Sheet Metal Fabrication Tips
Do you have an upcoming fabrication project? It could be you intend to make a household fixture, automotive part, or a trailer. Proper planning goes a long way in ensuring the success of your fabrication project. Continue reading this article for some sheet metal fabrication tips.
Choose the Right Material
Your fabrication needs and the equipment you intend to make will determine a suitable material. Typically, there is a wide range of sheet metals to use, ranging from carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminium, brass or copper. Start by determining the metal's strength. If the equipment will undergo a lot of abuse and bear intense temperatures, you should consider rigid materials such as steel. Where will you use the fabricated equipment? Rust resistance properties come in handy if the equipment is used in humid conditions. In this case, consider stainless steel and aluminium. Does the equipment need to conduct electricity? If it does, you should consider copper. Brass suits applications where you want to avoid electrical conductivity. Does weight matter? Aluminium is an instant option when you need lightweight equipment.
Consider Professional Designs
Some items, such as brackets and handles, are easy to fabricate. However, it is always wise to engage a professional designer when fabricating objects with complex angles, folds, and shapes. Usually, designers use complex software to design the equipment and ensure its structural integrity. The designers provide you with accurate schematics that make it easy to cut, bend and weld the different components accurately.
Fabrication and Welding Tips
Once you have the schematics, analyse the required fabrication work to determine the required machines. For DIY fabrication, most people will opt for simple techniques that do not require complex machinery. For instance, they could opt to use hand shears or form bending instead of angle grinders or press brake bending. While these techniques are highly effective, they may not be appropriate when the fabrication needs a lot of bends and cuts. Minor mistakes while bending and cutting the parts could cause frustration as you assemble the component since the parts might not fit.
How will you weld the various components? The secret is to ensure you use an appropriate welding technique. For instance, you should consider gas metal arch welding when welding thin metals. On the other hand, you could opt for laser welding if you are concerned about the appearance of the equipment.
The above insights should make it easy to fabricate your desired object. If possible, hire a professional fabricator to help with the design and manufacturing process. For more information on sheet metal fabrication, contact a professional near you.