At GC Custom Metal Fabrication, fabrication designers play a foundational role in our proven process. We take design seriously because it’s the step that turns your sketch or CAD into shop-ready drawings. Those designs then move to cutting, bending, welding, powder coating and assembly under one roof in Edmonton.
The role of fabrication design sits at the core of an ISO-certified process that delivers precise, line-ready parts to OEMs, builders, and manufacturers across Alberta, Canada, the United States, and Europe.
We’ve caught up with one of our owners, Steve Schmidt, to learn about how design informs the process here at GC Metal.
From Sketch to Shop
Q: What reaches the fabrication designer at the start of a job?
A: “Customer drawings which could be as simple as a sketch or more complex like a 3D model, information about the part including material types and thicknesses, specifications such as welding requirements, finishing requirements such as grinding and polishing or powder coating.”
Design is where sketches meet software. SolidWorks drives modelling and drawings for custom metal fabrication. For machining, GibbsCAM prepares programs for CNC machining. The theory is simple: if you do things right from day one, you avoid lots of problems down the road.
Clarifying Details Before Drafting
Q: When details are missing or unclear, what happens?
A: “Drafting will frequently reach out to the sales person or customer directly for any missing information that is required.”
That question-first step keeps guesswork out of the drawings, and helps stop costly changes before they happen.
What the Shop Receives
Q: What goes into the drawing package that the shop needs to begin cutting?
A: “Material types, thicknesses, dimensions, finishing requirements, comments on specific cut quality, comments on leaving PVC (protective) coating on scratchable materials, handling requests (eg. Do not scratch), quantities.”
These notes act like a conversation between the designer and the operators. Clear inputs let laser cutting, waterjet cutting, press brake forming, welding services, and powder coating run without second-guessing.
No Surprises at Forming and Welding
Q: What bending and welding details are added to prevent surprises on the floor?
A: “All bends are dimensioned and all welding details are added to drawings with any specific notes regarding finish (ground, polished…)”
That clarity removes trial and error and helps welders hold consistent quality.
Finish and Assembly are Planned in
Q: What finish and handling notes are included for powder coating and for assembly or BOM (Bill of Materials)?
A: “For powder there will be quantity of parts and colour part numbers as well as any notes about any masking requirements or special requests (eg. Paint one side only). For assembly, they have a full drawing of how parts go together showing what hardware goes where and includes a BOM showing required hardware.”
Masking, colour codes, hardware callouts, and a full BOM are key parts of a fabrication designer’s job here at GC Custom Metal.
Approvals Before Release
Q: What checks or sign-offs happen before drawings are released to production?
A: “Drawings are sent to the salesperson who took the order to review, once reviewed they are sent to the customer for final approval to ensure the production drawings meet the requirements of what they are looking for.”
It’s important to have multiple reviews of a custom metal design because it greatly reduces the chances of accidental oversight.
Collaboration Under One Roof
Q: Who does the designer collaborate with most, and when?
A: “Most closely with the salesperson or customer. If any manufacturability questions come up they may discuss with machine operators to ensure we can complete the part as designed. This is mostly completed initially when drawings are made prior to being sent to the customer for final approval of production drawings.”
GC Metal does everything in one building, which means faster checks and fewer handoffs. That is one of the many advantages of having cutting, machining, bending, welding, powder coating, and final assembly all under one roof.
The Skill that Defines Success
Q: Which skills or habits matter most in this role?
A: “Attention to detail is the biggest skill as they need to see every detail in every part to ensure something isn’t missed or they have drawn something that cannot be fabricated.”
That focus turns complex custom fabrication projects into smooth runs.
Thank You to Our Fabrication Designers
To our fabrication designers, thank you for being such an important part of the team. Your attention to detail turns sketches into line-ready parts and keeps the work flowing.
If you have a project ready for design in Edmonton, Calgary or anywhere in Canada, reach out for a conversation, send us your sketch or model, and we will take it from there.
Ready to move from sketch to shop? Get a quote today.
GC Custom Metal is an ISO certified Edmonton shop with design, cutting, bending, welding, machining, powder coating, and assembly in one facility. Ready to bring design to life? Request a quote.