Fast & Affordable
Sheet Metal Services
Custom high-precision sheet metal
prototypes and parts, as fast as 5 days.
Get In Touch or Get A Quote
Home Office: 116 Cardigan Road, Office M2.
Headingley, Leeds UK, LS6 3BJ
VAT Number: GB393458263
Factory: Building A, Hongfa Industrial District
Houda Road, Daling Shan, Dongguan,
Guangdong, China
Laser Cutting
We have CNC laser cutting capabilities for high precision parts and prototypes requiring a higher level of detail.
Plasma Cutting
We offer CNC plasma cutting services suitable for both large-scale and one-off custom fabrication projects.
Sheet Metal Bending
Bending is a common sheet metal forming method used to shape steel, stainless steel, aluminium parts after cutting process.
Waterjet cutting
We have waterjet cutting capabilities useful for cutting very thick sheets of metal with a very high-quality finish.
Assembly
We provide sheet metal assembly services using a range of techniques including welding and riveting to assist in streamlining production processes.
Enclosures
Sheet metal fabrication offers an inexpensive, reliable and efficient solution for producing custom enclosures.
Get a quote/Get in touch
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Sheet Metal Prototyping and Production Services
Our rapid sheet metal prototyping and production services include a variety of tooled and manual manufacturing techniques and processes enabling us to realise some highly complex parts without expensive and time-consuming production tooling. We can help you quickly and accurately make your enclosures, brackets, assemblies, weldments, cabinets, housings and other sheet metal parts and prototypes.
Copper
Copper is an excellent material for sheet metal fabrication. It is malleable, ductile, and an extremely good conductor of both heat and electricity. It is commonly used for electrical equipment such as wiring and motors.
Material Reference
Red Copper, Brass
Appearance
Pinkish Orage, Reddish Brown, Reddish-Gold
Copper
Copper is an excellent material for sheet metal fabrication. It is malleable, ductile, and an extremely good conductor of both heat and electricity. It is commonly used for electrical equipment such as wiring and motors.
Material Reference
Red Copper, Brass
Appearance
Pinkish Orage, Reddish Brown, Reddish-Gold
Low Carbon Steel
Though low carbon steel is weaker and softer, it is good for situations that require structural steel fabrication, such as automobile body components and cans, as it has a very consistent yield strength and is easy to shape.
Cold Rolled Steel (CRS)
At HLH, we can fabricate cold rolled steel sheets. CRS is essentially hot rolled steel that has been further strengthened by being allowed to cool at room temperature and annealed. It produces steel with closer dimensional tolerances and a wider range of surface finishes than hot rolling.
Material Reference
SPCC
Appearance
Smooth Gray
Spring Steel
Spring steel sheet has a low-alloy manganese, medium-carbon steel or high-carbon steel with a very high yield strength. It is a flexible material commonly used to manufacture products, including landing gears, saw blades, springs and more.
Appearance
Gray Blue
Steel
At HLH Rapid, we can fabricate numerous grades of steel. While working on a low budget, mild carbon steel proves to be the best.
Material Reference
Mild Steel 45, AlSl 1020 (20#steel), SECC (Electro-galvanized steel), 45 Steel, 1018, Q235, Q345, Galvanized Steel
Appearance
Silver
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel sheet cut to size is strong and highly resistant to corrosion and rust, making it ideal for parts that are exposed to different elements for long periods and do not easily break.
Material Reference
SS304, SS301, SS316
Appearance
Silver
Materials Guide
Sheet Metal
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Typical Sheet Metal Finishes
| Applicable Materials | Colour | Description | |
| Bead Blasting | All metals | Uniform matte of raw material colour | Bead blasting is used mainly for visual purposes and comes in several different grits which indicate the size of the bombarding pellets. |
| Powder Coating | All metals | Black, white | Powder coating is typically used because it has a longer lasting, tougher finish than painting. |
| Anodizing | All metals | Clear, black, grey, red, blue, gold | Anodising is used to increase surface hardness, wear resistance and durability of metals such as Aluminium. |
HLH SURFACE FINISHES: SHEET METAL
All processes are done in-house - this includes the surface finishing of your custom sheet metal parts.
Discover the range of surface finishes that can be applied in this sheet.
