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Articles tagged with "design"
Results: 136
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What to know before selecting a manual plasma cutter: Understanding size, power, components, costThe first plasma arc cutting (PAC) systems, developed in the '60s, were 1,000-amp monsters designed to blast through 6-inch stainless steel.
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Plasma pleases plentyTechnological developments in lasers are positioning them as an attractive alternative to plasma. But fabricators are still sticking with plasma cutting for many applications where speed and cost-effective operation are concerns.
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Cutting to the chase: ArrayArray
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Band saw cutting of tube and pipe: Tips for blade selection and machine settingsProduction quantities of cut tube and pipe can be produced economically with a band saw. However, the choice of which blade to use is very important in maintaining a low cost per cut.
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Cutting to the chase Sawing structural and architectural tubing: Sawing structural and architectural tubingThis article examines common fabrication processes for structural and architectural tube. It specifically focuses on cutting, sawing, miter cutting, bundle sawing, and cambering.
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8 ways to keep your shear in top shapeImproving uptime and reducing maintenance when using shears for high production could mean following a few key steps.
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Not your father's abrasive jet: Technological advances, attention to common woes give fabricators options for precision cuttingThe advances made in abrasive jet cutting in recent years have negated much of the downside formerly associated with the technology.
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Selecting a table for abrasive jet machining |
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Blast Cleaning Equipment: What you need to know before buyingIf you are a fabricator of metal parts that need to be primed or painted, then you more than likely will have to prepare the part surface before finishing to produce the desired end result.
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Tube Hydroforming Design Flexibility—Part I |
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The basic elements of tubular hydroformingMany factors come into play when attempting to execute a production hydroforming operation, among them material selection, friction and lubricants, tube bending and preforming, and equipment. Many companies in the automotive sector are experiencing great success with the process, which can reduce weight, overall costs, and the number of parts per vehicle.
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Successful tube hydroforming: Watching parameters, accurately simulating the process yield good resultsA typical tube hydroforming system is shown in Figure 1. Within this system, a host of factors must be taken into account, from starting tube geometry and material properties to the quality of the final part (such as thickness distribution and dimensional accuracy).
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Hydroforming of tubes, extrusions, and sheetRecent advances at the University of Stuttgart and acfross the industry have opened doors for hydroforming all kinds of materials and shapes.
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Tube Hydroforming Design Flexibility—Part II |
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Using hydroforming aluminum components versus steel stampings: The contender gains points, but the champion is still in the fightThis article examines two transitions that are occurring in the automotive industry—the change from stamping to hydroforming, and the substitution of aluminum where steel was used previously.
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Effective simulation of hydroforming: Current capabilities and requirements for the futureSimulation is used in the hydroforming process to replace the experimental investigation and tests required in a real tryout process.
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Pressure-sequence and high-pressure hydroforming: Knowing the processes can mean boosting profitsPressure-sequence hydroforming can form complex parts as well as forming most ductile metals, including high-strength, low-alloy, and stainless steels with sharper corners, thick-walled tube, and other difficult features.
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Dealing with internal pressure in free hydraulic bulging: Predicting results with FEAFor hydraulic tube bulging, direct pressure control is the most commonly used process. Pressure control allows engineers to determine the correct capacity hydraulic system and, more importantly, prevent tube rupture. However, inflow control, or control of the volume of fluid inside the tube, theoretically could be another viable hydroforming process. Finite element analysis has shown that inflow control could allow engineers to more accurately predict deformation behavior and therefore enhance the hydroforming process.
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Making the most of hydroforming: Pursuing product potential and possibilitiesHydroforming has become a competitive metal forming method and has succeeded in many applications because of its weight- and cost-saving attributes, elimination of joining operations, and ability to offer part design for confined spaces.
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Eliminating final trim shearing of hydroformed tubeThe most common way to establish tube length after hydroforming is by cutting or shearing the tube to a specified dimension; however, cutting out this step can reduce scrap. A new method designed to eliminate this step combines forming the end of a tube to resemble its final form with using a hydroform die to correct end position variations off the bender. While this approach eliminates the final shear trim operation, it also presents new challenges.
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Tube Hydroforming Design Flexibility—Part IV |
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Hydroforming heats up: New techniques and equipment push industry forwardHydroforming was one of the fastest-growing metal forming technologies during the 1990s. Most of U.S. industry cooled down during and after the recession of 2001, but things have been heating up lately, and the world of hydroforming is no exception. The North American Hydroforming Conference and Exhibition (Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 in Dayton, Ohio), which was sponsored by the Tube & Pipe Association, International® (TPA), and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), showcased new techniques, equipment, and applications that are moving the industry forward.
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Power-and-free conveyors provide critical path through the manufacturing courseThis article describes how power-and-free conveyors are used in manufacturing. It outlines new themes in conveyor design, systems design, control systems, and simulation software.
