A Midwest custom sheet metal shop used IronKit to bid on a run of 48 custom enclosures in 16-gauge A36 and 304 stainless, combining laser cutting, press brake forming, and TIG seam welding. The bid broke out laser time, brake time, weld time, and nesting efficiency separately — a format the manufacturing customer specifically requested so they could understand the process cost structure. IronKit generated the package in 11 minutes; the shop historically spent 4–5 hours on a comparable bid using Excel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does nesting efficiency affect sheet metal cost?
Nesting efficiency is the percentage of sheet material that becomes parts (vs. scrap and kerf). At 78%, you're paying for 100% of the sheet but only using 78%. Tighter nesting (85%+) reduces material cost; complex geometry forces lower efficiency. IronKit calculates material cost based on the part weight, then adds a nesting factor for the sheet material purchased.
Why are setup hours a big part of laser and brake cost?
For a run of 48 custom enclosures, the first unit requires: program development, tooling setup, first-article inspection, and any parameter adjustments. This setup is amortized across all 48 units, but it must be paid for. Larger runs lower setup cost per unit; one-off parts carry nearly all setup cost in the unit price.
When should sheet metal be TIG welded vs. spot welded?
TIG is used when appearance matters (visible exterior seams), strength is critical (load-bearing structure), or material doesn't spot weld well (aluminum, stainless, thin gauge). Spot welding is faster and cheaper for internal structure, galvanized HVAC work, and anything where cosmetic appearance isn't required. TIG at $80/hr runs 3–5× the cost of spot welding per joint foot.
Does IronKit handle mixed-material bids (carbon + stainless)?
Yes. The sheet metal bid template allows separate material entries for each specification, with separate per-pound prices. Carbon steel and stainless line items appear separately in the BOQ so the customer can see the material cost for each type.