01
Bend angles drift after cutting
A flat pattern that ignores the K-factor and grain direction will not close at the target angle. The parts look right on the bench and fail at assembly. Rework means a second setup and a second run of material.
Sheet Metal Fabrication
Sheet Metal Fabrication for Functional Parts
We cut, form, and finish flat stock from 0.5 mm to 6 mm thick. Laser cutting holds ±0.1 mm on profile. Bending holds ±0.5° on angle. Send a DXF or STEP file and we quote within 12 hours.
Laser cuttingPlasma cuttingWaterjet cuttingCNC bendingNo MOQ100% inspection
±0.005 mmMachining tolerance
0.5–6 mmSheet thickness range
12 hrsQuote and DFM feedback
3–5 daysStandard part delivery
Common Problems
Where Fabrication Jobs Go Wrong
Most problems trace back to one of these four issues. Each one costs time or money.
02
Holes stretch near the bend line
Place a hole closer than 2.5 times the material thickness to a bend and it deforms into an oval. Fasteners no longer sit flat. The fix is a design change, not a machining pass.
03
Thick plate burns at the cut edge
Laser cutting above 6 mm leaves dross and a rough heat-affected zone. If your drawing calls for a clean edge on 10 mm plate, the process choice was wrong from the start.
04
Flat parts arrive twisted
A long bracket that is not stress-relieved will bow after forming. It measures within tolerance on the plate and out of tolerance once bolted down. That shows up in final assembly, not at goods-in.
How We Build It
Process Selection Comes Before Cutting
The right cut method depends on thickness, edge quality, and quantity. We pick it from the drawing, not from habit.
Cutting
Laser, plasma, and waterjet on the same floor
Laser cutting handles the tight work. We hold ±0.1 mm on profile for material up to 6 mm thick, which covers most enclosures, brackets, and mounting plates. The cut edge is clean enough to paint or anodize without a secondary grind.
When you send a DXF, we check the flat pattern before the machine runs. Holes too close to a bend line, corners with no relief, and slots narrower than the kerf all get flagged in the DFM report.
- 1Laser cuttingUp to 6 mm; ±0.1 mm profile; clean edge for finishing
- 2Plasma cuttingLarge and one-off plates; faster on thick stock
- 3Waterjet cuttingVery thick sheet; no heat-affected zone
Forming
Bending that matches the drawing the first time
Press brake tooling is set from the material grade and thickness, not from a default chart. We account for springback on stainless and high-strength steel, which behave differently from mild steel at the same angle.
For short runs we use a rotary table setup to keep repeated bends in the same orientation. That matters on parts with four or more bends, where accumulated angle error is the usual failure mode.
- 1Angle tolerance±0.5° on formed bends
- 2ToolingMatched to grade and thickness, not a default chart
- 3SetupRotary table for repeatable multi-bend parts
Process Selection
Which Cut Method Fits Your Part
Use this to decide before you request a quote.
| Process | Best For | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|
| Laser | Up to 6 mm; tight profile; painted parts | Dross above 6 mm; heat zone at edge |
| Plasma | Thick plate; large one-off frames | Rougher edge; needs cleanup |
| Waterjet | Very thick sheet; no heat input allowed | Slower; abrasive cost on long runs |
| Bending | Enclosures, brackets, chassis | Holes too near bend line will distort |
Services
What We Run In-House
Cutting, forming, and finishing stay under one roof. No handoff between vendors.
01
Laser Cutting
High-detail profiles and prototypes up to 6 mm. ±0.1 mm on profile, clean edge ready for paint.
02
Plasma Cutting
Large-scale and one-off work. Suits thick plate where cut speed matters more than edge finish.
03
Waterjet Cutting
Very thick sheet with a high-quality finish and no heat-affected zone at the cut.
04
Sheet Metal Bending
Press brake forming of steel, stainless, and aluminium after cutting. ±0.5° on angle.
05
Finishing
Anodizing, powder coating, plating, bead blasting, and laser marking on the same floor.
06
Rapid Prototyping
One-off and low-volume runs, from a single bracket to a full enclosure set.
