Get Fast Sheet Metal Quotes with Design Feedback
Before ordering sheet metal parts, you might question if your design is ready for manufacturing and optimized for aesthetics and long-term durability.
Fortunately, Protolabs’ award-winning digital quoting platform reviews your model, offering 3D design for manufacturability feedback followed by real-time pricing for your prototype or low-volume production project. Users can also choose from more than 100 materials and finishes on our easy-to-use interface.
Our online sheet metal fabrication platform lets you upload, configure, and order your sheet metal project in a fraction of the time of traditional quoting methods. We offer in-depth design advice visualized in 3D format to optimize your parts for lead time and costing throughout the product lifecycle.
Uploading and File Configuration
Drag and drop your 3D CAD files into our secure online platform. The simple file uploading process allows you to submit one component part, many separate component parts, or an assembly file, all within one quote.
Accepted 3D file types for components: .SLDPRT, .STP, .STEP, .X_T, .IGS, .ZIP, .PRT
Accepted 3D file types for assemblies: .STEP (upper level assembly), .sldasm (with separate .sldprt component files). Note: If you don’t need us to assemble your parts together, a solid (upper level) assembly file isn’t required.
For geometries with hardware inserts, we recommend including inserts (as separate solid bodies) with the sheet metal component in your CAD file. Using industry standard insert naming conventions (e.g. “CLS-M6-1” or “BSOS-632-10”) will ensure efficient analysis of your design.
Once you’ve submitted your designs, we will immediately analyze them for manufacturability, pricing, and lead time. Most sheet metal components complete the analysis process within minutes, and multi-component assemblies are reviewed within one business day.
Submitting 2D Files
You can submit 2D drawings (or prints) by dropping them into the upload all part files box alongside 3D CAD files. Prints can provide valuable information about the detailed specifications of a part design, but they require manual review by our team before we can provide a quote. Manually reviewed quotes are typically ready within 24 hours.
Submitting a design without a print can dramatically improve quoting speed, but it’s also important to ensure your design requirements are met.
To help you navigate this trade-off, please refer to the table below:
| Part/Design Attribute | Only Submitting a 3D CAD File This is the best option when quote speed is a priority and the design doesn't include any features for which a 2D file is required. |
Including a 2D Drawing with a 3D File |
|---|---|---|
| Tolerances | All designs are manufactured and inspected to our standard precision sheet metal tolerances. Find more details about our tolerances here. | Protolabs standard precision sheet metal tolerances apply. |
| Materials Type & Specification | Material type and specification is selectable in your online quote. Learn more in the quote configuration section below. | Online quote material selection supersedes any material information found on a 2D drawing. |
| Tapping/Threading Holes | To ensure accuracy of the type and location of threaded holes, we ask that you provide a 2D drawing. | Tapped hole information noted on a drawing will be included in the notes section of your online quote. |
| Countersinks | We automatically identify countersinks when they are modeled in your 3D file. | No 2D file is necessary to accurately produce countersinks. |
| Hardware Inserts | Include hardware inserts as separate solid bodies from the sheet metal component. For best results, use industry standard naming conventions. | If your 3D CAD file does not include hardware information, submitting a 2D drawing with hardware type and location information will ensure accuracy of the final product. |
| Welding | Welding will be applied at Protolabs' discretion. | Submitting a 2D drawing is recommended for projects where welding requirements (type, location) are important to the functional or aesthetic qualities of the design. |
| Silk Screening | A 2D file is required to apply a silkscreen design to your project. | For best results, provide a .PDF, .DXF, or .AI file with part location information. |
| Part Marking | A 2D file is required to apply part marking to the final product. | On your 2D file, include information to be marked (e.g. part number, revision label), location on part for marking, font size, and color. |
| Finishes (excluding Masking) |
Finish type and specification is selectable on your online quote. Learn more in the quote configuration section below. | The online quote finish selection supersedes any finishing information found on a 2D drawing. |
| Masking | A 2D file is required to ensure masking requirements are captured on your project. | Include masked holes and surfaces on your 2D drawing. |
Are you still unsure if submitting a 2D drawing is necessary to meet the needs of your project? Contact your account representative to discuss your questions.
Sheet Metal Tolerance Guide
See specific examples of feature tolerances across multiple surfaces, laser cut straightness, and hole tolerances in flat and formed states.
Download GuideThe Anatomy of Your Online Sheet Metal Quote
After your design has been analyzed, your quote is ready for configuration and customization to suit the needs of your project.
Most options allow you to “apply” the changes and receive an updated price instantly. Some less common options are available to configure but may require a “submit” action, which sends your request to a fabrication expert for review (turnaround time is typically a few hours).
