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More from Vicki Bell
- From The Fabricator
The fabricator's apprentice
- By Vicki Bell
- Sep 29, 2010
- Bending and Forming
- Blog Post
Yesterday I ran across an item about a U.K. company, Ladbrook Engineering, that has taken on its first apprentice in 20 years. In an article published on cambridgenetwork.co.uk, Ladbrook's Manufacturing Director Paul Goodman is quoted as saying, "Capable and experienced engineers are very difficult...
- From The Fabricator
Do fabricators care if SAIC invests in GM?
- By Vicki Bell
- Sep 22, 2010
- Tube and Pipe Fabrication
- Blog Post
Yesterday's "Tube Talk" e-newsletter discussed the possibility of General Motors' Chinese partner, SAIC, investing in GM's initial public offering of stock. The two companies have produced cars together in China for a decade and announced plans in December to sell low-cost vehicles in India. ...
- From The Fabricator
Manufacturing jobs available for 'the right candidates'
- By Vicki Bell
- Sep 16, 2010
- Automation and Robotics
- Blog Post
The lead item in the Sept. 15 "Fabricating Update" e-newsletter discussed the recently released "Public Viewpoint on Manufacturing" survey. This survey also was the topic of a blog posted last week by my colleague, Dan Davis. In his post, Davis wrote about survey findings that indicated the image...
- From The Fabricator
Top OSHA violations increase; stricter enforcement program launched
- By Vicki Bell
- Sep 13, 2010
- Safety
- Article
OSHA has announced that the top 10 violations for 2009 increased almost 30 percent over the same time period in 2008. It also has implemented more aggressive targeted enforcement and higher penalties.
- From The Fabricator
Big money
- By Vicki Bell
- Sep 8, 2010
- Assembly and Joining
- Blog Post
Last night I had dinner at Outback with my daughter, who often tells me that if she could do it over again — to which I always reply: Why can't you? — she would choose another college major instead of the one she chose the first time around. She's thinking about making a career change when the...
- From The Fabricator
Total (hip) recall
- By Vicki Bell
- Sep 1, 2010
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
Last week I wrote about a problem I encountered when trying to get my eyeglasses repaired — the lenses would not fit the identical replacement frames, because these frames are made in China, and each batch is different. This is just one example of the enormous quality issue surrounding...
- From The Fabricator
Seeing red
- By Vicki Bell
- Aug 23, 2010
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
It was a simple task, or so I thought. One of the temples on my favorite pair of eyeglasses — the pair with the Transitions® lenses that are perfect for reading outdoors — broke. I really like the original frames that were less than two-years-old — an inexpensive, yet stylish design from the...
- From The Fabricator
Dumpster swimming
- By Vicki Bell
- Aug 11, 2010
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
Four years ago I wrote a blog post about turning large shipping containers into homes. I found the concept, process, and results fascinating. That post is no longer available, and the links it contained are no longer active — the Web moves on — but the topic of the post, cargotecture, is very...
- From The Fabricator
Largest change in our economy since the industrial revolution?
- By Vicki Bell
- Aug 4, 2010
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
Is there a day that goes by that some politician somewhere doesn't mention green jobs as a possible lifeline for the economy? If not the national economy, maybe a state's or city's? Many politicians are touting and campaigning on green job creation. I was reminded of this by an item on WCCO, St....
- From The Fabricator
Time's a wastin
- By Vicki Bell
- Jul 28, 2010
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
As noted in a speech by John Engler, president of the National Association of Manufacturers — posted on YouTube July 26 — NAM appreciates the fact that the House is spending the last week of July talking about the manufacturing economy, "but it's not enough … it's simply not enough."...
- From The Fabricator
Meet Metcam - a leaner, greener, meaner fabricator
- By Vicki Bell
- Jul 23, 2010
- Shop Management
- Article
Operating seven days a week fabricating and shipping products domestically and worldwide, Alpharetta, Ga.-based Metcam Inc. has found a formula for success that has this company thriving when others are struggling to survive.
- From The Fabricator
Tell it like it is
- By Vicki Bell
- Jul 21, 2010
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
I don't pretend to be an economic or political expert. I'm just an average U.S. citizen who is worried about our economy and about my fellow citizens, including friends and family, who can't find jobs. I'm also a taxpayer, and I want the money I pay Uncle Sam each year to be spent judiciously and...
- From The Fabricator
New product idea-Quirky or not?
- By Vicki Bell
- Jul 14, 2010
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
When I woke up the other day, I had this idea for a product. Seriously, the perfect name for it came to me immediately. I’m not going to tell you what it is, because I want to do some research and see if it already exists — and also because you might laugh, or steal my idea. And if it doesn’t...
- From The Fabricator
Is this the best we can do?
- By Vicki Bell
- Jun 30, 2010
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
Smartass, Big Ass, dumbass ... Let me begin by saying that the opinion expressed here is solely mine and not to be interpreted as that of my employer and my co-workers or the editorial position of the publications we produce. It's my take on the caliber of some of the elected officials in our...
- From The Fabricator
What's old is valuable
- By Vicki Bell
- Jun 22, 2010
- Shop Management
- Blog Post
On the road again, goin' places that I've already been. Seeing things (and people) that I hope to see again. I'm just glad to be on this road again. This week I'm in Rockford, Ill., home of my employer, the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl.®, the organization behind The...
- 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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