Werix Metal — precision sheet metal fabrication
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STAMPING — Cups, Shells & Boxes

Deep Drawing

Deep drawing pulls a flat blank into a die cavity with a punch to form seamless hollow shapes. Wall thickness is controlled by the draw ratio, and parts deeper than a single reduction allows are produced with redraw stages and intermediate annealing. The result has no weld seam to finish or leak-test.

Mechanical press line — deep drawing of sheet metal cups and shells
Overview

Deep drawing forms flat sheet metal into hollow shapes by pulling a blank into a die cavity with a punch. It produces seamless cups, shells, boxes and housings in a single operation, with wall thickness controlled by the draw ratio. Multi-stage drawing with intermediate annealing handles parts deeper than a single stroke allows.

How deep can a part be drawn in one operation?

The limiting draw ratio for a single reduction is typically around 1.8–2.0 for ductile steel. We plan the first draw comfortably below that limit and add redraw stages with intermediate annealing for anything deeper. Pushing past the limit tears the blank at the punch radius.

What materials draw well?

Low-carbon drawing-quality steels, 304 stainless and 3003/5052 aluminium all draw well because of high elongation. 6061-T6 draws poorly and usually needs an annealed temper. Material choice matters more in deep drawing than in almost any other sheet process, so we review it at DFM stage.

Deep drawing: process planning reference

ParameterGuidelineNote
Single-draw limiting ratio~1.8–2.0 (ductile steel)Deeper parts need redraw stages
Intermediate annealingBetween heavy reductionsRestores ductility, prevents tearing
Best materialsDrawing-quality steel, 304 SS, 3003/5052 AlHigh elongation required
Poor candidates6061-T6, high-strength alloysUse an annealed temper instead
Typical partsCups, shells, housings, boxesSeamless, no weld joint

Common questions about Deep Drawing

How do you stop the blank from wrinkling during drawing?

Wrinkling is controlled by the blank holder, which clamps the flange while the punch draws the material in. We set blank holder force from the material, thickness and draw ratio, and adjust it during die trial until the flange feeds smoothly without puckering.

Can deep drawn parts be threaded or have side holes?

Yes. Side holes, threads, flanges and trim features are added after drawing, usually on a secondary die station or a CNC operation. We plan the sequence so the part is trimmed and pierced while it is still supported by the drawn geometry.

Is deep drawing cheaper than welding a box from flat parts?

At volume, usually yes, and the result is stronger. A drawn shell has no seam to weld, finish or leak-test, which removes several operations and a failure mode. Below a few thousand parts the die cost dominates and a fabricated and welded assembly is cheaper.

Materials we run this process on

SPCC cold-rolled steel
304 stainless steel for drawn parts
5052 aluminum sheet metal
C110 copper for drawn shielding

Related capabilities and next steps

transfer die stamping for deep parts
all metal stamping capabilities
review a drawn part with an engineer
compare the sheet metal grades we fabricate
plating for drawn shells and cups
drawing cost against quantity
how stamping is quoted, line by line
DFM checklists and engineering resources
deep drawing cost and tooling economics

Specifications

Single-Draw Ratio≈1.8–2.0 (ductile steel)
Deeper PartsRedraw with intermediate annealing
Best MaterialsDrawing-quality steel, 304 SS, 3003/5052 Al
Typical PartsCups, shells, housings, boxes

Capabilities

Seamless one-piece shells
Blank holder control prevents wrinkling
Redraw and annealing sequences in-house
Trim, pierce and flange after drawing

Sheet metal engineering guides

DFM for Sheet Metal: Essential Design Rules That Save Cost and Prevent Production FailuresDFM for Sheet Metal: Essential Design Rules That Save Cost and Prevent Production FailuresDesign-for-manufacturing rules for sheet metal — minimum hole sizes, bend radii, edge distances, tab-and-slot design, and common mistakes that cause scrap.Read MoreSheet Metal Fabrication vs CNC Machining: How to Choose the Right ProcessSheet Metal Fabrication vs CNC Machining: How to Choose the Right ProcessSheet metal fabrication and CNC machining serve different geometries, volumes, and budgets. This data-backed comparison covers cost, tolerance, materials, and lead time.Read More

Ready to get started?

Upload your design for a quote with DFM analysis — our engineers respond within 24 hours.

ISO 9001 · Quality Assurance

Checked at every stage

Four-step quality control from raw material to shipment. Precision inspection at every stage. FAI reports provided on request.

WERIX Metal is certified to the ISO 9001 quality management standard.

3,000+ m²
manufacturing space
11+
years
5,000+
clients served
24 h
quote reply
01

Incoming Material

Each batch of raw sheet metal checked for thickness, grade, and surface finish before production begins.

02

In-Process Check

First-article inspection and random sampling at every workstation: laser, bend, weld, stamp.

03

Final Inspection

Dimensions checked against customer drawings. Precision instruments used for tight-tolerance parts.

04

Shipment Audit

Packaging, labeling, and surface protection inspected before dispatch. Each batch traced.

