HEY FOLKS! THANKS FOR ALL YOUR RESPONSES. THERE ARE PLENTY OF SHEETMETAL PROTOTYPE VENDORS OUT THERE TO CHOOSE FROM. -STEPHAN

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

Hello all,

A friend of mine here in New York is looking to get some smallish, complicated sheetmetal parts prototyped. Laser cut probably with lots of bending.

Are there any online vendors out there–or Bay Area ones that can work well remotely? I suspect that there's not much here in New York...

Thanks,

Stephan

--

Stephan von Muehlen

Director of Design and Co-Founder

EnergyHub, Inc.

t. 718.522.7051

e. vonmuehlen@energyhub.net

RESPONSES:

1.  These guys rock!!!

    

   www.rapidsheetmetal.com

    

   Super fast and not too expensive!  We’ve used them quite extensively and they usually turn stuff around in less than a week.

    

   Mike

2. Check out Brunk industries: http://www.brunk.com/index_medical.html

   Al

3. Hi Stephan,

    

   Last year I used a shop up in Ithaca to do some small, somewhat simple, but precise 1/2 Hard stainless parts with multi-axis bends that they knocked out in 3 days (or thereabouts) and were spot on.:

   http://www.incodema.com/1-607-277-7070/services/faster.cfm

    

   They had a web front end on a human-arbitrated quoting system, so you could get a quote back faster if you called an hour or so after you submitted the CAD Solid Model.

    

   All in all I was quite impressed with them…and you mentioned New York, so maybe they get bonus points as well?

    

   --Brian

    

   Brian Rulifson

   Consulting Product Design Engineer

   Tektite Collaborative, LLC

   Seattle, Washington

   rulifsonb@asme.org

   1.877.TEKTITE

   650.248.6878 [mobile, direct]

4. Hi Stephan,

   We've had good luck with www.DPT-Fast.com making some of those sheet metal parts that I showed you. They weren't cheap, but they had several tough bends and came out accurate.

   It's been a long time now, but I also had good luck with CNC punch press fabrication of sheet metal parts done by Babinec Sheet Metal http://babinecmetal.com/  They made a dozen LCD frames for me.

   David

   
   David Cowan

   inch-inc.

   55 Washington Street, suite 654

   Brooklyn NY 11201

   718 260-0069

   815 328-2855 fax

   http://www.inch-inc.com

5. Stephan,

   I have used these guys quite a bit in the past for prototype sheet metal parts. 

   http://www.peridotcorp.com/peridot_sheetmetal.htm

   Small and precise are right up their alley.  They can work from 2D or 3D data and work well via email/FTP.

   Elliot

6. I have just the guy for you.  His name is Tim.  He does really nice work.  He's great about working with you to make your parts easier/cheaper to put together.  They do exactly what you are asking for.
    
   "Tim Herlihy" <tim@creativemfgsol.com>
   Tell him I sent you.
   chris
   

   --

   Chris Luomanen | Thing Tank LLC

   72 Missouri Street San Francisco CA 94107

   thing-tank.com | 415.335.0670

7. Hey Stephan -

   Not sure how small or how complicated your parts are, but we've used Rapid Sheet Metal (www.rapidsheetmetal.com) for several projects in the past and they have been great for those.  I'm not sure how their prices compare to other shops (usually a couple hundred dollars per part), but they're reasonable for the quality we get back.  Their standard turnaround is about a week (a little more if you want powdercoating or silkscreening), but can do next day turnaround if you pay expedite fees.  They're in New Hampshire, too.

   Will

8. Hey Stephan,

    

   I’d highly recommend using Rapid Sheet Metal in NH. They’ve done a bunch of complicated prototype sheetmetal for me over the years and they’re super-fast.

    

   www.rapidsheetmetal.com

    

   Hope things are well with you!

    

   -Sascha

    

9. Hey Stephan,

    

   I’d highly recommend using Rapid Sheet Metal in NH. They’ve done a bunch of complicated prototype sheetmetal for me over the years and they’re super-fast.

    

   www.rapidsheetmetal.com

    

   Hope things are well with you!

    

   -Sascha

10. Hello Stephan, 
     
    We have used Haig Precision for lots of proto sheet metal.   They are local here. 
    www.haig-mfg.com/
11. They have an online quote system. If you can design the part so that their CNC benders & punches can make it the prices are Unbelievable cheap. 

     

    Thanks,

    Abraham Farag | CEO | Sparkfactor Design. 

    t. 866.969.7373 ext 89  | m.408.425.3962 | www.SparkfactorDesign.com

    Flexible Product Design Resources