Manufacturing guides
Everything you need to know before you order custom parts, written by the engineers who actually make them. Pick the right material, design parts that are cheap to build, and know what your quote will cost before you send a file.
Skip ahead: get an instant quoteHow to choose the right metal for your part
Aluminum, steel, stainless, titanium, copper, brass. Which alloy fits your strength, weight, corrosion, and budget needs, with a side-by-side comparison.
Read guide 02 ReferenceSheet metal gauge chart: steel, stainless & aluminum
Convert gauge to exact thickness in inches or mm, why the same gauge differs across metals, and which thickness to use for your part.
Read guide 03 ProcessLaser vs waterjet vs CNC vs 3D printing
A plain-English decision guide to picking a manufacturing process based on your part’s shape, material, tolerance, and budget.
Read guide 04 ProcessWhat is CNC machining? A plain-English guide
How milling and turning work, the tolerances you can expect, what makes a part cheap or expensive to machine, and when CNC beats sheet metal or 3D printing.
Read guide 05 DesignSheet metal design guide: bends, tolerances & DFM
Bend radius, minimum flange length, hole spacing, and the design rules that keep laser-cut and formed parts affordable and manufacturable the first time.
Read guide 06 ToolBend deduction calculator (free tool)
Enter material, thickness, radius, and angle to get bend allowance, bend deduction, and the correct flat pattern length in inches or mm.
Read guide 07 HardwareThreaded holes, countersinks & hardware
Tapped holes, countersinks, counterbores, and press-fit PEM hardware. When to use each, and how to add strong threads to thin sheet metal.
Read guide 08 FinishingAnodizing vs powder coat vs plating
Compare the main finishes on look, protection, cost, and lead time, plus which metals each one works on and how to pick.
Read guide 09 CostWhat do custom parts cost? The 6 price drivers
Why two similar parts can quote 3x apart, how quantity breaks work, and seven concrete ways to cut the price of your parts without cutting quality.
Read guide 10 FilesHow to prepare your CAD files for a quote
STEP vs STL vs DXF, which format to send for each process, export settings that avoid delays, and what to do when you do not have a CAD file at all.
Read guideKnow what you need? Get a price.
Upload your CAD file for live pricing with a 3D preview, or send a sketch and a Darioo engineer will quote it within 48 hours.