Sheet metal material and surface finish reference chart, MetlTek

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Short, specific notes from the shop floor — one decision per entry, written for the engineer who has to put that decision on a drawing. Each piece links to the capability or product page that carries the full explanation.

CNC machining center cutting a metal component | MetlTek — CNC machining center cutting a metal component

Technical blog

Notes from the shop floor

Short, specific write-ups on the decisions that actually move cost, tolerance and lead time on a sheet metal programme.

CNC turret punch press punching sheet metal parts | MetlTek

2026-09-29Laser cutting or turret punching — a cost rule of thumbWhy the cheaper process is decided per part, not per shop: kerf and heat against tooling and set-up. The three questions that settle it before anyone quotes.Learn more

Powder coating line for sheet metal enclosures | MetlTek

2026-09-28Why powder coating deposits about 90% of what it spraysElectrostatic wrap-around, and why conventional air spraying loses 40–70% of its paint to overspray. What that gap does to the cost of a full enclosure programme.Learn more

Fibre laser cutting steel sheet, precision sheet metal fabrication | MetlTek

2026-09-19Six edge defects to specify against on laser-cut partsDross, burrs, taper, distortion, oxide and pierce spatter — what causes each, and the wording that gets them controlled on the drawing instead of argued about at goods-in.Learn more

Large-format long-bed machining line, MetlTek workshop

2026-09-10Cutting 6.5 metres in one piece: what large format actually buys youFewer joints, less distortion, no seam to seal. When a one-piece panel beats a welded assembly — and when splitting it up is still the better answer.Learn more

Welding a sheet metal assembly at the fabrication station | MetlTek

2026-08-30Distortion control: sequencing welds so flatness survivesHeat shrinks as it cools, and it does not shrink evenly. Tack on a jig, balance the sequence, correct after cooling — in that order.Learn more

Mechanical fit-up of a sheet metal enclosure | MetlTek

2026-08-21From parts to a verified unit: what mechanical assembly means in a quoteFit-up, squareness and clearance checks on the assembled enclosure, and the dimensional record that should come with it. Why the assembly step belongs in the same purchase order as the metal.Learn more

Welded steel equipment rack and machine frame | MetlTek

2026-08-122U to 47U: what rack height actually changes on the drawingRack height is vertical pitch, not overall size — 44.45 mm per U on a 482.6 mm 19-inch panel. What a 12U wall rack and a 42U floor rack demand differently from the frame, and which sizes we build most often.Learn more

CNC press brake forming a sheet metal panel | MetlTek

2026-08-05Wall-mount racks: the bracket, not the rack, decides the loadThe same 19-inch pattern behaves completely differently once the load runs into a wall. Why the bracket, the fixing and the rack belong on one drawing instead of three purchase orders.Learn more

Sheet metal fabrication workshop with laser cutting and CNC equipment | MetlTek

2026-07-29Blanking panels, shelves and cable fingers: the small parts that decide airflowThe cheapest way to ruin a containment design is to leave the rack front open. These accessory parts are punched from the same nest as the frame, so adding them to the order costs far less than the airflow they protect.Learn more

Custom electrical control cabinet enclosure, sheet metal fabrication | MetlTek

2026-07-22Vented enclosures: cut a louvre, or fit a filtered fan?Louvres, fan apertures and filtered inlet panels each trade protection rating against heat removal. Where each is the right answer, and how the open area gets sized against the heat load instead of copied from a template.Learn more

Surface grinding machine finishing a precision metal part | MetlTek

2026-07-15Enclosure accessories worth fabricating rather than buyingGland plates, mounting plates, rain hoods, plinths and earth studs are formed in the same set-up as the shell. Which of them are cheaper made in-house, and which are genuinely better bought in.Learn more

Sheet metal assembly area on the production floor | MetlTek

2026-07-08Rack PDUs and batteries: where fabrication stops and assembly startsA PDU or a battery module is bought in — its housing, mounting and test are not. How to split a rack order so the bought-in and the fabricated parts still arrive as one tested unit.Learn more

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum order quantity?

There is no fixed MOQ. Prototypes and small batches from one piece are accepted, and unit prices fall as volume grows. One-off tooling cost is quoted separately.

Can you work from our drawings and keep them confidential?

Yes. We regularly work under NDA and produce strictly to customer drawings. Files stay on an internal server and are never shared with third parties.

How long does production take after the sample is approved?

A first-article sample is typically ready in 7–10 working days, and series production runs in 3–5 weeks depending on quantity and surface finish.

Next step

Send your drawings and quantity — an engineer, not a sales script, comes back with a quotation covering material, tooling, surface finish and lead time.

Send your drawings and quantity — you will get a quotation with lead time, not a sales script.

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