Last updated on June 14th, 2024 at 08:56 am
Customers often come to us with challenges concerning their precision sheet metal fabrication projects. Fortunately, we never panic when presented with a challenge-instead, we face it head-on.
To us, an issue is nothing more than an obstacle to overcome and a chance to find a creative solution. Sometimes the tricky stuff is fun to figure out, and we love problem-solving.
It’s been just two years since we opened our doors, but we’ve had many opportunities to put our problem-solving skills to the test.
Table of Contents
- 1 5 Customer Challenges We’ve Resolved with Expertise and Creative Thinking
- 1.0.1 Challenge #1: Customers are new to precision sheet metal fabrication and don’t know what’s feasible from a manufacturing perspective.
- 1.0.2 Solution: We provide comprehensive support and guide customers through the manufacturing process.
- 1.0.3 Challenge #2: Customers have incredibly tight deadlines.
- 1.0.4 Solution: We recommend capabilities and techniques that expedite manufacturing.
- 1.0.5 Challenge #3: Customers submit designs without knowing the nuances and limitations of specific capabilities.
- 1.0.6 Solutions: We provide Design for Manufacturability (DFM) support, collaborating with customers to ensure fit, form, and function.
- 1.0.7 Challenge #4: Customers submit designs for deep boxes, which are challenging to form.
- 1.0.8 Solution: We leverage custom tooling and strategic thinking to form even the deepest boxes.
- 1.0.9 Challenge #5: Customers want to make large parts that can’t easily be fabricated in one piece.
- 1.0.10 Solution: We’ll modify the design or fabricate the part in more than one piece.
- 2 Sheet Metal Design for Manufacturing
- 3 Sheet Metal Fabrication Challenges FAQ
- 3.0.1 How does Approved Sheet Metal assist customers new to precision sheet metal fabrication?
- 3.0.2 Can you accommodate tight deadlines for sheet metal part production?
- 3.0.3 How does Approved Sheet Metal ensure designs align with manufacturing capabilities?
- 3.0.4 What solutions does Approved Sheet Metal offer for fabricating deep boxes?
- 3.0.5 How does your team handle the fabrication of large parts that can’t easily be made in one piece?
5 Customer Challenges We’ve Resolved with Expertise and Creative Thinking
Here are five examples of how we solve customers’ problems with expertise and creative thinking:
Challenge #1: Customers are new to precision sheet metal fabrication and don’t know what’s feasible from a manufacturing perspective.
Solution: We provide comprehensive support and guide customers through the manufacturing process.
When information tech company Gradient Technologies had to brand both a PCI card and a server-based appliance, they needed a trustworthy partner who could walk them through designing and manufacturing sheet metal parts.
Approved Sheet Metal worked closely with Gradient during the product development phase of their process to propose, rework, and finalize designs before fabricating physical prototypes. We built an efficient, collaborative partnership with Gradient and delivered prototypes that exceeded their expectations.
Challenge #2: Customers have incredibly tight deadlines.
Solution: We recommend capabilities and techniques that expedite manufacturing.
Canopus, a renewables and environment customer, needed 12 unique parts for their C-UV100 chemical-free water purification device-and they needed them fast.
Approved Sheet Metal suggested a powder coating finish instead of wet paint, knowing that this approach would save time (and money). We delivered 12 unique parts within seven days, exceeding the customer’s expectations.
Whether or not you need your parts lightning fast, our team is committed to delivering your order quickly. We strive to be “better than yesterday“-and improving lead times is one of our ongoing goals.
Challenge #3: Customers submit designs without knowing the nuances and limitations of specific capabilities.
Solutions: We provide Design for Manufacturability (DFM) support, collaborating with customers to ensure fit, form, and function.
Even customers knowledgeable about DFM principles may not be aware of every best practice for every capability. That’s where we come in.
For example, engineers might not know all the many complications that can occur during welding. Challenges like material shrinkage and cracking can drive up cost and lead time, but our welding specialists know to recommend a solution like adding interlocking tabs to hold a part in place and make it stronger.
When in doubt, share your CAD models with us early, and we’ll use our DFM expertise to optimize your design.
Challenge #4: Customers submit designs for deep boxes, which are challenging to form.
Solution: We leverage custom tooling and strategic thinking to form even the deepest boxes.
Getting tooling to reach inside of a deep box is a challenge for sheet metal fabrication shops. With a standard press brake, the upper beam and punch holder are at risk of crashing into the sides of the box-especially when 90-degree angles are involved.
We have specialized tooling to overcome these obstacles, but even special tooling can only cut up to 12″ deep. If a box is more than 12″ deep, we strategically cut the part into two or more pieces and join the parts back together using welding or fasteners.
Challenge #5: Customers want to make large parts that can’t easily be fabricated in one piece.
Solution: We’ll modify the design or fabricate the part in more than one piece.
Our team never lets the size of a part pose a threat to its completion. Whether collaborating with you to rework the design or fabricating the part in more than one piece and then welding or fastening the pieces together, our team will find a way to build the part you need. We get creative and find the best manufacturing method for large part designs.
When we founded Approved Sheet Metal, we vowed to be the company that doesn’t just get it-we also get it done. We won’t panic when faced with challenging projects. Panicking only creates fear; it isn’t a productive use of time.
We want our team and our customers to enjoy the journey of making custom fabrications together. Instead of complaining about obstacles, we’ll always approach challenges as opportunities to get creative and provide innovative solutions.
If you want to work with a team that values innovation and will do whatever it takes to complete your precision sheet metal fabrication project, give us a shot! We’d love to show you what we can do. Get started by requesting a quote today.
Sheet Metal Design for Manufacturing
FREE eBOOK DOWNLOAD
Design parts with the sheet metal fabrication process in mind. Reduce cost and get parts on your desk faster! Learn about the following best practices when designing sheet metal parts:
- Hems & Offsets
- Notches & Tabs
- Corners & Welding
- Uniform Thickness and more!
Sheet Metal Fabrication Challenges FAQ
How does Approved Sheet Metal assist customers new to precision sheet metal fabrication?
We offer comprehensive support, guiding customers through the entire manufacturing process. For instance, with Gradient Technologies, we collaborated closely during their product development phase, offering design suggestions and delivering prototypes that exceeded their expectations.
Can you accommodate tight deadlines for sheet metal part production?
Absolutely! We recommend techniques like powder coating instead of wet paint to expedite manufacturing. For Canopus, we delivered 12 unique parts within seven days for their water purification device, showcasing our commitment to quick turnaround times.
How does Approved Sheet Metal ensure designs align with manufacturing capabilities?
We provide Design for Manufacturability (DFM) support. Even for experienced customers, nuances of capabilities might be missed. Our specialists collaborate to optimize designs, addressing challenges like welding complications or forming deep boxes.
What solutions does Approved Sheet Metal offer for fabricating deep boxes?
We leverage custom tooling and strategic methods to form even the deepest boxes. For particularly deep boxes, if standard tooling isn’t sufficient, we may cut parts into multiple pieces and join them using welding or fasteners.
How does your team handle the fabrication of large parts that can’t easily be made in one piece?
Whether through design modifications or fabricating parts in multiple pieces and joining them together, we ensure completion. Large part designs don’t pose a threat as we creatively find the best manufacturing method to bring them to life.