Articles written by Eric Lundin

Eric Lundin

Editor

FMA Communications Inc.

833 Featherstone Road
Rockford, IL 61107
phone: 815-227-8262

www.thefabricator.com
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Results: 85

	Automated system helps manufacturer’s reshoring efforts When Oddello Industries, a supplier of fabricated assemblies to OEMs in a variety of markets, was invited to bid on a contract for a high-end adjustable mattress foundation, it searched for a piercing machine and a cutting machine that could handle the tubular portion of the project. It combined... Publish date: April 19, 2013
	CNC tube bender provides precise bends for monocoque frames Industrial Laser Solutions, Atlanta, has carved out a niche as a firm that engineers and develops its own products. During the downturn that followed the financial crisis of 2008, the company decided to take on some additional work, and it found itself in the fabrication business. This article... Publish date: April 17, 2013
	Stick figures bring smiles in Sarasota After his yacht-building business dried up in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, entrepreneur Scott Gerber decided to build a simple sculpture from tubing. Based on a basic stick figure, the first one was a fisherman. Gerber placed a few around town, encountered some interest, and suddenly a... Publish date: April 8, 2013
	Cryogenic processing—dispelling the myths, mysteries Heat treating metals goes back thousands of years, but the use of cold temperatures, especially the very cold temperatures in the cryogenic range, is relatively new and hasn't been fully accepted in the manufacturing industry. Interviews with four cryogenic processors clear up some of the... Publish date: March 15, 2013
	Tube producer knocked down, but not out When one of its facilities was struck by an EF5 tornado on April 27, 2011, Independence Tube Corp. vowed to rebuild the facility. The reconstruction, which was aided by its staff, its customers, and its suppliers, was a Herculean effort that resulted in a small miracle exactly a year later: the... Publish date: February 1, 2013
	High-performance, high-speed happiness After realizing he was spending too much time traveling, risk management consultant Hank Padilla decided to take a dramatic career detour. He did some vocational coursework and opened a fabrication shop, serving the local area (Littleton, Colo.) with precision tube bending and GTAW for roll cages... Publish date: February 1, 2013
	Compressor manufacturer improves cutting process Compressor Systems Inc., a manufacturer of natural gas compressors and tanks, was having trouble keeping up with the growing demand for its products. A breakthrough in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) had made shale gas a economically viable, and prices were on the rise, so producers were ever... Publish date: January 14, 2013
	Grinding, polishing, blending in hard-to-reach areas Interviews with several tool and accessory manufacturers provide a broad perspective on capabilities for finishing in hard-to-reach areas. Publish date: December 3, 2012
	Bringing new laser cutting, bending capabilities to market After getting a start in the handrail business in 1990, Sharpe Fabrication Inc. relaunched itself in 1994 as Sharpe Products and started to offer general fabrication services. Two of the company’s investments, a free-form bender and a fiber-optic laser machine, reflect the company’s interest... Publish date: December 3, 2012
	Inventor, fabricator applies all-terrain concept to wheelchairs About a decade after his son was paralyzed in an automobile accident, Tim Swenson put a few ideas to work and built an all-terrain wheelchair. Although he was retired, Swenson garnered quite a bit of interest with his invention, so he founded Action Manufacturing and builds two wheelchair models... Publish date: December 3, 2012
	Inventor, fabricator updates wheelchair concept About a decade after his son was paralyzed in an automobile accident, Tim Swenson put a few ideas to work and built an all-terrain wheelchair. Although he was retired, Swenson garnered quite a bit of interest with his invention, so he founded Action Manufacturing and builds two wheelchair models... Publish date: December 3, 2012
	The art is just a front Publish date: October 9, 2012
	Fabricator rides new wave of interest in hydroforming Founded in 2003, American Hydoformers Inc. arrived on the scene a little too late to catch the first big wave of interest in hydroforming. A few automobile manufacturers had been oversold on the technology and were cautious to continue to convert parts to hydroforming, but AHI didn’t stumble... Publish date: October 8, 2012
