Articles written by Tim Heston

Tim Heston

Senior Editor

FMA Communications Inc.

833 Featherstone Road
Rockford, IL 61107
phone: 815-381-1314

www.thefabricator.com
Contact via email

Results: 139

	Tube bending, the lean way A Wisconsin tube bending shop takes an untraditional approach to the traditional job schedule--and thrives because of it. Publish date: February 1, 2012
	Capital spending carries the rebound into 2012 Manufacturing technology consumption took an unprecedented dive during the recession, but since then the industry has bounced back dramatically. In the metal fabrication arena, most technology categories are experiencing some healthy gains, as reported by the 2012 Capital Spending Forecast, a... Publish date: January 10, 2012
	Industry flocks to FABTECH Despite economic uncertainties heading into 2012, the metal fabrication industry came out in full force at November’s FABTECH show. More than 35,000 walked the show floor, which featured more than a half million square feet of exhibit space. Publish date: January 6, 2012
	Heavy piercing with plasma High-density plasma arc cutting can effectively cut thick plate. The most challenging aspect, in fact, is that initial pierce. To that end, a few basic strategies help overcome this challenge, allowing the plasma to pierce through inches of metal as effectively as possible. Publish date: January 4, 2012
	8 hidden costs of material utilization Precision Sheet Metal User Groups consist of up to six noncompetitive, geographically dispersed metal fabricators. Group members have found they can learn a lot from others, especially from other shop owners who have endured and overcome similar business challenges. Publish date: December 20, 2011
	Metal fabricators collaborate to compete Precision Sheet Metal User Groups consist of up to six noncompetitive, geographically dispersed metal fabricators. Group members have found they can learn a lot from others, especially from other shop owners who have endured and overcome similar business challenges. Publish date: December 12, 2011
	2012 forecast: The good and bad of economic gumbo Positives and negatives probably will pepper the business climate in 2012. Manufacturing has led the economic recovery. Unemployment will remain high, and businesses will still seek technical talent. Equipment spending probably will continue apace. So will company acquisitions, but they won’t... Publish date: December 9, 2011
	Got milling? You’re hired. A good machinist is hard to find. Why? It’s a mixture of factors. Machining suffers from the same image problem as the other manufacturing trades, so not enough people enter the field. But this country also lacks hands-on training programs. Publish date: December 9, 2011
	High mix, fast delivery--on time High-product-mix manufacturers may have problems with off-theshelf TOC, as described in Eliyahu Goldratt’s The Goal, a book that tells how a fictional company manages its operations around a constraint. In a high-mix, low-volume operation, the constraint actually may move around from job to... Publish date: November 18, 2011
	Growing health care revenue by selling direct Midbrook, a Michigan fabricator of washing equipment, has worked hard to diversify outside of the automotive business. One key to its success has been its approach to selling to health care facilities. The fabricator has decided to circumvent traditional distributorship networks in health care. Publish date: November 18, 2011
	Metal fabrication, the Swiss way Switzerland’s manufacturers have no trouble finding citizens with technical skills; there just aren’t enough Swiss citizens. The country has a comprehensive apprenticeship program that helps prepare students for the working world. Publish date: November 8, 2011
	Who’s calling? Your machine tools The evolution of the smartphone has provided the opportunity to improve notification systems to include vital information along with the standard message. Imagine having real-time access to machine and production status from home or the cabin. But like an iceberg, there is more to it than meets... Publish date: October 20, 2011
	Need a light--now? Phoenix Products Co.--a high-mix, low-volume lighting products manufacturer--has implemented an improvement methodology called quick-response manufacturing, and realized dramatic improvements in lead-times. One light fixture that used to take eight weeks to manufacture now only takes two. Publish date: October 20, 2011
	Wet dust collection snuffs hazards of industrial dusts Metal manufacturers use wet filter systems for two reasons: to collect combustible metal dust and to filter particulate in heavy-sparking applications. Applications like deburring and grinding can involve both combustible metal particulate and heavy sparking--and for these applications wet dust... Publish date: October 20, 2011
