What Can Affect The Cost Of Your Sheet Metal Order?
Planning your sheet metal orders for the upcoming fiscal year can take some thought if you're looking at new forms of fabrication or want to change another feature of the sheet metal you've been using. With advances in technology and changes in the metal market, you need to take a lot more into account when you want to adjust how you get metal parts made for your company. Of course there are the usual issues, like how much metal you'll need fabricated because bulk ordering may affect your budget differently than ordering smaller amounts. Other issues also need consideration so that you have a complete picture.
Type of Metal
First, the type of metal is going to play more into the projected cost than before. Metal prices are notorious for being very sensitive to the whims of people, so this shouldn't be a surprise. But as metal prices climb and climb, the corrections they encounter won't send the prices tumbling as low as they had in earlier years. That means you have to both pay attention to current trends and assume that you can't wait for a big fall in price to stock up.
The Thickness of the Metal
Many sheet metal fabrication companies have a range of thicknesses their equipment can cut. Often, these thicknesses are under 1 inch or thinner. If you need thicker metal cut, you may have to seek a company that has special equipment. Or, the company you're currently in talks with may have the equipment but charge more for its use.
Choice of Fabrication Style
And then, there's the choice of fabrication style. Laser cutting is one option, while metal stamping is another; there are additional styles that could be more appropriate for your needs. The style can increase or decrease the price based on what's needed to produce the pieces you want. For example, metal stamping requires the creation of customized dies that might not be transferable to other projects. So, the company would have to create the die for one project. This will likely cost more compared to a die for a piece that is so common that the company can use it over and over again for years.
When you contact the sheet metal fabrication company, ask about how quickly their prices change based on metal price fluctuations and how they handle thicker metal. You'll be able to put together a picture of how their prices and procedures would affect the cost of your project, thus making your budget planning a little easier.
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