Mistakes to avoid when designing Sheet Metal products 

Sheet Metal Product

Sheet Metal design is a complex task that involves several disciplines that include flexible mechanical and thermal behavior, aesthetics, manufacturing, and assembly process.

A product designed with a compromise of these areas can cause severe issues down the line, affecting the performance and the end-user satisfaction.

Below are a few mistakes manufacturers often encounter when designing Sheet Metal products and ways to avoid them.

Having a Tight Bend Radius 

The bend radius is necessary to notice when drawing up your design. Because when the bend radius is too tight, it becomes a weak point in the sheet metal product.

A near-perpendicular bend area can cause your part to break easily. It can also deformity the dimensions of the sheet metal part you’re trying to create.

You need to understand the bend ratios and quality of the sheet metal product. If you cannot understand, you will most likely get a crack in the metal.

In this case, you need to redesign and refabricate your metal product, and it will enhance your production cost.

Sheet Metal products 

Making Excess Holes

Holes, in particular, are daunting to add in large quantities in sheet metal products. It can add complexity to the process, and each hole has a solid chance of breaking the sheet metal product.

Moreover, placing these notches and other features too close to your bent edges can affect the function of the sheet metal part.

If you place the holes near a bend radius, they may lose their capacity to hold hardware or withstand tension.

The best practice is not to put any cut features near any bends. If you need to add one near a turn, try to add them past the bend line.

Not Including Hardware Specs

Including all details is essential when compiling your hardware specifications in your CAD file. Every sheet metal product fabrication process begins with a CAD file.

Without the proper hardware specifications, you will have extended lead times for your fabrication.

You need to note which types of nuts, studs, bolts, and other components you require in your sheet metal product. With a comprehensive CAD file, you will acquire precisely what you want in lesser time.

Using The Wrong Sheet Metals 

Selecting the suitable sheet materials for your project is very important. When in the designing stage, consider the type of environment your product will face daily.

If your design is based on mechanical properties alone, your product may become unusable in a short amount of time. Such as, untreated steel would not last very long in a high-salt, damp environment.

You can avoid enhanced manufacturing costs by considering resistance to heat, corrosion, and other environmental factors.

For instance, mechanical features like tensile strength or malleability, Conductivity of electricity and heat, Toughness and wear resistance, Weight, and manufacturability and Cosmetic look.

Picking The Wrong Finish 

Apart from the base materials, the sheet metal finish also serves an essential purpose for your final product. Some finishes protect steel, while others add decorative features to their surface.

Aesthetic finishes usually don’t provide any corrosion protection. But powder coating does give some protection against water and other elements.

Chemical finishes alter the properties of the steel surface. And add additional features to make it more corrosion resistant.

When selecting a finish, there are many options to check. So, check which one will give results that suit your need.

Being Unaware of Machine Capabilities 

Another common mistake when designing sheet metal products for manufacturing is a general lack of knowledge of the machines.

When talking with a manufacturer, take the time to ask them about their devices and their capabilities early on.

You can ask for a guided tour around their facility. It enables you to make the appropriate adjustments to your design to meet these constraints better.

Sheet Metal products 

Final note

The most important thing to remember when designing metal components is that the metal part will always be bent into shape.

This means you need to consider this in your design. Most design engineers tend to design Sheet Metal parts using a flat pattern, but this can result in poor formability and reduced yield.

Always consider the surface finish required for your product and the requirements for special finishes such as electroplating or heat treatment.

Delahenty Machinery

At Delahenty Machinery, we endeavor to be the one-stop shop for all your Sheet Metal needs. We ensure that you get access to the best tools and machines at affordable prices, so buying them from us is more advantageous than anyone else.

Contact us for more details.

Five Ways to Bend Steel Plates like a PRO

Steel plates

Steel plates are used in numerous ways around the world. But did you know steel plates can be bent into intricate shapes? Yes, they can.

Though bending steel plates can seem like a daunting prospect, it is not as difficult as it may appear and is easier to learn than you may imagine.

Here we have five tips to bend steel plates ideally. With these solutions, you will get good help in the steel plate bending process.

Bend the sheet beyond the desired angle

Sheet metal contains a high-bending ability to spring back to its original position. The material should be turned beyond its required angle when bending a sheet.

Is the sheet metal workable enough?

Bending into a sharp corner can break the sheet metal. For that reason, you should avoid this process. Using the steel metal gauge would be best, as not every material would be feasible enough to resist bends into sharp corners.

Always use a press brake.

Press brake provides support and guarantees cleaner sheet metal bending. It continuous pattern across bent sheets. So, always use a press brake where you can.

Do not forget the process position holes.

It would help if you processed position holes on bending parts to guarantee the sheet metal’s precise positioning in the die. This way, you will eliminate the sheet metal moving during the bending process. And make sure actual results across multiple sheet metals.

