Today's turret punch presses do more than simply punch holes. They can form shapes beneath the sheet, perform shear-quality cuts, and actually deburr edges. And that's just scratching the surface of the equipment's capabilities.

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.

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.

Vac-Con, a Green Cove Springs, Fla.-based maker of sewer cleaning vehicles, regularly participates in continuous improvement programs to identify opportunities for increased efficiency on the shop floor. As part of one exercise, the manufacturer invested in an automated grinding machine, which helped to reduce labor costs and improve part quality.

When it comes to selecting shielding gases for certain welding processes, welders need to challenge their old-school thinking.

Looking at labor savings is only one factor to consider if a fabricator is going to prepare a formal cost justification case for a robotic welding cell.

Automatic orbital gas tungsten arc welding is used in a variety of industries in which maximum leak integrity, high performance, or ultra-cleanliness is important. Automatic orbital welding provides enhanced precision and reliability compared to manual techniques. Small, portable inverter power supplies, advanced control systems, and other advancements have made orbital welding systems practical for a range of applications.

A metal fabricating company that knows its unique sales proposition, whom it serves, and their values knows the key to profitability. Everything flows from that knowledge.

Working on a 3-D design for a Shashlik Grill, columnist Gerald Davis continues his work of locating features in the context of the top level assembly.

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.

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 the foundation for a versatile, cross-trained, highly valuable employee.