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.
Looking for information on a particular precision sheet metal topic not found in our blog? Use the contact us form and submit an idea!
3 Expert Weldment Techniques for Sheet Metal Fabrication (Updated for 2024)
Welding is one of the oldest fabrication methods in the history of humankind. As far back as the ...
Enjoy the Journey: The Value of a Positive Outlook
What does success mean to you? Some people define success as material wealth, while for others it's about ...
Approved Sheet Metal Acquires Nashua Fabrication, Expanding Sheet Metal Fabrication Capabilities
HUDSON, NH - June 1, 2022: Approved Sheet Metal, a leading sheet metal fabrication company based in Hudson, ...
Is Bridge Production Right for Your Sheet Metal Parts? (Updated for 2024)
Are delays in tooling slowing down your entire production line? When you're under pressure to cut costs and ...
The Importance of Accurate Hardware Hole Sizes (Updated for 2024)
Some of the most common issues we've encountered during our 15+ years of experience assembling sheet metal parts ...
Need a Quick Quote? Include These 5 Details in Your RFQ (Updated for 2024)
How to Get a Sheet Metal Part RFQ FAQ At Approved Sheet Metal, we love having the opportunity ...
The Benefits of Louvers in Your Sheet Metal Parts (Updated for 2025)
Let's talk louvers. These press-formed features are commonly found in applications that require airflow and light penetration: In ...
Silk-Screening for Sheet Metal Parts (Updated for 2025)
If you're looking to enhance an enclosure, panel, or part, take advantage of Approved Sheet Metal's silk-screening services. ...
ASM in Action: Notching, Tabbing, and Rolling a Complex Part (Updated for 2024)
We recently completed a project that's just too exciting to keep to ourselves. Our end customer asked us ...
4 Reasons ASM Excels at Sheet Metal Prototyping (Updated for 2024)
Have you been burned by a metal fabrication shop before? You're not alone. Maybe you were in the ...
How to Apply the Right Sheet Metal Bend Gains to Your Design (Updated for 2024)
Let us calculate bend gains for you! The one thing all sheet metal parts have in common is ...
Top 5 Things to Check in Your Sheet Metal Design File (Updated for 2024)
Part designers have one goal: to produce a Class A prototype in the shortest amount of time possible. ...
Better Than Yesterday: What It Means at Approved Sheet Metal
Our Core Values Help Us Offer a Better Customer Experience We've come a long way since opening our ...
Talk to Your Manufacturer About Sheet Metal Sizes Before Designing Your Part (Updated for 2025)
Choose the Right Gauge at Approved Sheet Metal When you're working with sheet metal, choosing the right gauge ...
3 Tips for Smarter First Article Inspections (Updated for 2024)
Get Rapid First Article Inspections at Approved Sheet Metal When mass-producing a high-precision part, conducting a first article ...
Sheet Metal Fabrication Design for Manufacturability Isn’t Enough (Updated for 2024)
Get your models to a sheet metal shop that gets it. Most sheet metal manufacturers will tell you ...
Fabricating a show part or internal component? Tell your manufacturer. (Updated for 2024)
When a manufacturer receives drawings or a CAD model for a sheet metal part, it isn't always clear ...
How to Get Perfectly Formed Sheet Metal Parts Every Time (Updated for 2025)
Sheet metal fabrication for chassis, tanks, enclosures, and other sheet metal parts Forming deep boxes or U shapes ...
5052, 6061, 7075: ASM’s Guide to Sheet Metal Aluminum Grades (Updated for 2025)
Aluminum: the most popular construction metal after steel. This alloy has been used for metal fabrication for centuries, ...
3 Things You Didn’t Know About Stainless Steel (Updated for 2024)
One of the materials we love working with at Approved Sheet Metal is stainless steel. It's everything you ...