	Time is money--so, so much money Quick-response manufacturing (QRM) focuses on what’s called the “manufacturing critical path time,” or MCT. In manufacturing, time is money--in fact, it’s a lot more money than many realize. Rajan Suri uncovers why in his new book Publish date: October 20, 2011
	Fabricator takes a team approach to job management Anderson Dahlen is a precision sheet metal job shop. It’s an industrial contractor that designs and fabricates entire systems for the processing sector, everything from mixing systems for the chemical industry to holding tanks for dairy plants. It also fabricates architectural metal for... Publish date: October 20, 2011
	Brass instrument manufacturing: How metal makes music Getzen Co. uses 200-year-old technology to make its high-end trumpets and trombones. Walking into the company’s Elkhorn, Wis., facility is a bit like walking into a metalworking museum. Here, worker experience and skill reign supreme. Publish date: October 10, 2011
	Same building, new people, new business A Tulsa, Okla., job shop launches just as the economy starts to recover. The shop moved into a facility that was previously home to another, now defunct fabricator. The building is old--but everything else is new. Publish date: September 13, 2011
	How a shop devoted to improvement improved At a major automotive OEM, a support operation is devoted to continuous improvement projects for the assembly line, fabricating items as needed to make life easier for line workers. Unfortunately, the improvement shop wasn’t very organized. As managers soon realized, it was time to improve the... Publish date: September 13, 2011
	Knowing the grammar of metal fabrication Several employees at Metcam, an Atlanta-area fabricator, underwent a relatively new program--the Precision Sheet Metal Operator, or PSMO, certification from the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association. The certification requires in-depth knowledge of a range of fabrication processes--providing... Publish date: September 13, 2011
	How the sales function became so important Fred Wilke of Wilke Enginuity knows how important the sales function is. Small jobs helped the company grow, but in 2007 they were looking to take the company to the next level. It was time to concentrate on the larger contracts. Then the recession happened. Publish date: September 13, 2011
	Aerospace manufacturer champions employee ownership This California fabricator finds success with its employee stock ownership plan. The ESOP gives everyone a stake in the business. ESOPs go against conventional wisdom in retirement planning, where the financial gurus promote investment diversification. But for LeFiell employees, investing in the... Publish date: September 13, 2011
	The job shop schedule: Always imperfect, ever adapting There's one constant about job shops specializing in high-mix, low-volume manufacturing: change. Changes happen continually, which means schedules must continually adapt. Today, software is allowing job shops to ensure the production schedule reflects reality and, most important, continually adapts. Publish date: September 9, 2011
	Folding out the waste Over the past decade metal folding technology has evolved significantly. Years ago most considered the process optimal only for large, unwieldy workpeices. But with fast, servodriven folding beams that can bend in both the positive and negative direction, the situation has changed dramatically. Publish date: September 9, 2011
	Manufacturing's Multiplier Effect Sales at B&W Trailer Hitches dropped severely during the recession, but the fabricator had no mass layoffs. Instead, workers gave back to the community, fixing and repairing public parks, community centers, even employees’ homes. Judging by the company’s recent performance, such a strategy... Publish date: September 9, 2011
	Distributor, metal fabricator, metal finisher--wraparound service This Atlanta area company is an extruded metal distributor, architectural metal fabricator, and metal finisher all rolled into one. Such vertical integration gives the company a leg up over the competition. Publish date: September 2, 2011
	Metal fabricator asks what else customers need--and grows This Buffalo, N.Y., job shop is difficult to pigeonhole. It offers contract fabrication services, assembles complex material handling systems, and distributes certain products, including rooftop support systems. The company grew so diverse simply by asking what else their customers needed. In... Publish date: September 2, 2011
