Nov 18, 2016 -- Rapid Sheet Metal, the largest prototype sheet metal manufacturer in the world, has launched a free sheet metal design guide. The design guide covers design for manufacturing best practices and money saving tips when designing custom sheet metal prototype parts.

Rapid Sheet Metal was founded in 2001 with the mission of quick turn-around on quotes and custom prototype sheet metal parts. Over fifteen years the sheet metal shop has witnessed over one hundred thousand unique parts travel through the facility. With years of experience comes great knowledge and RAPID wanted to pass the knowledge along to the customer.

David Puleo, Rapid Sheet Metal Operations Manager, states, “Our goal is to provide a frictionless quoting and manufacturing process. By providing design feedback upfront we are shortening the quoting time and providing the customer a tool to ensure their part is able to be manufactured.”

The Rapid Sheet Metal Design Guide’s feedback is expanded beyond just basic parts. The Design Guide includes guidelines for customers designing in eRAPID. eRAPID is a quoting plug-in for SOLIDWORKS and provides design feedback and instant costing on sheet metal parts.

James Jacobs, Founder / CEO, states, “We are always on a mission to expand and improve our service. With years of experience, we wanted a way to take all that manufacturing knowledge and share it with our customers. The Sheet Metal Design Guide seemed to be a great way for us to share our knowledge with a tool that is mutually beneficial.”

Along with the design guide, RAPID is also implementing a Prototype Sheet Metal Design for Manufacturing LinkedIn Group. The group is an extension of the design guide and will allow for increased collaboration for engineers and designers globally.

The Rapid Sheet Metal Design Guide is available for download at https://rapidmanufacturing.com/sheet-metal-design-guide/.

To join the LinkedIn group visit https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8528927.

ABOUT RAPID:

RAPID employs over 325 people focused on quick-turn prototype sheet metal & machined parts. Rapid Sheet Metal offers a free add-in, eRAPID, for SOLIDWORKS that allows users to cost and order sheet metal parts within CAD, instantly. eRAPID also provides design for manufacturability feedback as users design sheet metal parts. Rapid Machining quotes machined & turned parts within 24 hours. RAPID ships all parts in days, not weeks. Other services include wire harnesses, cable assemblies and box builds. www.rapidmanufacturing.com