We rely on metalwork every day without thinking much about how these products come to be. That’s a good thing; failures in our everyday products catch our attention much more than successes. Afterall, products are made with metal to be durable enough to be relied upon time and time again. But behind these common items are several large industries and thousands of workplaces around the world. One of the most overlooked metal components is also one of the most integral: the metal bracket. While not the most exciting product, metal brackets have innumerable applications. This necessitates that metal brackets are designed and fabricated for maximum utility and longevity from the outset.
There are a variety of factors that affect the utility and longevity of a metal bracket. The most crucial of these is its design. The design of any custom metal piece requires detailed knowledge of its context. Will the bracket be used indoors or outdoors? How much weight does it need to be able to handle? These two questions alone tell someone designing a bracket already give lots of information, including size and material.
For example, in situations with outdoor use, it’s important to pick a material that can withstand the elements, like stainless steel. As pre-engineered metal buildings are continuing to trend upward, this situation is very common. Additionally, it must be considered whether a custom metal bracket will be exposed to corrosive elements (including water) and the temperature range that the bracket will be operating in. This also leads into the question of cost-effectiveness, as a material like aluminum is cheaper to fabricate with but may not hold up to certain conditions that steel might, like extremely high heat. The temperature required to compromise aluminum is quite a bit higher than anyone would encounter from the weather, but some specialized working conditions can expose metal pieces to extreme heat and pressure.
When finding a company to work with for custom metal brackets, it is essential that they demonstrate this sort of detailed questioning. Some companies are even better at certain applications of custom metal brackets than others. For example, IMH is most experienced with custom metal brackets for use with metal frame buildings. Notably, this does not mean that IMH can’t do work with projects requiring other applications, but that it has successfully completed more work in metal frame buildings than in other areas. When looking for custom metal brackets, it’s important to evaluate the company as a whole, also including factors such as budget, lead time, and ease of communication. Because of this, it is often worth choosing a company that is fast and easy to work with over a company that has done more similar projects.
At the end of the day, we all want the simple everyday products in our lives to remain dependable for as long as possible. That’s why, even with dealing as something as seemingly simple as a metal bracket, it’s important to find a company whose success rate is as good as guaranteed. Contact IMH Products today to get started on the next custom metal bracket project.