http://www.thefabricator.com/Bending/Bending_TechCell.cfm The Bending tech cell is packed with specific links to help you find product information, suppliers, technical articles, case studies, seminars and conferences, as well as books, software, and videos on metal fabricating-related topics. en-us http://www.thefabricator.com/RSS/images/thefabricator_rss.gif http://www.thefabricator.com Copyright 2007 FMA Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. official publication date Tue, 21 Aug 2007 11:13:13 AM CDT Vicki Bell Laurie Harshbarger http://www.thefabricator.com/Bending/Bending_Article.cfm?ID=1638 The Emperor's guard was patrolling the river near the base of the Great Falls when the scout came running back down the bank. He was short of breath, too excited to speak. The Captain of the Guard's attention was drawn to the excitement. "Report the cause of this commotion, soldier!" "Ahead there's an old man bobbing in turbulent waters at the base of the falls. A rescue must be mounted immediately if we are to save his life!" "Make it so!"... Steve Benson Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Bending/Bending_Article.cfm?ID=1591 A four-roll bender carries a higher price tag than most three-roll benders, but it might be the easiest to operate because the material fed into the machine is clamped during the squaring process and held during the entire rolling operation. Photo courtesy of Bertsch. Tom Mooney, the shop foreman at Universal Pipe and Steel Supply Inc., Fort Myers, Fla., attempts to describe the different sizes of pipe the company makes and winds up describing the 168-inch-ID pipe the shop fabricated i... Dan Davis, Executive Editor Tue, 10 Apr 2007 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Bending/Bending_Article.cfm?ID=1565 This heavy-duty gooseneck punch with an acute-angle 1V die provides the ability to overbend material to compensate for springback. Since the early 1980s, sheet metal fabricators have, for the most part, followed a pretty basic set of rules to air-bend mild steel. To determine the appropriate die opening to bend 0.5-inch-thick (12.7-mm) and thinner materials, you simply multiplied the material thickness times 8. To calculate the resulting inside radius, you either multiplied th... David Bishop Tue, 13 Mar 2007 12:00:00 AM CST http://www.thefabricator.com/Bending/Bending_Article.cfm?ID=1528 In the age of automated tube bending processes, there is still a thriving demand for dedicated manual tube benders (DMTBs), which have been serving the tubing industry for most of the 20th century. However, these machines now may be overlooked by a generation raised on the notion that computerized machinery is superior. Many in the industry probably are familiar with dedicated power benders, which automate the bending process using programmable logic controls, yet manual benders h... Jeffrey E. Monroe Tue, 09 Jan 2007 12:00:00 AM CST http://www.thefabricator.com/Bending/Bending_Article.cfm?ID=1525 Press brake safety equipment must ensure safety without hindering speed or productivity. The leading trend in press brake safety is to protect the operator without sacrificing speed or hampering operators' ability to work productively, according to press brake and safety equipment manufacturers. This goal is achieved with tooling, including segmented or sectionalized tooling that is lighter and more manageable; safety features that prevent unsecured tooling from falling; ... Kate Bachman, Senior Associate Editor Tue, 09 Jan 2007 12:00:00 AM CST http://www.thefabricator.com/Bending/Bending_Article.cfm?ID=1506 As we strive for simplicity in solving manufacturing problems, we are captivated and enthralled with the flash and glitter of the newest gadgets. Whether by clever marketing or our innate desire to have the latest and greatest newfangled technological gadgets, the outcome is the same. We not only believe that bigger and badder is better, we positively crave it and will generally stop at nothing to justify it. When sourcing technology for new manufacturing projects, we want it all.... Bob Want Tue, 12 Dec 2006 12:00:00 AM CST http://www.thefabricator.com/Bending/Bending_Article.cfm?ID=1472 Because of their press brakes’ dynamic crowning and springback compensation technology, Gardner Manufacturing operators can bend long parts without worrying about the material bowing or twisting. Bronze Age, Iron Age, Industrial Age—each period in civilization's history has led to some form of advancement. The Lean Age is no different. The Lean Age of Manufacturing begot an advancement of its own: a concept of producing more with less—that is, less waste, les... Tue, 10 Oct 2006 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Bending/Bending_Article.cfm?ID=1439 Staged bending can make short runs more cost-effective because each part is handled only once. Most of today's original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and contract manufacturers have embraced the principles of lean manufacturing. Many of the obvious offenders—the most wasteful processes and excess inventory—have been revamped and streamlined. But reaching the next level of lean is more challenging. It requires that manufacturers dig deeper, carefully examining e... Pat Campbell Tue, 12 Sep 2006 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Bending/Bending_Article.cfm?ID=1354 When you think of Nebraska, you probably think of farming. Well-known for endless fields that cover 96 percent of the state, Nebraska produces vast amounts of corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and wheat. Look a little closer, though, and you realize that the so-called Rust Belt has crept westward into this traditionally agricultural state. Manufacturers such as Kawasaki, Husqvarna, Eaton, Thermo King, Case New Holland, and Claas have facilities in the eastern portion of Nebraska, sprinkled thr... Eric Lundin, Senior Editor, The FABRICATOR® Tue, 13 Jun 2006 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Bending/Bending_Article.cfm?ID=1316 The U.S wind industry ended its most productive year in 2005, installing nearly 2,500 MW, or more than $3 billion worth of new generating equipment in 22 states, according to the Washington, D.C.-based American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). There are now commercial wind turbine installations in 30 states. Because Congress extended the wind energy production credit, the wind industry is looking forward to growth in 2006 and several record-breaking years in a row, according to the associatio... Paolo Seravesi Tue, 11 Apr 2006 12:00:00 AM CDT