Article
March 25, 2008
5 tenets for finding and keeping new business
Ann Latham, owner of Uncommon Clarity, a consulting and strategy firm with many industrial clients, has outlined some tenets for firms seeking ambitious marketing goals: 1. Select a group to target. You might choose: Those likely to buy your most profitable products. Those within a... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
A little innovation goes a long way
Editor's Note: This column was prepared by the staff of Winning Workplaces, a not-for-profit organization that helps small and midsized businesses create better work environments.
"Money is the great inhibitor of innovation," John Heaton, president of Pay Plus Benefits of Kennewick, Wash.,... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2006
Small but great
Editor's Note: This column was prepared by the staff of Winning Workplaces, a not-for-profit organization that helps small and midsized businesses create better work environments. While fraud, multinational mergers, and sizable layoffs make headlines, small and midsized businesses are quietly... Read more...
Article
November 8, 2004
Having a safe office party
Editor's Note: Originally published on December 11, 2003. It's that time of year when companies celebrate the holidays. Whether the celebration involves a lavish holiday party held off-site or a casual get-together in the office, both party organizers and attendees should follow safe... Read more...
Article
October 12, 2004
When hurricanes come
As I watched the power of these hurricanes on television, I wondered how they must have altered the lives of thousands of people. What grand plans were temporarily or permanently altered because of these events of nature? It was apparent from the reports of those affected that... Read more...
Article
August 10, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 8
Editor's Note: This is the eighth episode in a mountaintop dialogue that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They have been talking about communication among operator, machine, and management—the "work unit." I started to answer his question about how a piece of equipment... Read more...
Article
July 13, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 7
Editor's Note: This is the seventh episode in a mountaintop dialogue that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They have been talking about sales training. "Why does it matter whether the sales staff understands this concept of buying a contract? If they are getting orders and... Read more...
Article
June 8, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 6
Editor's Note: This is the sixth episode in a mountaintop dialogue that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They had been talking about the contract period when doubts were raised about what his sales force was really selling. At just that moment, a line of hikers passed by on... Read more...
Article
June 8, 2004
Plasma pleases plenty
In case you missed it, check out this excerpt from the article "National research programs explore plate welding for shipbuilding" in the March 2004 issue of The FABRICATOR®: One project objective is to introduce laser cutting technology—which is already being used to cut sheet... Read more...
Article
May 4, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 5
Editor's Note: This is the fifth episode in a mountaintop dialogue that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They have been talking about throughput and the time line of money. "Now that you know the main events in the time line of money, your chore is to figure out how to make... Read more...
Article
April 6, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 4
"In the ideal time line of money, my best customer would prepay. In that situation, the shop's throughput would not matter because the customer's cash would be doing all of the work," I proclaimed. My little guru opened one eye to peer at me. With an arched eyebrow he looked at me as though I... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 3
Editor's Note: This is the third episode in a mountaintop dialog that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They have been talking about cash flow and the time line of money. I continued watching the beavers as they worked on their good dam. I realized the poetic similarity... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Welding fume health hazards
In 2003 NIOSH published a comprehensive review of scientific literature on health effects associated with welding. The article, "Health Effects of Welding,"1 noted that past investigations have found bronchitis, airway irritation, and other respiratory illnesses in large numbers of... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
US. DOC Offers Export Assistance
Editor's Note: This article—a companion piece to Goin' Global , which appeared in the March 2004 issue of The FABRICATOR® magazine and is reprinted on thefabricator.com—lists some of the export assistance available from the U.S. Department of Commerce . Market Research... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Implementing open-book management
Editor's Note: This article is adapted from Larry Dunville's workshop presented at the STAMPING Journal® Forum: Strategies for Stamping Success, Feb. 5-7, 2003, Orlando, Fla. U.S. manufacturing is experiencing the most significant threats in its history. Since World War II, U.S.... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Goin' Global
Welding photo courtesy of Fronius Intl. GmbH, Austria. According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), the U.S. trade deficit for the 12-month period from December 2002 to November 2003 was $489.1 billion.... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 2
Editor's Note: This is the second episode of a mountaintop dialog between Gerald and a wise business guru. Gerald has just been told that he has not been adept at the three critical management responsibilities – cash flow, policy, and enforcement. I glared at my adviser. He glared back... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2004
A 'bout' with the champion
Rep. Don Manzullo, R-Ill., has emerged on Capital Hill as the mouth for manufacturers. As a congressional representative for a district in which many manufacturers have closed their doors in recent years, he says he can't help but accept that role. His public statements, sponsorship... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2004
Do you see the light?
