Sheet Metal Design Guide

Sheet metal design is no longer just about creating parts that look right on CAD. In today’s global manufacturing environment, design decisions directly impact cost, lead time, quality, scalability, and supplier compatibility.

Poorly designed sheet metal parts often lead to:

• High rejection rates during fabrication
• Excessive tooling modifications
• Unexpected production delays
• Increased manufacturing and logistics costs

On the other hand, well-optimized sheet metal design enables manufacturers to:

• Reduce production costs by 20–40%
• Improve consistency across global suppliers
• Accelerate prototyping and mass production
• Achieve tighter quality control with fewer iterations

For OEMs, startups, engineers, and procurement teams sourcing sheet metal parts globally, design is the single most critical factor that determines whether a project scales smoothly or fails during production.

This Sheet Metal Design Guide is built to help you:

• Design parts that are easy to manufacture anywhere in the world
• Avoid common design mistakes that increase cost
• Align your designs with global fabrication standards
• Convert designs into production-ready components faster

Whether you’re designing enclosures, brackets, panels, chassis, or complex formed parts, this guide will walk you through practical, manufacturer-approved design rules used by leading sheet metal fabricators worldwide.

What is Sheet Metal Design?

Sheet metal design is the process of creating metal component designs that can be efficiently manufactured using fabrication processes such as cutting, bending, punching, forming, welding, and finishing—while meeting functional, tolerance, strength, and cost requirements.

In simple terms, sheet metal design ensures that what you design can be accurately, repeatedly, and economically manufactured at scale.

What Sheet Metal Design Includes

Sheet metal design goes far beyond drawing flat patterns. It involves a deep understanding of how metal behaves during fabrication and how design choices affect manufacturing outcomes.

A complete sheet metal design considers:

• Material selection (steel, stainless steel, aluminum, etc.)
• Thickness and gauge limits
• Bend radius, bend allowance, and springback
• Hole, slot, and cutout placement
• Tolerance feasibility
• Joining and assembly methods
• Surface finishing compatibility
• Tooling and machine constraints

Each of these elements plays a direct role in determining:

• Manufacturing cost
• Production speed
• Dimensional accuracy
• Structural integrity
• Supplier capability (local vs global)

Why Sheet Metal Design Is Different from General CAD Design

Many first-time manufacturers make the mistake of treating sheet metal like solid machining parts. However, sheet metal behaves very differently.

Unlike machined components:

• Sheet metal deforms during bending
• Flat dimensions change after forming
• Grain direction affects strength and cracking
• Tight tolerances dramatically increase cost

That’s why designing for sheet metal requires fabrication-first thinking, not just CAD expertise.

Designs that ignore these realities often require:

• Manual rework
• Secondary operations
• Custom tooling
• Design revisions after RFQ stage

All of which slow down production and inflate costs.

Who This Sheet Metal Design Guide Is For

This guide is written for a global manufacturing audience, including:

• Product design engineers
• Mechanical engineers
• Industrial designers
• OEMs and contract manufacturers
• Procurement and sourcing teams
• Hardware startups and scale-ups

If your goal is to design sheet metal parts that are production-ready, cost-efficient, and globally manufacturable, this guide is built for you.

Key Principles of Sheet Metal Design (Design for Manufacturability)

Successful sheet metal design is built on a few non-negotiable engineering principles. These principles determine whether your part will be easy and economical to manufacture globally or become expensive, slow, and prone to quality issues.

Designing with these principles in mind ensures smoother RFQs, fewer revisions, and faster production ramp-up.

1. Design for Manufacturability (DFM)

Design for Manufacturability (DFM) is the foundation of all good sheet metal design. It means creating designs that align with real-world fabrication capabilities rather than idealized CAD geometry.

