Metal plays an integral role in industrial products and structural elements, and a delay in receiving a metal component for your project can lead to downtime, scheduling conflicts, and budget increases. Understanding the metal fabrication project timeline can help you plan more effectively and prevent costly delays.
While the exact timeline will vary based on considerations like project complexity or material selection, metal fabrication projects can take as little as a few days for small, simple items or as long as one to two months for complex equipment parts. The best way to ensure an accurate timeline is to discuss the specifications of your project with an experienced metal fabricator.
5 Factors That Influence Your Project Timeline
With metal fabrication, you can create small items like timber frame brackets or large structures like industrial walkways. Metal fabrication lead times vary by project based on multiple factors, including:
- Size and quantity: The lead time may be longer if you’re ordering a large quantity of metal components or have a project that requires the fabrication of multiple parts.
- Design complexity: Intricate, detailed designs that require creating models or prototypes can add to your timeline, especially if you revise them.
- Material availability: Projects using metals that the fabricator keeps in stock can proceed more quickly than projects that require ordering specialty materials.
- Shop capacity: Does the fabricator have a backlog of projects? Will you need your parts completed during a busy time of year? The fabricator’s workload can impact the overall timeline.
- Finishing requirements: If your metalwork project needs smooth edges or decorative finishes like painting or polishing, the finishing process will increase the overall time it takes.
As you build your metal fabrication project timeline, make sure you’re setting realistic expectations based on your project specifications. Designing and fabricating metal pieces will take longer than buying ready-made parts, but it offers opportunities for customization to ensure a better fit and smoother installation process.
An Example Fabrication Services Timeline
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the phases of custom metal fabrication and estimated times for each one:
| Phase | Estimated Time | Activity |
| Design and prototyping | 1-2 weeks | Client confirms specifications and approves renderings and prototypes. |
| Material sourcing | 1-4 weeks | Fabricator prepares in-stock materials or orders specialty metals. |
| Programming and fabrication | 1-5 weeks | Fabricator programs machines to match specifications and creates metal components. |
| Finishing and delivery | 1-2 weeks | Fabricator applies any required finishes and delivers completed metalwork. |
Contact Us to Start Your Metal Fabrication Project
Mid-Atlantic Steel Fabrication is your one-stop shop for metal fabrication services. When you work with us, you’ll have access to D1.1 structural certified custom steel fabricators and a dedicated project manager. Our team has the experience to guide you through the fabrication process and help you keep your project on track.
We service the mid-Atlantic regions of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware, but we also ship to most parts of North America. Call 717-687-7313 today to discuss our fabrication services timeline or request a quote.