Columnist Gerald Davis provides a guide to connecting dimensions and custom properties to equations, which will make part design changes much easier to deal with down the road.

Joy Global does some seriously heavy fabrication, welding atop mining shovel components several stories tall. Weld fume control was becoming a problem, so the company installed an innovative, nonlocal fume collection system to help clear the air.

Advanced controls make a highly variable process more predictable Abstract: Experience still is important when it comes to plate rolling. But the more knowledge industry has gained about the materials being rolled, the more “intelligent” plate roll systems have become.

What’s the current state of the American dream? So many seem to work hard and do everything right--but just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The metal fabricator that processes plenty of hole-intensive parts with several contours and forms may want to consider a laser/punch combination machine. The equipment can cut down on excessive material movement and help to boost production efficiencies and quality efforts.

Resonators producing a high beam quality and small spot size provide a machine tool with a broader depth of field that enables greater process tolerance to material deviation. This tolerance gives the operator a bigger sweet spot for machine parameters to produce consistent, high-quality parts.

The major cause of a crack is when internal stresses exceed the strength of the weld metal, the base metal, or both. Knowing the basics behind why cracks happen, a welder can prevent those cracks from occurring in the first place.

Ross Liberty, founder of Factory Pipe, has been making exhaust systems for two-stroke engines since he was a teenager. He recently brought his decades of manufacturing experience and his substantial product knowledge to bear on an exhaust pipe that had been produced at Factory Pipe and subsequently sourced from a competitor in China. Liberty developed a new design, cutting the weight and cost substantially, thereby getting the contract back from the Chinese company.

Iowa-based Co-Line Welding hasn't let its remote location harm its chances of success. In fact, it has embraced the challenge and has emerged as a growing business, even as it faces challenges such as rural power distribution.

The field of aerospace tube fabricating is one marked by difficult-to-form materials and very tight tolerances. As a result, not too many shops are involved in the business. Tube Specialties, Tempe, Ariz., however, has emerged as a go-to shop for this type of challenging work.

General Sheet Metal Works revamped the way it handles raw material purchases. Floor personnel now release specific orders, while the purchasing department communicates with suppliers about future demand and negotiates contracts. Most important, the company order just what it needs--and no more.

Custom sign-maker and architectural ironwork fabricator Blackout Signs & Metalworks, San Marcos, Texas, is a shining example of how a little bit of good luck mixed with confidence, fearless creativity, tireless work ethic, and a penchant for true old-school craftsmanship can create extraordinary opportunities.