Choosing Sheet Metal Gauge

The gauge number 18 holds no relevance to the actual measurements.

Choosing sheet metal gauge. This is choosing the right thickness or gauge of sheet metal. For example 18 gauge steel according to a gauge conversion chart is 0 0478 inch or 1 214 millimeter. The equivalent thicknesses differ for each gauge size standard which were developed based on the weight of the sheet for a given material. It is very important that you are using the correct product to optimize efficiency and functionality.

Selecting sheet metal thickness requires familiarity with material gauges. The thicker the piece of sheet metal the heavier in weight the material is for building. Gauge or gage sizes are numbers that indicate the thickness of a piece of sheet metal with a higher number referring to a thinner sheet. Next we use the pull down menu to select the appropriate table.

For sheet metal parts 5052 is preferred as the metal can bend to a tighter radius than 6061 without cracking. A gauge conversion chart can be used to determine the actual thickness of sheet metal in inches or millimeters. Choose the check mark to use a gauge table. With a sheet metal gauge table the process is simplified to just a few clicks.

First we choose the option to use a gauge table. For cnc machined parts panels and enclosures 6061 aluminum is ideal because the material is softer and is easily milled.