Standard Tolerances in Precision Sheet Metal
You spent thousands on a new precision sheet metal machine and researched the best machine for your needs. However, there are still inconsistent bends and angles. This could occur for several reasons but tolerance is often the cause.
What Is a Sheet Metal Tolerance?
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers defines tolerance as the total amount that a design’s dimension can vary. Not all sheet metals are created equal. Sheet metal has allowable variations including thickness, yield strength, and chemical composition.
The ASME sets guidelines for the minimum yield strength of a product. That way, manufacturers can safely and predictably create prototypes. It is important to define standard tolerances for many reasons. The benefits include:
- A better fit between parts
- Reduced costs from creating the correct tolerance for the product
- Higher efficiency is the design’s dimensions
There are many factors that influence sheet metal tolerance. Material is one of the many influences, along with many others, including:
- Ease of Repair: How often does the user need to exchange parts?
- Assembly: Do holes and brackets line up with little effort?
- Cutting Process: Is there variation during the cutting process?
- Welding Process: What kind of heat and weld is used during the welding process?
- Functionality: Is the piece difficult to use?
Knowing the sheet metal tolerance is essential to create a high-quality prototype. You need an experienced sheet metal fabricator to do the job right.
Meta Fab, Inc provides sheet metal fabrication services, including CNC machining, finishing, laser cutting, silk screening, shearing, grinding, graining, rapid prototypes, and more. Contact Meta Fab for your sheet metal fabrication project in Hillsboro, Oregon today!