Proper planning and tools lead to greater punching efficiencies as well as smooth part flow throughout the rest of the fabrication operation.

Providing exact advice on how to get optimal performance from an abrasive cutoff saw is very difficult because each application is unique. Rough guidelines, however, can help a metal fabricator understand the cutting process, troubleshoot problem areas, and determine the right equipment for the cutting job.

Ace Metal Crafts installs a laser tube cutting system with integrated tapping, a system that has shown its strength when producing structural tube. The machine cuts tube shapes, laser cuts holes, and performs tapping all in one setup.

Bending heavy plate and high-strength steel used to require multiple workers, a large amount of bending experience, and lots of time. That's not the case anymore.

Southern Fabricators Inc. has put a premium on the relationships it has with its customers, and that focus has led to robust growth, particularly as the metal fabricator has invested in new equipment to keep up with customer demands.

When stepping up sales initiatives, shop owners stand at a crossroads: Should they hire a direct salesperson or go with a manufacturer’s rep? There are pros and cons to each. To start, fabricators should fully understand the economics behind the relationship between company managers and sales.

Elizabeth Miller never thought about managing a metal fabrication shop, that is, until the unthinkable happened. When her husband died, her life changed dramatically, in more ways than she could have ever imagined.