	No weak link allowed Holloway Houston Inc. uses waterjet cutting to fabricate critical linkages for its extreme testbed that's capable of exerting up to 5,000 tons of pulling force. Any weak link between the workpiece and testbed structure can render the pull test invalid--which is why waterjet cutting components to... Publish date: September 2, 2011
	Being fair and competitive Salem Metal Fabricators quotes a fair price, regardless of the economy, and has been able to maintain long-term customer relationships because of it. Publish date: September 2, 2011
	Metal fabricator’s product launch proves profitable A business doesn't have to be glamorous to be profitable. For Zeus metal Works, a Siler City, N.C., fabricator, heavy-duty cabinets, a necessity in many industries, have opened the door (so to speak) to new business opportunities. Publish date: September 2, 2011
	Fabricator finds path to skilled labor Crow Corp. had trouble finding the right person for the job, so company management took a bold step—and outsourced the hiring process. Today, the Houston-area fabricator is feeling the benefits. Publish date: August 1, 2011
	Fabricator touts precision production Diversified Metal Products’ demanding niche—nuclear fabrication—spurred growth throughout the economic downturn. Its mix of production and one-off fabrication may give the contract fabricator a leg up in the years ahead. Publish date: August 1, 2011
	Shaking off the albatross of manufacturing’s image A northeastern job shop gets a new building and a complete makeover, with bright colors, a sleek front office, a quality assurance room that looks like a laboratory, and with it all, a new image. Publish date: August 1, 2011
	How small batch sizes define modern manufacturing The long-held belief that setups should be amortized over the largest possible lot sizes needs to change. As setup times become shorter, they become less relevant, and, according to some, so does the old notion of economic order quantities. Publish date: August 1, 2011
	Metal Fabrication Industry: A portrait in prose Three books together paint a good picture of this industry. It’s a combination of technical knowhow, pragmatism, down-to-earth humor, and big-picture thinking. Publish date: August 1, 2011
	Putting talent to work Arin Inc. has evolved from a steel rule blanking house to a modern metal fabricator capable of producing precision, laser cut blanks. Bu workers can see history every day--a tool room for steel rule die remains, as do the mechanical presses. A tour of Arin's shop is a walk through time, a gallery... Publish date: August 1, 2011
	Design for manufacturability opens doors Dawson Doors, a fabricator in a small town in western New York, has developed a global presence in the high-end enclosure and door fabrication markets. By closely collaborating with customers, the unique fabrication company has continued to grow. Publish date: August 1, 2011
	The benefits of technical certification in metal fabrication The prototype shop at International Gaming Technologies employs serious talent. They take a sheet metal part through the entire fabrication process, from laser cutting and bending to welding and grinding. To qualify for a job here requires technical knowhow about a variety of manufacturing... Publish date: July 18, 2011
	Project engineer changes careers, chooses metal fabrication Jacob Melton quit his desk job in Chicago, drove home to Houston, and with his father bought a metal fabrication company. Several years later, even after a severe recession, it turns out that was a smart career move. Publish date: July 18, 2011
	The industry needs “technical leaders” FMA survey reveals hiring managers are looking for technical leaders, those with technical knowhow with the ability to look beyond their individual work cell. Publish date: July 14, 2011
	Induction key to complex beam rolling job Shop rolls beams for a unique place of worship--using an unusual process Abstract: Hardwick Co., a rolling shop in Birmingham, Ala., used its unusual induction beam rolling process to form beams into complex shapes involving multiple radii. Without such capability, the impressive design of the... Publish date: July 8, 2011
	How a big fabricator grows even bigger Mayville Engineering Co. of Mayville, Wis., has grown into a metal fabrication powerhouse, with seven plants that altogether employ more than 1,000 workers. But it hasn’t been an easy ride. Less than a decade ago, MEC was struggling to find its way. Today, the company has a conservative,... Publish date: June 7, 2011
	Plate rolls keep rolling heavier plate These days, plate rolls are forming plate 6 and 7 inches thick--and even thicker. Vessel designs that would have been forged just a decade ago are now being sent to fabrication houses. The variable-geometry plate roll system, which really operates more like a press brake than a traditional plate... Publish date: June 2, 2011
