Sheet metal kiosks are perfect for a wide array of applications, and these hardworking structures are nearly everywhere you look in today’s world, from self-checkouts to pop-up shops. At Approved Sheet Metal, our precision sheet metal capabilities allow us to fabricate kiosks to your exact specifications, no matter what industry you operate in.
In this post, we'll explore the best materials for kiosk fabrication, discuss common uses, and walk you through how our experts bring your designs to life efficiently and cost-effectively.
Table of Contents
What Are Sheet Metal Kiosks?
A sheet metal kiosk is a freestanding structure fabricated primarily from sheet metal, often designed for purposes such as self-service functions or retail operations. The construction of these durable units allows for a wide array of possible indoor and outdoor applications.
Sheet metal kiosks can be tailored to a variety of specific designs, sizes, and finishes, and can easily be customized for branding purposes with paint, powder coating, and other surface treatments.
Kiosk Materials and Finishing
Selecting the proper material is the foundation of any successful sheet metal project. Our metal fabrication shop can help to guide you through this process to optimize for performance requirements and environmental needs. Popular materials for kiosks include:
Stainless Steel: Stainless steel is ideal for high-traffic or outdoor areas due to its superior corrosion resistance and strong aesthetics.
Aluminum: When weight is a concern, aluminum provides an excellent strength-to-weight ratio and natural corrosion resistance.
Galvanized Steel: Galvanized steel is a cost-effective option that delivers reliable performance for indoor applications in particular.
Material thickness is another critical decision, and we typically recommend between 18 and 12 gauge, balancing structural integrity and weight as necessary for a given application. Once fabricated, kiosks can be finished with powder coating, anodizing, or paint for aesthetics, branding, and protection.
Kiosks: Industries and Applications
Sheet metal kiosks have become integral to numerous sectors in today’s economy, including:
- Retail environments for self-checkout systems and pop-up shops
- Healthcare facilities for patient check-in
- Hotels for automated check-in/check-out
- Financial services, including Bitcoin ATM installations
- Transportation hubs for ticketing and check-in
- Sports venues for betting and ticket sales
- Digital signage and information displays
Each application presents unique requirements that we carefully consider and discuss with customers when we review designs as part of our fabrication services.
How We Fabricate Kiosks
From expert programming to laser cutting, forming, deburring, hardware installation, welding and finishing, our shop offers all the capabilities required for sheet metal kiosks.
However, our partnership goes beyond precision fabrication. We provided valuable design for manufacturing (DFM) advice to ensure your kiosk is both functional and cost-effective. By following certain guidelines, we help reduce your costs through simplified manufacturing processes while maintaining the highest quality.
Some of our most common DFM advice includes:
- Maintain a minimum internal bend radius equal to the material thickness.
- Keep holes and cutouts at least 4x the material thickness away from edges or bends.
- Minimize welding wherever mechanical fasteners are possible.
- Incorporate off-the-shelf hardware to reduce costs.
- Account for material variability and manufacturing tolerances to ensure parts fit together smoothly.
Functionality Tips for Kiosks
Kiosks may seem like simple structures, but from our years of reviewing countless designs and discussing them with our customers, we know that their functionality is heavily dependent on several crucial design choices. Some of the features we often see included in effective kiosks include:
- Bends, flanges, and gussets for strength without excess material
- Even weight distribution for stability
- Modular design for easy assembly and maintenance
- Gaskets or seals if your kiosk will be stationed outdoors
- Round sharp edges and meet applicable safety regulations
- Smooth, flat panels for branding, decals or digital screen mounting
- Doors or hatches for maintenance and installation of internal components like screens, wiring, or storage
- Perforations or louvers for cooling if electronics are integrated
- Cutouts or channels for routing power and data cables cleanly
Your Partner for Sheet Metal Kiosks
At Approved Sheet Metal, we’re prepared to help you create the proper kiosk for your needs. Our precision metal fabrication services will deliver you the perfect product, with expert craftsmanship, attention to detail, and support at every stage of the metal fabrication process from design to finishing to delivery.
Do you have questions about kiosk design? Ask our team or request a quote today!
