The advantages of custom metal fabrication includes metal's high heat resistance and can maintain structural integrity under high temperatures. Metals also have a tendency to be stronger, tougher and more durable than plastics, which makes them better for structural purposes. Because of their properties, metals are able to be fabricated in more ways than plastics, which allows more opportunities for changing the structure and design of the materials. They also offer a more cost-effective solution to long-term projects, or projects where there is a high volume of component fabrication. A disadvantage of custom metal fabrication include the cost of metal tooling, which result in higher start-up costs.