Custom sheet metal manufacturing operations are used to create numerous parts serving a wide range of industries, including key markets that thrive in harsh environments. Materials used in manufacturing must be carefully selected to match any given conditions of an environment such as moisture, UV exposure, chemical exposure, dust, and other potentially harmful agents that can speed up the aging process.
Understanding the product application and having detailed knowledge of the intended environment that enclosures, brackets, and structural components may serve in is an advantage during the discovery process with a custom sheet metal manufacturing company.
Industrial Support Inc. walks through key considerations to make prior to production.
Commonly Used Materials
Custom sheet metal manufacturing relies on numerous different metals to create the products needed in harsh environments. While every material is different, they all have certain characteristics that make them advantageous in harsh environments.
Stainless steel, specifically grades 304 and 316, provide superior corrosion resistance and strength, making it a suitable solution in most environments. It’s best usages are in chemically-exposed environments, outdoor applications, and in hygienic environments.
Galvanized steel is a cost-effective solution in comparison to stainless steel. While it doesn’t offer the same high levels of corrosion resistance, when coated with a protective zinc treatment, it becomes incredibly rust resistant and is commonly found in electrical enclosures as well as outdoor equipment.
For a lightweight option, many customers will utilize different aluminum alloys. Aluminum also features corrosion resistance, but usually features protective finishes to enhance durability and extended a product’s lifecycle.
Custom Sheet Metal Manufacturing Secondary Operations for Harsh Environments
While some materials don’t require any secondary operations in the form of coatings or other finishing treatments, largely due to their natural properties – stainless steel’s natural corrosion resistance as an example – there are instances where secondary operations can be used to further enhance materials and offer another level of protection while boosting the aesthetic properties as well.
- Powder coating operations create a thick and durable layer that’s protects the surface of a component from potential scratches, corrosion, and promotes UV resistance. Many colors can be used in powder coating as well to provide a stunning visual aspect while providing key protection for parts.
- In aluminum-based programs, the product can be anodized in order to increase surface hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion protection. A byproduct of anodizing is the sleek metallic finish.
- Whether it’s zinc, nickel, or chrome, plating is another surface treatment operation that can be performed to enhance both chemical and corrosion resistance in products. Electrically conductive products commonly feature plated operations.
- Steel and specific grades of stainless steel can be galvanized to provide additional corrosion resistance.
Design Considerations
The design of an enclosure, bracket, or structural component is just as important as the material selection of a product. Designs must consider the environment as well as being manufacturable, so weighing these two items together can make for a long process to ensure proper product usage and lifecycle expectancy. These are some of the biggest recommended design considerations for custom sheet metal manufacturing of enclosures, brackets, and structural components intended to serve in harsh environments.
- Incorporate sealing and gasketing to prevent water, dust, debris, and other harmful agents from entering a specific component.
- The use of ventilation that allows heat dissipation without sacrificing protection, which can be achieved in a few ways such as sealed cooling systems or filtered vents.
- For bracket specifically, incorporating mounting solutions that promote reinforcement and ensure stability in numerous types of applications, namely vibration-centric environments.
Contact Industrial Support Inc. for Premier Custom Sheet Metal Manufacturing in the Harshest Environments
Industrial Support Inc. has served as the contract manufacturer that numerous OEMs and large supplier programs trust. Located in Buffalo, New York, we’ve created numerous metal components, assemblies, and systems through our wide range of capabilities. Not only do we offer our manufacturing services, but we also have value-added operations in our facility as well to deliver the final version of your product and eliminating another stop along the way.
ISI is both ISO 9001 and AS9100D certified, along with our ITAR-compliance and DDTC registration. Simply put, our quality management systems have undergone some of the most thorough internal and external audits in the industry and we’re capable of creating some of the most demanding parts serving in the harshest environments.
Contact our team for your custom sheet metal manufacturing needs and we’ll work with you to offset your program and create the parts needed.