Why Material Selection Matters in Sheet Metal Fabrication

Sheet metal is one of the most important building materials in the manufacturing industry. It is typically fabricated from metals such as steel, brass, nickel, tin, titanium, aluminum, and copper. When it comes to the design of a product, manufacturers must choose the appropriate metal option to use for their specific needs. If you’re interested in finding out why material selection matters in sheet metal fabrication , keep reading below.

Factors To Consider Before Choosing a Material

To better understand why material selection matters, you must first look at the factors that manufacturers must consider before choosing a material. These factors include:

• The cost of the material
• The mechanical attributes of the material
• Environmental considerations
• The material’s physical properties
• The material’s chemical properties

Once a manufacturer has considered these factors and how they relate to their product and goals, they will be able to determine which material is the best one to fabricate their sheet metal with for their prototype.

Why Material Selection Is Important

The factors listed above will allow a manufacturer to weed out other options and choose the material that’s most appropriate for their prototype. This selection is important because metals react differently to different forms of manipulation. This includes actions such as heating, cooling, melting, and molding. The chosen material must be able to maintain its strength and physical properties during the manufacturing process.

If you do not choose the correct metal, the product will fail during the manufacturing process. However, the factors provided above will help a manufacturer choose the most reliable metal. For this reason, above all else, material selection matters in sheet metal fabrication. Choosing the best material for your product will give you a competitive edge by improving factors such as function, mechanical properties, quality, endurance, and performance.

For expert guidance, consider outsourcing your sheet metal fabrication to a custom metal manufacturer. Here at CMPI, we have over 25 years of fantastic fabricating experience. Our team is dedicated to finding the right materials and processes for your custom fabrication. Give us a call today.