A DFM-optimized sheet metal design:

• Uses standard tooling wherever possible
• Avoids features that require custom dies
• Minimizes secondary operations
• Matches global machine capabilities

Ignoring DFM often results in:

• Higher per-part cost
• Longer lead times
• Supplier pushback during RFQ
• Design changes after prototyping

For global manufacturing, DFM becomes even more critical because not all suppliers use identical machines, tooling, or processes. Designs that rely on highly specialized operations may work locally but fail to scale internationally.

2. Keep the Design Simple and Functional

Simplicity is one of the most underrated principles in sheet metal design.

Over-designed parts with:

• Excessive bends
• Unnecessary cutouts
• Tight cosmetic tolerances

…almost always cost more to manufacture and inspect.

Good practice includes:

• Reducing the total number of bends
• Avoiding complex formed features where possible
• Combining multiple functions into a single part

Simpler designs:

• Reduce tooling and setup time
• Improve dimensional consistency
• Lower rejection rates
• Speed up production

3. Understand Material Behavior During Forming

Sheet metal does not behave rigidly during fabrication. Every design must account for how the material reacts when bent, punched, or formed.

Key material behaviors to consider:

• Springback: Metal tends to return partially to its original shape after bending
• Grain direction: Impacts strength, cracking, and bend quality
• Work hardening: Material becomes harder and more brittle after forming

Failing to account for these behaviors can result in:

• Cracks along bends
• Inaccurate angles
• Dimensional inconsistency

Designers should always consider material-specific bend rules rather than applying generic dimensions across all materials.

4. Design for Repeatability, Not Just Prototypes

A design that works for one prototype may not work for mass production.

Production-ready sheet metal designs:

• Use consistent bend radii
• Avoid manual adjustments
• Allow automation where possible
• Maintain realistic tolerances

If your goal is global manufacturing at scale, your design must be repeatable across batches, machines, and suppliers.

Bend Allowance & Bend Deduction (Why Designers Must Care)

When a sheet metal part is bent, the material stretches along the bend line. This affects the flat pattern length.

Two key parameters control this:

• Bend Allowance:
  Amount of material added to account for stretching

• Bend Deduction:
  Amount subtracted from the total flat length
  

If designers ignore these factors:

• Flat patterns become inaccurate
• Parts don’t assemble correctly
• Manual rework becomes necessary

Manufacturers calculate these values based on:

• Material
• Thickness
• Tooling
• Bend angle

Designers should always confirm bend rules early, especially for global production.

Distance Between Bends, Holes & Edges

Incorrect feature placement near bends is another common failure point.

General design rules:

• Keep holes at least 2× material thickness away from bends
• Avoid placing slots directly on bend lines
• Maintain sufficient edge distance to prevent tearing

These rules ensure:

• Clean bends
• Accurate hole geometry
• Longer tool life

Bend Orientation & Grain Direction

Bending across the grain reduces cracking risk.
Bending along the grain increases the chance of failure — especially in harder materials.

Ignoring grain direction is a frequent cause of unexpected part rejection during production.

Holes, Slots & Cutouts in Sheet Metal Design

Holes, slots, and cutouts may appear simple in CAD, but in sheet metal fabrication they are one of the most common sources of distortion, tolerance issues, and unexpected cost increases. Designing these features correctly is essential for achieving clean parts, accurate assemblies, and repeatable production—especially when manufacturing at scale or across multiple suppliers.

Unlike machined parts, sheet metal components are cut before bending and then deformed during forming. This means that the placement, size, and orientation of holes and cutouts must account for how the material will behave after bending, not just in its flat state.

Hole Size Guidelines in Sheet Metal Design

One of the most important rules in sheet metal design is maintaining a realistic relationship between hole diameter and material thickness.

As a general manufacturing guideline, the minimum hole diameter should be at least equal to the material thickness. Smaller holes are technically possible, but they often require:

• Secondary drilling operations
• Slower laser cutting speeds
• Higher rejection rates

All of these increase cost and lead time. When designers specify holes that are too small relative to thickness, fabricators are forced to choose between reduced accuracy or higher processing cost.

