Sheet Metal Fabrication for Enclosures, Panels, and Structural Hardware.
Factorem combines laser cutting, bending, welding, and hardware insertion into complete sheet metal assemblies — with engineer review and ISO 9001 quality controls on every order.
±0.1mm
Laser cut tolerance
0.5–12mm
Material thickness range
7–14 days
Lead time
ISO 9001
Certified
Typical Capability Specs
Common parameters for sheet metal work at Factorem. Send your drawing and we'll confirm what's achievable for your specific geometry.
Laser Cut Tolerance
±0.1mm
On flat laser-cut geometry. Hole diameters and profile dimensions.
Bend Angle Tolerance
±0.5°
CNC press brake. ±0.3mm on flanged dimensions after springback compensation.
Material Thickness
0.5–12mm
Varies by material: AL 0.5–6mm; SS 0.5–8mm; mild steel 0.8–12mm.
Min Bend Radius
1.0× thickness
Typical minimum. Tighter radii possible on some alloys — reviewed during DFM.
Max Laser Cut Sheet
3000×1500mm
Flat blank size. Larger sheets reviewed with our supplier network.
Lead Time
7–14 days
Typical for cut-and-bend. Welded assemblies 10–18 days. Expedited reviewed on request.
What We Can Do
Fabrication Operations
Most orders combine several of these operations in sequence. If your part needs something not listed here, talk to our engineers.
Laser Cutting
Fibre laser cutting for flat profiles with tight edge tolerances and clean finishes — no tooling required. Handles complex 2D outlines, holes, slots, and cutouts in a single pass.
Commonly used when
Flat blanks, panel cutouts, or complex 2D profiles are required at tolerance ±0.1mm
CNC Bending & Forming
CNC press brake bending for V, U, and channel profiles with springback compensation. Enclosure flanges, brackets, and complex multi-bend parts produced to ±0.5° angle tolerance.
Commonly used when
Parts need formed flanges, channels, or box geometries from flat blanks
TIG / MIG Welding
TIG welding for aluminium and stainless steel assemblies where weld quality and appearance matter. MIG welding for mild steel structural work. Weld sequence controlled to manage distortion and hold dimensional tolerances.
Commonly used when
Enclosure assemblies, structural weldments, or vacuum-compatible joints are required
Folding & Deep Forming
Panel folding and deep forming for enclosure lids, wraparound covers, and structural channel sections. Larger panels and box forms that exceed press brake capacity are handled with panel folding machines.
Commonly used when
Large panel enclosures or wraparound covers need consistent, low-distortion folds
Tapping & Hardware Insertion
CNC tapping for threaded holes directly in sheet metal. PEM fastener insertion (nuts, studs, standoffs, clinch screws) pressed in as a standard fabrication step on most enclosure and panel orders.
Commonly used when
Parts need threaded features, captive fasteners, or press-fit hardware without welding
Riveting & Mechanical Assembly
Blind riveting and mechanical fastening for assemblies where welding is not appropriate — dissimilar materials, painted parts, or field-serviceable joints. Sub-assembly and kitting available.
Commonly used when
Multi-material assemblies or painted panels need joining without heat distortion
Need a different fabrication operation, or a multi-stage assembly combining several processes? Describe your part and our engineers will advise on the right approach. Talk to an engineer →
Common Materials
Materials we commonly process in sheet form. Other alloys — phosphor bronze, titanium sheet, Inconel — available on request.
AL 5052-H32
Most common sheet aluminium. Excellent formability and corrosion resistance. Welds well. Standard choice for enclosures and panels.
Commonly used for
Instrument enclosures, chassis panels, cable trays, formed brackets
AL 6061-T6
Higher strength than 5052. Less formable — suitable for structural panels and frames that don't require tight bend radii. Anodises well.
Commonly used for
Structural panels, rack-mount frames, optical bench baseplate stock
SS 304 / 316L
304 for general corrosion resistance; 316L for higher corrosion resistance and vacuum compatibility. Both TIG-weld well with correct filler wire.
Commonly used for
Lab enclosures, cleanroom panels, food-grade equipment, vacuum vessel walls
Mild Steel (CR/HR)
Cold-rolled for flat, smooth surfaces; hot-rolled for thicker structural applications. Most economical option for structural frames and enclosures to be powder-coated.
Commonly used for
Equipment frames, rack enclosures, structural panels, weldments
Galvanised Steel
Pre-galvanised sheet for corrosion-resistant enclosures without additional finishing. Standard for industrial and outdoor enclosures.
Commonly used for
Outdoor electrical enclosures, industrial control panels, storage structures
Other Materials
Phosphor bronze, titanium sheet, Hastelloy, and other specialty alloys reviewed on request. Contact us with your material spec and we'll advise on process and lead time.
Need a material or thickness not listed? Our engineers are happy to advise. Most reasonable requests can be accommodated through our supplier network. Talk to an engineer →
Don't see what you need?
Unusual material, complex multi-stage forming, welded assemblies with tight dimensional requirements? Our engineers review non-standard requests — most can be accommodated.
