Sheet Metal Fabrication

Design Guide
Table of Contents
3 Overview
Design Checkpoint: Why Use Sheet Metal?
4 Tolerances
4 Xometry’s Sheet Metal Tolerance Offerings
5 Geometry-Dependent Tolerances
6 Typical Stock Size and Gauge
6 Sheet Stock Sizes and Gauge Lookup Chart
7 Stock Material Thickness Tolerances
8 Quoting Formats: 3D CAD and DXF Files
9 DXF Requirements
10 General Design Tips
11 Wall Thickness
12 Holes and Slots
13 Bends
14 Curls and Countersinks
15 Hems
16 Relief Cuts and Corner Fillets
17 Notches and Tabs
18 Finishes & Post-processes for Sheet Metal
19 Installing Insert and Fastners
20 Welding, Riveting, and Assemblies
21 Resources at Xometry
Overview
Sheet metal fabrication is the process of scale significantly and have a low price per part
forming parts from a metal sheet by punching, with high throughput.
cutting, stamping, and bending. 3D CAD files
are converted into machine code, which Because parts are formed from a single sheet
controls a machine to precisely cut a flat of metal, designs must maintain a uniform
pattern, which can be formed into the final thickness. Factors like bend radius and feature-
part using press brakes and die tools. Parts to-feature cut distances should be considered.
can be finished with inserts, welding, surface Be sure to follow design requirements and
treatments, and part marking. tolerances in this guide to ensure parts fall
closer to design intent.
Sheet metal parts are known for their
durability, which makes them great for end-use
applications (e.g. chassis). Parts can be very
Design Checkpoint:
Why Use Sheet Metal?
inexpensive if they only require a 2D cut with a
✓ Often cheaper than milling
laser, plasma, or waterjet cutting tool. Because
standardized tooling can make most sheet ✓ Scales in volume production
metal bends and features, this process can ✓ High strength-to-weight ratio
✓ Effective for large parts

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Tolerances

Xometry’s Sheet Metal Tolerance Offerings

If a drawing or specification sheet has not been provided by the customer, Xometry will
manufacture the product from the model to the specifications listed below:

• Forming and bending: +/- 0.020” Tip: Certain sheet metal

• Bend to hole or feature: +/- 0.010” designs like hems, curled
• Linear dimensions excluding locations to bends: +/- 0.005” flanges, and rolled sheets,
• Diameters with inserts: +0.003” / -0.000” stamped parts, and
• Angularity: +/- 2° welded assemblies require
• Surface roughness (blank material): Ra 125 μin maximum custom tooling and will
• Surface roughness (timesaver): Ra 100 μin maximum be flagged for a manual
• Sharp edges will be broken and deburred quote. If your part includes
by default. Critical edges that must be these features, please allow
left sharp should be noted and specified the Xometry manual quote
on a print. team to review and provide
you with an accurate cost
and lead time.

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Xometry can provide 3 tiers of tolerance offerings
based on the design of the desired part.

Single Surface
Edge to Edge +/-0.005 A

Edge to Hole +/-0.005 B

Hole to Hole +/-0.005 C

Hole to Diameters +/-0.005 D

Bend to Edge/Hole +/-0.010 E

Multiple Surface
Hole to Hole/Edge: Edge to Edge +/-0.030 F

Over Formed Part +/-0.030 G

Bend Angle +/-1 deg H

Flat Parts
Flat sheet metal parts that utilize stock
material gauge thicknesses and require no
bending or milled features. All flat sheet metal
parts can meet a +/-0.005” (+/- 0.127mm)
tolerance.

Simple Bend / One Surface

When designing parts with some type of bend
with a standard bend radius, sheet metal
tolerances are required to open.

For simple bent parts, Xometry can offer a +/-

0.010” (+/- 0.254mm) tolerance for dimensions
across a single bend. The bend radius itself is
constrained to a +/- 1.0° tolerance.

Multiple Surface Bends

For dimensions measured over mul-
tiple bends, Xometry can offer a +/-
0.030” (0.762mm) tolerance.