To be more specific, fabricators may be missing out on an opportunity to pocket some savings if they haven't taken a close look at how their operations are consuming energy. And with the economic environment as tough as it is, many fabricators probably are concentrating more on the... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2004
Gaining from friction and formability data
Figure 1 Business owners now are paying closer attention to forming lubricants. Why? Because new data has linked lubricants to an important driver of business profits—steel efficiency. With metal representing close to half of a company's total operating cost and manufacturing... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2004
Laser cell system gives job shop the home field advantage
Photo courtesy of Lund Industries Inc., Wheeling, Ill. No stranger to the economic fluctuations in the industry, the 50-employee company has weathered the heavy volume demands in the economic boom of the late '90s as well as the current intense global tournament that has forced U.S.... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2004
Emergency preparedness: A critical safety program component
The guy who works next to you suddenly sustains a serious injury or has a medical emergency. Do you know what to do? You are injured on the job or have a medical emergency. Do your co-workers know what to do? If you answered no to any of these questions, you and those around you are... Read more...
Article
January 29, 2004
Respirator selection as a business decision
Several factors can help employers select a respirator that meets the required level of protection while having a positive business impact. Using this approach, employers can make choosing a respirator a business decision that can increase productivity, decrease injuries, and decrease... Read more...
Article
January 29, 2004
Taxing situation
That's why The FABRICATOR® sought out a tax expert to explain the opportunities presented by the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, signed into law by the president this summer. Mark Sellner is the managing principal of tax services for Larson Allen, Weishair,... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 1
Prevailing economic conditions have put me in a funk. It seems that the last time I really knew what I was doing as a business manager was in 1995. At that time my job shop was reporting profits, our machinery was in excellent condition, and our major customers were forecasting solid growth. I... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2004
Beating 'world' pricing
This Finn-Power Express Bending Cell, which automates complex bending and reduces tedious and costly work stages, has last bend negative capability and fully automatic operations cycles—from loading the sheet to unloading the bent parts. "I have a precision sheet metal shop and... Read more...
Article
December 11, 2003
Finding and creating value in your stamping operation
Their focus on time requires that material flow smoothly through the production processes in concert with sales orders, raw materials, and purchased parts. It also requires smaller production batch sizes. Most important, these companies have learned that the greatest waste and excess... Read more...
Article
December 11, 2003
Family business going strong after 100 years
Editor's Note: The Peddinghaus Corporation, featured in this article, is the longest-standing active member of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl.® (FMA), the company behind thefabricator.com. FMA and thefabricator.com salute Peddinghaus and wish the company continued... Read more...
Article
November 20, 2003
Workers' compensation—Managing the process
Editor's note: Portions of this article were published previously in an issue of FMA/TPA "Member Connections." State workers' compensation laws were enacted to ensure that covered employees who are injured on the job are provided with monetary benefits to cover medical expenses and to... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2003
Meeting ISO 14001 requirements
First published in 1996, ISO 14001 specifies the actual requirements for an environmental management system. It applies to those environmental aspects an organization can control. Achieving ISO 14001 requires documented improvement. First, you must document your current environmental conditions... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2003
Is your company a breeding ground for workplace violence?
Approximately 2 million U.S. workers are victims of workplace violence each year. In 1997 the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reported that an average of 20 workers are murdered each week in the U.S., and an estimated 18,000 per week are victims of nonfatal... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2003
Article
October 23, 2003
Material handling safety
How the material or goods are unloaded or loaded is a key factor in reducing employee injuries. Persons involved in material handling should be able to lift and hold the weight of the material or goods used in their operations. They also must be properly trained in the correct way to lift... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Investing in lubricants
Raw materials and overhead account for 75 percent (see Figure 1) of an average metal forming company's total operating cost. Improving these two areas can make the biggest impact on your bottom line. But what if you've optimized your material costs by paying the lowest price for your... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Predicting springback in air bending, straight flanging
Editor's Note: This column was prepared by the staff of the Engineering Research Center for Net Shape Manufacturing (ERC/ NSM), The Ohio State University, Professor Taylan Altan, director. Air bending and straight flanging are the most prevalent types of bending in sheet metal forming.... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Hydraulic presses make their mark
Just like hydraulics technology itself, the market for presses based on it is fluid and dynamic. And for the first time in a while, the tide may be turning in favor of its practitioners. As many manufacturers report prosperity and strong prospects for it in the near future, the hydraulic... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Budget cuts hit welding hard
Bill Garner is outraged when he hears that Connecticut, where he teaches welding, would rather import welders than keep adult vocational education programs that train the state's own residents. "I don't think that the people making this decision understand that welding is used in... Read more...