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The importance of storage planningMaterial and equipment storage can be a major concern for fabricators. Therefore, it is important to establish the purpose of a storage system and understand clearly what it needs to accomplish.
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Handling appliance steel: Tips for processing surface-sensitive materialsSavvy stampers are purchasing new equipment or modifying and retrofitting existing equipment to include prefinished materials features. By paying close attention to equipment, tension practices, material processing methods, and material handling, stampers can participate in the market for surface-sensitive materials.
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Interaction of chemicals used in forming and fabricatingKnowing how chemicals tend to react with one another and how each type of lubricant and coolant commonly used during steel processing tends to behave is a boon when you're trying to fabricate products properly.
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Combating plate corrosion: Improving corrosion resistance through welding, fabrication methods |
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Keeping pace with today's punching requirements: Advancements in tool design, metallurgy lead to more accurate holes, improved part qualityThis article provides the basics on how the punch, die, and stripper work; how to perform material thickness calculations on various materials; how different applications affect punching quality; how fully guided tooling counters lateral forces; and how metallurgy, coatings, and maintenance affect tooling.
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Roll formers look for a win: Industry players hope to score with customization, better technology |
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Stamp of Approval: Full-court press safety: How to maintain an effective safety program end to endIf you want a safe press operation, look beyond the machinery. Don't be surprised to find the keys to a good safety program well outside the confines of the pressroom.
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Assessing cutting and forming machine tool safetyThe expanded breadth of recent standards typically includes the entire life expectancy of machines, the full scope of possible risks, the frequency and severity of risks, and the possibility of harm.
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Working safety with metalworking fluids: How to protect workers from their harmful effectsThis article examines the hazards associated with metalworking fluids. Health effects, including skin and respiratory disorders and cancer, are addressed. A look at engineering and administrative controls that can be implemented to ensure the safe use of metalworking fluids is included.
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Your best safety resource: The FMA/CNA Safety CommitteeDo you know the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International™ (FMA)/CNA Safety Committee? If not, you should. They're an excellent resource for guidance on workplace safety issues. And they're the force behind the safety focus on thefabricator.com.
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Protecting yourself from gases and fumes: 10 tips for healthier lungsWelding gases, fumes, and smoke can cause both short-term and long-term health hazards for welders. Presented here are 10 ways to help ensure welders are kept safe.
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One system does not fit all: Ventilation equipment becomes more specific to improve the welding environmentVentilation systems come in a variety of types for different types of welding processes and varying fabrication facility setups. The emphasis on proper application of these systems and best use of the components used in them comes from an increased interest in cleaner air for the welder.
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Safeguarding machines with an ergonomic spin: The importance of human factors in indstrial safety standardsHuman factors contain elements of psychology, engineering, statistics, and observation. Safety codes and standards often are written based on some aspect of human factors, and it may be critical to have a full understanding of the human factors behind the code or standard before applying the same concept to other equipment.
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To e, or not to e?: Hamlet.com? Not quite, but automakers trying to save princely sums via InternetThe idea was to have e-commerce solve everything. Then the thud of a million dot-coms hitting bottom gave people a new perspective. Are automakers still hip on e-commerce? You'd better believe it.
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Building a better business model: Strategic planning basics for automotive stampers to improve profitJust what is a strategic business model, and how can it be developed and used by an automotive stamping supplier wanting to boost its bottom line?
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Design for welding: Letter to an engineer |
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Family business going strong after 100 yearsThe average lifespan of a family-owned business is 24 years, and 60 percent of family-owned businesses do not have a clear succession plan. Tell that to the Peddinghaus Corporation and you might be in for a big "Oh really?" In business for 100 years and with a Peddinghaus still at the helm, the family-owned manufacturer of steel construction industry equipment clearly is a statistical exception.
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Fabricating precision parts for automobiles: Examples of Malaysian manufacturers stepping up to strong demandThe Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) trade ministers have agree to move ahead with a closer economic partnership with Australia and New Zealand as an initiative amid the global economic slowdown. This article describes how some Malaysian companies are addressing productivity and cost issues.
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Sick at Work?All employees have days at work when they don't feel well. Usually these days are intermittent and can be attributed to a cold or other illness or job-related stress.
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Pinpointing future laser welding marketsAficionados of laser welding technology at times must feel a little like telephone vendors beamed back to 1603. They know almost everyone is going to use them in the future, but getting buy-in today can be like hawking loans at 25 percent-lots of interest and few takers.
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Looking to the future: Steel supplier designs facility based on regional current, future needsA growing manufacturing base in the Southeast spurred Thompson Steel in the mid-1990s to research what type of equipment to purchase for its new facility in Fountain Inn, S.C. The steel supplier had been shipping coils of slit steel from its plants in Baltimore; Franklin Park, Ill.; and Rome, Ga., almost daily to several customers in the area.
