How to Design for CNC Machining with Sheet Metal

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In the competitive world of manufacturing, combining CNC machining with sheet metal fabrication offers a powerful solution for creating robust, precise, and complex parts. For businesses seeking a reliable partner for custom components, understanding the synergy between these two processes is key to optimizing designs for performance, cost, and lead time. This guide outlines essential design principles to leverage the full potential of CNC machined sheet metal parts.


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1. Start with the Right Material Selection
The foundation of a successful part is the material. Common choices like Aluminum 5052 or 6061 offer excellent machinability and strengthtoweight ratios, making them ideal for enclosures and brackets. Stainless Steel (e.g., 304, 316) provides superior corrosion resistance for harsh environments. Always consult with your manufacturing partner early to select a material that balances functional requirements with machinability and cost.

2. Optimize for the Manufacturing Sequence
A crucial consideration is the order of operations. Typically, sheet metal fabrication (bending, punching, laser cutting) comes first, followed by secondary CNC machining operations. Design parts so that critical machined features, like precise threaded holes or tighttolerance pockets, are accessible after bending. Avoid designing complex machined features on adjacent folded walls, as it can be challenging to fixture the part accurately.

3. Design for Bendability

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Respect the constraints of the press brake. Maintain minimum flange lengths to ensure they can be properly formed. Account for bend radius and the phenomenon of bend deduction, which affects the final flat pattern dimensions. Include bend reliefs at the ends of bends to prevent tearing and material stress. Placing features like holes or slots too close to a bend line can cause deformation; maintain adequate distance.

4. Simplify and Standardize Features
Standardization drives efficiency and reduces costs. Use standard tool sizes for machined holes, radii, and pockets. Specify realistic tolerances; applying tight tolerances only where absolutely necessary prevents unnecessary machining time and expense. Consolidate multiple components into a single, more complex sheet metal part that can be machined, reducing assembly time and potential failure points.



5. Leverage the Strengths of Both Processes
Use sheet metal to create large, strong, and lightweight structures costeffectively. Then, employ CNC machining to add highprecision features that cannot be achieved through bending or punching alone. This includes intricate contours, precise bore diameters, flatness corrections on mounting surfaces, and reliable tapped threads with perfect perpendicularity.

By integrating these design principles, you can create parts that are not only functional and durable but also manufacturable at a competitive cost. Partnering with an experienced supplier like ours, which offers a comprehensive onestop service from prototyping to production, ensures your designs are optimized for success. This integrated approach accelerates your timetomarket and delivers the highquality, reliable components your products demand.