Article
August 14, 2003
Workplace stress—Part 2
In his bestseller, Spontaneous Healing , Andrew Weil, M.D., wrote, "All illnesses should be assumed to be stress-related until proved otherwise. Even if stress is not the primary cause of illness, it is frequently an aggravating factor. To say that a bodily complaint is... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Workplace stress—Part 1
Among the many definitions of stress in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language is "A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Article
July 24, 2003
Advancements in waterjet technology
Stream Lag Caused Taper, Corner Problems Budd said he courted the gear processing market, but prospective customers wanted parts with a perpendicular edge, which he was not able to achieve with the 2-D abrasive waterjet equipment he was using. In 2-D abrasive waterjet cutting, the... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
The business of lasers
From the laser manufacturers' standpoint, the U.S. market for lasers has simply gotten smaller. This is a function of multiple market forces. The slumping manufacturing sector is a major influence, but so is the increased productivity of today's laser systems. At its peak during 1994 and... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Tuning a piano—making the most of your best resources
Editor's Note: Is your company in survival mode? There are questions you should be asking and steps you can take to improve your company's position—instead of shooting the pianist. Ever listen to someone playing a piano that's out of tune? Remember the sound? Completely sour.... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2003
What price workers' compensation insurance?
According to an article in the June 23 issue of The New York Times , the cost of workers' compensation insurance has soared to its highest rate in nearly a decade, adding yet another heavy burden on businesses and the struggling national economy. Nationwide, the average cost of the... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2003
Article
July 10, 2003
Article
July 10, 2003
Do you use checking jigs and fixtures?
The effect that checking fixtures have on your operating bottom line is so important that they should be given a much higher priority than most tube fabricators give them. The cost of quality checking fixtures should be included in every bid when quoting jobs. In fact, costs incurred... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2003
The problem with quality
The companywide scores, which represent the number of problems per 100 vehicles, are as follows: Considerable variation exists among individual divisions of some OEMs. At GM, for example, Cadillac's results prove to be the second best in the survey (103), while Hummer's are the lowest (225).... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Laser-integrated robotics for assembly
Recently a cell phone manufacturer set out to be the first to develop an all-aluminum flip-type package for its ultracompact cell phone. Conceptually, the manufacturing seemed feasible, except for the joining of the materials.
Overlooking the Obvious
In the early phase of... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Tooling tricks of the trade
Just make it work!" they scream. "I don't care how Just make it work!" As a tooling professional (whether you are a tool- and diemaker, engineer, press operator, or any other member of the team responsible for operating and maintaining that die), you quickly find that "making it work" is... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
The end of the (welding) world as we know it?
Many across the state whose livelihoods depend on welding—shop owners, instructors, and welding equipmentmakers—are waiting to hear if all but one of the state's vocational-technical welding programs will be eliminated as the result of state budget cuts. Vocational-technical... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Press brakes: the quest for a happy ending
Cast: Press brake manufacturers and users. Genre: Suspense/Drama/Horror. Plot: Our hero, Press Brake Professional, fights a life-and-death struggle with the forces of Foreign Competition and his nefarious gang of cohorts—Tiny Orders, Slow Economy, and Skilled Labor Shortage. With... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Taking an integrated build approach to stamping tool tryout
North American tool buyers are pushing to lower tool costs by: Seeking foreign suppliers with low-cost structures resulting from low labor costs and government subsidies. Aggressively advancing math-based tools, particularly in engineering, to improve design quality and reduce die rework.... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
The little-known life of the scarfing tool
Just kidding, but I'm sure you get my point. Scarfing tools are pretty boring compared to the greater issues we face since 9/11. I pray for world peace right there with anybody who will listen. But then again, I've been asked many times why tools don't last or why they break after only a short... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Selecting a table for abrasive jet machining
Editor's Note: This article is the third in a series intended to help a prospective user evaluate abrasive jet machinery. The first article, Buying an abrasive jet machine , compared the abrasive jet process with other cutting processes. The second article, Software for abrasive waterjet... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Managers are not necessarily leaders
There are business leaders and there are business managers. And while some leaders are managers and some managers are leaders, many times leaders and managers are very different animals. All too often we fail to recognize these differences in our businesses' day-to-day operations.