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Typical Stock
Size and Gauge
Common Sheet
Metal Materials:
Steel Galvanized Stainless Aluminum

Gauge in. mm in. mm in. mm in. mm

• Aluminum alloy
3 0.2391 6.07
• Steel
4 0.2242 5.69
• Stainless Steel
5
• Brass or Bronze 0.2092 5.31

• Copper 6 0.1943 4.94 0.1620 4.11

7 0.1793 4.55 0.1875 4.76 0.1443 3.67

8 0.1644 4.18 0.1681 4.27 0.1719 4.37 0.1285 3.26

9 0.1495 3.80 0.1532 3.89 0.1563 3.97 0.1144 2.91

10 0.1345 3.42 0.1382 3.51 0.1406 3.57 0.1019 2.59

11 0.1196 3.04 0.1233 3.13 0.1250 3.18 0.0907 2.30

12 0.1046 2.66 0.1084 2.75 0.1094 2.78 0.0808 2.05

13 0.0897 2.28 0.0934 2.37 0.0940 2.39 0.0720 1.83

14 0.0747 1.90 0.0785 1.99 0.0781 1.98 0.0641 1.63

15 0.0673 1.71 0.0710 1.80 0.0700 1.78 0.0570 1.45

16 0.0598 1.52 0.0635 1.61 0.0625 1.59 0.0508 1.29

17 0.0538 1.37 0.0575 1.46 0.0560 1.42 0.0450 1.14

18 0.0478 1.21 0.0516 1.31 0.0500 1.27 0.0403 1.02

Raw stock material comes 19 0.0418 1.06 0.0456 1.16 0.0440 1.12 0.0360 0.91

in various shapes and sizes. 20 0.0359 0.91 0.0396 1.01 0.0375 0.95 0.0320 0.81

Most cutting platforms, 21 0.0329 0.84 0.0366 0.93 0.0340 0.86 0.0280 0.71
such as waterjet tables or 22 0.0299 0.76 0.0336 0.85 0.0310 0.79 0.0250 0.64
mechanical shears, can
23 0.0269 0.68 0.0306 0.78 0.0280 0.71 0.0230 0.58
accommodate 6’ to 10’
24 0.0239 0.61 0.0276 0.70 0.0250 0.64 0.0200 0.51
lengths of materials. The
25 0.0209 0.53 0.0247 0.63 0.0220 0.56 0.0180 0.46
table to the right shows
26
some standard gauges, or 0.0179 0.45 0.0217 0.55 0.0190 0.48 0.0170 0.43

28
stock material thicknesses, 0.0149 0.38 0.0187 0.47 0.0160 0.41 0.0126 0.32

from different materials. Standard Gauges and Stock Material Thicknesses

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Stock Material
Thickness Tolerances
Sheet metal material stock has general tolerances for thickness. The following table is a quick
reference for standard aluminum 5052 material thickness tolerances.

5052-H32 Aluminum Alloy Sheet Thickness Tolerances

Thickness (in.) Tolerance range (+/- in.)

0.032” -0.003” to 0.003”
0.040” -0.004” to 0.004”
0.050” -0.004” to 0.004”
0.062” -0.004” to 0.004”
0.080” -0.005” to 0.005”
0.090” -0.005” to 0.005”
0.100” -0.005” to 0.005”
0.125” (1/8”) -0.006” to 0.006”
0.190” -0.011” to 0.011”
0.250” (1/4”) -0.015” to 0.015”
0.375” (3/8”) -0.020” to 0.020”
0.500” (1/2”) -0.027” to 0.027”

Standard stock material tolerances may vary between alloys and treatments. Sheet metal with
tighter tolerances sheet can be specified if required.

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Quoting Formats:
3D CAD and DXF Files

You can upload sheet metal design files to online quoting sites like the Xometry Instant Quoting Engine℠

3D CAD files, such as STEP (.step, .stp), SOLIDWORKS (.sldprt), Parasolid (.x_t, .x_b), Autodesk
Inventor (.ipt), Dassault Systems (.3dxml, .catpart), PTC, Siemens (.prt), and ACIS (.sat) can be
used to quote and produce sheet metal parts. For bent components, it is important to provide
the CAD with the bends designed in the model. Sheet metal fabricators can “unbend” the model
on their end to produce the part to specifications. In some cases, a DXF file can be used for both
quoting and production.

DXF (.dxf) is a popular vectored line format used for flat profile cut parts. DXF files may also be
used as a flat-pattern (blanking) reference when building a bent sheet component.

You can get an instant quote using DXF files from Xometry by uploading and specifying the
units and required thickness in an intuitive user interface. After you specify a thickness, you
can specify material, finish, features, and inspection requirements as needed. In order to
successfully upload a DXF, there are a few requirements that should be considered:

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DXF Requirements

A DXF (Drawing Interchange Format or Drawing Exchange Format) is a CAD data file format for
enabling data exchange between AutoCAD and other programs. DXF files are typically used for
sheet metal fabrication.