	The merits of a manufacturing hybrid Atlanta Precision Machine & Fabrication, a job shop launched in 2009, represents the latest venture of Atlanta Attachment Co., a made-to-order equipment manufacturer that has found success with diversification, both in the markets it serves and the services it offers, from basic fabrication to... Publish date: June 2, 2011
	The “hole” picture in laser tube cutting Ace Metal Crafts installs a laser tube cutting system with integrated tapping, a system that has shown its strength when producing structural tube. The machine cuts tube shapes, laser cuts holes, and performs tapping all in one setup. Publish date: May 6, 2011
	The science of bending perforated sheet and tread plate Tread plate and perforated sheet present significant bending challenges. To help matters, fabricators may need to look beyond typical air bending with a punch and V die. Though bending alternatives vary, they have one commonality: They clamp down to ensure the workpiece stays where it should. Publish date: April 1, 2011
	Diverse, quick, and growing Tennessee job shop finds success through diversifying its capabilities, from laser cutting, press brake bending, and robotic welding, to milling, turning, and boring. The shop turns around many jobs in only a few days. Publish date: April 1, 2011
	Everyone on the same page—electronically E-commerce now involves the full gamut of business communications, from quoting and paying invoices to job tracking. Technology, sources said, has made the supply chain more transparent, accountable, and efficient. Publish date: March 10, 2011
	Hamburgers, metal, and mettle White Castle’s metal fabrication subsidiary has abided by continuous improvement principles for decades—long before Toyota became a major player in the United States. Publish date: February 25, 2011
	More arc-on, less arc-off A North Georgia fabricator analyzes welder productivity and revamps its operations so that welders spend more time actually welding, and less time moving material and fixtures, as well as typing in data. Publish date: January 27, 2011
	Capital spending set to spike 2011 capital equipment spending could rise significantly, according to a recent survey from FMA Communications, publisher of The FABRICATOR. When compared with 2010 projections, projected plasma arc cutting investment jumped 47 percent, turret punch press investment projections were up 90... Publish date: January 17, 2011
	Laser cutting thick stainless steel—fast Fabricator uses a 7-kW CO 2 laser cutting system to cut thousands of thick, stainless steel components for a critical component of nuclear plant safety. Today, the shop hopes to leverage its technology to gain work in other sectors. Publish date: January 17, 2011
	Fabricator goes 3-D Fabricator uses both laser cutting and milling to manufacturer components quickly and to precision tolerances. Profiles are cut with a laser, and the mill machines specific elements with tight tolerance requirements. Publish date: January 10, 2011
	FABTECH ushers in growth At this year’s show, many attendees said they expected significant growth ahead. Some companies have acquired previous competitors, and the recession’s survivors are gearing up for growth. Publish date: December 2, 2010
	Fabricators anticipate growth in 2011 Metal fabricators expect continued growth in 2011, but uncertainties abound. Many firms are going into the New Year with a straightforward strategy: Improve what you can control to prepare for what they can’t. Publish date: December 2, 2010
	Fabricating to the drumbeat A central Ohio job shop uses a mix of improvement methodologies-- including the theory of constraints--to reduce lead-times from weeks to days. Publish date: December 2, 2010
	Fabricator growth strategy: Lower cost brings greater profit Hi-Tech Industries of New York invests heavily in automation, including a new laser cutting center and robotic press brake--large investments unusual for a typical job shop. But this is no typical job shop. Publish date: December 2, 2010
	Another day, another economic recovery One Columbus, Ohio, job shop recovered quickly from the recession. The organization has a history of financial conservatism and pragmatism—and today’s black ink is a testament to the shop’s success. Publish date: November 12, 2010
	Using watts, again A West Coast metal fabricator, Laser Cutting Northwest developed a product called the regenerator, which generates electricity from exhausted air. One application includes dust collectors for laser cutting systems. Installed into the shop’s own systems, the regenerator produces enough... Publish date: November 12, 2010
