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Choosing sheet metal thickness for a lightweight bracket

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Hey, working on a small mounting bracket for a consumer electronics housing, cut and bent from stainless steel sheet (304 or 316). The part needs to stay under 200g, but it also has to hold a static load of ~25 N without noticeable deflection over a 60 mm span. I’m debating between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm thickness—0.8 mm meets weight targets better, but I’m unsure about stiffness and whether it will deform over time. Anyone with experience on similar parts? Am I pushing it too far with 0.8 mm?

    • D

      Hey, working on a small mounting bracket for a consumer electronics housing, cut and bent from stainless steel sheet (304 or 316). The part needs to stay under 200g, but it also has to hold a static load of ~25 N without noticeable deflection over a 60 mm span. I’m debating between 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm thickness—0.8 mm meets weight targets better, but I’m unsure about stiffness and whether it will deform over time. Anyone with experience on similar parts? Am I pushing it too far with 0.8 mm?

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    • M

      I’ve dealt with similar setups before. The main concern with going 0.8 mm is stiffness—it might not fail structurally, but if it flexes too much, it can feel flimsy or cheap to users. Going up to 1.2 mm adds stiffness, sure, but you can often get better results by incorporating ribs or buttresses. They add a lot of rigidity with minimal weight gain.

      Do you have some flexibility in your specs or cost targets for adding stiffening features? If you’re producing in the hundreds, using standard press brake methods (rather than custom tooling) can keep costs down more than people usually expect. With smart design, there’s a good chance you can make 0.8 mm work without sacrificing performance or perceived quality.

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Choosing sheet metal thickness for a lightweight bracket
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