It’s not uncommon for today’s sheet metal fabrication projects to demand a highly involved multi-stage process – from design to manufacturing to assembly. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes in order to transform raw materials into finished products that meet precision specifications.
That’s especially true when it comes to the complex fabrications and structural components used in various modern industrial applications. Generally, the more complex the product design, the more complex the fabrication process required.
In an effort to meet those challenges, S&W Metal Products offers comprehensive steel fabrication services. We’re able to ensure superior end-to-end quality with every project. Our capabilities combine metal cutting and welding, bending and forming, punching and rolling, along with CNC machining services. We utilize these various manufacturing processes (amongst many others) to accommodate each product’s unique design features while meeting all requirements in quality – from component tolerances to the surface finish.
Let’s take a closer look at what exactly goes into transforming raw materials into your finished fabrications.
Raw Material Selection and Sourcing
The custom fabrication process begins with selecting the optimum material for the application at hand. Of course, there are many different steel grades we can choose from based on the desired mechanical properties and intended use case for the end product. At S&W, our expertise in materials science is based on 75+ years of diverse metalworking experience.
There are also cost considerations to keep in mind – we want to meet all functional requirements and performance targets without bumping up your costs too much by using higher grades of steel than necessary. For example, our common fabricated steel types include carbon steel, stainless steel, as well as many types of aluminum, each offering unique characteristics in terms of strength, corrosion resistance, and weldability.
S&W can assist in selecting the ideal material based on your specific product needs and production requirements. Furthermore, our well-established material vendor network ensures availability of raw materials and a more reliable ongoing supply chain for your project.
Fabricating Your Custom Product Designs
Once we have the raw materials in hand, it’s time to bring your custom fabricated products to life. We engineer the most efficient manufacturing plan based on the chosen material, the complexity of the design, the unique part features, the required tolerances, as well as the production volume. As you can imagine, tackling such a wide range of product types and manufacturing requirements demands a long list of precision fabrication capabilities.
Our Precision Metal Cutting Services:
- Laser Cutting – Sheet capacity up to 72” x 144” (6’ x 12’). Tolerance: +/- .005”
- Sawing – Flats, rounds, angles, channel and tubing up to 16”. Tolerance: +/- 1/32”
- Shearing – Up to 120” (10’) cuts. Tolerance: +/- 1/16”
Precision Metal Forming Solutions:
- CNC Forming – Up to 250 tons, 12’ bed length
- Plate Rolling – 8” minimum diameter, up to 7 ga thickness
- Turret Punching – 5’ x 10’ work area, 33 ton capacity, holes up to 3” dia. Tolerance: +/- 1/32” (positioning) +/-.007” (diameter)
- Press Punching – Up to 350 tons. Max Thickness: Carbon ¾” Stainless 3/8” Aluminum ½”
Manual and Robotic Welding Solutions:
- MIG welding
- TIG welding
- Flux core welding
- Spot welding
- Robotic welding with precision automation
- Certified Welders – AWS Codes D1.1, D1.2, D1.3, D1.6 / ASME Section IX
Integrated CNC Machining Capabilities:
- CNC Milling – CNC and 4th axis milling, up to 50″ x 20″ x 20″. Surface grinding, 8″ x 15″ magnetic table. Tolerance: +/-.005”
- CNC Turning – 3.5″ OD bar feeding. Tolerance: +/-.005” (dia).
Finishing and Assembly Solutions
Of course, most components don’t come out of the machine or off the line ready to go as end products. The majority of custom fabrication projects require some form of metal finishing, powder coating, special surface treatments, additional post-processing, etc. Furthermore, once the individual components are fully manufactured, additional assembly operations are often required.
S&W aims to simplify and streamline that entire process. We offer top-level assembly and sub-assembly services, as well as hardware kitting options to conveniently package required components, fasteners, and other hardware together. We also operate multiple S&W company trucks to streamline customer shipments, providing the quickest and easiest path possible from raw material to final product delivery.
Precision American Fabrication Solutions Since 1946
S&W Metal Products is far more than just a contract manufacturer. Our end-to-end fabrication capabilities enable our company to serve as a value-adding partner throughout the duration of your project. We specialize in precision steel fabrication for many unique industries including industrial components, construction equipment, defense products, transportation, and more – all backed by more than 75 years of quality American manufacturing excellence.