Manufacturing design or sheet metal design is a crucial part of developing your product. It’s where the disciplines of engineering, digital design, and fabrication come together to make cost saving and performance improving adjustments and ensure that sheet metal components can be accurately produced and meet all requirements. There are several factors that go into sheet metal design, including:
Material selection
Design for manufacturability (DFM)
Determining the correct tolerances
Considering forming and bending requirements
Specifying joining methods
Using the best surface treatments and finishing methods
Choosing the right material
One of the most important steps in product development services and manufacturing design is selecting the best type of material. This choice is foundational in sheet metal manufacturing design, as it directly impacts the product’s strength, durability, weight, and cost. Designers must carefully evaluate the intended application and environmental conditions of the final product. For example, aluminum might be chosen for lightweight and corrosion resistant applications, while stainless steel is ideal for projects requiring high strength and resistance to wear. Factors like malleability, conductivity, and availability also influence the decision. Balancing performance with cost ensures the material aligns with both functional and budgetary goals, optimizing the design for efficiency and sustainability.
Implementing design for manufacturability (DFM)
Design for manufacturability (DFM) is a strategic approach to make sure that a sheet metal design can be produced easily and efficiently without sacrificing quality. It involves simplifying part geometries to reduce tooling requirements, minimizing tight tolerances that can drive up production costs, and standardizing components wherever possible. Considering manufacturing processes, like laser cutting, CNC punching, and bending, early in the design phase helps avoid challenges like excessive material waste or complicated assembly steps. A well thought out DFM strategy leads to quicker production cycles, reduced costs, and fewer manufacturing defects.
Determining the correct tolerances
Tolerances define the allowable deviations in dimensions and are critical in ensuring that sheet metal parts fit together as intended during assembly. Overly tight tolerances can increase machining time, require specialized tools, and raise costs unnecessarily. Product development services must strike a balance, specifying tolerances that are tight enough to maintain functionality and quality, but not so precise that they complicate the manufacturing process. Precision is particularly important in industries such as aerospace or medical devices, where even minor inaccuracies can lead to significant issues. Leveraging simulation software helps verify tolerances and ensures compatibility before production.
Considering forming and bending requirements
Sheet metal forming and bending are core manufacturing processes that shape flat sheets into desired geometries. During the manufacturing design process, you have to account for factors like bend radius, material thickness, and grain direction to avoid cracking, warping, or over stressing the metal. Designers must also consider spring back, where the metal slightly unbends after forming due to its elasticity. These factors require precise calculations to achieve consistent, structurally sound results.
Specifying joining methods
Thinking about your product’s joining methods is an essential piece of sheet metal design, because it determines how your different components will be assembled into the final product. Common methods include welding, riveting, bolting, or adhesive bonding, and the choice depends on factors such as load requirements, material compatibility, and aesthetic considerations. For example, welding provides strong, permanent joints but may require additional surface finishing. Riveting and bolting are preferred for parts that may need disassembly, while adhesives are ideal for lightweight and corrosion free assemblies. Designing with the right joining method in mind will guarantee that the final product is both durable and simple to manufacture.
Using the best surface treatments and finishing methods
Surface treatments and finishing processes enhance the durability, appearance, and functionality of sheet metal products. Depending on the application, treatments like powder coating, anodizing, plating, or painting may be applied. These finishes protect the metal from corrosion, wear, and environmental damage while adding an appealing aesthetic. In industrial settings, anti-reflective coatings or thermal barriers might be applied for specialized performance. In the sheet metal design phase, you have to make sure that surface treatments are compatible with the chosen material and consider their impact on dimensions, as some finishes add thickness. Early planning for finishing helps provide a high quality, long lasting product that meets customer expectations.
Highland Machine offers manufacturing design and product development services
Our team has multiple decades of experience in sheet metal design, fabrication, machining, and finishing. Our knowledge and expertise help us effectively engineer your product from the ground up, or take your existing manufacturing design and make cost saving adjustments and product development improvements.
We begin with computer aided design (CAD) to create detailed 2D and 3D digital models, which makes it easier for our engineers to meticulously plan and visualize product specifications. Our team also utilizes advanced computational modeling software to simulate and analyze stress and thermal tolerances, plan out the correct dimensions, and determine how the product will be assembled. We validate the sheet metal design concepts before producing a physical product, and then move on to prototype development and testing. The entire process is completed with an eye towards design for manufacturability, to keep your costs as low as possible and quality as high as possible.
Contact our team to ask about our product development services and schedule a consultation for sheet metal design today!