Scope
Materials and Scope
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| Thickness | 0.5 mm to 6 mm (laser); thicker via plasma or waterjet |
| Aluminium | 6061, 5052, 5083, 6063, 6082, 7075 |
| Stainless | 303, 304, 316, 316L, 430, 17-4PH |
| Steel | 1018, 1045, 4130, 4140, A36, tool steel |
| File formats | DXF, STEP, STP, IGES, SLDPRT, X_T, STL |
| Volume | No minimum order quantity; one prototype to 10,000+ parts |
Why GreatLight
Numbers, Not Adjectives
These are the figures we work to on every job.
15Y
15 years in metal
Founded in 2011. Three wholly-owned plants across Dongguan and Singapore, 7,600 m² of floor space.
±0.005
Machining tolerance
±0.005 mm (±0.0002 in) on CNC work. 16 simultaneous 5-axis centers and 127 machines total.
12 hrs
Quote turnaround
Quotation and free DFM analysis within 12 hours. Production can start within 24 hours.
99.99%
Qualification rate
100% inspection before shipment. Raw material check, in-process monitoring, final inspection.
4
Certifications held
ISO 9001:2015, IATF 16949:2016, ISO 13485:2016, ISO 27001:2022.
0
Minimum order quantity
From one prototype to 10,000+ part runs. Uploads are secure and confidential; NDA on request.
7,600 m²Manufacturing space
150Technicians on staff
127High-precision CNC machines
<2%Historical late-delivery rate
Industry Fit
What Each Sector Requires, and What We Deliver
Robotics & Automation
Brackets and mounting plates must hold position after repeated cycles.
- ±0.005 mm
- 100% inspection
- No MOQ
Automotive & EV
Part-to-part consistency across production runs is the main requirement.
- IATF 16949
- 3–5 day delivery
- 99.99% qualification
Electronics
Enclosures and chassis need flat panels and clean cut edges for coating.
- Laser cutting
- Anodizing
- Powder coating
Industrial Machinery
Large frames and guards are cut from thick plate, then formed and finished.
- Plasma cutting
- Waterjet
- 4,000 mm max size
FAQs
Sheet Metal Fabrication Questions
What thickness can you cut?
Laser cutting covers 0.5 mm to 6 mm with a clean edge and ±0.1 mm profile. Above that, plasma or waterjet takes over.
Waterjet leaves no heat-affected zone, which matters on thick plate that will be machined afterward.
How do I know which cut process to choose?
Start with thickness and edge requirement. Under 6 mm with a painted finish, laser is usually the right call.
If the part is very thick or heat-sensitive, waterjet is better. Plasma suits large one-off frames where cut speed beats edge quality.
What file formats do you accept?
DXF, STEP, STP, IGES, IGS, SLDPRT, IPT, PRT, SAT, CATPART, X_T, OBJ, and STL.
For flat parts, a DXF with the bend lines marked speeds up the DFM check.
Can you handle low-volume and one-off parts?
Yes. There is no minimum order quantity. We run single prototypes and full production runs of 10,000+ parts.
The setup cost is the same either way, so a one-off bracket is quoted on the same basis as a production batch.
How close can a hole be to a bend line?
Keep it at least 2.5 times the material thickness away from the bend. Closer than that and the hole pulls into an oval during forming.
If the design does not allow it, we will flag it in the DFM report and suggest an alternative, such as moving the hole or adding a relief.
What finishing options do you offer?
Anodizing (clear, colour, hardcoat, conductive), electroless nickel, zinc, silver and gold plating, powder coating, and black oxide.
We also do bead blasting, tumbling, brushing, polishing, and laser marking. Minimum character height for marking is 1.5 mm.
How do you inspect sheet metal parts?
Every part is checked before shipment. That covers raw material verification, in-process monitoring, and a final inspection.
Inspection reports are available on request. Our qualification rate is 99.99%.
How fast can you turn a job around?
Quotation and free DFM analysis come back within 12 hours. Production can start within 24 hours of approval.
Standard parts ship in 3–5 days. Our historical late-delivery probability is below 2%.
Send Your Drawing, Get a Quote in 12 Hours
Upload a DXF or STEP file. We return a quotation and a free DFM analysis. Uploads stay secure and confidential.
12-hour quote100% inspectionNo minimum order quantity
