Work with Fathom on your next sheet metal manufacturing project for high-quality parts made using the latest technology. Fathom will meet the requirements and deadlines of your project even if it is time-sensitive, high-precision, highly complex or short production run related.
Sheet metal fabrication is a cost-effective manufacturing option, but there are costs that can raise or lower the price of a project. A design that calls for complex geometric or intricate shapes may be achieved but may require multiple processes. The type of sheet metal chosen can also influence the price. Each metal has its own unique properties that may or may not apply to a specific application. In addition, depending on the material, surface treatments may be needed that will affect cost. Another factor affecting cost is the volume of parts ordered. Costs may be reduced by stacking parts during cutting, which also helps to save time. Lastly, the turnaround time desired can affect the cost. Depending on the manufacturing method used, the process may be automated which helps to reduce the labor and time required.
Standard lead times are below, but 24hr expedite options are available.
| Parts | Delivery time |
|---|---|
| 1-50 flat part pieces | 2 days |
| 50-1,000 flat part pieces | 5-7 days |
| 1-500 formed parts | 6-8 days |
| 1-5 drawn part pieces | 10-15 days |
| 4 slide tooled parts | 4-6 weeks |
| Alloy | Temper | Ductility | Strength | Corrosion Resistance | Heat Treatable | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6061 | T6 | Low | Mid | Good | No | Minimum bend radii of 3x raw material thickness. |
| 6061 | T0 | High | Low | Good | Yes | Higher-cost heat treating due to warping and need for secondary straightening. |
| 5052 | H32 | High | Mid | Good | No | Most commonly used aluminum alloy and temper. |
| 5052 | H34 | Mid | High | Good | No | Small radii bends in line with grain may fracture. |
| 3003 | H14 | High | Low | Good | No | Good for deep drawn parts. |
| Alloy | Temper | Ductility | Strength | Corrosion Resistance | Heat Treatable | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 301 302 304 |
*Range | **High | High | Excellent | No | Small radii bends in line with grain may fracture in full hard temper. Full hard temper is cost effective for springs as there is no need for heat treating or plating. |
| 316 316L |
Annealed | High | High | Excellent | No | Used heavily in the medical industry. |
| 410 | Annealed | High | Mid | Mid | Yes | Excellent for springs. Stays stable in heat treating and has a bright finish. |
| 17-4 PH | Annealed | Low | Excellent | Mid | Yes | Small radii bends in line with grain may fracture. |
| 17-7 PH Cond. A |
Annealed | Mid | High | Mid | Yes | Excellent for springs intended for repeated cycles. Remains stable during heat treating. |
| 17-7 PH Cond. C |
Mill Hardened | Low | High | Mid | Yes | Small radii bends in line with grain may fracture. Highest hardness and strength achievable in alloy 17-7 PH. |
*Annealed, 1/2, 1/4, 3/4, and full hard possible
**Ductility decreases in harder tempers and mill hardened materials
| Alloy | Temper | Ductility | Strength | Corrosion Resistance | Heat Treatable | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1008 1010 |
Soft, 1/2, 1/4 Full Hard | High | Mid | *Poor | **Yes | When rolled at or near room temperature, excellent ductility and strength is produced and is more uniform than hot rolled steel. |
| 1008 1010 |
Annealed | High | Mid | *Poor | **Yes | Rolled at a temperature greater than the recrystallization point, which produces surface scale. Good ductility, but weaker and less uniform than cold rolled steel. |
| HSLA | Annealed | Mid | High | *Poor | **Yes | Requires 25-30% more power to form than cold rolled steel or hot rolled steel. |
| 1050 1074 1075 1095 |
Annealed | Excellent | ***High | *Poor | Yes | 1095 has the highest carbon content of the materials listed. Higher carbon content yields higher strength with less ductility after heat treating. |
| 1095 | Blue Tempered | Low | High | Mid | No | Good for flat springs or leaf springs with large radii. |
*Poor without plating or surface treatment
** Limited to carburizing
*** High strength after heat treatment
| Alloy | Temper | Ductility | Strength | Corrosion Resistance | Heat Treatable | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C10 Cooper | Wide Range | High | Mid | Good | No | Highly conductive. High cost. |
| C172 Beryllium Copper | Wide Range | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Yes | Excellent for electrical spring contacts. Highly conductive, excellent electroplating adhesion coefficient and remains very stable during heat treating. Moderate cost. |
| C260 Brass | Wide Range | *Ranges | High | Good | No | Small radii bends in line with grain may fracture in full hard and spring tempers. |
| C510 Phosphor Bronze | Wide Range | *Ranges | High | Fair | No | Small radii bends in line with grain may fracture in full hard and spring tempers. |
*Ranges according to temper
Use Fathom for your next sheet metal fabrication job. Fathom offers laser cutting, waterjet cutting, Microcut™, photochemical machining and wire EDM and more. Finishing and post-processing services are also available including welding, deburring, bead blasting, and more. Sheet metal fabrication is just one of 28 manufacturing services offered by Fathom.
