Blog & Guides
Process comparisons, sourcing guides and engineering reference written for buyers designing formed metal parts — from the XCWY Nanpi plant.
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Metal Fabrication Cost per Part: Quantity Break-Even Points
Read more: Metal Fabrication Cost per Part: Quantity Break-Even PointsA quotation is not a price. It is a position on a volume curve. Ask a fabricator for “the cost of this part” and any number you get back is a guess dressed as a number, because the dominant cost in most metal parts is either a one-time tooling charge or a per-part labour and…
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Sourcing Custom Metal Parts from China: How to Vet a Factory
Read more: Sourcing Custom Metal Parts from China: How to Vet a FactoryMost sourcing failures are not caused by price. They are caused by approving the wrong thing at the wrong moment: a beautiful sample produced by hand, followed by a production batch produced on a die nobody validated. The buyer approved a part that never existed in production. This guide is the checklist we would want…
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XCWY vs Xometry vs Protolabs: Which Custom Metal Fabrication Route Fits Your 2026 Program?
Read more: XCWY vs Xometry vs Protolabs: Which Custom Metal Fabrication Route Fits Your 2026 Program?Every custom metal part you buy travels one of three routes: through an on-demand platform that quotes it instantly and routes it into a supplier network, through a digital manufacturer that runs it in its own plants, or through a single factory you qualify yourself. The route decides your unit cost, your tooling ownership, your…
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Deep Drawn 316L Stainless Filter Housing | Case Study
Read more: Deep Drawn 316L Stainless Filter Housing | Case StudyThis case study follows a deep drawn filter housing in 316L stainless steel, formed from a 1.5 mm blank in four draw stages with an inter-stage anneal. Although the part had been in production for years, it began as a welded fabrication rather than a drawn one. Consequently, the interesting engineering is not the drawing…
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BESS Enclosure Design Guide: IP Ratings, Latches & DFM
Read more: BESS Enclosure Design Guide: IP Ratings, Latches & DFMA reliable battery energy storage system enclosure is not made weather-resistant by one component. Its performance depends on the complete interface between the door, frame, gasket, latches, hinges, cable entries, ventilation system and fabricated sheet-metal structure. An IP-rated latch alone does not make a BESS enclosure IP66. The assembled enclosure must maintain the required protection…
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First Article Inspection for Metal Parts: Plan, Report, and Approval
Read more: First Article Inspection for Metal Parts: Plan, Report, and ApprovalAn engineering-focused guide to first article inspection metal parts, with decision criteria, drawing checks, manufacturing limits, inspection planning, and an RFQ checklist.
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Progressive Die Stamping Guide: Strip Layout to Production Control
Read more: Progressive Die Stamping Guide: Strip Layout to Production ControlAn engineering-focused guide to progressive die stamping guide, with decision criteria, drawing checks, manufacturing limits, inspection planning, and an RFQ checklist.
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Stainless Steel Welding Guide: Process, Distortion, and Finish
Read more: Stainless Steel Welding Guide: Process, Distortion, and FinishAn engineering-focused guide to stainless steel welding guide, with decision criteria, drawing checks, manufacturing limits, inspection planning, and an RFQ checklist.
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Metal Enclosure Design Guide: DFM, Sealing, and Assembly
Read more: Metal Enclosure Design Guide: DFM, Sealing, and AssemblyAn engineering-focused guide to metal enclosure design guide, with decision criteria, drawing checks, manufacturing limits, inspection planning, and an RFQ checklist.
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Deep Drawing Defects Troubleshooting: Causes and Corrections
Read more: Deep Drawing Defects Troubleshooting: Causes and CorrectionsAn engineering-focused guide to deep drawing defects troubleshooting, with decision criteria, drawing checks, manufacturing limits, inspection planning, and an RFQ checklist.