Bend Allowance

Accounting for bend allowance is vital in knowing how to bend sheet metal. It would guarantee more error-free numbers ensuring perfection in finished products.

Final Note

Steel Plate Bending is one of the most lucrative projects in the construction industry. It has changed the way of measuring success in this business. By bending steel, you have the potential to make a lot of money — provided you know how to do it right.

Before bending steel plates and pipes to your will, it’s essential to understand the basics. First, understand the concept of impact bending, then start the process. This process allows for various tools and techniques and is relatively simple to start working on.

The key to successful Bending is the eliminate tension and increase speed. Through years of hands-on experience and interpretation of the industry’s leading experts, we have learned that these five tips to bending steel plates with different techniques always work in all circumstances.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding steel plate bending, don’t hesitate to contact us directly, and we’ll get you taken care of!

The Ultimate Guide to Press Brake Tooling

Press Brake

What are Press Brake Tools ?

A press brake tooling is used for bending sheet and plate material that is already formed through pre-punched materials. In the past, engineers needed to operate it manually, but now we have automated specific models. This device is widely used in various industries such as automobile, aircraft manufacturing, light industry, shipbuilding, containers, elevators, railway vehicles, etc.

Press Brake Tooling 

The structure of the Press Brake Machine

  • Press brake machine is a free-standing CNC press, integral welding processing structure. The working range of the machine is as extensive as it can be. The maximum length of the mainframe can go up to 6000mm or so.
  • The mechanical outline structure of the Press Brake Machine mainly refers to its upper and lower parts and working mechanism. But also it relates to its movable slider, which has become a “focus” in recent years. Because of its importance in the production process and function performance.
  • Press brake machine hydraulic system has a super simple configuration. In this way you can reduce the pre-installation of the pipeline process to one-fifth. And the maintenance work will become mobile. It is reliable, safe and beautiful.

Types of Press Brake Tooling

There are essentially two categories of press brakes.

Electronic Press Brakes

An electric press brake has a motor directly linked to the bending mechanism rather than an operator having to switch it on and off. This allows for greater efficiency, mainly when operating a press brake that can make many bends in a single round.

Hydraulic Press Brakes

Hydraulic press brakes rely on oil-filled hydraulic cylinders to operate. They are the most potent mechanical press brakes and are often preferred for more extensive jobs. Because they can quickly cycle even large pieces of material. However, it is worth noting that this machine also tends to use more electricity and oil. And it is less energy efficient.

How Press Brake Tooling works

Press brake systems are a great way to cut metal. They use rollers and a series of rollers to generate a horizontal force that is about the same as the sheet metal or plate material during manufacture.

  • The press brake system uses a vacuum to pull on the sheet metal to create multiple points of contact with the metal stock. It helps prevent warping.
  • A press brake system has a frame supporting the roller, moving side to side as the roller rotates.
  • A power source drives the rollers and causes them to turn. The material to be bent is fed through the machine.
  • The pressure on the fuselage is released, causing it to flatten out. And as a result, the material automatically turns into the desired shape.
Press Brake Tooling

How to choose Press Brake Tooling Machine

A small metal bending machine will do just fine if you’re a beginner. However, if you are looking for a metal press that can handle medium-sized and even high-end metal bending jobs, then you’re going to want to look at more giant metal bending machines. But before you start keep the below points in your mind.

Base size

The base size of your press brake is essential to consider. For example, the bed length between the two arms is known as the “base length.” Typically, a smaller base is better for working with thinner sheet metal up to 22 gauge (0.036 inches).

Choose specific model

The primary purpose of purchasing a specific model of sheet metal press is to meet your demand in terms of sheet dimensions, thickness, and material grade. Moreover, you need to pay attention to the material you are using the press brake tool and buy accordingly.

Affordability and Quality check

Press brake tooling price is essential. Because it may decide how long your press brakes will be functional before requiring maintenance or a complete overhaul. Sometimes old tooling also may cause more damage to the structure of your press brake. So it’s good to go with newly manufactured tooling, which can reduce your maintenance costs in the future.

Strength and Power of machinery

Press brake tool’s strength is essential to check before buying. Because when a master would say something like “the quality does not match the price”, it will hurt your market presence. Moreover, It is a matter of decisive factor on this product, and Different quality tools have different price tags!

Final Note

Ultimately, purchasing press brake tooling for your business is an investment in your company’s future. There are other bending sheet and plate materials options, but very few of them have the speed and power of a press brake. Therefore, having the proper press brake tooling for your manufacturing business will allow you to achieve its maximum potential.

Delahenty Machinery – Get robust Press Brake Tooling 

Delahenty Machinery is the leading provider of press brake tooling in Australia by offering the highest quality, durable and reliable products on the market. When you need high precision, entry-level machining, and material handling at a cost-effective price, there’s no better place to go. Contact us for more details.