	Fabricator trades bend-cut-bend-cut-bend-cut-weld-grind-polish-blend sequence for bend- bend-bend-polish sequence SF Tube Inc., a fabricator that does a substantial amount of bending, found itself facing a perfect storm—it had quite a bit of manual equipment, it often had to use two or three benders to make a single component, its bend-splice-weld-grind-polish-blend process for many components was too... Publish date: September 7, 2012
	The ins and outs of recutting tube A bit about cutting tube and pipe from an interview with Bruce Benedict and Dave Clarke of Production Tube Cutting. Publish date: September 3, 2012
	Candy-apple red isn’t just for hot rods anymore After working for a few years making leather belts and belt buckles, Anthony “AJ” Patti moved on to designing and manufacturing leather goods for Harley-Davidson, then went on to pewter casting to make jewelry for the venerable motorcycle manufacturer. An artist always striving for efficiency... Publish date: August 3, 2012
	Bringing stamping work back from China Ross Liberty, founder of Factory Pipe, has been making exhaust systems for two-stroke engines since he was a teenager. He recently brought his decades of manufacturing experience and his substantial product knowledge to bear on an exhaust pipe that had been produced at Factory Pipe and... Publish date: July 16, 2012
	Quality control for tube, pipe producers Years ago tube and pipe producers relied mainly on eddy current testing and ultrasonic testing for detecting short- and long-duration weld faults, respectively. These testing systems are still useful and in many cases required, but the spread of electronic technology has provided many more types... Publish date: July 16, 2012
	Rethinking rotary processing Hautau Tube Cutoff Systems LLC turned the lathe concept on its head when it developed a machine that holds tube steady and uses tooling that orbits the workpiece. This concept, coupled with a handful of other innovations developed over the Hautau brothers’ professional careers, make these... Publish date: July 16, 2012
	Looking for an alternative to conventional swaging? A fluid-carrying line usually consists of a length of tube or pipe that has a fitting that is either attached at the end of the tube by a conventional swaging method or attached to the tube by welding. A little-known process, elastomeric swaging, bulge-forms the tube or pipe ends. Its niche is in... Publish date: July 2, 2012
	Update from Germany Interviews with several TUBE exhibitors revealed that the energy industry remains the biggest driver in the tube and pipe industry. The opportunities aren’t just in oil and gas, but also wind and even nuclear, despite the Fukushima incident. Meanwhile, a few vendors have come up with machines... Publish date: June 13, 2012
	Guitar-maker branches out with new designs Editor Eric Lundin visited Gordon Branch, the guitarmaker featured on the cover of the June 2011 issue of TPJ, to see what Branch had come up with in the last few months. In addition to a new model, 33 1/3 Degree, made with round tube, Branch had developed a similar model made with tube shaped... Publish date: June 13, 2012
	It starts with a sketch Artist and fabricator Philip Dees, who holds a bachelor’s degree in art and a master’s degree in fine art, has worked in metal fabrication and roll forming for nearly 30 years while pursuing a career as an artist. In addition to his drawings, paintings, and sculptures, Dees sees other... Publish date: June 8, 2012
	Taming two weld beads The essential tube and pipe production processes on a weld mill haven't changed much since the 1920s. Some new processes are available, such as laser welding, and the line speeds are faster, but much else hasn't changed. One factor that has undergone some change is how the weld bead, also known... Publish date: June 8, 2012
	From automobiles to artwork Manuel Sarmiento went to a vocational school to learn to be a fender-and-body technician and to learn to paint cars. Fooling around with a plasma cutter one day, he cut out the shape of a hand and took it home to his wife. She loved it and encouraged him to experiment more. Years later he was... Publish date: May 9, 2012
	More armor for armored cars Thefts. Car-jackings. Kidnappings. Assassinations. If you’re a high-profile political figure or wealthy executive doing business in a foreign country, especially one in which the division between rich and poor is vast, you’re vulnerable. In addition to having a security system at your home... Publish date: May 9, 2012
	Service center gets new set of wheels When Tioga Pipe Supply Co. Inc. built a new facility in Easton, Penn., it leveraged its 60 years in business to design its new building. It planned the new facility, 150,000 sq. ft. under roof and 10 acres of outdoor storage area, around the use of side-loading lift trucks. The only drawback was... Publish date: April 16, 2012