The DXF cut file is a continuous pathway perimeter or internal paths for holes and slots to guide a machine cutting operation.

The best way to get an instant quote with a DXF is to upload a cut file (and not the full drawing)
to get.xometry.com/quote. Using a DXF will create a quote for a “flat cut” sheet metal part
without bends. If there are bends in the part, the best way to quote is by using a 3D CAD model.
A .pdf drawing can be attached to the uploaded model if further specifications are required.

To read more about Xometry DXF upload capabilities and requirements visit
Xometry’s FAQ page.

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 General Design Tips

General Design Tips

Wall Thickness

Sheet metal parts are unique because they use common flat stock materials. The following
design guide tips will often describe distances in material thickness, or MT, for relative
measurements.

Material Thickness = MT
Model indicating uniform wall thickness
Wall Thickness
Parts must maintain a uniform wall thickness throughout their entirety. Generally, Xometry
is capable of manufacturing bent sheet metal parts up to ¼” (6.35mm) in thickness, but this
tolerance mainly depends on the geometry of the part.

All sheet metal parts start from flat metal stock and are cut and processed to specifications

Flat cut sheet parts, such as flat brackets, can be cut thicker (above ¼”) using plasma
or waterjet but are typically not recommended for bending or forming.

11 Sheet Metal Fabrication Design Guide / © Xometry

Holes and Slots

Hole and Slot Dimensions: Keep hole and slot diameters at least as large as 1X MT.
Higher-strength materials may require larger diameters.

Hole and Slot Clearances: Holes and slots may become deformed when placed near a
bend. Hole and slots should be at least 6X MT from each other. Holes can be at least 2.5X MT
from bend edges while slots should have more clearance at 4X MT. Be sure to place both holes
and slots at least 2X MT from part edges to avoid a “bulging” effect. The image below depicts the
standard feature to feature minimum clearances.

Hole-to-bend distance

Sheet metal feature clearances cheat sheet using factors of the material thickness (MT)

Slot-to-bend distance

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Bends

Bends
Designing Bends: Keep bend radius at least
1X material thickness to prevent parts from
Consistent bend orientations
fracturing or having distortion.

Sheet metal brakes are used to bend the

material into a part’s desired geometry. Bends
in the same plane should be designed in the
same direction to avoid part reorientation,
which will save both money and time.

Keeping a consistent bend radius will also make

parts more cost-effective. Small
Inconsistent bend orientations bends to large, thick parts tend to become
inaccurate, so they should be avoided if
possible.

Tip: Be mindful of material alloys when

designing sheet metal parts. Aluminum 5052
is the most common sheet material because of
its ductility. Aluminum 6061, popular in CNC
machining, can be brittle and crack if bent.

Inside bend radius

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Curls and Countersinks

Curls
Designing Curls: The outside radius must be
at least 2X material thickness. Example of a curl

Curl Clearances: Holes should be placed

away from the curl at least a distance of the
radius of the curl plus the material’s thickness.
Bends should be at least 6X material thickness
plus the radius of the curl away.
Countersinks
Countersinks are suitable for sheet metal
designs and are typically produced with hand
Center-to-bend distance tools. Be sure to not extend the countersink
more than 0.6X MT deep.

Countersink Clearance: Countersinks

must be at least 8X MT from each other, 4X
MT from an edge, and 3X MT from a bend.

Warning: Counterbores in sheet metal

should be avoided because they require
machining operations. In some cases, they
can be formed but require specialized
punch tooling.

Center-to-center distance

Example of a countersink

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Hems

Hems are folds to the edge of a part to create a

Open hem
rounded, safe edge. Hems can also increase the
stiffness of an otherwise flat edge.

Designing Hems: Hems may be open, flat,

or tear-dropped, and tolerances depend on the
hem’s radius, material thickness, and features
Tear-dropped hem near the hems.

Open hems: Minimum inside diameter must

be at least 1X MT. Larger insidediameter may
lose circularity. The return length must be at
least 4X MT after the radius.

Tear-drop hems: Minimum inside diameter

Open hem return length
must be at least 1X MT. The opening should be
at least ¼X MT, and the return length is at least
4X MT after the radius.

Flat hems: Flat hems are pressed shut and

require at least 4X MT return length. Please note
that flat hems risk fracturing the material at the
bend, and should be avoided for most designs.