For globally manufacturable designs, it is always advisable to keep hole sizes within standard cutting capabilities so that the part can be produced consistently regardless of region or supplier.

Distance from Holes to Edges and Bends

Hole placement is just as important as hole size. Holes that are too close to edges or bends frequently deform during bending, leading to ovality, tearing, or dimensional inaccuracies.

Best practice is to maintain sufficient clearance between:

• Holes and part edges
• Holes and bend lines

When holes are placed too close to a bend, the material around the hole stretches unevenly during forming. This not only affects the hole geometry but can also weaken the surrounding structure.

Designs that respect proper edge and bend distances:

• Maintain circular hole geometry
• Reduce post-bend distortion
• Improve assembly fit

This becomes especially important for parts that require fasteners, rivets, or threaded inserts, where hole accuracy directly impacts assembly quality.

Slots and Cutouts: Orientation Matters

Slots and complex cutouts introduce stress concentration into sheet metal parts. Their orientation relative to bends and grain direction significantly affects part durability.

Slots that run parallel to a bend line are more likely to:

• Deform during bending
• Create stress risers
• Reduce fatigue life

Where possible, slots should be oriented to minimize interaction with bend lines and avoid sharp internal corners. Rounded corners distribute stress more evenly and significantly reduce the risk of cracking.

Laser Cutting vs Punching Considerations

The manufacturing method used for cutting also affects how holes and cutouts should be designed.

• Laser cutting allows greater flexibility in shape but may introduce heat-affected zones.
• Punching is faster and more economical for high volumes but is limited by tool shapes and sizes.

Designs that are compatible with both methods provide manufacturers with more flexibility, resulting in better pricing and shorter lead times.

Tolerances in Sheet Metal Design (Global Manufacturing Perspective)

Tolerance design is where many sheet metal projects quietly fail. Designers often apply machining-level tolerances to sheet metal parts without realizing that forming processes introduce natural variation that cannot be eliminated without significant cost.

Understanding tolerances is critical not just for part accuracy, but for cost control, supplier selection, and production scalability.

Why Tolerances Matter More Than You Think

Every tolerance you specify communicates an expectation to the manufacturer. Tighter tolerances mean:

• Slower production speeds
• More inspection steps
• Higher rejection rates
• Increased cost

In sheet metal fabrication, tolerances are influenced by:

• Material thickness variation
• Bend angle variation
• Tool wear
• Operator setup

Designs that demand unnecessarily tight tolerances force manufacturers to compensate through secondary operations or manual adjustments, both of which reduce efficiency.

General vs Critical Tolerances

Not all dimensions in a sheet metal part are equally important. Good design practice separates dimensions into:

• General tolerances, where minor variation is acceptable
• Critical tolerances, which affect fit, function, or assembly

By clearly identifying critical features, designers allow manufacturers to focus their process controls where it matters most, rather than applying blanket tight tolerances across the entire part.

This approach:

• Reduces inspection time
• Improves yield
• Lowers overall cost

Global Tolerance Expectations

For global manufacturing, tolerance expectations must align with industry norms, not individual shop capabilities.

Designs intended for international sourcing should:

• Follow commonly accepted ISO tolerance ranges
• Avoid region-specific assumptions
• Allow reasonable dimensional variation

Parts designed with overly aggressive tolerances may be manufacturable in one facility but rejected or repriced by others, creating sourcing risk and delays.

Tolerance Stack-Up in Assemblies

Tolerance stack-up is especially important in sheet metal assemblies. Small variations across multiple parts can accumulate, leading to:

• Misalignment
• Assembly stress
• Cosmetic defects

Designers should consider how individual part tolerances interact at the assembly level and design in adjustment features such as slots, tabs, or floating fasteners where needed.

