Accelerating the production of sheet metal prototypes is crucial in today's fast-paced industrial landscape. Sheet metal parts are highly valued across various industries for their versatility, strength, and cost-effectiveness. As production batch sizes shrink and SKU counts rise, maintaining an efficient production process becomes essential.
By understanding and implementing some design considerations, product designers can significantly speed up sheet metal part production.
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Opting for Simplified Sheet Metal Designs
Simplifying your design directly impacts the speed of sheet metal part production since complex designs with intricate features typically require multiple tool setups, extending production time and increasing costs. The fabrication process includes steps such as cutting, bending, hardware insertion, welding, and coating or finishing, each influencing the overall lead time.
However, you can streamline complexity without sacrificing key design elements by reducing the number of internal bend radii tools and designing countersinks to fit manufacturer-recommended angles and outside diameters. In the end, a simplified design enhances manufacturability, ensuring consistent quality from part to part and batch to batch, thus accelerating the entire process.
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Considering Manufacturability
Designing sheet metal parts for manufacturability (DFM) is essential for efficient fabrication. This involves selecting available materials, incorporating sheet metal features into CAD files, and ensuring the design can be unfolded flat.
Using standard hole sizes, stocked hardware inserts, and uniform bend radii simplifies tooling and reduces cycle times. Working closely with fabrication experts during the design phase allows engineers to spot production challenges and adjust designs accordingly, speeding up the manufacturing process.
Preparing a CAD File
3D CAD models accelerate the design process by providing full visibility into every angle of a part. This visibility helps simplify complex parts and assemblies, making it easier to identify potential misalignments. Moreover, CAD models resolve design ambiguities quickly, reducing the need for back-and-forth communication and speeding up lead times.
Selecting the Right Material
Choosing readily available materials from the manufacturer can significantly speed up production. Going with popular choices like aluminum or mild steel cuts down lead times and lowers the risk of delays.
Additionally, knowing the physical properties of these materials—such as elasticity, formability, and weldability—allows designers to select options that require fewer setup adjustments, streamlining the entire process.|
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Leading the Way in Sheet Metal Manufacturing: Tong Lay Doo
Tong Lay Doo’s aluminum sheet metal fabrication services are designed to meet both small and large-scale production needs with unmatched quality and efficiency. Our in-house assembly and rapid prototyping capabilities ensure reduced costs and faster production times. By minimizing tooling expenses, we offer a seamless process, helping you achieve swift market introduction and a competitive advantage.
Our dedication to unparalleled quality assurance and certified expertise guarantees that your project not only meets but surpasses industry standards. With Tong Lay Doo, you can be confident that every detail is crafted to perfection, ensuring exceptional results that set you apart from the competition. Contact us for a quote via the button below today!
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