MES Finds Identical Busbar Drawings Can Draw Quotes Up to 3× Apart as AI Data Center Power Demands Rise

Global manufacturing and sourcing company publishes guidance on volume breakpoints, tolerances, edge quality and alloy selection for copper and aluminum busbar

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- MES, Inc., a global manufacturing sourcing and supply chain company serving Fortune 500 OEMs, today released engineering guidance showing that the same busbar drawing can produce supplier quotes up to three times apart, depending on which manufacturing process each supplier assumes. The guidance is written for data center engineers and sourcing teams specifying copper and aluminum busbar for high-density power distribution.

The stakes are rising with AI infrastructure. A liquid-cooled AI rack can draw around 120 kW. At the 48 to 54 V DC used inside many of these racks, that's more than 2,000 amps, which makes busbar a critical component both inside the rack and in the switchgear and busway that feed it.

"When we send the same busbar drawing to multiple suppliers, the quotes can come back three times apart, and material and margin don't explain it," said Hiten Shah, President and CEO of MES. "One supplier prices punch and bend, another prices stamping, another prices machining. Until those assumptions are on the table, buyers aren't comparing the same part."

Volume sets the starting point. MES's guidance outlines general breakpoints for the four common processes. CNC machining is often the lowest total-cost option below about 200 pieces a year. CNC punch and bend typically leads from roughly 200 to 5,000 pieces. Stamping becomes increasingly competitive above about 10,000 pieces, as tooling costs spread across larger runs. Extrusion fits long aluminum busbar with a constant cross-section. Part complexity, number of variants and design stability can all move these breakpoints.

Precision belongs at the joint. The guidance recommends tight control where it affects the electrical connection, such as roughly 0.05 mm flatness across bolted contact areas and about ±0.10 mm position on critical bolt patterns, with standard tolerances elsewhere. Applying tight tolerances across the whole part can force a move to machining without improving performance.

Edge condition matters for insulated busbar. Deburring removes the burr on punched and stamped edges but doesn't remove rollover, fracture zones or work-hardened material. Powder and epoxy coatings can thin at sharp edges, where electric fields also concentrate.

"Edge radius is one of the most common gaps we see on insulated busbar drawings," said Brad Layne, Engineering Manager at MES. "If it isn't specified, the edge condition depends on the process the supplier chooses. Putting a radius on the drawing keeps coating performance consistent no matter who makes the part."

Alloy selection affects conductivity. For extruded, current-carrying busbar, the guidance calls for 6101 aluminum, which is available with minimum conductivity requirements under ASTM B317, rather than the structural alloy 6063.

MES supplies copper and aluminum busbar through a manufacturing network spanning eight countries, with capabilities in CNC punch and bend, stamping, machining and extrusion. Its engineering team reviews drawings before tooling begins to identify the most practical manufacturing route.

The full guidance, including a busbar drawing and RFQ checklist, is available at https://mesinc.net/why-the-same-busbar-can-cost-3-more-a-manufacturing-process-comparison/

About MES, Inc.
Headquartered in Lewis Center, Ohio, MES, Inc. is a global manufacturing sourcing and supply chain company serving OEMs in electrical and energy, automotive, robotics, lighting, and construction and agriculture. MES manages sourcing, engineering, quality and delivery across a global supplier network with operations in the United States, Mexico, Poland, India, Vietnam, China and beyond. MES has been ISO 9001:2015 certified since 2009 and is NMSDC certified. Learn more at https://mesinc.net.

SOURCE MES, Inc.