Sheet Metal Joining & Assembly Design

Sheet metal parts rarely exist in isolation. In most real-world applications, they are assembled into enclosures, frames, housings, or structural systems. Because of this, joining and assembly considerations must be built into the design from the very beginning, not treated as an afterthought.

Poorly planned joining design is one of the most common reasons for:

• Assembly delays
• Inconsistent quality across batches
• Excessive manual labor
• Unexpected cost escalation

A well-designed sheet metal assembly, on the other hand, allows parts to come together predictably, quickly, and repeatably, even when manufactured across different suppliers or regions.

Designing Sheet Metal Parts for Assembly Efficiency

When designing for assembly, the primary goal is to ensure that parts can be joined without forcing, bending, or manual adjustment. Sheet metal components naturally carry small dimensional variations due to bending and forming, so assemblies must be tolerant of these realities.

Effective assembly-focused design:

• Uses self-locating features such as tabs, slots, and flanges
• Minimizes reliance on operator skill
• Allows parts to align naturally during assembly

Designs that require constant alignment corrections or force-fitting are not scalable and often lead to inconsistent field performance.

Common Joining Methods and Their Design Implications

Different joining methods place very different demands on sheet metal design. Choosing the right method early allows the designer to optimize geometry, spacing, and tolerances accordingly.

Welding is commonly used for permanent joints, but it introduces heat distortion. Designs intended for welding must allow:

• Adequate access for welding tools
• Proper joint geometry
• Distortion control through sequencing or fixturing

Riveting and clinching are widely used in high-volume assemblies. These methods require:

• Consistent material thickness
• Proper edge distances
• Flat mating surfaces

Fasteners such as screws and bolts offer flexibility and serviceability, but they require accurate hole placement and sufficient clearance for tools. Poor fastener access is a frequent source of assembly-line inefficiency.

Designing for Repeatable Assembly at Scale

What assembles easily on a workbench may not assemble easily on a production line. For global manufacturing and high-volume production, designs must support:

• Fast assembly cycles
• Minimal operator intervention
• Consistent results across shifts and facilities

This often means prioritizing simplicity and robustness over cosmetic perfection. Designs that are forgiving of small variations perform far better in mass production environments.

Surface Finishing & Coating Considerations in Sheet Metal Design

Surface finishing is not just a cosmetic decision. In sheet metal manufacturing, finishes directly influence dimensional accuracy, corrosion resistance, assembly fit, and long-term performance. Designers who fail to account for finishing requirements often face last-minute redesigns or post-production issues.

A finish applied after fabrication will interact with every feature on the part—edges, holes, bends, and mating surfaces. That interaction must be anticipated during the design stage.

How Finishes Affect Dimensions and Fit

Most surface finishes add material to the surface of the part. While this added thickness may seem insignificant, it can:

• Reduce hole diameters
• Tighten clearances
• Interfere with mating parts

Designs that do not allow for finish buildup often experience:

• Fasteners that no longer fit
• Parts that bind during assembly
• Increased rework or masking requirements

Good sheet metal design includes allowances for finish thickness, especially on functional or mating surfaces.

Common Sheet Metal Finishes and Design Impact

Powder coating is widely used for its durability and uniform appearance. However, it adds a measurable thickness and requires masking of threads, grounding points, and precision holes.

Anodizing, commonly used for aluminum, improves corrosion resistance and aesthetics but can slightly alter dimensions and surface hardness.

Plating and galvanizing improve corrosion protection but may affect bend areas and sharp edges differently than flat surfaces.

Each finishing process comes with its own limitations, and designs must be adapted accordingly to avoid defects such as uneven coating, poor adhesion, or exposed base material.

Designing Features for Finishing Compatibility

Certain design choices make finishing significantly easier and more consistent. Rounded edges, smooth transitions, and accessible surfaces allow coatings to flow evenly and cure properly.

Designs that include:

• Sharp internal corners
• Deep recesses
• Hidden surfaces

often suffer from uneven coverage or trapped chemicals during finishing. These issues can compromise both appearance and corrosion resistance.