Automated Material Thickness Analysis
Our sheet metal fabrication service stocks industry standard sheet metal material thicknesses from 0.024 in. to 0.250 in. (0.609mm to 6.35mm). View a comprehensive table of material types and thickness options on our design guidelines page.
When you upload your 3D CAD design, we will automatically detect the material thickness (“designed part thickness”) and match it to our closest available industry standard thickness (“stocked sheet thickness”). This information is displayed below your configured material type and specification (as shown below).
Note: If the two values displayed don’t match, don’t worry. We will ensure the dimensions of the final part will match your CAD dimensions. Any questions? Contact our applications engineers via email or call 877-479-3680.
Quickly Compare Quantity Pricing
Sheet metal fabrication—as a collection of manufacturing processes—becomes more cost efficient as order quantities increase. Set up costs are spread across more parts, bringing down the unit price of each incremental part.
To help you decide which quantity price point is best for your project, we recommend using the “compare pricing” hyperlink on your part summary tile.
Clicking this link will open a table which displays a list of quantities, unit prices, and total prices. The tool automatically includes pricing for quantities 1, 10, 25, 50, and 100, but you can request additional quantities by using the “add one or more quantities for comparison” field.
Change the price on your quote by clicking on the quantity in the table, exiting the tool, then hitting the “apply” button.
Design for Manufacturability Feedback
Our automated sheet metal design for manufacturability (DFM) feedback highlights specific features in your part design that can be optimized for the fabrication process.
DFM helps to identify design situations such as:
- When features (holes, cutouts, notches) are close to a bend, resulting in possible feature deformation.
- When your internal bend radius is different than our range of standard press brake tooling.
- If a bend has the necessary material relief at each end of the bend line.
- Ensuring that your chosen sheet metal material and the hardware insert material are compatible.
- If a flange meets the minimum length threshold to be formed with conventional press break tooling.
Resolving these scenarios can have a lasting positive effect on the overall cost of a design as it moves from prototyping into its frozen state during production, resulting in more consistent part quality and delivery reliability.
To help you keep DFM advisories to a minimum, review our sheet metal fabrication toolkit. This resource provides further insight into the specific design properties necessary to avoid receiving advisories.
Accessing the DFM Tool
To access the DFM feedback specific to your part design, click on the View Advisories link at the bottom of the part summary tile. Note: If your design has DFM issues that require your acceptance, the Add to Cart button will be grayed out. Once the advisory changes are accepted, you will be able to add the part to your cart.
Reviewing and Accepting DFM
Each manufacturability advisory is displayed on the left side of the tool with a 3D representation of your design in the viewer on the right. Click on the view area links to toggle between specific areas of your part.
Once you have completed your review of the DFM advisories and find any changes to be acceptable for your design, click the accept button (if shown). Note: Not all DFM advisories require acceptance as some advisories are for informational purposes only.
You're Ready to Go
Once you’ve reviewed and accepted the DFM feedback, your part tile will show a green check mark which indicates you’re ready to move on to the checkout process. At this point, the Add to Cart button is available for this part.
Have Technical Questions and Want to Speak to a Sheet Metal Expert?
Our free design review consists of a 30-minute virtual meeting with one of our sheet metal applications engineers to discuss any questions you have on DFM feedback or about your quote or part.
Collaboration and Efficiency
There is no limit on the number of files you can add to a quote. Drop in as many sheet metal component or assembly files as your project requires! Although your quote will expire after 30 days, you can still access any expired quotes and have them immediately re-priced.
The Forward/Share function lets you easily share your quotes with other project stakeholders such as colleagues, managers, or procurement teams.
Using the top tool bar, select Forward/Share.
Add and remove specific users and click +Share. People you choose to share quotes with will automatically see all or specific quotes based on your selection.
Completing Your Order
Once you’ve configured your design to its final specifications and reviewed any DFM, it’s time to complete the order. This can be done in a few steps:
- Add the part(s) you wish to order to your cart
- Review the items in your cart
- Select your shipping preferences
- Provide payment
Customizing Your Shipping Details
When you reach the shipping details page, there are a few things to know to ensure the logistics of your order are exactly what you need:
- The calendar allows you to customize your ship date. Dates in blue reflects the standard lead time for your parts, while the dates in orange indicate expedited delivery.
- For shipping transit options, you will be prompted to choose either Pre-Pay and Add (we will add the shipping cost to your final invoice) or using your own shipping account.
- Customer pickup is available for those who wish to pick up an order from Protolabs' sheet metal plant (located in Nashua, N.H.).
- Checking the Ship By Line Item box applies to orders with multiple geometries and means that if one geometry is ready ahead of another, we will ship them individually.
Once you’ve customized your shipping information to your liking, providing payment is the final step. We accept all major credit cards and purchase orders for customers who have established payment terms.
If you are interested in setting up a payment terms relationship, please contact our customer service team.