What is Rapid sheet metal prototyping
Rapid sheet metal prototyping is a great way to create prototype parts quickly and cheaply. We use aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel, and cold-rolled steel to produce prototype metal parts.
Our services are perfect for companies that need to produce small batches of parts for testing or marketing purposes. We have a wide range of machines and processes that allow us to create parts with very tight tolerances.
If you are interested in learning more about our services, please contact us today. We would be happy to discuss your specific needs and see how we can help you.
Rapid Sheet Metal Prototyping Part Types
Rapid sheet metal is a crucial product development and testing process, which can quickly provide feedback on product design problems.
Through the processing technology of laser cutting, CNC bending and welding, the design drawings are accurately made into prototype products.
Sheet metal components are usually assembled from two or more parts, and welding and riveting are commonly used processing methods.
Die stamping ensures more consistent dimensional accuracy and stability, and Tirapid can process 1000mm*1200mm shapes.
Conventional sheet metal accuracy can guarantee +/-0.1mm, accurate laser cutting and accurate positioning are all factors to ensure precise size.
Customized according to your design, suitable for various metal materials and plastic materials, such as aluminum alloy, stainless steel, POM, ABS, and more
Rapid Sheet Metal Prototyping Techniques
Laser cutting is the most common method for cutting thin sheet materials. Precise positioning, and fast cutting of various shapes. Sheets with a thickness of less than 8mm are most suitable for laser cutting.
Our CNC punching services are ideal for creating small to medium-sized parts with a high degree of accuracy. We can punch materials ranging from 24 gauge to 10 gauge. Material thickness from 0.3~5.0mm can be punched.
Riveting is also an assembly method, which is to fix two parts with rivets and install them using a riveting machine. Usually used on external parts or parts that have certain requirements for the product.
At Tirapid, we use a process called bending to create angles in the metal. This is done by using a die to shape the metal. The die is placed on top of the metal, and then a ram is used to force the metal into the die. Products like brackets support, and frames are created using this process.
The drawing process is a process of deep pressing the metal sheet through a mold, and the product can be formed at one time without welding. Often used in kitchen sinks, electrical enclosures, thermos pots, stainless steel kitchen utensils, etc.
Welding is an assembly process that seamlessly connects two parts together. Commonly used welding methods include full welding and spot welding. Different materials will choose different welding methods, such as laser welding, iron welding, and stainless steel.
Custom CNC Machining:How dose it work
Rapid Sheet metal prototyping parts can be produced in 1-7 days instead of months, making it an ideal solution for a fast-paced product development cycle.
Since no tooling is required, sheet metal prototyping can be a very cost-effective solution compared to other methods such as CNC machining or injection molding.
With sheet metal prototyping, there are no design limitations imposed by the manufacturing process. This allows for greater flexibility in the design of the part, which can result in a better final product.
There are many ways to process sheet metal, according to your product, choose a more suitable processing method.
Reasons to Choose Tirapid
-High precision and strong stability
– Fast production, within 4 hours
-Various material supply channels
-Complete quality control process, passed ISO9001
– Factory made, no intermediate price difference
Options for Common Materials
Stainless Steel
304/316/330/430/434
Steel
SPCC/SPCD/SPCE/1018/1045
Aluminum
5052/6061/7075
Copper
C110/C101
Surface Finishes
Painting
Increase the aesthetics of the prototype surface, a variety of colors to choose from.
Powder coating
Usually white or black is used as the main color to increase product beauty and anti-rust function.
Silk Screen Printing
Prototypes can be screen printed with various patterns and logos.
Electroplating zinc
Generally used in internal prototype parts to achieve anti-rust effect and increase the service life of parts.
Industries Suitable for Rapid Sheet Metal Parts
Various bracket prototypes need to be processed by laser cutting and CNC bending to ensure more accurate and consistent dimensions.
The sheet metal prototype size is suitable for the specification of 2mm -1800mm, and it is suitable for various surface treatments, such as galvanized treatment.
Sheet metal internal parts require more strength, so a variety of reinforcement structures are usually used to increase its strength.
We typically use materials like aluminum, brass, copper, stainless steel, and cold-rolled steel to produce prototypes quickly and cheaply. However, other materials may be used depending on the specific needs of your project.
If your project requires machining, has more functional requirements for parts, and has very high requirements on dimensional accuracy, you can contact our experts, who will provide you with the optimal machining plan.
The exact processes involved in sheet metal prototyping will vary depending on the specific needs of your project. However, some standard methods include laser cutting, bending, rolling, and sheet metal stamping.
Tolerances will vary depending on the specific needs of your project. However, we typically produce parts with very tight tolerances using our wide range of machines and processes.
We offer a variety of surface finishes, such as anodizing, powder coating, and plating. We can also create custom finishes depending on the needs of your project.
Turnaround time will vary depending on the specific needs of your project. However, we typically produce parts within 1 day for local and 2 weeks for international clients (depending on the order size).