Finishing Considerations for Global Manufacturing

When sourcing globally, it is important to recognize that not all regions offer the same finishing capabilities. Designs that rely on standard, widely available finishes are easier to scale internationally and less prone to supply chain disruption.

Designing with flexibility in finish selection allows manufacturers to adapt without compromising function or quality.

Sheet Metal Design Standards & Compliance (Global Manufacturing Readiness)

When sheet metal parts are manufactured for global supply chains, design standards and compliance requirements become just as important as geometry. Designs that ignore commonly accepted standards often face supplier rejections, delayed approvals, or costly redesigns—especially when parts are exported or produced across multiple regions.

A globally compliant sheet metal design ensures that your parts can be interpreted, manufactured, inspected, and approved consistently, regardless of where production happens.

Why Standards Matter in Sheet Metal Design

Standards exist to create predictability and consistency. When a design follows recognized standards, manufacturers immediately understand:

• Acceptable tolerance ranges
• Inspection criteria
• Material expectations
• Documentation requirements

Without this clarity, each supplier may interpret the design differently, leading to variation in cost, quality, and lead time.

For global clients, standards also reduce dependency on a single supplier, making it easier to shift production if needed.

Commonly Referenced Sheet Metal Design Standards

Most global sheet metal fabrication relies on internationally recognized standards, particularly for tolerances and inspection.

While exact standards may vary by industry, globally manufacturable designs typically:

• Follow ISO-based dimensional tolerance systems
• Use standard drawing symbols and notes
• Avoid region-specific assumptions unless explicitly required

Designs aligned with these norms are more likely to be accepted without clarification, speeding up RFQs and production approval.

Documentation & Drawing Best Practices

Good sheet metal design is not just about the 3D model—it’s also about clear, unambiguous documentation.

Globally ready documentation includes:

• Clearly defined datums
• Consistent dimensioning logic
• Explicit callouts for critical features
• Clear notes on finish, material, and inspection

Ambiguous drawings force manufacturers to seek clarification, slowing down timelines and increasing the risk of misinterpretation.

Compliance Considerations for Export & Regulated Industries

Certain industries—such as electrical equipment, medical devices, and industrial machinery—require stricter documentation and traceability.

Designers targeting these sectors must ensure that:

• Materials are traceable and standardized
• Finishes meet environmental or safety expectations
• Designs support inspection and validation

Building these considerations into the design stage avoids compliance issues later in the production lifecycle.

How Sheet Metal Design Directly Impacts Cost

Cost is one of the strongest decision drivers in sheet metal manufacturing, and design plays a far greater role in cost than most teams realize. Long before material is purchased or machines are programmed, design choices lock in a significant portion of the final part cost.

Understanding how design influences cost allows engineers and procurement teams to make informed trade-offs without sacrificing performance.

Material Selection and Cost

Material choice is the most visible cost factor, but it is not just the price per kilogram that matters. Different materials affect:

• Cutting speed
• Tool wear
• Forming difficulty
• Scrap rates

A design that specifies a harder or specialty material may increase cost not only through material pricing, but also through slower production and higher rejection risk.

Choosing a material that balances performance with formability often results in lower total cost, even if the raw material appears slightly more expensive.

Bend Count, Complexity, and Tooling Cost

Each bend in a sheet metal part represents:

• Additional machine time
• Setup adjustments
• Increased opportunity for variation

Designs with excessive or inconsistent bends typically require more complex tooling and longer setup times. In contrast, designs that standardize bend radii and angles are faster to produce and easier to scale.

Reducing bend complexity is one of the most effective ways to lower cost without changing part functionality.

