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"Hubs is able to do the manufacturing in half the time, and that’s a huge advantage to us. "
"Amazing experience. All the exceptions fulfilled. Exceptional quality and surface finish. Lead time faster than initially stated."
"When we started working with Hubs, we noticed an immediate difference in lead time and product cost. Using the DfM tools for CNC machining to quickly iterate, we managed to reduce production costs by up to 50%."
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Why use Hubs for sheet metal fabrication
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What is sheet metal fabrication?
Sheet metal fabrication is a manufacturing method that involves cutting and bending sheets of metal to form different shapes.
Sheet metal fabrication is more cost-effective than CNC machining when it comes to metal components with uniform wall thickness.
Available materials for sheet metal
Below is a list of our standard available metals for sheet metal fabrication. If you require a custom material please contact sales@hubs.com.
| Aluminum | Stainless steel | Mild steel | Copper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5052 | 304 | 1018 | C110 |
| 5754 | 316L |
Available sheet metal fabrication processes
Our network of Manufacturing Partners gives you easy access to sheet metal fabrication capabilities to serve all your manufacturing needs.
| Name | Description | Allowable sheet thickness |
|---|---|---|
| Laser cutting | This manufacturing process uses a high-power laser beam to cut a material sheet. |
1-6mm (depending on material) |
| Bending | This manufacturing process uses dies to produce a U-shape, V- shape or channel shape along a straight axis in ductile materials. |
1-6mm (depending on material) |
Tolerances for sheet metal fabrication
The table below summarizes the standard tolerances of the parts produced by certified Hubs Manufacturing Partners.
| Feature | Tolerance |
|---|---|
| Cutting feature | ± .00787’’ (0.2 mm) |
| Bend angle | ± 1.0° |
| Bend to edge | +/- 0.010” (0.254mm) |
Get your sheet metal parts shipped in 5 days
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Available surface finishes for sheet metal
Surface finishes are applied after machining and can change the appearance, surface roughness, hardness and chemical resistance of the produced parts.
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
 |
Standard | This is our standard finish. Parts as delivered as cut and bent, no additional treatment applied. Sharp edges are broken and deburred for safe handling. |
 |
Bead Blasted | Parts are bead blasted with glass beads which results in a grainy texture. Sharp edges are broken and deburred for safe handling. |
 |
Brushed | Parts are manually brushed with grit #180 after cutting and bending. Sharp edges are broken and deburred for safe handling. Ideal to reduce the surface roughness of a part. |
 |
Brused + Anodized type II | Parts are dipped in an anodizing bath (type II) after manual brushing. Ideal for increasing the corrosion resistance of the part. Ideal for increasing the corrosion resistance of the part. Sharp edges are broken and deburred for safe handling. |
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Bead blasted + Anodized type II | Parts are dipped in an anodizing bath (type II) after bead blasting. Ideal for increasing the corrosion resistance of the part. Sharp edges are broken and deburred for safe handling. |
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Anodized type III (Hardcoat) | Parts dipped in an anodizing (type III) bath directly after fabrication. Ideal to improve corrosion and wear resistance of components. Sharp edges are broken and deburred for safe handling. |
 |
Powder coated | Powder coating layer is applied directly after fabrication. Sharp edges are broken and deburred for safe handling. |
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Black oxide | Parts are dipped in a black oxide bath after fabrication. Ideal to improve improve corrosion resistance and minimize light reflection in steel components. Sharp edges are broken and deburred for safe handling. |
 |
Chromate conversion coating | Parts are dipped in an alodine bath directly after fabrication. Ideal to increase the corrosion resistance of the part while maintaining its conductive properties. RoHS compliant. Sharp edges are broken and deburred for safe handling. |