How to Ensure Quality Sheet Metal Fabrication for Your Business
Quality sheet metal fabrication is essential in a variety of industries — from construction to automotive and beyond. However, despite advances in technology and machinery, businesses still face challenges that can impact production efficiency, quality, and costs. In this blog, we’re exploring some of the most common challenges in sheet metal fabrication. And, we’re providing practical solutions to help you streamline processes and achieve high-quality results.
Material Selection
Choosing the right material for the job can be difficult. Different materials will have variations in strength, corrosion resistance, and other important properties. Trying to balance cost and performance can prove to be a challenge for many businesses.
Working with a manufacturer that can do in-depth material analysis helps businesses save time and money. Your chosen manufacturer should already have a deep understanding of the different types of materials available. With this knowledge, the manufacturer should be able to quickly determine the right material for that particular project. They should also implement material testing before mass production to verify that the final product will meet expectations.
Tolerances
Variations in machinery, tool wear, and material thickness can cause part misalignment and tolerance issues. Luckily, working with an experienced manufacturer can remedy these issues. A quality manufacturer will use advanced software and regularly calibrate machinery to avoid any tolerance issues. They should also invest in high-quality dies and tools, as this will result in a better final product.
Tool Wear and Maintenance
As mentioned above, tool wear can create a loss of accuracy and increase downtime for tool replacements or repairs. Your chosen manufacturer should have processes in place to monitor tool wear and do repairs when needed.
High Operational Costs
The rising costs of materials and labor can put a strain on businesses. Supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and geopolitical tensions have only caused these expenses to soar, creating a challenge for countless companies. Luckily, there are some tactics you can implement to mitigate these issues.
First, you must streamline the production process as much as possible. Some businesses rely on multiple manufacturing partners to create their final product. Opt for a partner who can help you from start to finish, as this can lower overall costs. You can also look into bulk purchasing materials for additional savings.
One of the biggest issues facing businesses is the high labor costs. There has been a major exodus of manufacturing individuals in recent years, leaving behind a gap in employment. This forces manufacturers to pay more for labor, which then gets passed along to the client. Believe it or not, working with a manufacturer in certain U.S. regions can help you avoid the worst of the labor shortage. According to an article in Manufacturing Today:
“Manufacturing hubs in the Midwest and Southern U.S. are among the hardest hit by labor shortages, with rural areas facing an uphill battle in attracting skilled workers. These regions often lack the infrastructure, education systems, and resources needed to develop a robust local talent pipeline, making it difficult to keep up with labor demand.”
Manufacturers located in the Pacific Northwest, for example, may not be as susceptible to these labor shortages. It may be advantageous to work with them as they can help keep your production schedule on track and get you to market faster.
Work with S&R Sheet Metal for Your Metal Fabrication Needs
If you’re looking for quality sheet metal fabrication services, turn to the S&R Sheet Metal team. Since 1974, we’ve been delivering high-quality fabrication solutions from our facility in Kelso, Washington. Our services cover architectural, industrial, and contract fabrication, along with metal laser cutting. We even provide installation services across the Pacific Northwest.
As a team of skilled trade workers, we believe our mission has two parts. The first is to provide outstanding sheet metal fabrication services to our customers in a wide variety of industries. The second is to treat our people well. We’ve been part of the community for over 50 years and are committed to providing economic opportunity, safe working conditions, and consideration for every human involved in our business activities.
When you work with us, you can expect decades of local industry experience, expertise from highly skilled trade workers, short turnaround times, excellent support, and superior quality products.
Let’s Get Started
Ready to learn more about what we can do for you? Reach out to our team to get started.