	Fabricator reduces part handling, improves consistency with combination bender Full Vision Inc., a manufacturer of components and equipment for the off-road industry, encountered a hurdle in manufacturing roll-over protection systems (ROPS) and falling-object protection structures (FOPS) for its customers. To make a ROPS or FOPS, it needed three machines or two setups on... Publish date: April 11, 2012
	TPJ’s 2012 Industry Award Winner: Chicago Tube & Iron Don McNeeley, president and CEO of ChicagoTube & Iron, describes the big turning points in a company's inflection. For many companies, a point of inflection is the plateau between the company's youthful growth phase and the decline into old age, the point at which profibility slows. The winner... Publish date: March 5, 2012
	What's driving the tube/pipe industry? Interviews with several TUBE expo exhibitors reveal that two booming industries throughout the world are energy extraction and automobile production. Although some industries are expected to lag in 2012, notably the U.S. housing construction sector, on balance the year is expected to be stable... Publish date: February 1, 2012
	Fabrication automation Need help dealing with the skilled worker shortage? Eric Lundin, editor of TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal, interviewed several automated equipment manufacturers for their perspectives on automation for tube and pipe fabrication. Publish date: January 10, 2012
	Dealing with high forces, metal in motion, hot parts? The main topic at the 2011 EDTR Roundtable conference in Wilmington, NC, was safety. Many of the issues involve high forces, metals in motion, and red-hot parts—in other words, topics relevant to any and all tube and pipe producers and fabricators. Editor Eric Lundin summarizes the main... Publish date: December 21, 2011
	Fabricating antenna components Mobile phone systems are mainly electronic, but a fabricated tube plays a critical role—known as a waveguide, this rectangular tube connects the transmitter to the antenna. Precise bending and forming are critical to manufacturing a waveguide that provides a strong, clear signal. Publish date: September 9, 2011
	Fabricator leaves its competitors in the dust It wasn't that long ago that Joe Fabiani decided to make a custom exhaust system for his Porsche. A member of the Porsche Club of America (PCA) and racing enthusiast, he soon found himself making exhaust systems for fellow PCA members. That led to founding a company, FabSpeed Motorsports Inc.,... Publish date: July 20, 2011
	Getting in tune with tube Custom guitar-maker Gordon Branch started making guitars from wood, the traditional material, about 25 years ago. He went in a different direction when he created a design based on an aluminum billet, relying on the metal’s acoustic characteristics for a unique sound. Recently he decided to try... Publish date: June 2, 2011
	Yearning for learning Publish date: April 26, 2011
	GTAW electrode selection and preparation Selecting the right tungsten electrode, and preparing it to match the welding process, aren't just good ideas to maximize welder productivity. They are necessary to prevent weld defects and all the time necessary for troubleshooting and rework. Publish date: April 25, 2011
	Tube, pipe cutting equipment - Part II Lasers have been in use for industrial purposes for decades, and their capabilities continue to develop. Many machines these days can cut sheet and tubular sections, and fabricators are finding that the laser’s programmability really broadens their capabilities. Publish date: March 10, 2011
	Old-school fabricator takes it one step at a time Shortly after the company was founded as a welding and repair shop in 1949, Wells-Osborn Spiral Stairs found a niche in building spiral staircases. Founder Bill Osborn bought some equipment and made some of his own. Some of Osborn’s original ideas and equipment are still in use at the company... Publish date: February 25, 2011
	Tube, pipe cutting equipment - Part I Tube and pipe cutting advancements include saws that are programmable to cope with varying cross sections and a variety of material hardnesses; a rotary axis for waterjet cutting; and automation. Publish date: January 24, 2011
	Fabricating tube, learning lessons in America's Dairyland J & D Tube Benders Inc., founded as a partnership to produce a single part number in 1971, today generates $16 million in annual revenues and is on the cusp of the third generation of family ownership. The key to its longevity is learning valuable lessons throughout the past four decades, finding... Publish date: January 21, 2011
