E-M Manufacturing, Inc.

E-M Manufacturing in Manteca was set up for quick-turn prototyping and short-run production in Northern California. Its focus is sheet metal parts, and it says it can usually deliver a prototype within a week.

Capabilities

• Sheet metal prototyping and short-run production
• Punching and press brake forming
• Laser cutting
• CNC machining center
• TIG and MIG welding
• Graining and hardware (PEM) insertion
• Paperless file-to-part workflow

Equipment

• Two Miller Syncrowave 351 TIG welders and a Miller XMT 304 MIG welder
• AEM 36 in. finishing grainer
• Haeger 618 hardware inserter
• Software: FabriTrak, FabriWin, Mastercam, Pro/E, SolidWorks, AutoCAD

Materials

Carbon steel, stainless steel, alloy steels, aluminum and brass.

Request a quote

To request a quote from this shop, use the Request a Quote form. Tell us the part, material, quantity and deadline, and we will pass your request to the shop.

Sheet Metal Prototypes and Short Runs in Manteca: E-M Manufacturing

Sheet metal is flat stock that can be cut, punched, bent and welded into boxes, brackets, panels and enclosures. It is the material behind many electronics housings, equipment covers and guards. Buyers in Manteca and across Northern California who need a few sheet metal parts quickly often have a hard time finding a shop that will take a small order. E-M Manufacturing, Inc. is listed here for sheet metal work, laser cutting, press brake forming, welding, prototyping and short run production. This page explains how a typical sheet metal job moves through those steps.

Cutting the flat pattern

Every bent part starts as a flat shape. A laser cutter or a punching machine follows a digital file to cut that shape, including holes and slots. The file is called a flat pattern. If you have a 3D model, a shop can often make the flat pattern from it. If you only have a drawing, expect extra time for that step.

Bending on a press brake

A press brake folds sheet along straight lines. Each bend needs a certain minimum flange length and a radius that depends on the material and thickness. Designs that ignore these limits can be hard to form. Sharing the thickness and material grade early helps.

Hardware insertion

PEM style fasteners are pressed into sheet metal to give it threads, studs or standoffs. They are common in enclosures where a thin wall cannot be tapped. Name the fastener type and location on your drawing.

Welding and finishing

Welding joins sheet parts into assemblies, and TIG and MIG welding are both common. After welding, parts may be ground, painted or coated. If appearance matters, state which surfaces must look clean.

Why prototypes matter in sheet metal

A prototype enclosure shows whether the circuit board fits, whether the cover closes and whether the cutouts line up. Finding a mistake in a single piece is much cheaper than finding it in a hundred. Short run production then fills the gap between a prototype and a full production order.

Paperless workflows

Many shops now handle drawings and travelers digitally. For a buyer, that usually means sending files by email or upload instead of printing. A clear file name and revision label avoid confusion.

A list for your request

• Drawing or model with material and thickness
• Quantity for the prototype and for a possible follow-up order
• Bends, hardware and welds you need
• Finish and color
• Required date

Machining inside a sheet metal job

Some enclosures include a machined block, a boss or a precise hole pattern. If your part has these, say so, since they may call for a CNC machining center in addition to the sheet metal tools.

Reading lead times

Lead times depend on the shop’s workload, material availability and finishing. Ask each shop what is included in the time quoted, and whether finishing runs in parallel or after the metal is formed.

To ask about a sheet metal part, send the details through the Request a Quote form and we will share your request with the shop.

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