Custom Electrical Cabinet Manufacturing in China: What to Expect
You are comparing suppliers, so here is what actually happens after you send a drawing. This page is deliberately about the process rather than the product — what we need from you, what you get back, when, and what evidence travels with the goods. If any of it does not match how you buy, better to find out now than at the first delivery.
Fulei Metal is a custom sheet metal fabrication factory in Beilun District, Ningbo, China, founded in July 2016. We build electrical cabinets and enclosures from customer drawings only — no catalogue parts — across a 2,500 m² plant with three laser cutting machines, four 250-tonne CNC press brakes with a 3,000 mm bed, ten welding stations and four production lines.
Step 1: What we need to quote
| Item | Why we need it | If you do not have it |
|---|---|---|
| Drawing (STEP, DWG, DXF, PDF, SolidWorks) | Geometry, cutouts, tolerances, weld callouts | A sketch, photo or sample part is enough to start |
| Quantity — sample and annual volume | Decides process route, tooling and whether the job is economic | Give a range; we will quote both ends |
| Material and thickness | Decides gauge, bending allowance and cost | Tell us the environment and we will recommend |
| Finish and colour | Decides the partner line and the masking plan | We will propose based on the environment |
| Tolerance requirements | Decides whether features need secondary operations | We will state what the process naturally holds |
| Assembly and packaging requirements | Decides whether hardware sourcing is in scope | We will quote the box and offer assembly separately |
| Destination port | Freight is quoted separately; we keep it off the production number | — |
Step 2: What you get back, and when
| Deliverable | Timing |
|---|---|
| Quotation for simple laser-cut and bent parts | Within 24 hours on working days (GMT+8) |
| Quotation for complex assemblies — multi-part welded frames, hardware sourcing, coating trials | A confirmed date after drawing review, not a guessed one |
| Engineering question list | With the quotation, if anything on the drawing is ambiguous or tight |
| First-article dimensional report | Issued with the sample |
We do not quote a date we cannot hold. For a complex project the honest answer is “we will confirm the quotation date after review,” and that is what you will get.
Step 3: Lead times, kept on separate lines
| Stage | Typical |
|---|---|
| Simple sample | 3–7 days |
| Complex first article | 15–20 days |
| Production batch | 25–35 days, quoted after drawing review and process confirmation |
| Freight | Quoted separately to your destination port |
Production and shipping are separate numbers deliberately. A 25–35 day production lead plus sea freight is a 60+ day total, and merging the two into one figure is how suppliers end up arguing about what was promised.
Step 4: What evidence travels with the goods
| Evidence | When |
|---|---|
| Material certificates for the sheet we buy | With the first article, if your inspection needs them |
| First-article dimensional report | Issued with the sample |
| In-process inspection records | Available for important orders |
| Outgoing inspection record | With the shipment |
| Packing photographs | Before shipment, for important orders |
We do not run a coordinate measuring machine, so a drawing whose acceptance depends on CMM-verified geometric tolerance should be discussed before we quote — we will tell you honestly whether we can hold it.
Step 5: Certification boundaries
Our quality system is documented to ISO 9001. We do not hold a third-party ISO 9001 certificate and do not claim one. What we can show instead is third-party audit evidence: TÜV Rheinland reference MIC-ASI243729 and Bureau Veritas reference MIC-ASR263630, available for buyer review under NDA.
CE and RoHS apply to the finished equipment. Safety, EMC and ingress approval are arranged by you or the certification body, on the complete product — not on the metalwork alone. If your project needs a certified assembly, we are a component supplier in it.
Step 6: Export packing
Packed to the agreed specification, with the destination and handling route in mind: individual protection, then cartons, then wooden cases or pallets where the shipment needs them. Packing photographs are available with the shipment for important orders. If your goods need ISPM 15 treated timber, say so at quotation stage.
Related reading
- Electrical enclosures and cabinets: the full selection guide
- Weatherproof electrical enclosures
- Stainless steel enclosures: 304, 316 and 430
- Low voltage distribution cabinets
Frequently asked questions
Are you a factory or a trading company?
A factory. The address on our quotations is the plant: No.18, Zhenxing South Road, Qijiashan Street, Beilun District, Ningbo. Buyers are welcome to visit, or we can run a live video walkthrough of the cutting, bending, welding and packing areas before you commit.
What is your minimum order quantity?
It depends on the process route. Small bent parts usually start around 1,000 pieces; larger cabinets and enclosures commonly start from 10 or 50 pieces depending on size, coating and packaging. There is no single number, and a supplier who quotes one without seeing the drawing is guessing.
Which processes do you run in-house, and which go out?
In-house: laser cutting, CNC bending, welding, riveting, assembly, brushing and mirror polishing. Routed to audited partner lines that we specify and inspect: powder coating, passivation, anodising, electropolishing and plating. We do not own the coating or plating lines and we say so up front.
What payment terms do you work on?
Discussed per project. Small sample orders are usually 100% in advance by T/T. Production orders are typically a deposit with the balance against shipping documents. We will state the terms in the quotation rather than negotiate them after you have committed.
Which countries do you ship to?
We have quoted buyers in 60+ countries and shipped to more than 30 export markets, including Europe, North America, Japan, Korea and the Middle East. Tell us the destination port and we will quote freight separately.
How do you handle a revision change mid-production?
A revision change is treated as a new first article rather than a silent update. That costs more and takes longer, and it is the reason a repeat order comes out like the first one.
What if we only have a sample part and no drawings?
Send the sample, or a photograph with dimensions. We can measure and reverse-engineer simple parts, and we will tell you which features need your input because they cannot be measured from the outside. Full product design is not something we do.
Send the drawing
Send the drawing with quantity, material, thickness, finish, tolerance and the destination port. Simple laser-cut and bent parts are quoted within 24 hours on working days; complex assemblies get a confirmed date after review rather than a guess. Violet coordinates the first review and replies with practical next steps.