Frequently asked questions

What sheet metal capabilities does WERIX offer?

WERIX runs the full sheet-metal and stamping process chain on our own floor: fiber laser cutting (±0.1mm), CNC bending (±0.5°), TIG/MIG/spot/laser welding, progressive die stamping (±0.01mm), deep drawing and assembly — plus powder coating, anodizing and plating at long-standing licensed partner plants to our specification. Full process list on the capabilities overview.

Does WERIX handle both sheet metal fabrication and metal stamping?

Yes. WERIX is one of few factories offering both sheet metal fabrication (laser cut + bend) and metal stamping (progressive die, transfer die) under one roof with an in-house die workshop.

What tolerances can WERIX achieve?

Laser cutting: ±0.1mm. CNC bending: ±0.5° (±0.1° on new machines). Stamping: ±0.01mm with progressive dies. Welds for food-grade surfaces are produced to AWS D18.1 practice.

Can WERIX produce both a prototype and the production run?

Yes. Prototypes are laser cut and bent with no tooling cost, then the same part moves to turret punching or progressive die stamping once volume justifies the die. One factory, one quality system and one engineering contact cover every stage.

What is the maximum sheet metal size and thickness you can process?

Fiber laser cutting handles sheet up to 5 mm in production and 25 mm at reduced speed; CNC bending supports part lengths up to 3,100 mm on the TOPSEN bed, and holds ±0.1° on parts up to 2,200 mm through the precision cell; turret punching covers sheet up to 6 mm. Tell us the part envelope and we will confirm machine fit.

Do you offer surface finishing and assembly in the same order?

Yes, on one purchase order. Hardware insertion, welding, gasket fitting and functional testing are done in-house; powder coating, anodizing, plating, brushing, sandblasting, silk printing and laser engraving are carried out by long-standing licensed partner plants to our specification and inspected by us. You deal with one supplier instead of five.

Is WERIX ISO 9001 certified?

Yes. WERIX Metal is ISO 9001 certified. The quality management system covers incoming material inspection, in-process control at every workstation, final inspection against your drawing and the shipment audit.

Which welding processes does WERIX offer?

WERIX offers TIG, MIG, spot and laser welding, all performed in-house on the same floor as cutting and bending. Spot and laser welding suit thin-gauge enclosures; TIG gives clean cosmetic seams on visible brackets. See the laser welding and TIG welding process pages for tolerances and typical parts.

Do you build and maintain stamping dies in-house?

Yes. Our in-house die design and die maintenance workshop designs, builds and services progressive, transfer and compound dies, so tooling changes never wait on a third party and the die stays matched to our own presses.

What is the largest sheet size you can laser cut?

Production fiber laser cutting handles sheet up to 5 mm thick and 25 mm at reduced speed, on beds sized for full-size sheet. For thicker plate or longer parts, CNC punching and press-brake bending cover the envelope - tell us the part dimensions and we will confirm machine fit on our capabilities overview.

Can WERIX deep draw parts?

Yes. Deep drawing produces seamless cylindrical and box-shaped shells from a flat blank in one progressive sequence, ideal for shielded cans, housings and covers where a welded seam would leak or rust. Send the drawing and we will assess draw ratio and required stations.

When should I choose laser cutting instead of CNC punching?

Use laser cutting for low-volume runs, complex profiles and parts with few repeated features — there is no tooling, so a 1-piece prototype and a 500-piece batch share the same setup. Move to CNC turret punching once the design is stable and the sheet has many identical holes, louvers, tabs or forms, because the punch hits far faster per feature at volume. The crossover is usually in the low thousands of pieces; see our laser vs punch guide for the full decision matrix.

What is the difference between laser cutting and CNC punching?

Laser cutting is a non-contact beam that cuts any 2D profile with no tooling and a 0.1 mm edge; CNC turret punching strikes shaped tools into the sheet, so it is faster for repeated holes and forms but limited to tool geometry. Laser suits prototypes and complex shapes, punching suits repetitive high-volume features. Both feed the same press-brake bending cell, so the part is finished on one floor.

Sheet metal fabrication or CNC machining — which for my bracket?

Choose sheet metal when the part is a thin-walled enclosure, panel, bracket or chassis from 0.3–8.0 mm stock — it is faster and cheaper to cut and bend than to mill a solid block, and far lighter. Choose CNC machining when you need thick sections, tight 3D tolerances or features sheet metal cannot form. Many parts use both: a machined insert in a fabricated housing. Our sheet metal vs CNC guide walks through the cost and tolerance trade-offs.

Laser cutting, CNC punching or stamping — which process for my part?

Start with fiber laser cutting for prototypes and low volumes, complex profiles or few repeated features — no tooling, ±0.1 mm edge. Move to CNC turret punching once the sheet has many identical holes, louvers or forms and the design is stable, because the punch hits far faster per feature. Move to progressive-die stamping above a few thousand parts a year, where ±0.01 mm repeatability and the lowest unit cost justify the die. All three feed the same press-brake cell, so the part is finished on one floor. See the laser vs punch guide for the crossover numbers.