	Snow mean feat Snowshoes have been used for thousands of years, but only recently have modern manufactured materials come into the picture. These days lengths of bent and welded tube, usually aluminum, make up the frame. Although the market is crowded, Jake Thamm and Tamara Laug thought they could build a... Publish date: December 2, 2010
	Scenes from Europe Editor Eric Lundin recounts some of the product introductions and innovations seen at the TUBE expo in Düsseldorf, April 12-16, 2010. Publish date: July 9, 2010
	Small components, big plans Since its start as a supplier of a single fabricated item in 1936, Zeman Manufacturing Co. has expanded its fabricating services to include all manner of cutting, bending, end forming, and finishing processes. In response to growing competition from companies in low- cost-of-manufacturing... Publish date: June 4, 2010
	Supply chain collaborates on bending project Faced with a daunting bending contract and a short timeframe, Rick Williams of Rockford Process Control (RPC) sought cooperation from a tubing supplier, bending machine manufacturer, and a tooling supplier at the beginning of the project. The information exchange enabled RPC and its supply chain... Publish date: March 1, 2010
	Perfecting processing for perforated products Beverlin Manufacturing Inc., a tube producer and component fabricator, struggled with various cutting processes. Its produces and fabricates perforated tube which, because of the perforations, complicates the cutting process. After using two sawing methods, it changed to laser cutting. Publish date: September 6, 2009
	More than just southern hospitality Since its inception in 1924, Plymouth Tube Co. has had a strong faith in the capabilities of its people. Its plant at Eupora, Miss., recently made some changes in the way management formulates strategic plans, and it now includes input from all of the plant employees in executing its strategy.... Publish date: January 13, 2009
	Reflections on a perfectly symmetric ellipse Sculptor and fabricator Brett Richards of BR Sculpture, Chicago, got a contract to make a frame for an oval mirror—a length of square tubing bent to a perfect ellipse. Not knowing too much about the vagaries of bending tube, he figured he'd spend a few thousand dollars on a simple bender.... Publish date: September 16, 2008
	Two fabricators are better than one Motorcycle popularity has grown substantially in recent years, and many small shops that produce custom-made and limited-production motorcycles have sprung up. Two such shop owners, Brad Ruel of The Wrench and Mark Evans of Diablo Chop Shop, took it one step further and joined forces to combine... Publish date: August 26, 2008
	No time to waste Publish date: June 17, 2008
	Introducing TPJ's Industry Award Winner TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal® recognizes that Lincoln Industries is an industry leader. Lincoln Industries' combination of business management, employee focus, and community participation has earned it the first-ever TPJ Industry Award. Publish date: January 15, 2008
	Tube Southeast Asia expo sheds light on Thailand, region Publish date: January 15, 2008
	Working with stainless on a budget The high cost of stainless steel—especially the spikes caused by nickel surcharges—has caused many tube manufacturers' customers to look for alternative alloys. What can tube producers expect after switching from a 300-series stainless to a less expensive alloy? It depends on the new... Publish date: December 11, 2007
	Fabricating: Employment or enjoyment? Robert Warnett didn't take many vocational classes in school, never spent much time reading about welding or fabricating, and never had a job in a shop. However, he made quite a few friends in the fabricating industry and made a hobby out of fabricating. Being a hands-on type of guy, he has... Publish date: October 9, 2007
	A high-flying metal fabricator From its beginning in 1986 as a machine shop, Custom Tube Products has changed to a fabrication shop. Along the way it has adapted to the skilled worker shortage, mainly by trading in its manual processes for automation. Publish date: September 11, 2007
	Vertical integration broadens company's horizons Senior Editor Eric Lundin visited Industrial Hard Chrome, a chrome plater that provides chrome-plated components for hydraulically powered equipment such as graders and backhoes. He traces the company's development from a plater that provided its services to the paper and pulp industry four... Publish date: June 12, 2007
	A new spin on metal forming Glenn Metalcraft Inc. started out as a tool and die shop in Minneapolis in 1947. Today it is an $8-million-a-year contract manufacturer that has created a niche in spin-forming circular and conical components up to 0.750 in. thick. Glenn has found a high-volume niche, producing wheels, brakes,... Publish date: April 10, 2007
