13 Questions to Ask When You’re Evaluating a Sheet Metal Fabrication Shop

At Baillie Fabricating & Welding, we’re always happy to answer questions when a new customer is considering our shop for a project. We understand how important it is to make sure you’re finding the right match not only for your next project, but potentially many future projects as well.

We’ve compiled 13 questions we commonly answer, and we think these are questions that you should ask any sheet metal fabrication shop you’re considering. Some address practical details, such as payment and administrative requirements, while others explore a shop’s technical capabilities and approach to quality. Together, the answers can help you determine whether a fabricator is a good fit.

1. How long have you been in business?

Experience and expertise may not be important if you’re trying to have a very simple part made. But it matters if you have a complex project that may involve several precision processes or managed outside services.

Baillie Fab has been in operation since 1995. Our team has decades of experience across a wide range of applications.

2. What are your billing and administrative requirements?

You can prevent surprises by clarifying payment and administrative requirements early on. Ask about payment methods, deposits, credit terms, sales tax, and certificates of insurance.

Baillie Fabricating & Welding accepts cash, checks, ACH payments, and credit cards. We generally require a deposit unless credit terms have been established. Customers should also discuss notably high insurance limits and any potential sales-tax exemptions with us before we prepare a quote.

3. What do you need to prepare an accurate quote?

A quote is only as reliable as the information behind it. And knowing what a shop needs from you will help eliminate any back-and-forth that can add to your project’s timeline.

Baillie Fabricating & Welding can quote from detailed drawings and CAD models in formats including PDF, DWG, DXF, IPT, and SLDPRT. We offer an online RFQ portal where you can easily and securely submit these documents.

4. Can you create drawings if I don’t have them?

In-house drafting support can turn a concept into the documentation needed for quoting and manufacturing, but not every shop has the capabilities to help with this important step.

Baillie Fabricating & Welding offers CAD modeling services, thereby providing complete CAD files that can help customers avoid additional costs.

5. Do you offer design and prototyping services?

Fabricators often have unique insights that can improve your part’s manufacturability and reduce the overall cost of your project.

Baillie Fabricating & Welding can offer insight with Design for Manufacturing (DFM) advice, and we can also go further and help develop concepts and create prototypes. We do not have engineers on staff, but we can coordinate third-party review when a design requires engineering analysis or a professional stamp.

6. What are your shape-cutting capabilities?

Most sheet metal projects begin with cutting, so a shop’s capabilities affect both lead times and project options.

Baillie Fabricating & Welding provides laser cutting in-house. If waterjet cutting, plasma cutting, or another specialized process is a better fit, we have a network of outside partners we can coordinate with.

7. What are your bending and punching capabilities?

Forming equipment affects the part size and complexity a shop can handle, while repeatable accuracy indicates how consistently a shop can meet requirements. You should look into a shop’s press brake capacity, tolerances, punching capabilities, and more.

Baillie Fabricating & Welding uses CNC press brakes and typically holds repeatable formed-part tolerances of approximately ±0.03 inches, depending on material and geometry. We review each design individually.

8. What welding processes do you offer?

Different welding methods can be required for different materials, joint designs, appearance requirements, and production volumes.

Baillie Fabricating & Welding offers MIG, TIG, Flux Core, and Stick welding to support a range of applications.

9. Are your welders certified to applicable standards?

Certification is not required for every project, but it can be essential when a drawing requires qualified personnel and procedures.

Baillie Fabricating & Welding has welders certified to AWS requirements. And when a new customer requires project-specific qualification, we can seek that out as well.

10. What finishing capabilities do you offer?

Finishing affects both appearance and performance. Sanitary equipment, for example, may require blended welds and finer stainless steel finishes.

Baillie Fabricating & Welding performs deburring, weld blending, graining, and polishing in-house, with finishes ranging from #4 brushed to #8 mirror. We can also coordinate services like powder coating, painting, anodizing, and sandblasting with vetted partners.

11. What hardware installation and assembly services do you provide?

Assembly support can simplify your project. Ask potential fabrication shops about capabilities like tapping, fastener insertion, component installation, and electrical work.

Baillie Fabricating & Welding installs PEM fasteners and rivet nuts, taps holes, and integrates customer-supplied components such as controls, motors, and gearboxes. We can also recommend cost-effective assembly methods.

12. What quality-control procedures do you follow?

Quality requirements vary, so it’s important to understand both a shop’s standard inspection practices and its project-specific options.

Baillie Fabricating & Welding performs dimensional, thread, surface-finish, and functional fit checks using inspection equipment and fixtures as appropriate. We can also complete First Article Inspections before releasing a production run.

13. Do you offer packaging and shipping support?

Many customers focus primarily on fabrication capabilities, but a project is not successfully completed until parts arrive safely. You should ask fabricators about kitting, packaging, delivery, staged releases, and freight coordination.

Baillie Fabricating & Welding can provide kits with hardware and instructions, prepare products for shipping, and arrange local or staggered deliveries. We discuss crating and freight requirements individually before production.  For large shipments, we ask the customer to arrange the freight carriers.

Find the Right Fit for Your Next Project

Every project brings unique requirements. If you are evaluating sheet metal fabrication shops and want to learn more about what we can do, contact Baillie Fabricating & Welding. We’ll answer your questions and help determine whether our capabilities are the right fit.