Many U.S.... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Waste not, want not
How good are tube fabricators at finding hidden waste? Uncovering and eliminating hidden waste has as much to do with being profitable as any other manufacturing cost. We all know how to quote and define the structured costs involved in a job, but what can we do to take care of waste that... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Inline process auditing
Sound familiar? What are the options? Today's Audit Today the most widely accepted practice for checking part or process quality is random or, at best, controlled sampling. With these types of sampling, you hope those four parts you checked from 70 are enough to catch a major disaster.... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Using technology to implement lean manufacturing
Lean manufacturing meshes today's information technology with Toyota's much-lauded just-in-time (JIT) approach, which has been adopted by many manufacturers. The Toyota Production System assembly line manufacturing methodology, developed in the 1950s, professed the importance of "getting the... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
The future of vocational education
Many of those who responded that programs are still intact expressed concern that they may be cut in the near future. A Major Issue A recent article by Marty Rice, a welding instructor concerned about the growing trend to cut vocational and technical programs and the rumors circulating... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Your best safety resource
The committee is made up of busy people—presidents, CEOs, vice presidents, directors, managers, and engineers. They come from businesses located in several states—from New York to the Deep South. They share the common struggle of helping their businesses weather the current economy,... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Looking to the future
The decision to produce cut-to-length steel and blanks at the new plant arose from regional stampers' and other manufacturers' need for these products. Designing a Custom Facility Once committed to building a new plant in the Southeast, Thompson's management began planning the... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Handling the rush
Photo courtesy of Hanna Steel Corp., Fairfield, Ala.
Think delicate: an antique vase, velvet gloves, the sweet sound of string music.
Then imagine a typical stamping operation: bam-bam, metal on metal, all day long.
OK, now put those two together. Voil—you've... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Robots and dials and knobs—oh my!
It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. You be the judge. In the late 1950s, the U.S. Navy wanted to find a way to join heavy aluminum structural sections used to fabricate motor torpedo boat hulls. Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) offered suitable process... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
10 questions to ask about equipment leasing
A lease finances only the value of the equipment expected to be depleted during the lease term. The lessee usually has options to return the equipment to the lessor, purchase the equipment at fair market value or a nominal fixed price, or renew the lease. Approximately eight out of 10... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Mediating commercial conflict
The Family Business This case involves two blood relatives, a brother and sister who had inherited a family business. Difficulties between successors to a family business are common. In fact, probate mediation among survivors and family business conflict resolution are increasingly... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Overcoming organizational paralysis
What if you were powerless or incapable of moving? Wouldn't it be awful if you found yourself in a situation in which you knew you had all the appropriate limbs, plus the desire for movement, but still couldn't move? Paralysis is not something any of us wants to experience or even think... Read more...
Article
April 24, 2003
Siege planning or strategic planning
Soon after that comment, toward the end of a globalization workshop titled China and the Middle Market Manufacturer, organized by GSSC and Harris Bank/Bank of Montreal, one frustrated attendee, likely representing a company that had never before been affected, lamented what many... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2003
Making the cut
Choosing the proper blade for the application, optimizing its use, maintaining the saw, and using a cutting coolant all pay productivity dividends. Choosing and Using a Blade Sawing pipe and tube stock is fundamentally more difficult and more complicated than cutting barstock or... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2003
Superior Service—Why you need it
Industrial customers value good service even more than retail customers do. They depend on their suppliers to deliver goods on time, just in time, so that they can meet their own customers' needs. And they can measure a supplier's substandard service in terms of lost sales and profits.... Read more...
Article
November 17, 2002
Secrets of Using GTAW for Tools and Dies
Tool and die welding can be a very lucrative service for a fab shop to offer. However, tool and die welders are a rare breed because of lack of knowledge about the process and the extra expense for a shop. Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) frequently is used for tool and die welding applications... Read more...
Article
July 12, 2002
It happens 'under the hood'
Object Rick Walsh doesn't have a degree in landscape architecture, but he builds water gardens. He doesn't have a degree in art, but he sculpts metal. He has no formal training in welding, but welds all his sculptures. And for years people have been paying him a lot of money to create his... Read more...
Article
June 18, 2002
Staying lean in a lean economy
Over the past few months I've had the chance to speak at six different manufacturing conferences and trade association symposiums. Without a doubt, the most recurring topic of conversation has been the current economic slowdown. Specifically, many people have expressed concerns about how they... Read more...
