Aluminum for Sheet Metal Fabrication

Rapidsheetfab manufactures custom aluminum sheet metal parts for industrial OEMs—covering prototypes, NPI, and low-volume repeat production. We pair fast engineering feedback with controlled quality and export-ready communication so your aluminum enclosures, chassis, panels, brackets, frames, and welded assemblies move from drawing to delivery with confidence.

• Location: Dongguan, Guangdong, China
• Facility: 3,500 m²
• Founded: 2015
• Certification: ISO 9001:2015

• Light weight with good strength-to-weight ratio
• Corrosion resistance (especially with anodizing or powder coating)
• Excellent formability (5052, 5754) and machinability (6061)
• Clean cosmetics for visible enclosures and panels
• Good thermal and electrical conductivity for electronics and energy equipment

• Cutting and forming
• Five fiber laser cutters (sheet up to 2000 × 4000 mm)
• Seven CNC press brakes (up to 230T / 3000 mm)
• CNC punching for precision holes, louvers, and formed features
• Welding
• TIG, MIG/MAG, laser, and spot welding for aluminum assemblies
• Hardware and assembly
• PEM hardware insertion, riveting, and M2–M12 tapping
• Sub-assembly and final assembly per BOM
• Edge and surface prep
• Deburring, grinding, brushing, basic polishing
• Finishing (through qualified partners)
• Anodizing, powder coating, plating, sandblasting, screen printing, laser marking
• Note: Finishing is performed by vetted partners and not represented as in-house

• 5052: Highly formable and weldable; ideal for bent enclosures, panels, and brackets that require corrosion resistance. Go-to for many sheet metal parts.
• 6061: Higher strength and good machinability; suitable for frames, bases, and welded structures. Requires attention to heat-affected zones when welding.
• 5754: Strong corrosion resistance and good formability; often selected for transportation, marine, and structural sheet applications.

Typical sheet metal range: 0.5–12 mm

Laser cutting capacity for aluminum: up to 16 mm

• Laser cutting: ±0.10 mm (drawing dependent)
• Bending: ±0.20–0.30 mm (material, thickness, and geometry dependent)
• Holes: ±0.10–0.20 mm (process and feature dependent)

We will review your drawings and communicate any tolerance risks or suggested adjustments before production.

• Material and thickness
• 1.0–3.0 mm: common for electronics enclosures and panels
• 3.0–6.0 mm: brackets, frames, structural covers
• ≥6.0 mm: consider weldments or machined features as needed
• Bend design
• Prefer inside bend radius ≈ material thickness (R ≈ 1.0T) for 5052/5754; 6061 may benefit from larger radii (R ≥ 1.5T) to reduce cracking
• Allow bend reliefs at corners to control tearing and distortion
• Consider K-factor around 0.33–0.40 as a starting point; we will validate per grade/thickness and tooling
• Holes and slots
• Minimum hole diameter ≥ material thickness for punched features; laser can go finer, but evaluate edge quality and downstream hardware fit
• Maintain hole-to-edge distance ≥ 1.5× thickness (more if tapped or hardware-installed)
• Welding
• 5xxx series (e.g., 5052/5754) generally welds well with good ductility
• 6061 is weldable but expect HAZ softening; design with gussets or post-weld treatment as appropriate
• Use consistent joint gaps and fixturing references to manage distortion
• Hardware and threads
• Use aluminum-compatible PEM hardware; keep hardware a safe distance from bends and welds
• Tapped holes: M2–M12 supported; check thread engagement length for strength, especially in thinner gauges
• Finishing considerations
• Anodizing requires consistent alloys for uniform color; specify masking for threads/ground points
• Account for coating thickness (e.g., oversize holes/slots) for both anodizing and powder coating
• Define cosmetic surfaces and viewing directions; specify grain/brushing orientation where applicable

Share your STEP/SolidWorks files and PDFs; we will confirm bend deductions, radii, and tooling plans before cutting.

• Enclosures and cabinets (electronics, instrumentation, automation)
• Chassis and panels (with PEM hardware, ventilation, and labeling)
• Brackets and frames (formed and welded)
• Bases and subframes (with machining callouts as required)
• Welded assemblies with multi-process requirements

• Process control: IQC, FAI, IPQC, FQC, OQC
• Inspection: CMM, 2.5D vision, height gauges, standard tools
• Documentation upon request: First Article Inspection, dimensional reports, material certificates, RoHS/REACH, coating reports

• MOQ: 1 piece (prototypes)
• Typical lead times
• Prototypes: 3–12 working days (process-dependent)
• Small batches: 10–15 days
• Regular production: 15–25 days
• Export-ready since 2019; ~55% export
• Main markets: United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, Singapore
• Responsive English communication; packaging and documentation per destination standards