	Turning a machine shop into a fabrication shop Senior Editor Eric Lundin traces the history of a machine shop-turned-fabricator. Founded in 1984 as Target Boring, the company changed from a machining shop to a fabrication shop when, in 1994, it purchased its first sheet and plate laser cutting system. Now named Target Laser & Machining Inc.,... Publish date: April 10, 2007
	From Pens to Plasma Cutters What happens when an editor gets to weld? Let Senior Editor Eric Lundin share his first-hand experience. Visitors could try their hands at a variety of welding and cutting processes at Miller Electric's semitruck parked in Hall B at the FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show in Atlanta , Oct.... Publish date: January 9, 2007
	Think you have a challenging bend? Bring it on Take a look at Bauer Welding & Metal Fabricators Inc., a company that thrives on difficult bending applications. It stays away from the hypercompetitive portion of the bending industry—4D to 5D bends in medium-wall-thickness tubing, applications that don't require a mandrel—and... Publish date: December 12, 2006
	The future of energy: stability or volatility? Senior Editor Eric Lundin looks at changes in supply and demand for energy, and how they have affected the prices for crude oil, gasoline, natural gas, and electricity. He also digests a few predictions to see what fabricators can expect for future energy prices. Publish date: November 7, 2006
	Better cuts with plasma One job led Keller & Son Industrial Contractors Inc., Spartanburg, S.C., to buy a new plasma cutting table in 2001. The need for extra capacity required it to purchase another in 2006. Now the company feels it is in the perfect position to take on all types of metal fabricating jobs. Publish date: November 7, 2006
	Aluminum pipe pioneer streamlines tube mill welding When Hastings Irrigation Pipe Co., a manufacturer of aluminum pipe, needed to replace its decades-old welding power supplies, it looked for units that could weld a variety of thicknesses at fast welding speeds. What it found were power supplies that allowed the company to run its mills faster and... Publish date: October 10, 2006
	Long loads, narrow aisles, easy access Since starting with just one warehouse in 1989, J G Kelly Supplies has grown along with Ireland's booming construction industry. Limiting factors such as the warehouse's doorway width, narrow aisles, and 90-degree turns meant the company had to rely on manual labor to handle the long, cumbersome... Publish date: September 12, 2006
	Tube and pipe bending trends Interviews with several tube-bending equipment-makers reveal that tube bending is becoming more complex every day, for a number of reasons. Manufacturers try to decrease material usage and go to stronger, difficult-to-bend materials with thinner walls; many manufactured items are smaller than... Publish date: July 11, 2006
	Not a one-stock shop After years of working in fabricating and machining, Shawn McFadden struck out on his own to start a fabrication shop, which later evolved into a custom motorcycle shop. He doesn’t use the latest CNC machines with digital readouts and other state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. He uses... Publish date: June 13, 2006
	Warm forming titanium parts Senior Editor Eric Lundin visited a fabricator that specializes in aircraft components, M-DOT Aerospace, to learn how the company uses warm-forming of titanium to manufacture a cradle for an auxiliary power unit, or APU. Understanding titanium's characteristics is the key in forming this durable,... Publish date: June 13, 2006
	Fabricator puts the brake on bend inconsistency Well-known for agriculture, Nebraska also has a strong manufacturing base. OEMs include Kawasaki, Husqvarna, Eaton, Thermo King, Claas, and Case New Holland. Standard Iron & Wire, a Minnesota-based fabricator, opened a manufacturing facility in Grand Island, Neb., to take advantage of this... Publish date: June 13, 2006
	Stamper, prototyper, assembler, or fabricator Newspapers and business magazines are filled with stories about offshoring, layoffs, and plant closings. Quasar Industries, a prototyping and low-volume production shop near Detroit, has bucked this trend and recently increased its manufacturing capability when it purchased a new building. A... Publish date: April 11, 2006
	Selecting equipment for maximum productivity H. Meeuwsen B.V., a fabricator in Yerseke, Netherlands, found that purchasing a laser that could handle parts up to 12 m long greatly enhanced its capabilities. It augmented this purchase with a tandem press brake. One side of the brake has an 8-m capacity; the other has a 4-m capacity. This... Publish date: February 7, 2006
