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.

If a job shop supplies metal parts that are to be powder coated or welded, the customers likely require that those fabricated parts have no oxidized edges. That requirement forces the job shop to cut with nitrogen, which doesn't leave an oxidized edge like oxygen. Unfortunately, cutting with nitrogen is expensive because much more nitrogen is consumed when compared to oxygen to perform similar cuts. This situation led a metal fabricator to investigate nitrogen generation systems. This is his tale.

Increasing press brake productivity isn’t as costly as you might think, as new and old press brake equipment can both be utilized to their maximum potential.

Equipment and software upgrades are helping Decimal Engineering, Pompano Beach, Fla., to increase its customer base and, as a result, increase its profits.

Too often, specifying clamps for a fixture in an automated welding cell is an afterthought. That slight can lead to unnecessary costs and complexity.

Fabricator uses a 7-kW CO₂ 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.

For fabricators and metalworkers considering their first purchase of a waterjet, return on investment will be heavily influenced by features, options, and accessories that provide a match to their unique needs.Investigating and evaluating the latest alternatives will go a long way in boosting profitability.

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 percent, and expected welding power source investment increased 70 percent.

Columnist Gerald Davis provides readers with an idea on how transforming a 2-D sketch into a 3-D model can prove helpful in bettering a customer's original design.

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.