiency.
Look for Opportunities to Reduce Secondary Operations
Every additional manufacturing step takes time.
If a component has to be cut, formed, welded, ground, assembled and finished, each operation becomes part of the production process.
In some cases, a design can be modified so that a formed feature replaces a welded component or several pieces can be redesigned as a single fabricated part.
The goal isn’t simply to eliminate operations.
It’s to determine whether there is a simpler way to manufacture the same functional component.
Talk to Your Fabricator Before the Drawing Is Finished
One of the easiest ways to improve manufacturability is also one of the most overlooked:Talk to the people who are going to make the part.
An experienced sheet metal fabricator may see opportunities that aren’t obvious on a CAD screen.
A small change in material thickness, hole location, bend radius or part geometry could simplify production, reduce material waste or eliminate an unnecessary operation.
Those conversations are much easier to have before a design is finalized than after production has begun.
Better Designs Can Lead to Better Manufacturing
Design for manufacturability doesn’t mean compromising the performance or quality of a component.
It means designing the component with the manufacturing process in mind.
For engineers and purchasing teams, working collaboratively with a fabricator can help identify opportunities to:
- Reduce unnecessary manufacturing operations
- Improve material utilization
- Minimize scrap and rework
- Simplify production
- Maintain consistent quality
- Potentially reduce overall manufacturing costs
At Superior Metal Products Co., Inc., our team has decades of experience turning customer designs into finished sheet metal components.
From prototypes and short runs to ongoing production requirements, we work with our customers to understand not only what needs to be manufactured, but how it can be manufactured effectively.
Have a New Sheet Metal Project?
If you’re developing a new component or reviewing an existing design, send us your drawings.
Our team can review your project and discuss the fabrication requirements before production begins.
Superior Metal Products Co., Inc. | Pottstown, Pennsylvania