Fathom’s nationwide network is powered by over 530 machines, including mills, lathes, presses, press brakes, turret punches and additive systems. Fathom’s sheet metal fabrication equipment includes lasers, waterjet machines, finishing tools, autodeburring, 4 slide machines, multi-slide machines, press brakes, 300-ton presses, 22-ton presses, wire EDM machines, seely slide forming tools and 35-ton blanking presses.
In addition to sheet metal fabrication, Fathom offers hybridized services that leverage sheet metal fabrication. Ready to incorporate sheet metal fabrication as part of your complex project? Fathom can deliver. A recent case study is listed below where Fathom delivered 20,000 parts in 27 days using 55+ tools, including metal prototype fabrication services:
A customer came to Fathom with a complex project that spanned the technologies and processes of rapid production—and needed it done fast. Fathom delivered.
55+ Tools to Injection
Mold 15,000 Parts
First Article in 2 Weeks
3,000+ 3D
Printed Parts
2,000+ Metal
Fabricated Parts
3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing—PolyJet, SLS, MJF.
DFM Analysis + CAD Mods.
CNC Machining. Laser Cutting.
Stamping. Die Cutting. Post-Opp Drilling.
24-hour Turnaround Urethane Casting.
Injection + Compression Molding.
Model Finishing. Insert Assembly.
Advanced Project Management.
Fathom’s national coverage spans the entire United States, including 3 US-based locations that specialize in sheet metal fabrication. Injection molding, CNC machining, chemical etching, and metal 3D printing are just a few of the prototyping and manufacturing services offered by Fathom. Our team has delivered over 200,000 quotes to leading US businesses and are ready to provide you with a quote today.
Locations include:
Locations include:
COLORADO
7770 Washington Street
Denver, CO 80229
ISO 9001:2015
ITAR
NEW YORK
1920 Slaterville Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
ITAR
401 W. Shore Boulevard
Newark, NY 14513
ISO 9001:2015
AS910:2016
ITAR
A: Fathom’s certifications include ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001:2015 Design, and ISO 13485:2016. For site-specific certifications, please visit https://fathommfg.com/fathom-manufacturing-certifications.
A: Yes, Fathom is ITAR certified. For site-specific certifications, please visit https://fathommfg.com/fathom-manufacturing-certifications.
A: Yes, Fathom is AS9100:2016. For site-specific certifications, please visit https://fathommfg.com/fathom-manufacturing-certifications.
A: Yes, Fathom’s certifications include NIST 800-171. For site-specific certifications, please visit https://fathommfg.com/fathom-manufacturing-certifications.
A: Fabrication cost is the cost to manufacture parts from sheet metal or other raw material that can be affected by the raw material selected, complexity of design, labor and time required, volume of parts and more.
A: The price of sheet metal depends on several factors including the type of metal, volume required and more. Contact Fathom today for a fast custom quote.
A: Laser cutting, waterjet cutting, and wire EDM are just a few of the manufacturing technologies used to cut sheet metal.
A: Sheet metal fabrication can include designing, cutting using a technique such as laser cutting, CNC punching, bending, a welding technique like spot welding, deburring, assembly, and a finishing process such as powder coating.
Do you need a sheet metal fabrication quote as part of an upcoming project? Use Fathom’s SmartQuote application for a fast quote.