Industries & Applications
Sheet metal fabrication is commonly used wherever enclosures, structural frames, and formed panels are needed. Commonly used across these industries — but not limited to them.
Photonics & Optics
Light-tight enclosures, laser safety housings, optical instrument cabinets, cable management trays for photonics setups
See Photonics page →
Quantum
RF shielding enclosures, equipment rack panels, stainless steel vacuum system support structures, µ-metal shielding cans
See Quantum page →
Robotics
Robot arm safety enclosures, electronics housing panels, formed cable guides, structural base frames for robotic cells
See Robotics page →
Defense & Aerospace
Avionics bay panels, equipment rack enclosures, EMI shielding cabinets, structural brackets — EAR99 commercial programs
See Defense page →
Space Tech
Satellite body panels, solar array support structures, thermal shielding panels, ground support equipment frames
See Space Tech page →
Other Applications
Medical equipment housings, semiconductor tool panels, cleanroom furniture, industrial automation enclosures — if it's flat, bent, or welded, we can make it.
Design Considerations
Before You Send Your File
Common design factors for sheet metal parts. These are guidance — send your design and our engineers will review it regardless.
Bend Radius & Minimum Flange
Inside bend radius should be at least 1× material thickness to avoid cracking; minimum flange length is 4× thickness for reliable press brake grip. Tighter radii are possible on some alloys — reviewed during DFM.
Hole-to-Edge & Hole-to-Bend Distance
Holes too close to an edge or bend deform during forming — keep hole-to-edge ≥ 2× thickness, hole-to-bend ≥ 3× thickness + bend radius. Mark critical dimensions on your drawing and we'll flag issues before cutting.
Grain Direction for Formed Parts
Sheet metal has a grain direction from rolling; bending across the grain reduces cracking risk on tight-radius bends in aluminium and high-strength steel. For parts with bends in multiple directions, blank orientation is confirmed during DFM.
Hardware Insertion & Weld Placement
PEM fasteners and weld nuts need clearance from bends and edges — typically 3× their outer diameter. For welded assemblies, weld sequence affects final dimensions; specify weld locations and access requirements on your drawing.
Complex assembly — multi-stage forming, tight tolerances, or welded structure?
Talk to our engineersHow a Sheet Metal Order Works
Upload Your Files
Send STEP or DXF with your drawing. Include material, thickness, finish spec, and hardware callouts. For assemblies, include a full assembly drawing.
DFM Review — Within 24 Hours
Our engineer reviews for bend radii, hole positions, grain direction, weld access, and hardware placement. Any issues are flagged with suggested fixes before we quote.
Confirm Quote, Material, & Finish
Fixed-price quote covering all operations — cut, bend, weld, hardware, finish. Confirm material grade, finish specification, and hardware requirements.
Laser Cut → Bend → Weld → Hardware → Finish
Operations are sequenced to hold your key tolerances. Critical dimensions checked between stages. First articles inspected against your drawing before production run.
Inspection, Documentation, & Delivery
Dimensional inspection report and Certificate of Conformance on every order. Material Test Reports on request. Tracked shipment with full handover pack.
Sheet Metal FAQ
We offer laser cutting, CNC punch/press, bending and forming, TIG/MIG welding, hardware insertion (PEM fasteners, threaded inserts), and powder coating or painting. Most orders combine several operations. Our DFM review sequences operations optimally for your geometry and material.
Laser-cut profiles hold ±0.1mm on flat geometry. Bent features are typically ±0.5° on angle and ±0.3mm on flanged dimensions. Welded assemblies are ±0.5mm on assembled dimensions, depending on weld sequence and fixturing. Tighter requirements on specific features are reviewed during DFM.
We work with sheet from 0.5mm to 12mm depending on material and process. Aluminium 0.5–6mm; stainless 0.5–8mm; mild steel 0.8–12mm. These are typical ranges — if your thickness is outside these, contact us and we'll advise on process feasibility.
Yes. We TIG-weld aluminium sheet assemblies using 4043 or 5356 filler wire as appropriate for the alloy. Aluminium welding requires clean preparation and controlled fixturing to manage distortion. For structural enclosures, we'll advise on weld sequence and fixturing to hold dimensional tolerances. Weld inspection documentation is available on request.
Yes. PEM nuts, studs, standoffs, and clinch fasteners are inserted as a standard part of most enclosure and panel orders. Specify the hardware type and location on your drawing; we'll include it in the fabrication process. We stock common metric and imperial PEM hardware and can source specials on request.
Common finishes include anodize (Type II and Type III hard coat) for aluminium, chromate conversion (Alodine), passivation for stainless, powder coat, and liquid paint. See our Surface Treatment page for the full list. Other finishes available on request — share your spec and we'll confirm.
Ready to Fabricate Your Sheet Metal Parts?
Upload your DXF or STEP file for a DFM review and fixed-price quote. Or talk to an engineer first about your assembly requirements.
DFM review within 24 hours · Fixed-price quote · Full documentation on every order
