Metals we work with

Sheet Metal Materials for Stamping, Fabrication and Enclosures

Material choice affects forming risk, springback, corrosion resistance, conductivity, surface finish, tooling cost and final inspection. Use these material notes to prepare clearer RFQ details before quote review.

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MaterialStainless steelCorrosion resistance with springback, forming force and burr control needs.
MaterialAluminumLightweight structures, enclosures, heat spreaders and anodized or coated parts.
MaterialCopper and brassConductive terminals, busbars, shields, contacts and heat-transfer parts.
MaterialSPCC / SGCC / SECCCommon steel sheet choices for brackets, panels, covers and housings.
DFM reviewbefore tooling decisions
±0.02 mm tolerancefor critical features, subject to drawing and process review
0.2–2.0 mmsheet thickness range
ISO 9001 / ISO 14001quality and environmental management systems
No MOQfor sample validation
Finish + inspectionplanned for your project
Process path

From drawing review to inspected production

MaterialTinplate / nickel silverUseful for shields, contacts and electronic metal parts where conductivity matters.
QuoteConfirm material earlySend grade, thickness, temper, finish and substitute options for engineering review.
Material Selection01

Choose material before tooling and finishing decisions

The same geometry can behave very differently across stainless steel, aluminum, copper or coated steel. Material should be visible early because it changes tooling, sampling, finish and inspection risk.

  • Stainless steel needs attention to springback, forming force, cracking risk and burr control.
  • Aluminum supports lightweight structures and thermal paths but needs surface protection planning.
  • Copper, brass and nickel silver are common in conductive, shielding and contact components.
Stamping Behavior02

Review thickness, hardness and forming risk

Material grade and thickness affect whether a part can be blanked, bent, drawn, formed or held flat. A strong RFQ makes those details clear before tooling is discussed.

  • Confirm sheet thickness, temper or hardness, tolerance pressure and critical formed areas.
  • Review burr behavior, springback, flatness, surface marks and edge safety by material.
  • Use annual volume to judge whether sample tooling, production tooling or fabrication is the better route.
Finish Compatibility03

Match metal choice to the final surface treatment

Material and finish are linked. A coating, plating or anodizing choice can affect fit, conductivity, corrosion resistance, cosmetic surfaces and inspection standards.

  • Powder coating, ink coating and plating are common for steel brackets, panels, covers and enclosures.
  • Anodizing, brushing and protective coatings are common for aluminum appearance parts.
  • Tin, nickel or other plating routes may be needed for conductive electronic components.
RFQ Inputs04

Send material details that prevent quote ambiguity

If the exact grade is not fixed, buyers can still send the intended function, environment and acceptable substitutes. That gives engineering a practical starting point.

  • Provide material grade, sheet thickness, temper, surface condition and any approved substitute options.
  • State whether the part needs corrosion resistance, conductivity, solderability, heat transfer or cosmetic appearance.
  • Include finish, compliance, inspection and packaging requirements where material choice affects them.
Buyer questions

Common buyer questions

Have a question about your part? Leave a message and a reply email.

Which metals can be reviewed for stamping?

Stainless steel, aluminum, copper, brass, SPCC, SGCC, SECC, tinplate, nickel silver and project-specific sheet metals can be reviewed from drawings.

Does material affect tooling cost?

Yes. Material strength, thickness, hardness, forming risk, tolerance and expected volume affect tool structure, sampling loops and production control.

Can HARVLAND suggest a substitute material?

If the application allows it, engineering can review substitute options based on function, forming risk, finish, cost and availability. Final approval remains with the buyer.

Should finish requirements be sent with material details?

Yes. Finish requirements such as plating, powder coating, ink coating, e-coating, anodizing, brushing, passivation, printing or cleaning can change material choice, tolerance planning and inspection.

Resource library

Guides and articles

Aluminum material guideAluminum Alloy Series 1xxx–8xxx: How to Choose Grade and TemperThe 1xxx–8xxx series are chemistry families within the four-digit wrought aluminum designation system, not a ranking from weak to strong. Use the series to form a shortlist, then approve the complete alloy, temper, product form, thickness, manufacturing route and governing material standard together.Steel heat treatment guideAnnealing, Normalizing, Quenching and Tempering: A Steel Heat Treatment GuideThe four familiar heat-treatment operations are not interchangeable, and tempering usually follows quench hardening rather than competing with it. Start with the steel grade, section, starting condition, required properties and dimensional risk before selecting or approving a cycle.DFM and RFQ guideStamped Copper Busbars and Battery Terminals: DFM and RFQ GuideA manufacturable copper busbar or battery terminal RFQ defines the buyer-specified copper grade and temper, thickness, formed geometry, contact zones, burr direction, plating, joining interfaces, inspection and packaging before tooling is quoted.DFM and RFQ guideCopper Passivation, Sealing and Salt Spray: What to Write on the RFQPassivation and sealing can slow copper tarnish. Whether a part passes 96-hour salt spray depends on the alloy, cleanliness, finish route, contact pads and the fail rule on the drawing. Put those notes in the RFQ before you compare quotes.DFM and RFQ guidePlating Cost in the RFQ: What to Write Before You Compare QuotesShops can estimate deposited metal from plated area, thickness and density. That is one line of the quote, not the whole price. Write metal, min thickness, faces, rack or barrel, masking and inclusions before you compare numbers.Thermal hardware DFM guideStamped Heat Spreaders, Thermal Plates and Shims: DFM and RFQ GuideA manufacturable heat spreader RFQ defines the part geometry, material, thickness, contact zones, flatness, finish, inspection and packaging without asking the metal part supplier to guess the complete thermal system. Use this guide to separate part-making requirements from system-level thermal validation.Material selection guideHow to Choose Sheet Metal for Stamped PartsChoose material during design by connecting part function with formability, springback, corrosion, conductivity, weight and finishing. Then hand the selected grade and condition to the RFQ specification.Finishing guidePowder Coating vs Plating vs Anodizing for Metal PartsChoose a finish by what the part needs to survive, how it fits and where it must make electrical contact. Compare powder coating, electroplating and aluminum anodizing, with a worked coating-thickness example and practical sample checks.

Contact us

Send drawings, material, thickness, finish and target quantity for review.

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