	Tube bending with no straights? No problem A Wisconsin tube shop invests in an unusual, freeform bending technology that can bend tube sections with no straight sections between bends. Different radii requires no tool changeouts or complex tooling setups. Instead, an operator changes the code in the controller. Publish date: November 1, 2010
	Better shielding gas flow, efficient welding After an automative supplier examines its automated and manual welding operations, it discovers greater efficiencies after analyzing and optimizing shielding gas flow. Publish date: October 21, 2010
	Automating the RFQ Robinson Laser recently sold its steel assets to Cargill and, as of 2010 is focusing entirely on the laser cutting of flat parts. To optimize operations, the organization essentially has automated its estimating process, from quick price checks to full- fledged request-for-quotes and order... Publish date: October 4, 2010
	New metal fabrication player touts high-value engineering A Baltimore job shop remained on the growth path throughout the recession by circumventing the traditional job bidding process and gaining a serious foothold in the export market. Publish date: October 4, 2010
	Why managing material matters Inventory matters when it comes to cash flow and overall profitability. Publish date: September 23, 2010
	Forming new possibilities with laser blanking If high-speed fiber lasers replace the traditional mechanical blanking press, they would open up new possibilities of blank designs optimized for the forming processes downstream. Publish date: September 16, 2010
	Where the tool meets the sheet metal Machine control really has defined what it means to be a metal fabricator. Boiled down, the job is about turning a design concept into a metallic reality, and the control interface is where the rubber hits the road. Publish date: September 16, 2010
	Lean inventory complements lean production Controlling inventory, reducing setups, taking advantage of vendor managed inventory arrangements--add it all up, and one metal label manufacturer has become seriously efficient. Publish date: September 16, 2010
	Welding the fast and narrow Advancements in SAW concentrate on faster deposition rates and narrow-groove welding. And today's controls, power supplies, and consumables are meeting industry's demand for process efficiency. Publish date: September 13, 2010
	Can lean manufacturing work in the job shop? Lean manufacturing has origins in the low-mix, high-volume world. But many job shops have successfully adapted the methodology to the high-mix, low-volume world. The key is to focus on operational commonalities. Publish date: August 4, 2010
	Streamlining press brake setups help transform a business Streamlining bending operations at a Chicago area fabricator was instrumental in the company's lean manufacturing efforts. Batch sizes and lead-times both have plummeted in recent years. Publish date: July 30, 2010
	Lights, camera, lean--recording manufacturing efficiency Nexteer Automotive uses sports video software to track machine, part, and worker movement. During the past few years, the technology has been integral to Nexteer's lean-manufacturing initiatives. Publish date: July 30, 2010
	Moving material beyond the Emerald Isle In April 2010, more than 100 wordsmiths from 30 countries traveled from as far away as New Zealand and Australia to the picturesque hills of County Monaghan, northwest of Dublin, to visit Combilift, a forklift manufacturer that manufactures locally, but sells globally. Publish date: July 13, 2010
	Analyzing the potential of the solid-state laser Fiber lasers have enormous potential in metal fabrication. They aren't a panacea, but for certain applications, they may be extremely attractive. They're solid-state, require less maintenance, and often can cut twice as fast as their CO 2 counterparts. Publish date: July 1, 2010
	New press brake, new production philosophy A new press brake and tooling purchase leads to a new way of thinking about manufacturing, including the reduction of batch sizes and work-in-process. Publish date: June 4, 2010
	What's NEXt? Growth NEX Solutions experiences double-digit growth during the worst economic climate in a generation. How did managers and employees achieve such performance? By adding value. Publish date: June 1, 2010
	Plasma cutting to 'Galpinize' Galpin Auto Sports pushes the envelope when it comes to car customization, and plasma cutting helps the company push the limits. Publish date: June 1, 2010
	Done-in-one, cutting plate Combination machines have brought the done-in-one concept to the heavy plate fabricator's shop floor. Publish date: May 4, 2010