Open hem return length

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Relief Cuts
and Corner Fillets

Relief Cuts
Relief cuts help parts fall closer to design
intent to avoid bulging and tearing at bends.
Overhangs become more prominent for thicker
parts with a smaller bend radius, and may
even be as large as ½ the material’s thickness.
Tearing may occur when bends are made close
to an edge.
Bend relief to
prevent tearing

Tip: Relief cuts are powerful features to

protect holes near bends and can maintain
square edges for welding or riveting.

Designing Relief Cuts: Relief cuts must be

at least 1MT thickness in width and must be
longer than the bend radius. Bend relief to
prevent “bulging”

Corner Fillets
Sheet metal parts may have sharp corners,
but designing a fillet of ½ MT will make parts
more cost-effective and producible.

Corner fillets

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Notches and Tabs

Designing Notches and Tabs: The

minimum thickness of a notch is at least 0.040”
(~1mm) or 1X MT, whichever is greater. Tabs
must be at least 0.126” (3.2mm) thick, or 2X MT,
whichever is greater. Both tabs and notches
should be no larger than 5X their width.

Notch and Tab Clearances: Notches must

be at least ⅛” (3.175mm) away from each other.
For bends, notches must be at least 3 times
the material’s thickness plus the bend radius.
Tabs must have a minimum distance from each
other of 0.04” (1mm) or the material’s thickness,
Tab-to-tab distance
whichever is greater.

Notch thickness Notch length Notch-to-bend distance

Notch-to-notch distance Tab thickness Tab-to-tab distance

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Finishes and Post-Processing
for Sheet Metal

Sheet metal parts have a variety of post-finishing options.

Below are common finishing services for metal parts.

Finishing Options

Anodizing Adhesives and Surface • Hydrogen

• Type II Anodize Coatings Treatment Embrittlement Relief
(Black, Clear, or Color) • Black Oxide • Bead Blasting • Induction Hardening
• Type III Hard coat • Dry Film Lubricants • Electropolishing • Nitriding
• Type III w/ PTFE • Powder Coat • Etching • Stress Relieving
• Wet Paint
Metal Plating Part Marking Precious Metal
• Copper Plating Conversion and • Ink Stamping Plating
• Electroless Nickel Pretreatments • Laser Marking • Gold
• Electrolytic Nickel • Chem Film • Silk Screening • Palladium
• Nickel Plating • Chromate • Palladium-Nickel
• Nickel Sulfamate Conversion Coating Heat Treatment • Platinum
• Nickel Watts • Heat Treat • Annealing • Rhodium
• Tin • Passivation • Carburizing • Silver
• Zinc • Pickle and Oil • Cryogenic Treatment
• Flame Hardening

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Installing Inserts
and Fasteners
Features like boss standoffs, threads, and nuts are typically installed via press fit inserts. The
most popular are PEM® Fasteners. Using inserts guarantees and standardizes features like:

• Nuts • Cable-tie mounts

• Pins and studs • Captive hardware
• Standoffs

Designing for Inserts: Follow the guidelines specified by the instructions included with the
off-the-shelf inserts. Make sure to note the part ID and install direction in an accompanying print
for reference.

Installed threaded inserts on a sheet metal part

Source: pemnet.com

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Welding, Riveting,
and Assemblies

This weld joint uses a folded

tab and relief cut to maintain a
square corner.

Sheet metal parts can be welded. Welded Rivets are useful for larger components and for
joints should be called out within a print on serialized production as they use standardized
the type of weld desired. Be mindful of weld tooling to create permanent bonds.
locations as there will be a rounded build-up of
material that could cause fit interference if not Tip: Services like Xometry’s custom
considered in the design. manufacturing can also perform light
assemblies and weldments upon request.

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 Resources at Xometry

Online Instant Quoting

Web: Upload your CAD file at get.xometry.com/quote
Accepted file types: STEP (.step, .stp), SOLIDWORKS (.sldprt), Mesh (.stl), Parasolid (.x_t, .x_b), DXF
(.dxf), Autodesk Inventor (.ipt), Dassault Systems (.3dxml, .catpart), PTC, Siemens (.prt), ACIS (.sat)
Capabilities: CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, 3D printing, urethane casting, injection
molding

By Request
Post-manufacture assembly, post-processing finishes, and other manufacturing services

Live Engineering Support

Hours: M-F 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM EST
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (240) 252-1138

21 Sheet Metal Fabrication Design Guide / © Xometry

xometry.com