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More from Tim Heston
- From The Fabricator
A “digital thread” runs through FABTECH, North America’s largest metal fabrication show
- By Tim Heston
- Jan 6, 2016
- Shop Management
- Article
FABTECH broke records again in 2015, drawing more attendees and exhibitors than ever. One theme this year seemed to pervade the event. It relates to what keynote speaker Karen Kerr, director of advanced manufacturing at GE Ventures, called a “digital thread” through the manufacturing supply chain.
- From The Fabricator
Differentiation in manufacturing: Cadence hits its unique stride
- By Tim Heston
- Jan 4, 2016
- Laser Welding
- Article
Cadence, Inc. in Staunton, Va., launched with a proprietary technology. But if the company had relied solely on that technology for growth, it wouldn’t be the $100 million, 500-employee, six-location industrial and medical device contract manufacturer it is today.
- From The Fabricator
One metal fabrication shop takes on B2C
- By Tim Heston
- Jan 4, 2016
- Shop Management
- Article
Launched in 2015, Florida-based MetalsCut4U offers low-volume metal cutting and bending to the consumer market. To make it happen, the company simplifies ordering and automates quoting.
- From The Fabricator
Fab shop customer mix: Hitting the right spot
- By Tim Heston
- Dec 22, 2015
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
Interest rates are rising, oil prices are falling, and energy and agriculture equipment sectors continue to struggle. What's next for fabricators in 2016? The news isn't all bad, really, depending on a shop's mix of services, technology, talent, and customers.
- From The Fabricator
Managing a multi-generation fab shop
- By Tim Heston
- Dec 16, 2015
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
Finding good people remains the No. 1 challenge in metal fabrication, but it's certainly not an insurmountable challenge.
- From The Fabricator
Workforce challenges: Can’t we all just get along?
- By Tim Heston
- Dec 15, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
Talk to managers in metal fabrication and they’ll probably tell you they have trouble finding “good” people. In fact, they usually don’t say “skilled” people. So what’s the difference?
- From The Fabricator
How a plate rolling rookie becomes a guru
- By Tim Heston
- Dec 3, 2015
- Bending and Forming
- Article
How does a plate rolling rookie become a guru? According to Ken Pecho, project engineer at Chicago Metal Rolled Products, it requires good communication. So how do you really define good communication? For plate rolling (and many other shop skills), you can break it down into three critical components: collaboration, observation, and patience.
- From The Fabricator
Metal fabrication in 2016: Diversification proves its worth
- By Tim Heston
- Dec 2, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
2015 has been a tale of two markets—commodities and everything else. Demand for food, fuel, and materials is suffering and prices are dropping. But low prices in these areas are spurring growth elsewhere. Many predict this tale to continue into 2016.
- From The Fabricator
Press brake training: Passing the torch
- By Tim Heston
- Dec 1, 2015
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Southern Metalcraft Inc.’s press brake veteran will be retiring at the end of 2016, and he is now passing the torch to someone who never worked on a press brake until 2009. So how did the rookie learn so quickly? Technical aptitude plays a role. But more important than that, the veteran and rookie get along and just work well together.
- From The Fabricator
2016 capital spending forecast in metal fabrication: The growth continues
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 30, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
According to the “2016 Capital Spending Forecast” from the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International, total capital spending will edge up a little more than 2 percent next year. Still, certain equipment categories, including welding and bending, may experience dramatic gains.
- From The Fabricator
FABTECH 2015: The direct-diode laser and tuning the beam profile
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 23, 2015
- Laser Cutting
- Blog Post
The direct-diode laser ups its presence at this year's FABTECH.
- From The Fabricator
FABTECH 2015: Stringing a digital thread through the manufacturing supply chain
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 20, 2015
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
A "digital thread" extending up and down the manufacturing supply chain might sound like science fiction. But as evident at this year's FABTECH, the digital thread is becoming reality.
- From The Fabricator
FABTECH 2015: A metaphorical pit stop in the productivity race
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 19, 2015
- Metals/Materials
- Blog Post
NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace was a hit at this year's show. Considering the nature of the sport, fast-paced while still rooted in advanced engineering, it's easy to see why attendees relate so well. And perhaps no one related better than those who exhibited at the show as part of an emerging field: 3-D printing.
- From The Fabricator
FABTECH 2015: Innovation to serve the company, not the process
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 18, 2015
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
A certain excitement permeated this year's show, and it wasn't just about this incredibly fast laser, that press brake that eliminates setup time, or that welding power source that connects to the cloud and simplifies welding parameter selection. It was about how all these technologies and more can work together to make a shop better.
- From The Fabricator
FABTECH, community, and normalcy
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 17, 2015
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
FABTECH was bigger than ever. The terrible news on Friday puts things in perspective, and yet shows just how valuable the "normalcy" of a trade show, and a healthy industry, really is.
- Podcasting
- Podcast:
- The Fabricator Podcast
- Published:
- 04/16/2024
- Running Time:
- 63:29
In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Caleb Chamberlain, co-founder and CEO of OSH Cut, discusses his company’s...
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- Upcoming Webcasts
Nitrogen Generation for Laser Cutting: Navigating System Design for YOUR Operation
- April 24, 2024
- Sponsored
- Presented By: Purity Gas
Navigating Change: The Manufacturer’s Guide to Change Management with ERP Implementation
- May 16, 2024
- Sponsored
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