Proper, detailed planning is crucial for large-scale fabrication projects. Typically, cost estimation is a main component throughout the planning process. Beyond that it’s important to specify the parameters of the project and identify whether it will involve specially crafted elements like structural steel or sheet metal.
The advancements in modern technology and machines have made it easier to complete a project with cost-efficiency in mind. Yet, despite the reduction in metal fabrication costs, it’s still valuable to properly estimate the cost of your project. This post provides a brief overview of the factors that affect the cost of metal fabrication projects.
Raw Material Prices
As a disclaimer before diving into other factors that affect the pricing for metal fabrication projects, it’s worth mentioning how much the metal market affects the price of parts at a given point in time. Raw materials fluctuate in price and will affect overall pricing for metal fabricators across the board. Furthermore, proximity of a manufacturer to raw materials is hardly a factor worth consideration, especially relative to costs of transporting a final product to its destination.
How Much Physical Work Is Necessary?
The amount of other physical work required to complete the entire fabrication process influences the number of workers involved, affecting the fabrication estimate. Beyond the physical work required for metal fabrication projects, the skills involved with utilizing CAD/CAM software will inevitably affect the cost. The state’s top fabricators incorporate computer aided design to guarantee satisfaction for customers. CNC also plays an integral role in ensuring precise metal bends and cuts. The process incorporates the application of pressure, force, and heat, while working to improve production speed and quality.
Complexity & Design of the Part
Cost structure can be greatly influenced by the requested design. For instance, the production of a sheet metal part, which can be created with one single punch costs much less than a part which can be made with several complex bends. If your component requires the use of many sheet metal fabrication machines and processes, until the part is ready, the necessary human resources should be considered too, which arises at each operation steps.
Which Materials Are Necessary for the Project?
After you present your project requirements to a fabrication company, the company will choose the appropriate raw materials and determine the fabrication process required. Based on this, each raw material and its best-suited fabrication process will present different estimates. Welding wire, expanded metal, sectional metal, and flat metal are examples of some common materials for the fabrication process.
Quantity
Naturally, this is an important factor for understanding a metal fabrication quote. When a customer orders a large amount of the same sheet metal parts, the unit price is reduced. Variable costs also affect the total costs by means other than the quantity. Raw material and other tools and material assisting the production can be purchased at a discount when ordering in large quantities. The price of the templates and appliances necessary for production is a variable cost element in the total price which decreases when the quantity is higher.
Camm Metals | Metal Fabrication Company
Taking the factors highlighted above into consideration will help you to determine the best cost estimation for your metal fabrication project. Ultimately, the estimated cost provided can increase or reduce depending on variable factors like fabrtication time and technology used. Aside from the cost estimation component, it is highly recommended to seek out an established fabricating company that does all the processes in-house. 