Article
February 14, 2002
The new face of manufacturing on the Net
The other shoe started to drop for the First Wave of Internet start-ups nearly two years ago now, and keen observers could have forecasted much the same fate for first-mover Internet players in the manufacturing sector such as e-STEEL, Suppliermarket.com, Metfabcity, and aluminium.com.... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
It's all about precision, craftsmanship
Consider the various applications for microwelding and some of the first images that come to mind are the highly intricate weld operations performed on hardened tool steels and machined weldments—synonymous with a high level of precision and craftsmanship. An increasingly large... Read more...
Article
November 29, 2001
Using existing tooling for new product applications
Figure 1: This design is typical for the last fin pass for low-carbon steel using high-frequency welding. "In turbulent times, one must be innovative or be rendered defenseless." Peter Drucker said these words when addressing the Steel Service Center Institute several years ago, and... Read more...
Article
November 29, 2001
Fabricating precision parts for automobiles
In September the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) trade ministers agreed with Australia and New Zealand to move ahead with a closer economic partnership initiative in the wake of a global economic slowdown. All 12 countries agreed on a need for an initiative to reduce trade... Read more...
Article
November 15, 2001
Article
November 15, 2001
Contract stamper increases die life and draw die productivity
Object Jancox Stampings has remained competitive by investing in link drive mechanical presses from PTC, offering value-added assembly services, and encouraging employee initiatives. The article discusses how the presses work and how reduced speed reduces springback (which allows the company... Read more...
Article
November 15, 2001
Article
October 25, 2001
To e, or not to e?
To e, or not to e? And the answer is complex. Electronic commerce was heavily hyped in the past half decade. The auto industry, it was proclaimed, was headed for a transformation. Everything from procurement to vehicle and component design was going online. OEMs were aglow at the prospect of... Read more...
Article
October 25, 2001
Article
October 25, 2001
Common barricades on the road to lean
Shops trying to create a lean manufacturing environment within their businesses sometimes make common mistakes that could be avoided with forethought and a little knowledge of the pitfalls faced by lean pioneers past. Self-imposed Inflexibility Job shops, make-to-order shops, and... Read more...
Article
October 11, 2001
Article
October 11, 2001
Article
October 11, 2001
Inspecting for and correcting coil reel damage
Object Q. What is the most common type of failure encountered with payoff or take-up reels? A. The most common failure is overload failure, which occurs when the reel is loaded with coils that exceed the OEM's weight rating. Often, this failure is not evident with a catastrophic event... Read more...
Article
September 4, 2001
Exploring complementary cutting methods
Diversification is the linchpin of running a successful business. The key to producing quality work and investing in equipment wisely is knowing which cutting method—laser, plasma, electrical discharge machining, waterjet, or another—to use for a particular application. While... Read more...
Article
August 16, 2001
Article
August 16, 2001
Article
August 16, 2001
In search of the perfect bend
Press brake manufacturers have made tremendous advances in the art of machine design and manufacturing. Machine frame components are designed to use proven mechanical engineering principles combined with CAD technology to identify the areas most susceptible to stresses consistent with the metal... Read more...
Article
July 12, 2001
Article
June 15, 2001
Article
May 30, 2001
In Human Terms—The value of engaging the workforce
In an era of declining employee loyalty, companies are discovering that a successful future may be linked directly to connecting with their workers in meaningful ways. While there is no substitute for an overall retention strategy, strategies that develop trust and build relationships, while... Read more...
Article
May 30, 2001
Protecting dies against press system faults
Mechanical switches and grounding switches were among the first devices to be used for automated die protection. Early sensing systems based on mechanical switches simply opened the top stop circuit of a press when a fault was detected. These systems, however, offered no protection from faulty... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2001
Ironworkers and contractors adapt to FCAW trends
In September the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) trade ministers agreed with Australia and New Zealand to move ahead with a closer economic partnership initiative in the wake of a global economic slowdown. All 12 countries agreed on a need for an initiative to reduce trade... Read more...
Article
March 13, 2001
Just what does Covisint mean, anyway?
For the last few years, the business world has been enthralled by the Internet. The stock markets are awash in all kinds of high-tech ventures pushing into every last nook and cranny of the economy. So why is there such an interest in Covisint, the automotive industry's... Read more...
Article
February 19, 2001
Article
February 19, 2001
Article
February 19, 2001
Article
February 19, 2001
Cutting die-related costs: Where to look to save money
I want it cheaper. I want it better. I want it faster, preferably yesterday. The pace of business in the metal stamping industry continues to escalate. And the trend is not going to reverse. Balancing cost against quality and time can be a real challenge. Add to that the pressures of... Read more...
