Sheet metal chassis built around your equipment
REALJET provides custom laser cut metal frame chassis to your drawings for OEM and contract manufacturing orders. We review internal mounting positions, flanges and panel cutouts before confirming the custom manufacturing scope. The chassis brings mounting points, cable access, ventilation and enclosure interfaces into one assembly, helping your equipment fit together as designed.
Supply can cover a formed chassis, a joined frame or a finished assembly with specified hardware. Share your equipment layout and drawings so we can review the material, manufacturing route and inspection scope before quotation.
Mounting & alignment
Hole patterns, studs, threaded inserts and standoffs positioned for boards, power supplies, brackets and equipment interfaces.
Access & ventilation
Connector openings, cable passages, fan apertures and ventilation slots arranged around the internal layout.
Frame & assembly fit
Folded flanges, joining details and cover interfaces reviewed together with installation and maintenance access.
Custom chassis specification
| Item | Options and information to confirm |
|---|---|
| Geometry | Overall envelope, mounting datums, cutouts, bend positions, cover and bracket interfaces |
| Materials | Carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum or galvanized sheet; grade and thickness to drawing |
| Fabrication | Laser cutting, CNC bending, forming, welding or riveting, hardware insertion and assembly |
| Hardware | Specified threaded inserts, studs, standoffs, nuts and fasteners |
| Surface finish | Powder coating, painting, anodizing for suitable aluminum grades, or a specified metal finish |
| Inspection | Critical dimensions, bend angles, diagonals, hole positions, installed hardware and coating requirements |
| Order scope | Prototype, pilot batch or repeat production, subject to drawing and quantity review |
| Delivery | Lead time and packaging agreed after the design, material and finishing scope are confirmed |
Working envelope, sheet thickness and achievable tolerances depend on the material, part geometry and manufacturing sequence. Identify the critical dimensions on your drawing; the quotation will confirm the agreed acceptance criteria. Laser-cut accuracy alone does not define the tolerance of a finished bent or welded chassis.
What is sheet metal fabrication?
Sheet metal fabrication turns flat metal stock into functional parts through cutting, bending, joining and finishing. For a chassis, the flat pattern defines the openings and mounting features; bending creates the walls and flanges; joining and hardware installation prepare the part for equipment assembly.
In REALJET projects, this process supports control-system housings, machinery panels, equipment brackets and chassis subassemblies. Each part is evaluated against its installation space, operating environment and assembly requirements.
Advantages of REALJET sheet metal fabrication
Review the interfaces first
Hole-to-bend distances, flange heights, tool access and mating parts are reviewed before release to reduce fit problems during assembly.
Choose a practical production route
Laser cutting and bending suit many prototypes and smaller batches without dedicated stamping dies. Repeat-order quantities can be reviewed for alternative tooling.
Match material to service conditions
Material, thickness, reinforcement and finish are considered together for weight, stiffness, corrosion exposure and the intended use.
Keep repeat orders consistent
Approved drawing revisions, hardware specifications and inspection points provide a common reference for samples and subsequent production batches.
Sheet metal fabrication technology
- Drawing and manufacturability review. Confirm the drawing revision, flat-pattern features, bend radii, material direction where relevant, hardware access and coating allowances.
- Cutting and edge preparation. Laser-cut the specified profiles, slots and holes. Remove burrs and address exposed edges before forming or assembly.
- CNC bending and forming. Establish the bend sequence and tooling around flange geometry and access. Check springback, bend dimensions and the relationship between mounting features.
- Joining and hardware installation. Use specified welding, riveting or fastening methods. Select TIG, MIG or spot welding where appropriate to the material and joint design, and check installed inserts and studs.
- Surface finishing. Prepare the surface and apply the agreed finish. Mask threads, fit surfaces and electrical contact areas where the drawing requires them.
- Assembly and inspection. Check critical features and mating interfaces, then package the chassis to protect its geometry and finish during shipment.
Materials and surface finishing
| Material | Selection considerations | Finishing options to review |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon / cold-rolled steel | Stiffness, forming requirements and corrosion protection | Powder coating, painting or zinc plating |
| Stainless steel | Grade, corrosion exposure, weld condition and appearance | Brushing, polishing or specified passivation |
| Aluminum | Weight, bendability, alloy and temper; electrical contact requirements | Anodizing, powder coating or painting |
| Galvanized steel | Coating condition at cut edges and joints; welding compatibility | As-specified sheet coating or additional protective finish |
Copper or brass parts can also be reviewed where electrical or thermal performance is required. The material and finish combination must suit the component: not every process is suitable for every grade. Specify color, texture, coating thickness and masking areas when appearance or assembly clearances are critical.
Quality checks for chassis fit and assembly
Inspection should follow the features that matter to your installation. Overall dimensions, mounting-hole locations, bend angles, flatness where specified, hardware retention, edge condition and finish are typical review points. Where a mating part or gauge is available, agree the trial-fit method before production.
Material records, dimensional inspection reports, first-article documentation and additional measurements can be included when specified and confirmed in the supply scope. If your project requires a particular certification or material/finish compliance declaration, identify it at enquiry so the applicable evidence can be reviewed before order acceptance.
About REALJET manufacturing support
REALJET works with machinery manufacturers and equipment integrators on drawing-based metal components. We coordinate the chassis requirements with the wider assembly: adjacent fabricated parts, machined interfaces, purchased hardware, finish and delivery condition.
For a package that includes larger welded structures or machined assemblies, explore our OEM contract manufacturing and made-to-drawing fabrication service. You can also browse Custom Machinery Components for related component examples.
Custom sheet metal chassis FAQ
Which files should I send?
Send a dimensioned PDF and, where available, DXF/DWG profiles or a STEP model. Include the drawing revision, material, thickness, quantities and finishing requirements. A sample or sketch can support an initial discussion; the manufacturing definition must be agreed before production.
Can the mounting holes and connector openings be changed?
Yes. The cut pattern and formed geometry can be customized to the approved design. Changes near bends, fasteners or edges need a manufacturability review before release.
Can I start with a prototype?
A prototype or pilot batch can be reviewed before repeat production. Agree which dimensions, mating parts and functional checks the sample must satisfy, together with the approval process for the next batch.
What determines price and lead time?
Material, part size, cut complexity, bend count, joining, hardware, finishing, quantity and inspection requirements all affect the quotation. Share the required delivery date so material availability and the production schedule can be checked.
Request a custom chassis quotation
Send your drawings, material and thickness, order quantity, critical tolerances, hardware list, finish and delivery destination to sales@realjetech.com. Our team can review the scope and identify the details needed for quotation.