Surface Finishes Page
Oxidation 2
Painting 2
Polishing 3
Powder Coating 3
Smoothing 4
This list features common sheet metal finishes. For other custom finishes such as plating and more,plase contact us at info：hongqiuhuang679@gmail.com
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Oxidation
Oxide coatings protect the metal from corrosion and are used for
decorative purposes and as electrical insulation.
Notes
Material Compatibility Stainless steel, copper alloys, mild steel, tool steel, etc.
Example of aluminium part with oxide coating
Painting
Painting is a well-known way to add colour and improve the aesthetics
of vacuum casted parts.
Notes
Color Black, Pantone/RAL colours
Example of spring steel part with a painted finish
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Polishing
Polishing is often used to enhance the appearance of a part, prevent
contamination, remove oxidation, create a reflective surface, or
prevent corrosion.
Notes
Results in shiny appearance
Example of metal part with a polished finish
Powder Coating
Powder coating is usually used to create a hard finish that is tougher
than conventional paint. It is used for both functional and decorative
purposes.
Notes
Color Black, Pantone/RAL colours
Example of low carbon steel part with a powder coated finish
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Smoothing
Smoothing via hand sanding or manual sanding is a great option
for evening the surface of small individual parts.
Notes
Color -
Example of 45 steel part with a smooth finish
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Tolerances for Sheet Metal Prototyping
The table below summarises the standard tolerances used at HLH for sheet metal parts.
| Feature | Tolerance |
| Forming or bending | ±0.508mm (0.020″) |
| Bend to edge | ±0.254mm (0.010″) |
| Bend to hole | ±0.381mm (0.015″) |
Get a Quote Within 24 Hours
Send us your 3D CAD and include any quantity, material or surface finish requirements, and our team will get back with a quote within 24 hours. Our comprehensive quote will include your sheet metal part price, shipping cost, lead times, and any remarks raised by our engineers.
Rapid Sheet Metal Prototyping
We understand the needs of engineers and industrial designers. With full in-house capabilities – bending, laser cutting, welding, as well as CNC folding, tapping, countersinking, counterboring and other processes – we offer unrivalled turnaround on one-off metal prototypes.
Bespoke Production Parts
We have the experience to produce both simple and complex sheet metal parts for the automotive, aerospace, electronics and many more industries. With no Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ), we provide the flexibility and scalable capacity that your project requires.
Why Use Sheet Metal
Sheet metal can be quickly cut into 2D profile shapes and formed out
of a variety of high-strength materials, making it perfect for rapid
tooling. Its per-unit pricing lowers significantly in production volumes.
Combined with end-use materials and high throughput, sheet metal
fabrication is a well-known production method.
Sheet Metal Fabrication is Used For
Rapid prototypes, low volume production, medical and
communications products, housings and enclosures, everything from
cars and space rockets and planes to air conditioners and soda cans.
Advantages of Sheet Metal Prototyping
- Quick and inexpensive
- High strength and durability
- Very efficient
- High Precision
- Sustainable solution
Sheet Metal FAQs
What is sheet metal prototyping?
Sheet metal is a common form of raw metal stock, usually 0.006 and 0.25 inches thick. Fabrication is a collection of processes used to shape raw metal stock into a usable product. Sheet metal prototyping includes many machining processes meant to assemble, cut, or form a sheet metal workpiece. After fabrication, a product often needs to undergo finishing processes. Read the full guide here.
How does sheet metal fabrication work?
There are 3 common stages in the sheet metal fabrication process, all of which can be completed with various types of fabrication tools. The stages are:
- material removal
- material deformation (forming)
- assembling
How much does it cost to fabricate sheet metal?
Sheet metal prototyping and production solutions are a cost efficient and productive way to make metal parts.
Typically, sheet metal fabrication services can cost anywhere from a hundred dollars up to ten thousands of dollars. The price depends on the raw material cost, part complexity, post processing work involved and cost of labor.
Which industries use sheet metal prototyping?
Many industries are heavily reliant on sheet metal rapid prototyping solutions, including:
- aerospace
- automotive
- construction
- electronics
- farming
- transport
What thickness of metal is considered sheet metal?
Any metal thinner than 6mm is considered sheet metal. Any metal thicker than 6mm is considered a metal plate.
