Sheet Metal Fabrication Blog

If you're looking for information on design for manufacturing (DFM) for sheet metal fabrication, you've come to the right place. Our blog is packed with articles on everything from how to design parts for manufacturability to tips on choosing the right material, weld type, hardware, and more for your project. Whether you're a design engineer or a buyer of custom sheet metal parts, we're sure you'll find something interesting here.

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Powder Coating
The Impact of Powder Coating on Tolerances of a Metal Fabricated Part (Updated for 2024)
It's no mystery why powder coating is such a popular choice for precision sheet metal finishing. This process is ...
In-house Engineering Expertise
How In-House Engineering Expertise Mitigates Sheet Metal Design Problems (Updated for 2024)
Most sheet metal shops don't have prototype fabrication experts on staff, and if they do, they are typically ...
custom sheet metal fabrication - quick-turn prototypes
2 Ways to Optimize Fabricating Quick-Turn Sheet Metal Prototypes (Updated for 2024)
At Approved Sheet Metal, we've optimized our shop to provide customers with affordable, high-quality precision sheet metal parts ...
Material thickness
Choose the Right Material Thickness for Your Custom Metal Fabrication (Updated for 2024)
If you're new to designing parts for precision sheet metal fabrication, choosing the best material for your part ...
laser cutting service
Streamlining Product Development with Custom Sheet Metal Fabrication Services
In the fast-paced world of product development, time is of the essence. Product developers often find themselves in ...
Aluminum fabrication
4 Things You Didn’t Know about Aluminum (Updated for 2024)
The world's most abundant metal, aluminum has many important uses across industries. And aluminum has long been a staple material here ...
robotics and automation
Industry Spotlight: Sheet Metal Fabrication for the Robotics and Automation Industry (Updated for 2024)
With technology steadily becoming integrated into nearly every aspect of manufacturing, it's more important than ever for your ...
Cleco fasteners
How Cleco Fasteners Ensure a Quality Custom Sheet Metal Assembly (Updated for 2024)
Does your sheet metal fabrication shop use cleco fasteners when assembling parts? Originally designed for aerospace applications, these handy fasteners ...
flange formula
Use This Flange Formula for Sheet Metal Forming (Updated for 2024)
In custom sheet metal fabrication, a flange is a feature consisting of a face with a bend that ...
Shank Code
Find the Right Shank Code for Your Hardware (Updated for 2024)
Do you know which self-clinching PEM® nut has the correct shank code for your precision fabrication project? In ...
Sheet Metal Tolerancing
Demystifying Precision Sheet Metal Tolerances (Updated for 2024)
Have you ever noticed that standard tolerancing in precision sheet metal fabrication is not as straightforward as in ...
cost saving
Cost-Saving Considerations for Custom Sheet Metal Fabrications (Updated for 2024)
At Approved Sheet Metal, we're dedicated to getting parts quoted, fabricated, and delivered faster than anyone. We also ...
louvers
Introducing: Approved Sheet Metal’s Proprietary Louver Tool in SOLIDWORKS (Updated for 2024)
We're thrilled to share that we created a proprietary tool to help sheet metal fabrication customers design louvers ...
spot welding
7 Considerations for Spot Welding Precision Sheet Metal Parts (Updated for 2023)
Have you ever wondered what type of welding is best for your precision sheet metal prototype or production run? ...
prototypes Expedited
Get Sheet Metal Prototypes Expedited in 2-5 Days (Updated for 2024)
Do you need precision sheet metal prototypes fast? At Approved Sheet Metal, we know sheet metal prototyping is ...
welding finishes
Which Welding Finish Does Your Part Need? (Updated for 2024)
At Approved Sheet Metal, we take pride in our robust mastery of all things sheet metal fabrication-from materials ...
Pem hardware
Industry Watch: PEM® TD™ Hardware Changes from Steel to Stainless Steel (Updated for 2024)
You may or may not be aware that PEM® recently stopped producing their TD™ line of self-clinching cable ...
sheet metal finishing
What Finish Does My Precision Sheet Metal Part Need? (Updated for 2024)
Do you know what type of finish your custom sheet metal part needs? If you're like many customers, you might ...
We Keep Getting Better: Benefits of Living Our Core Values
Building a successful sheet metal fabrication shop is a marathon-not a sprint. It takes time to get established, ...
In-House Tube Laser Cutting Services at Approved Sheet Metal (Updated for 2024)
What do table legs, tubular frames for medical equipment infrastructure, and aluminum tubes for structural aerospace frames have ...
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