How to hand off a decorative stainless package for fabrication.

01 / PACKAGE BOUNDARY

Start by defining what the package is, and what it is not.

A useful decorative stainless enquiry does not begin with a loose request for “gold panels” or “custom stainless.” It begins with a named package of customer-designed parts and a clear boundary around fabrication, specialist systems and site work.

State which project package best describes the order: commercial interior fit-out, shopping mall and retail, or furniture and millwork production. Then identify the component families inside it. A commercial package might include wall cassettes, column wraps, lift wall panels, skirting and reception-counter skins. A retail package might include storefront fascias, kiosk panels, display plinths and floor-interface parts. A millwork package may contain door skins, cabinet fronts, drawer faces and repeated folded appearance components.

The list is not enough on its own. Each part must still be controlled by a drawing and BOM. The package name simply helps both sides understand how the parts relate, who will use them, how they may be grouped and why finish continuity or packing sequence matters. It also prevents a project enquiry from being treated like a collection of unrelated small jobs.

Write the responsibility boundary at the same time. The customer owns the architectural, interior, product or equipment design; the approved geometry; fixing and backing systems; structural requirements; waterproofing and drainage design; slip-performance requirements; project compliance; and site installation unless another written scope is agreed. StelPanel reviews and fabricates the confirmed metal scope, coordinates the approved finish route, produces the first article and batch, identifies the parts and prepares the agreed packing sequence.

02 / DRAWINGS AND BOM

Issue revision-controlled drawings and a BOM that describe the same parts.

Every drawing should carry a stable drawing number, revision and issue date. Every BOM line should point back to the relevant drawing and use a stable part ID. If the same geometry appears in several finishes, zones or grain directions, do not rely on a generic description. Create separate controllable lines or an unambiguous option field.

The drawing should show finished geometry, openings, returns, hems, rolled curves, joint intent and any critical dimensions. Mark the visible face instead of assuming “front” will be understood after the flat blank is rotated or folded. Mark the requested grain direction on the flat pattern and the finished view. Where several panels form one elevation, include an overall arrangement that shows the intended relationship between adjacent parts.

The BOM should state the quantity for each part and the expected delivery pattern. Separate prototype or first-article quantity from production quantity. If the batch will be phased, identify the phase or milestone. If later replacement or repeat production is likely, say so during the first review because retained samples, batch records and part numbering become more important.

Include the requested material grade, thickness and finish reference when known, but do not treat an unverified value as a confirmed production capability. The review should resolve whether the requested material route, component size, forming sequence and visible appearance are compatible before the quotation commits to them.

Minimum drawing and BOM connection

03 / FINISH SCHEDULE AND SAMPLE

Build a finish schedule around a physical reference.

A finish schedule should name the colour family, record the factory or supplier reference when available, identify the base texture and connect the finish to a physical sample. It should also state which faces are visible, whether the finish is directional, whether a functional treatment is requested and whether the same batch is required across a visual field.

Do not use a website swatch, render, phone photograph or monitor view as the production acceptance standard. Reflective stainless changes with the base surface, lighting geometry, viewing angle, fold, curve and surrounding colours. The screen is useful for narrowing the direction; the physical sample is used to approve the result.

Record the sample ID, approval date, approving party and viewing condition. If the approved object is a folded or curved sample rather than a flat plate, record that fact. A flat sample may not reveal how a coloured or directional surface behaves at a return, rolled segment or seam. Where the package contains several geometries, the first article should confirm the critical appearance zones.

Partner-supported anti-fingerprint, easy-clean, raised anti-slip or full-sheet machine mirror routes need their own review. Confirm how the treatment affects colour, gloss, downstream forming, cleaning expectations and any project evidence. The partner-supported route does not transfer waterproofing, drainage, slip, hygiene or other system responsibility to the decorative-metal fabricator.

04 / VISIBLE FACE AND GRAIN

Mark the appearance direction on every relevant face.

Directional finishes can look mismatched even when the nominal finish name is the same. Rotation during nesting, a mirrored part, a folded return or a later replacement can change the reflection. Use a named project datum and show how each visible face relates to it.

Instructions such as “grain up” or “grain lengthwise” can fail when the drawing view rotates or the flat blank is nested differently. A better instruction connects the arrow to a controlled drawing view or project datum. The overall elevation should show whether adjacent panels remain parallel, intentionally change direction or use non-directional surfaces.

Keep the arrow convention consistent in the finish schedule, flat pattern, formed-part view, assembly or elevation drawing and part label. The goal is not more annotation for its own sake. The goal is to let purchasing, fabrication, inspection, packing and installation refer to the same appearance intent.

05 / FIRST ARTICLE

Define what the first article must prove before the batch is released.

The first article is not only a dimensional sample. It should prove the project-specific combination of geometry, finish, processing route, protection and identification. Agree the review points before it is made so the approval decision can be recorded rather than reconstructed from informal comments.

For geometry, inspect the finished overall form, openings, returns, hems, curve and relevant interfaces. For appearance, inspect the visible face, grain direction, colour against the physical reference, seam or joint area, edge condition and any area affected by forming or secondary finishing. For handling, inspect the protective film, interlayer, edge protection, part tag and proposed packing orientation.

The customer should identify which deviations prevent production release and who has authority to approve the result. If the first article changes, update the drawing revision, BOM or finish record that controls the batch. Do not approve a physical part while leaving the controlling documents at an earlier revision.

06 / PART IDS AND PACKING

Plan identification and packing from the installation sequence backward.

A package may contain parts that look similar but belong to different rooms, elevations or assemblies. The part label should therefore carry the hierarchy the project actually uses. Possible levels include building, floor, zone, room, elevation, assembly and part. Use only the levels that help the receiving and installation team; an overcomplicated label can be as unhelpful as no label.

Connect the label to the packing list and BOM. State where the label may be placed without damaging or confusing the visible face. For directional material, include the grain or installation orientation when it is not already unmistakable from geometry. For phased deliveries, include the phase or release group.

Define how mirror, brushed, curved and protruding components are separated and protected. Confirm crate weight or handling limits supplied by the customer, required lifting or forklift access, and whether packages must be opened in a particular order. The export package should support the agreed sequence rather than force the destination team to unpack every part to find the first installation zone.

07 / SITE AND SPECIALIST REQUIREMENTS

Record requirements the metal component cannot define by itself.

State whether the part is indoors, semi-outdoors, outdoors, coastal, in a wet area, high-contact or high-traffic. State whether it interfaces with drainage, waterproofing, a floor assembly, a lift system, a fire requirement, a hygiene requirement or an authority approval. Supply the project criteria and identify the appointed specialist or system owner.

A stainless niche box does not establish the waterproofing behind it. A trench cover does not establish drainage capacity or load performance. A raised plate does not establish the required slip classification. A decorative lift panel does not establish the lift system's safety or qualification. These requirements may affect material, geometry, treatment, evidence and installation, but they remain customer or specialist responsibilities unless a separate written scope says otherwise.

Also state whether site measurement, installation, sealants, adhesives, backing, fixings or related hardware are included in the requested supply. The default project package should not silently absorb work that depends on local conditions, licensed trades or specialist sign-off.

MASTER HANDOFF CHECKLIST

Send enough information to review the real order.

NEXT STEP

Use the checklist in a project review.

The online project review collects the package, stage, drawings, BOM status, finish reference, physical samples, requested fabrication, quantity, specialist context, packing hierarchy and destination. It prepares a local email brief; files remain on your device until you attach them to the email.