The costs of sheet metal fabrication can vary from job to job and even between different quotes for the same job. This article sets out to explain the factors that affect the costs of sheet metal fabrication.
Material Grade and Thickness
The cost of stainless steel compared to mild steel is typically two to three times more by weight, in addition to the increased cost of thicker material, which also reduces cutting speed.
Cutting Method
Laser cutting can be very precise for most parts, however, waterjet cutting can be more expensive due to the high running costs, however, it can cut the hardest of materials including stainless steel and diamond plate, as well as reflective materials. Plasma cutting is generally cheaper for thick mild steel, however, the edge quality is not as good and may require additional finishing.
Bend Count and Tooling
Bend complexity increases the costs of sheet metal fabrication. Simple press brake folds can be made using standard tools. More complex bends can require custom tools and may incur a flat setup charge of £100 or so, regardless of the quantity of parts that are made.
Surface Finishing
Powder coating, anodising and Galvanising each have their own costs, and lead times. If parts are going to be hidden, then a simple Mill finish, or Primer coated part would be sufficient and much cheaper.
Batch Size and Setup Fees
Setup charges are roughly the same for a 5 piece order and a 50 piece order. Where possible it is better to combine smaller order lines into a single order.
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So now you have a handle on the factors that will influence a quote, hopefully you can use this to challenge a quote or even modify a design.
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