Sheet Metal Design FAQs

When working on a new product/part we work closely with customers to ensure their brief is fulfilled, and any standards are met.

Initially we consult with the customer to understand requirements. We then brainstorm ideas which are developed into concepts and presented back to the customer. The initial concepts are reviewed and full detailed manufacturing drawings are produced in SolidWorks. Following this any prototypes will be created by R&D, and any potential refinements are identified. Finally sign-off is obtained from the customer and the production quantities are manufactured. We follow this consultative process to ensure that the end product meets or exceeds expectations.

If customers already have some kind of drawing or design, the process will depend on what is provided and how detailed or accurate it is. Some designs will be ready to be manufactured, others will need redrawing. At this stage the design team will also review a design’s manufacturability and make recommendations to improve value.

Unifabs use SolidWorks 3D design software and DriveWorks to create a wide range of industrial solutions for our customers. We are experienced in creating designs across a wide range of product types, from warehousing and distribution, to automotive tooling, lineside ancillary items and more.

The majority of our design work is made to order, project specific and to customer specifications. But within that, a lot of the ‘new’ products we design are a variation on a theme.

Due to significant investment in design automation software, we are able to create new designs automatically through predefined rules, constrictions and algorithms. This provides vast benefits for customers who manufacture products with variations in the range.

DriveWorks drastically reduces design time, prevents mistakes from human error, and gets parts into production more quickly.

We can read and accept STEP, SLD, DXF, and DWG file types.

Value engineering is the process of reviewing a new or existing product with a view to reduce cost whilst maintaining functionality and expected life cycle. Value Engineering is a concept that has become a standard across many industries. It has been around since the 1940’s where material shortages due to world war II led to sourcing issues. The sourcing of alternative components and materials was required. These substitutes often provided equal performance at a reduced cost, thus increasing value.

At Unifabs our design team is experienced in value engineering to assess if a product can be fabricated in a more cost effective or efficient manner. We review product designs with an open mind utilising our vast experience in all the manufacturing methods we have at our disposal, and more, to generate ideas to improve value. Contact us to discover how we partner with businesses to add value to your products.