Sheet metal providers provide the material the sheet metal fabricators use to produce the products. Because sheet metal itself is rarely the final product, sheet metal fabricators have a very important role for many industries. Aluminum sheet metal and stainless steel sheet metal are two of the most widely used materials. Read More…

Leading Manufacturers
Maysteel Industries, LLC
Allenton, WI | 262-251-1632Maysteel provides complex sheet metal fabrication with a focus on design for manufacturing. Founded in 1936, we combine our extensive engineering experience and market knowledge with an expanding supply chain footprint, allowing us to fabricate products that others can’t. We design, engineer and manufacture custom OEM sheet metal enclosures, kiosks, cabinets and racks. We have locations in the U.S. and Mexico, as well as partnerships in Europe. For more information, visit www.maysteel.com.

M & W Shops
Union Grove, WI | 262-878-4220In business since 1972, our team at M & W Shops can assist you with all of your sheet metal fabricating needs. Capabilities include custom work, design assistance, volume production, and more.

American Industrial Company
Gurnee, IL | 847-855-9200Since 1981, American Industrial has been on the cutting edge of all things sheet metal. This has helped us achieve our spot as a leader of the industry.

PROTOTEK
Grafton, WI | 800-403-9777PROTOTEK has been an expert manufacturer of sheet metal fabrication for over 30 years. We serve a multitude of industries including construction, robotics, electronics, and automotive. Our wide variety of materials for fabrication include aluminum, copper, stainless steel, and titanium.

Quality Fabrication Inc
Chatsworth, CA | 818-709-8505For over 40 years, Quality Fabrication Inc. has been a leading manufacturer of sheet metal fabrication. Our highly skilled team understand our clients needs and strive to find the perfect product for their needs. Markets we serve included electronics, industrial, and aerospace.

McAlpin Industries
Rochester, NY | 585-266-3060For over 40 years, Quality Fabrication Inc. has been a leading manufacturer of sheet metal fabrication. Our highly skilled team understand our clients needs and strive to find the perfect product for their needs. Markets we serve included electronics, industrial, and aerospace.

Some fabricators use computer numeric control or CNC machining which uses a software program to control the movements of the tools and equipment. This results in precise designs while reducing the cost of materials and labor. Specifications such as part size, required strength, number of parts needed and additional materials are important details for sheet metal fabricators. Virtually every industry relies on sheet metal fabricators to produce the metal parts they need including electronic enclosures, computers, aircraft, HVAC, consumer appliances, exhaust systems, tanks and more. Fabricators are necessary for food processing and storage, communications, automotive, medical, electronic, aerospace, construction and other applications.
Sheet metal is made from slabs and rods of alloys that have been melted and pressed into rectangular shapes. As with most metal working processes, either high temperatures or high pressures are necessary to change the characteristics or form of the metal. Raw material is melted together to remove impurities and to form a homogenous mass. The molten metal is then cooled and reheated through annealing, a process where the metal is slowly cooled or quenching, where the metal is cooled very quickly.
Tempered metals are subjected to extreme heat to increase their strength. Sheet metal fabricators work with different procedures and tools than fabricators who work with machined parts. Sheet metal designs are cut from thin flat metal and assembled into larger parts whereas machined parts are made from rods or thick pieces of metal. Once the metal is ready, the slabs are compressed between rollers until thin. Fabricators then apply mechanical deformation forces to change the form and shape of the flat sheet.
It may be perforated and punched full of small holes or repeatedly bent. Stamping, drilling, blanking and shearing are cutting processes that physically alter the shape of the sheet metal by removing selected material. Trimming also occurs during this step. Finishing finalizes the product through such processes as sanding or deburring to remove rough bits called burrs, the metallic equivalent of sawdust. Painting and visual designs may be added by specialized fabricators and the final part is assembled or prepared for shipping.