	If you don't measure it, you can't improve it At Impulse Manufacturing, operators double as quality assurance personnel. The company tracks efficiency and quality via an innovative Web-based shop-management system. The company's mantra: If you don't measure it, you can't improve it. Publish date: April 1, 2010
	How to make grinding safer and more productive When it comes to grinding, a more productive worker is often a safer worker, if given the right tools and training. Publish date: April 1, 2010
	ERP and the cloud The concepts of cloud computing, or software as a service (SaaS), show their mettle at one automotive metal stamper. The stamper is in the middle of a growth spurt, and is proof that companies can find success in the changing automotive market. Publish date: April 1, 2010
	The squid head and the stamping press A stamper streamlines part handling, replacing the grunt work with a part manipulator, and designing a flexible manufacturing cell. In the end, the company's efforts improved worker ergonomics and part quality. Publish date: March 9, 2010
	Going 3-D: A matter of control Abrasive waterjet has moved beyond flat plate cutting. Today, the jet can move in Z and tilt to cut complex designs out of thick plate, and even tube and barstock. Publish date: March 1, 2010
	Two processes sometimes are better than one Alabama Laser ramps up its development efforts in hot-wire laser cladding, a new process that may have big potential, particularly in the oil and gas sector. Publish date: February 9, 2010
	Bending perforated weathering steel: Not a pedestrian challenge Sure Iron works takes on a fabricating challenge: bump-bending perforated weathering steel plate sections with edges that aren't designed to be perfectly square. Publish date: February 8, 2010
	Holding back the hydrogen Hydrogen cracking can send a project off schedule in a hurry. Here are ways to prevent it. Publish date: January 15, 2010
	On the cusp of recovery In 2009, show attendees cut through the fluff and focused on what matters: preparing for the recovery. Publish date: January 8, 2010
	Metal fabrication in 2010: A wildcard year Metal fabricators looking for increased business in metal fabricating industry segments after a rough 2009. Publish date: December 8, 2009
	Roll forming gets flexible Roll forming technology has adapted to a manufacturing market that demands short runs and quick response. Publish date: December 2, 2009
	How to relieve stress in welding Relieving residual stress through welding technique as well as temperature control can greatly reduce weld distortion. Publish date: November 2, 2009
	Raising the bar, one sink at a time Glastender, a food service products manufacturer, takes bold movesand expands during this historic economic downturn. Publish date: October 7, 2009
	Thinking outside the press brake Automating bending with a press brake tied to a robot isn't the only option. Panel benders and folding technologies have evolved to handle more parts and various lot sizes. Publish date: October 5, 2009
	Robotic GTAW or GMAW: No longer a clear-cut choice Gas tungsten arc welding is easier than ever to automate. At the same time, robotic GMAW technology now can produce welds that are close to GTAW quality Publish date: September 6, 2009
	Fabricating with a digital foundation An architectural metal fabricator takes a building-information modeling (BIM) approach, using enhanced computer modeling to streamline operations. Publish date: September 1, 2009
	Unique brake setup streamlines thick plate bending A heavy-equipment OEM's forming department develops a unique tooling setup for bending extremely thick, high-strength plate--designed for one application and one application only. Publish date: September 1, 2009
	Saying 'yes' when others can't IMEC, a small job shop in southwest Missouri, invests in automation not necessarily to increase capacity, but to increase flexibility. Publish date: August 1, 2009
	KO'ing keystrokes A transformer manufacturer completely automates folding machine programming. Publish date: August 1, 2009
	To think 'in tube' A tube laser spurs a shop to think about design and metal fabrication in a new way. Publish date: August 1, 2009
	Rolling it just so Contract manufacturer BEPeterson takes tight roll-bend tolerancing to the extreme: some cans are rolled to +/-1/32 inch on the circumference. Publish date: July 2, 2009
	Counting on the combo Revolving door manufacturer brings fabrication in-house, including a combination waterjet-plasma machine. Publish date: July 1, 2009
	Measurement, assembly, and welding: Ultra Tool's quest for in-die perfection: Part II Ultra Tool & Manufacturing launched a program to tackle sensor technology in an effort to errorproof the pressroom. Publish date: June 7, 2009
