Remote laser welding is a fairly new kid on the block in terms of joining metal in North America. But it makes complete sense for those high-volume applications where resistance spot welding is used commonly.

A reader has a question about modeling an assembly comprised of three plates and tubing. Columnist Gerald Davis provides guidance.

Gases for laser operations can be a significant factor in keeping costs down.

For shops that cut using a waterjet machine, the abrasive in the pressurized stream of water, which allows the system to cut away metal, is a significant capital investment. Because of recent technology developments, a fabricator now can recycle the abrasive material and use it several times. But before a shop invests in this type of equipment, it should first consider the types of abrasive material that are available, as well as how the recycling technology works.

A shop owner should want the best ventilating technology for its thermal cutting operations. It keeps employees safe and protects the company from potential liability situations. With that in mind, the feature poses five questions that every shop should ask itself about its ventilating efforts as it regards thermal cutting operations.

Revolving door manufacturer brings fabrication in-house, including a combination waterjet-plasma machine.

Matrix Metalcraft, Clinton Township, Mich.,has done plenty of prototype and production work for the automotive industry in the past, but with the downturn in the industry, it is targeting industries aligned with alternative power generation for new business. In doing so, it has found out that its laser cutting capabilities will serve those efforts well.

Contract manufacturer BEPeterson takes tight roll-bend tolerancing to the extreme: some cans are rolled to +/-1/32 inch on the circumference.

The traditional method of measuring pressure distribution in stamping operations—the die spotting blue technique—reveals the pressure points without actual pressure readings, making it difficult to balance in relation to other die components. A thin, flexible, Mylar-based sensor film that instantly captures and permanently records pressure distribution and magnitude between any two mating or contacting surfaces has emerged as an alternative to traditional pressure testing.

Nesting software has evolved to the point where it can "see" shape contours and can determine how they best fit together.