	Wading through the world of welding Two big tradeshows, Schweissen & Schneiden (Essen, Germany) and the FABTECH® International/AWS Welding Show (Chicago) highlighted several of the trends that have emerged in the welding industry during the last couple of years. Senior Editor Eric Lundin reviews many of the recent developments... Publish date: January 10, 2006
	Want a firsthand look at manufacturing in China? China has been in the news extensively during the past couple of years, and developments in 2005 have intensified the focus on the world's most populous country. Chinese companies Hair and China National Offshore Oil Co. put in bids on U.S. companies (Maytag and Unocal); meanwhile, the People's... Publish date: September 13, 2005
	To buy or not to buy? Metalen Verhoestraete, a metal service center in Roeselare, Belgium, needed a laser, but not just any laser would do. Because many of the company's clients had 3- and 4-meter lasers, Metalen sought a laser that had a much longer bed so it would not compete with its customers. Publish date: July 11, 2005
	Is this Round 2? Forty years ago Ford and Ferrari were engaged in a fight-to-the-finish struggle to take top racing honors. Ford used its GT40 to snap Ferrari's six-time winning streak at the 24 Hours of LeMans, one of racing's most prestigious events. In 2003 the rivalry was back as Ford unveiled the... Publish date: May 10, 2005
	A growing force in Washington, D.C. Publish date: October 12, 2004
	Is your bend good enough? Bending tube or pipe so the finished product conforms to one of two bending standards can help to reduce rejects and improve relations between fabricators and their customers. The standards can facilitate the use of bending terms, and promote an understanding of bending tolerances and acceptable... Publish date: July 13, 2004
	Competing in the global arena Publish date: March 25, 2004
	Hydroforming heats up Hydroforming was one of the fastest-growing metal forming technologies during the 1990s. Most of U.S. industry cooled down during and after the recession of 2001, but things have been heating up lately, and the world of hydroforming is no exception. The North American Hydroforming Conference and... Publish date: January 13, 2004
	Zero to sixty in the blink of an eye The engine roars to life, and Bruce Van Sant inches the motorcycle forward, stopping about 25 feet from the starting line. Alan Geetings, crew member of the Van Sant racing team, sprays the asphalt with water. Bruce revs up the engine. The engine's torque breaks the rear tire's grip on the... Publish date: November 20, 2003
	Designing an off-road sport truck The main component in any off-road sport vehicle is the frame. Frames for mass-produced vehicles usually are stamped and welded. These are suitable for most drivers' needs, but for intense off-road driving and competitions, a sturdier frame is necessary. Publish date: August 28, 2003
	Tier 1 supplier builds four-stage competitive strategy F & P Manufacturing Inc., a tier-one automotive components supplier, focused on four areas when it developed a hydroforming line for manufacturing Honda Accord engine cradles. These areas were eliminating end scrap, decoupling the bending machines from the manufacturing line, reducing cycle time,... Publish date: July 24, 2003
	Making hands-free straight, saddle, and miter cuts Rovanco Piping Systems Inc. designs and fabricates piping systems for applications such as water (hot and cold), steam, and jet fuel. It sells fabricated pipe—typically with straight or miter end cuts—up to 36 inches in diameter. It provides preinsulated, high-temperature,... Publish date: June 26, 2003
	Batter up! Turning an aluminum tube into a baseball bat The roar of the crowd, the shouts of the umpire, the crack of the bat hitting the ball—these are the unmistakable sounds of a baseball game. Over the last few decades, however, one of those sounds has changed; now the bat tends to make a ping that resonates when it hits the ball. It's the... Publish date: May 29, 2003
	The anatomy of a monster truck It drives right over nearly every obstacle in its path and splits nearly every eardrum in its vicinity. It's supercharged, oversized, and extraordinary. It stands more than 10 feet tall, develops more than 1,500 horsepower, and can leap over a 727 jet airliner in a single bound. Publish date: April 24, 2003
	Focusing on tube cutting lasers State-of-the-art laser technology for cutting metal tubes includes capabilities for cutoff, beveling, and cutting an infinite variety of shapes such as holes, slots, and notches. In this article, manufacturers of laser cutting equipment discuss the state of advancements such as automated loading... Publish date: November 7, 2002