	Measurement, assembly, and welding: Ultra Tool's quest for in-die perfection: Part III Ultra Tool & Manufacturing adds in-die projection welding to its capabilities, eliminating secondary operations and significantly reducing labor costs. Publish date: June 4, 2009
	Curbing waste at Power Curbers Equipment manufacturer streamlines part flow and drastically reduces WIP and raw stock inventory. Once a part hits the floor, it never goes onto a rack. Publish date: June 4, 2009
	Tooling up to bend hard Different high-tensile-strength metals bend—and spring back—in starkly different ways, so developing a bending strategy takes some serious planning. Publish date: May 28, 2009
	Keeping the (fire) door open A manufacturer of fire doors, in the South Bronx grows a business through market diversification and automation, just a few miles north of some of the most expensive real estate on earth. Publish date: May 14, 2009
	Heavy hauling, heavy fabricating Ohio-based Diamond heavy-haul found efficiency in its cutting operations through nesting software by managing remnants and reducing scrap. Publish date: May 1, 2009
	Putting out fires, the lean way Crimson Fire, a lean fire truck OEM, enjoys record orders, but prepares for challenges ahead. Publish date: April 14, 2009
	Measurement, assembly, and welding: Ultra Tool's quest for in-die perfection: Part I Ultra Tool & Manufacturing launches a program to tackle sensor technology in an effort to errorproof the pressroom. Publish date: April 14, 2009
	Bending with kid gloves Polyurethane film, inserts, pads, and bottom dies can help prevent marring and, in some cases, allow the die to take on a variety of materials and gauges, including perforated metal and diamond tread plate. Publish date: March 10, 2009
	Welding for all seasons Tom Young has lived an unconventional life full of opportunities that happened because he could do what others could not: He could weld. Publish date: December 16, 2008
	Lost in translation Metrology managers are pushing industry to standardize, so that all digital inspection devices can, in essence, speak the same language. Publish date: December 15, 2008
	Getting it there yesterday Greenheck has made a science out of quick lead-times. For most products, customers can place an order and receive a custom fabrication within three to five days, and sometimes in less than 24 hours. Publish date: November 25, 2008
	Forming metal that 'remembers' Memry has built a business around shape-memory alloys, mainly for customers in the medical arena. It's a difficult, highly specialized field that managers at Memry are betting will grow. Publish date: November 25, 2008
	Getting close, bending safe Press brake operators work under some unique conditions that call for unique considerations in safeguarding. Publish date: November 25, 2008
	Rocket science, entrepreneur-style Managers, designers, and manufacturing engineers at Space Exploration Technologies have come up with a new way to design and manufacture a rocket. Publish date: November 11, 2008
	Japanese metal fabrication: Manufacturing on a bedrock of data Overseas, metal fabricators have many of the same issues as those stateside, including lack of skilled labor and outsourcing to low-labor-cost countries. In Japan, fabricators tackle those issues by taking automation to new levels. Publish date: October 14, 2008
	Reasons for a press brake upgrade Modern press brakes add intelligence to the machine control and bring programming offline. Publish date: October 14, 2008
	Growing season: Fabricating for agriculture FSI Fabrication makes products that help farmers quickly and accurately transport feed, grain, and other material. Publish date: October 14, 2008
	Cycling through a business transition Lori and Traci Tapani, co-presidents of Wyoming Machine, aren't your typical metal fabrication managers. Together, they've managed to diversify their family business into a thriving, stable enterprise. Publish date: August 26, 2008
	Getting lean, job shop style Ace Metal Crafts has promoted its own brand of lean that, more than anything, gives employees ownership over the process. Publish date: August 26, 2008
	Ultrafabrication, ultraexpansion Ultra Machine & Fabrication, through significant capital outlays, has built an infrastructure ready to complete in the heavy plate market. Publish date: August 26, 2008
	(Un) memorable fabrication Oceaneering's structural fab operation has built "dark ride" vehicles for theme parks around the world. It has custom-fabricated and erected aluminum components for a mammoth advertisement overlooking Times Square. It has welded a structural mount that holds up the recovered World Trade Center... Publish date: August 12, 2008
