You know you need a metal fabrication partner who can cut you project parts, but there are some key factors to getting the part you need that are not immediately obvious.
Here are the top 4 things no one tells you about custom metal fabrication.
Shop Drawings Are Needed for Custom Metal Fabrication
Every successful custom metal fabrication project begins with an accurate design. Before your design heads into fabrication, make sure the right pieces are in place for translating metal designs into component parts. This requires a shop or CAD drawing. This information on a manufacturing drawing sets the stage for how the part is to be made by the shop floor. It is the medium used to communicate how to cut and fabricate the part based upon the specifications.
If you don’t have a shop drawing, there are full-service fabricators with engineers on staff who regularly turn concepts into CAD drawings. Custom steel products often go from a “design” to a “manufacturing design”, then finally fabrication. Behind the scenes, there’s a great deal of activity between design and production.
Not All Metal Fabricators Are Created Equal
Just because a metal fabricator promises the moon doesn’t mean they have the resources to back it up. Ask the custom metal fabricator for a tour of their facility. If they refuse, keep walking.
Consider partnering with a full-service fabricator who employs experts that can oversee cutting, forming, assembly, finishing, and assembly — all under one roof. They should also possess the equipment, materials, skilled staff, and production capacity for your type of project.
Through careful selection of your metal fabrication partner, you can ensure that your project will be completed on time and on budget with no unexpected snags.
The Fabricator with the Lowest Bid May Not be the Lowest Cost Option
A low bid doesn’t mean you’ll see a better return on your investment. When researching custom metal fabrication partners, be on the lookout for a company that uses state-of-the-art metal fabrication equipment. In some cases, metal fabrication using these modern machines may not be cheaper, but it pays off in the long run with products that are completed faster with fewer errors and also look better.
Rather than simply gathering bids on a project or parts, source a full-service metal fabricator who is willing to learn more about the nature of your business, your processes, and your customers.
Custom Metal Fabrication Does Not Require Multiple Vendors
Just because your project has unique specifications doesn’t mean you have to go to multiple vendors for design, engineering, and assembly. If you’re looking to save money, you want your metal fabrication company to complete as many processes as possible themselves. If your metal fabricator does everything from design to assembly, there is no need for an extra expenditure of time and money to outsource these processes.
Partner with a Full-Service Metal Fabricator
Working with a full-service fabricator can help you navigate the entire custom metal fabrication process with confidence.
Naimor Inc. is a leading large custom metal fabrication company due to one big reason: we have the in-house capabilities to take large projects from design to assembly that many other metal fabricators do not. As a single-source metal fabrication company that has been serving WA, OR, and the rest of the West Coast for 10 years, Naimor, Inc. looks forward to putting our cutting-edge metal fabrication solutions to work for you.
