From Sheet to Finished Panel
The sequence below covers fabricated panels with a sprayed finish. The separate routes distinguish standard ceiling panels from custom-shaped sheet-metal components.
Blank cutting
Process diagramCutting line and finished blank dimensions. Cut coil or sheet into blanks to the fabrication dimensions. Check material identity, blank size and quantity; level the sheet before forming where required.
CNC notching, punching & slotting
Process diagramPunches produce holes, slots and corner notches before forming. Machine corner notches, fixing holes, service openings and perforations to the panel drawing. Check hole positions and solid borders before folding the returns.
Bending & roll forming
Process diagramPress-brake tooling forms straight bends; forming rolls produce curved sections. Form straight returns on a press brake or produce curved sections by roll forming. Check the finished panel dimensions, return angles and curve against the drawing.
Rear stiffener & bracket assembly
Process diagramRear stiffeners and fixing brackets are located on the formed panel. Locate rear stiffeners, angle brackets and connecting components on the formed panel. Trial-assemble adjoining shaped parts to check joints, alignment and access to fixings.
Welding
Process diagramThe torch follows the specified joint between adjoining formed edges. Weld the joints required by the panel design using the specified procedure. Check joint continuity, distortion and the position of adjoining parts before dressing the worked area.
Weld grinding & deburring
Process diagramAn abrasive disc dresses raised welds and worked edges. Dress raised weld areas and remove burrs from worked edges. Control material removal so the finished edge and panel thickness remain within the drawing requirements.
Polishing & edge treatment
Process diagramA finishing pad smooths the dressed area before coating. Smooth grinding marks at worked corners and joints with the specified finishing abrasive. Check the transition to the surrounding face before surface preparation and coating.
In-process dimensional inspection
Process diagramCheck face size, return geometry and fixing positions before coating. Measure face dimensions, diagonals, returns and hole positions; inspect curvature, worked joints and rear fittings. Verify panel identity and release conforming parts to coating.
Pretreatment & spray coating
Process diagramPrepared panels are coated on the hanging line before curing. Degrease, rinse, chemically pretreat and dry the panel. Apply the specified liquid paint or electrostatic powder, then cure to the coating supplier's workpiece time-and-temperature requirements.
Finished coating inspection
Process diagramCheck the finished face and measure the specified coating properties. Check colour, gloss and coverage against the approved finish. Inspect for runs, cracking, bubbles and contamination; measure dry-film thickness and perform the other specified coating tests.
Protective packing & project labeling
Process diagramSeparate panels, protect corners and label each restrained package. Protect decorative faces, separate panels and reinforce vulnerable corners. Restrain the package, label panel numbers, finish, quantity and installation zone, and store in a dry, protected area.
Standard Panels, Custom Panels and Finishing
Standard ceiling panels
- Material selection
- Blank cutting
- Punching
- Leveling
- Corner notching
- Forming
- Clip-position punching
- Uncoated panel
This route forms the panel edges and clip positions needed for the ceiling connection. Punching is included for the specified panel design.
Custom sheet-metal panels
- Sheet cutting
- Marking & corner cutting
- Roll forming / bending
- Welding
- Stiffener & bracket assembly
- Grinding & polishing
- Fabrication inspection
- Uncoated panel
The custom-panel route includes stiffeners and angle brackets. Special-shaped components are trial-assembled where adjoining parts must fit together.
Coating and packing
- Surface pretreatment
- Drying
- Hanging
- Spraying
- Heat curing
- Cooling & unloading
- Finish inspection
- Protective film
- Packing & labeling
- Storage / dispatch
Pretreatment removes oil and prepares the surface before coating. Coating chemistry, curing conditions and inspection limits belong to the selected finish system.
These routes describe formed sheet-metal products. Extruded profiles, bonded honeycomb panels, anodizing and wood-veneer bonding use different processes.
What Is Checked Before the Panel Moves On?
Material and blank
Material grade and thickness; blank dimensions; panel reference and quantity. Incorrect material or cutting is held before forming.
Fabricated panel
Folded dimensions and angles; welds and worked edges; stiffeners and brackets. Mating parts are checked by trial assembly.
Finished and packed panel
Surface appearance and the specified coating checks; protective film; batch, finish and direction labels; packing list and protection against movement in the case.