	Gold medal fabrication for Olympic ski jump Dynamic Structures has fabricated huge structures across North America. But this project--two ski jumps for the Vancouver 2010 games--was different. Publish date: July 29, 2008
	Cool (pipe) runnings A pipe fabricator finds a new way to fabricate and assemble a bobsled run for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Publish date: July 29, 2008
	Forming AHSS: Playing by new rules Advanced high strength steels spur stampers to think about metal forming in new ways. Publish date: July 15, 2008
	Lasers catch limelight at ALAW How can laser technology make metal fabrication more efficient? The efficiency comes not only from advances within the laser itself, but also in new ways to integrate those lasers for optimal part flow on the shop floor. Several presenters at ALAW 2008 hammered this point home. Publish date: June 17, 2008
	Building success with the staggered truss Developed during the 1960s by MIT graduate students, the staggered-truss system avoids the use of interior columns to transfer loads to the foundation; instead, trusses themselves carry the brunt of the load transfers. More than anything, the steel design method has potential to take various... Publish date: June 17, 2008
	Accounting for growth in lean manufacturing Lean manufacturing has a negative, often unexpected, impact on the balance sheet--but those negative effects are short-term. Publish date: June 17, 2008
	Diversity a blessing for Blessing Diverse customer base—from heavy equipment to medical—key to Blessing Industries' success Publish date: May 13, 2008
	Streamlined scheduling suits fabricator Indianapolis-based Estes Design and Manufacturing has made significant strides in adopting manufacturing-friendly information technology, marrying enterprise resource planning (ERP) and scheduling software to ensure work flows efficiently through the shop. Publish date: May 13, 2008
	Automotive and industrial: A tale of two businesses Embracing technology has given Microflex a firm foothold in the turbulent automotive marketplace.The Tier 2 supplier has garnered a reputation for advanced sheet metal forming, developing parts for exhaust, steering, and fuel system components. It has ISO 9001 and other quality certifications and... Publish date: April 15, 2008
	Educating beyond the arc A new grant program promotes education for the welding technician. The program focuses more on welding theory behind the various processes--and less on hands-on training. Publish date: April 15, 2008
	Work flow goes virtual Mid-West Metal Products, Muncie, Ind., has perfected work flow through ERP and the company's virtual manufacturing plan. Publish date: March 11, 2008
	Virtually welding Today several companies offer technologies that help beginning welders get that hand motion just right. None claims that the technology will replace the real thing, of course, but they do say that training in the virtual world can give students a significant leg up by the time they weld for the... Publish date: March 11, 2008
	Innovative workholding streamlines welding at Vermeer Lean manufacturing drove equipment manufacturer Vermeer Corp. to organize weld cells for maximum productivity. In each cell, fixtures are placed within the welder's reach, and equipment is placed for optimal ergonomics. Publish date: February 12, 2008
	Specials simplify the complex, speed productivity Standardized press brake tooling, absolutely necessary for a lean organization, keeps a shop flexible, but at the same time, ignoring specials would be a big mistake. If their slightly longer setup times also lead to a drastic increase in throughput, special tools make good business sense. Publish date: February 12, 2008
	Waterjet makes it into the mainstream Advancements in the control and equipment components, each working in concert, have pushed the technology from a relative novelty to the mainstream. Publish date: February 12, 2008
	Avoiding a snag A company specializing in perforated sheet overcomes deburring issues with an automated system using nonwoven fiber brushes. Publish date: January 15, 2008
	The science behind the servo press Flexibility sums up where the servo-driven mechanical press stands in its evolution. Early adopters are seeing that flexibility and asking, "What if?" What if I could control ram motion throughout the stroke and dwell for a certain period at bottom dead center (BDC)? According to sources, those... Publish date: January 15, 2008
	Shop perfects laser cutting brass, titanium Meeting a challenge sometimes requires out-of-the box thinking. One contract manufacturer employed a thorough knowledge of laser cutting, determination, ingenuity, and tenacity to successfully laser cut difficult-to-process materials. Publish date: January 15, 2008