Tolerances and Their Hidden Cost

Tight tolerances are one of the biggest hidden cost drivers in sheet metal fabrication. While they may seem harmless on a drawing, tight tolerances often require:

• Slower forming speeds
• Additional inspection steps
• Secondary operations

Designs that apply tight tolerances only where functionally necessary allow manufacturers to optimize the rest of the process for speed and efficiency.

Batch Size and Design Economics

Design decisions interact strongly with production volume. Features that are economical for high-volume production may be expensive for low-volume runs, and vice versa.

A cost-aware design considers:

• Expected batch size
• Future scaling plans
• Tooling amortization

Designing with flexibility allows the same part to transition smoothly from prototype to mass production without major redesign.

Industry-Specific Sheet Metal Design Considerations

While general sheet metal design principles apply across applications, industry context dramatically changes design priorities. A part designed for an electrical enclosure faces very different constraints than one designed for automotive or medical use. Ignoring industry-specific requirements often leads to late-stage redesigns, compliance issues, or unexpected cost increases.

Designers aiming for global manufacturability must understand how different industries interpret tolerances, finishes, strength requirements, and documentation—and reflect that understanding in the design itself.

Automotive & Transportation Applications

In automotive and transportation sectors, sheet metal parts are often produced in high volumes and subjected to continuous vibration, thermal cycling, and mechanical stress.

Design considerations in this industry typically focus on:

• Structural rigidity with minimal material usage
• Consistent repeatability across large batches
• Compatibility with automated assembly lines

Designs that work well in this sector often emphasize simple geometries, standardized bends, and robust joining features, even if it means sacrificing cosmetic perfection.

Electrical & Electronics Enclosures

Sheet metal designs for electrical and electronic applications prioritize precision, safety, and accessibility. Small dimensional errors can interfere with component mounting, cable routing, or grounding.

Key design priorities include:

• Accurate hole placement for components
• Allowances for cable entry and ventilation
• Clear separation of functional and cosmetic tolerances

Designers must also account for surface finishes that support electrical grounding and corrosion resistance, particularly for outdoor or industrial installations.

Industrial Machinery & Equipment

Sheet metal parts used in industrial machinery often serve both structural and protective roles. These parts are typically larger, thicker, and designed for long service life rather than appearance.

Designs in this category must accommodate:

• Higher material thicknesses
• Heavy-duty joining methods
• Ease of maintenance and repair

Overly tight tolerances or decorative features rarely add value here and often increase cost unnecessarily.

Medical & Regulated Industries

Medical and regulated applications introduce an entirely different design mindset. Here, consistency, traceability, and cleanliness are often more important than raw production speed.

Sheet metal designs in these sectors must:

• Avoid sharp edges and crevices
• Support thorough cleaning or sterilization
• Maintain dimensional consistency for repeat inspections

Documentation and material traceability also become critical, and designs must support these requirements from the outset.

Real-World Sheet Metal Design Scenarios: From Prototype to Production

One of the biggest gaps between theory and reality in sheet metal design appears during the transition from prototype to full-scale production. Designs that function perfectly as prototypes often struggle when production volume increases, suppliers change, or timelines tighten.

Understanding how design priorities shift across different scenarios is essential for building parts that scale smoothly.

Prototype-Focused Design

During prototyping, speed and flexibility are usually the top priorities. Designers may:

• Use non-standard materials
• Allow manual adjustments
• Accept cosmetic variation

While this approach accelerates early testing, it often hides issues that only appear in production, such as excessive manual labor or inconsistent geometry.

Production-Ready Design

Production-ready sheet metal design focuses on repeatability and efficiency. Features that were acceptable in prototypes—such as complex bends or tight tolerances—may need to be simplified.

At this stage, successful designs:

• Standardize bend radii and angles
• Eliminate unnecessary features
• Align with available tooling

The goal is not perfection in one part, but consistency across thousands of parts.

Low-Volume vs High-Volume Manufacturing

Low-volume designs can tolerate certain inefficiencies, such as secondary operations or manual finishing. High-volume designs cannot.

