Steel Sheet Metal Fabrication Services
Upload your CAD files to get instant online manufacturing quotes, custom molded stainless steel sheet metal prototypes and production parts. Rapid prototyping and production of parts in a few days.
About Steel for Sheet Metal Fabrication
Steel is one of the most widely used materials because it is easy to bend and weld, striking a good balance between cost and function. Steel contains about 1% carbon and small amounts of other elements to improve mechanical properties. Steel also responds well to heat treatment and can further improve mechanical properties.
Steel is used in almost every industry, from daily necessities to heavy industry. The steel has low price, excellent mechanical properties, excellent formability, and various surface treatments to improve corrosion resistance or aesthetics.
Steel Sheet Metal at a Glance
| Application | Steel sheet metal has a wide range of applications which can include enclosures for consumer products and mounting brackets. |
| Advantages | Good mechanical properties, excellent formability, lower cost than some other steel alloys (eg. Stainless Steel) |
| Disadvantages | Poor corrosion resistance |
| Minimum Lead Time | 3 days |
| Price Range | Average ($$) |
| Standard Tolerances | +/- 1.0 degree tolerances on bent features and a cutout accuracy of +/- 0.020” (0.508 mm) |
| Sheet Thickness | Maximum of 3/8” (9.525mm) and a minimum of 0.0126” (0.32 mm) |
Steel 1018 (Mild Steel)
1018 steel is often referred to as mild steel, it has very good formability, which makes it very suitable for the manufacture of steel parts. 1018 steel has low carbon content, excellent plastic deformation ability, and can be bent, stretched and other plastic processing. However, the corrosion resistance of 1018 steel itself is poor, and corrosion is easy to occur if it is directly exposed to a corrosive environment.
Steel 1018 Properties
| Tensile Strength, Yield (MPa) | Shear Modulus (GPa) | Elongation at Break (%) | Hardness (Brinell) | Density (g/cm^3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 370 | 78 | 15 | 126 | 7.87 |
Finishes
Findtop offers a wide range of surface treatments suitable for stainless steel sheet metal processing.
The standard treatment keeps the sheet metal in its original condition, and the parts after welding are pickled and passivated to ensure uniform surface properties. This is the most common stainless steel finish.
The powder coating creates a strong, smooth surface and makes up for the corrosion resistance of alloys such as 304 or 301 compared to 316.
Sandblasting creates an even matte finish and is often used for beautification purposes.
Cost-saving Design Tips
Steel used in sheet metal manufacturing is a low-cost material, but it is still necessary to manage expenses carefully.
Timing should take into account DFM principles, combined with manufacturing process design, such as reserve bending relief notches at sharp bends to avoid tearing. Consult Findtop’s sheet metal Design guide to learn how to implement designs using various sheet metal techniques.