A scalable design anticipates future volume increases by:

• Avoiding volume-specific shortcuts
• Choosing processes that scale economically
• Designing with automation in mind

Failing to plan for scale often results in costly redesigns just as demand increases.

Local vs Global Sourcing Scenarios

Designs intended for global sourcing must be more robust than those produced locally. Variations in machine capability, tooling, and operator practices are inevitable across regions.

Globally scalable designs:

• Use conservative bend and tolerance rules
• Avoid niche processes
• Allow reasonable dimensional variation

This flexibility ensures that production can shift between suppliers without compromising quality or timelines.

Common Sheet Metal Design Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Even experienced teams encounter issues when sheet metal designs move into production. Most problems arise not from lack of skill, but from design assumptions that don’t align with fabrication realities.

Understanding these common mistakes helps prevent delays, cost overruns, and quality issues.

Over-Specifying Tolerances

One of the most frequent mistakes is applying tight tolerances to dimensions that do not affect function. This increases inspection effort and production cost without improving performance.

Designers should reserve tight tolerances only for features that directly affect assembly or performance.

Ignoring Material Behavior

Designs that ignore springback, grain direction, or work hardening often fail during bending. These issues may not appear in CAD but become obvious during production.

Incorporating material-specific bend rules early avoids these failures.

Placing Features Too Close to Bends or Edges

Holes and cutouts placed too close to bends or edges frequently deform, compromising both appearance and function. This is one of the most common causes of rejected parts.

Allowing sufficient spacing ensures clean forming and consistent geometry.

Designing for Prototypes Instead of Production

Designs optimized only for prototypes often rely on manual adjustments that are impractical at scale. These shortcuts become major obstacles during mass production.

Designing with production in mind from the beginning reduces redesign effort later.

Underestimating Finishing Impact

Failing to account for finish thickness or masking requirements can lead to parts that no longer assemble correctly after coating.

Finish requirements should always be integrated into the design stage.

Sheet Metal Design Checklist (Production-Ready & Global)

Before releasing any sheet metal design for manufacturing, it is critical to validate it against a production-ready checklist. This step often separates designs that move smoothly into fabrication from those that face repeated revisions and delays.

A well-structured checklist helps designers, engineers, and sourcing teams quickly identify gaps and reduce back-and-forth during RFQs.

Design & Geometry Validation

The first step is ensuring that the core geometry of the part is feasible for real-world fabrication. This includes verifying that bend radii align with material behavior, features are placed with sufficient clearance, and complex shapes are truly necessary.

Designs that pass this stage typically show:

• Consistent bend radii across the part
• No features intersecting bend lines
• Adequate edge distances for all cutouts

Material & Thickness Confirmation

Material choice and thickness must be validated not only for performance, but also for availability and manufacturability across regions. A design that relies on rare grades or unconventional thicknesses may face sourcing issues during scale-up.

Confirming material standards early ensures smoother global sourcing and predictable pricing.

Tolerance & Assembly Review

At this stage, the focus shifts to functional accuracy. Critical dimensions should be clearly identified, while non-critical features should allow reasonable variation.

This separation allows manufacturers to focus process control where it matters most, improving yield and reducing inspection cost.

Finishing & Compliance Check

Before release, finishes and coatings should be reviewed for:

• Dimensional impact
• Masking requirements
• Environmental or industry compliance

Designs that incorporate finishing constraints early avoid costly surprises after production.

Design with Confidence. Manufacture at Scale.

Sheet metal design is not just about creating parts that look correct in CAD—it’s about ensuring that those parts can be manufactured accurately, economically, and consistently anywhere in the world.

By following the principles outlined in this guide, you can:

• Reduce production cost
• Shorten lead times
• Improve quality and consistency
• Scale manufacturing without redesigns

Whether you’re developing a new product, optimizing an existing design, or preparing for global production, expert guidance at the design stage makes all the difference.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sheet Metal Design