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Inspecting for and correcting coil reel damageWritten in a question-and-answer format, this article offers tips for inspecting and correcting damage to coil reels. Descriptions of several tests are offered, including arbor or reel runout, lost motion, final indicator, and segments straightness tests. Frequently encountered problems such as coilers that break constantly, telescoping coils, and marred material are also addressed.
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Finding the best splice for your light-duty conveyor: The mechanical fastener optionOne way to increase your stamping operation's productivity is to get all the uptime you can from the belt conveyors that carry materials, parts, and finished and packaged products throughout your plant. As moving, wearing equipment, conveyors naturally demand a certain amount of downtime for maintenance and parts replacement. However, keeping those events as infrequent and brief as possible is what uptime is all about.
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Getting it Straight: Understanding coil straightening in stamping operationsBefore coiled material can pass through a die to produce an acceptable part, it must be straightened. Coil straightening is accomplished by bending a strip of material around sets of rollers that alternately stretch and compress the upper and lower surfaces so that the material's yield point is exceeded.
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New Features in Coil-to-Coil Slitters: Adapting to the changing coil industry with technologyYears ago it was customary for coil processors to have dedicated slitting lines for specific materials and gauges. Today's larger, stronger, and thinner-gauge coils, however, require service centers to be able to process many materials and gauges on the same machine.
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High-Speed Feeding Techniques - Reviewing the Facotrs that Affect Process SpeedsGripper or roll-type feeds operate on the principle of feeding force, which is a product of the coefficient of friction between the grippers or feed rolls and the material being fed. Reviewing each force as a factor of the feeding equipment or feeding conditions helps in evaluating the feeding process.
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Examining press feeding options: Considerations that determine a feed's effectivenessPress- and servo-driven roll feeds and gripper feeds are almost as common to the stamping industry as sheet metal and dies. Knowing how to use them effectively may not be so common.
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Metal stamping and electromagnetic forming: New process improves material formability, reduces wrinklingThis article describes the development of electromagnetic forming (EMF) and how EMF works.
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Hydraulic workholding from scratch: How to select and set up componentsHydraulic clamps are used in place of manual or toggle clamps to hold the workpiece or tool in place during stamping. This article examines the four steps that comprise the selection and installation of a hydraulic workholding system: cylinder selection, cylinder force and stroke, power source selection, and system connection.
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Experimenting with flexible blank holder force control: Prototype shows promise for difficult-to-form materialsThe quality of deep drawn sheet metal products is determined largely by the rate at which a sheet is drawn into a die. Varying blank holder force (BHF) as a function of time or the press stroke is of great importance.
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Standardizing finger tooling: Modular systems provide alternative to dedicated transfer toolingModular, adjustable, articulated finger tooling for transfer presses may provide the flexibility you need to increase productivity and efficiency in your stamping operation.
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Increasing stamping press productivity in the appliance industry: Advances in press technology and materials leave their markAn appliance plant with 80 to 100 presses in opeation is likely to buy new presses regularly. Under these circumstances, it makes good sense to pursue aggressive productivity goals inch by inch through steady advances in such prosaic concerns as machiner ergonomics, prventive maintenance, tooling efficiency, and material quality.
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Designing high-strength steel stamped parts for formabilityThe use of high-strength steel to manufacture automobiles and other transportation vehicles has increased dramatically. The material's strength allows manufacturers to reduce vehicle weight substantially and increase fuel efficiency, without sacrificing performance.
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Predicting springback in air bending, straight flangingAll businesses tied to the metal forming industry are scrambling to find areas in which they can lower costs without sacrificing quality. Adding to this burden are a tight cash flow and a lack of financial resources to invest in process improvement equipment. Therefore, the savings must come from doing more with less.
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High-tech presses: Servo technology meets mechanical presses |
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Dangerous curves: Jaguar successfully mass-produces the industry’s first aluminum body structure |
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Do you use checking jigs and fixtures?: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cureHow do you check tube fabrications to ensure they meet quality standards? Do you ship parts without checking them and hope that the next time the phone rings it isn't a prelude to a tirade from a disgruntled customer? Or do you check finished parts only to realize that your scrap rate is too high and wish you had checked them at earlier stages of the manufacturing process?
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Key design principles for successful deep drawingSuccessful deep drawing depends on many factors. Ignoring even one of them during die design and build can prove disastrous.
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Know your bending basics—Part 1Knowing how metal bends and what factors come into play during bending -- especially wipe bending—can make a positive difference in your stamping operation.
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Achieving straight-side capabilities in a gap-frame press: New developments in motion and frame technologyRecent changes in tooling technologies, material specifications, part quality requirements, and inventory levels have driven the demand for new developments in the way a mechanical press operates. This article discusses how link motion and bridge-frame structures help stampers. This includes a description of what link motion is and how it works, and how bridge frame presses affect frame deflection.
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Controlling flow and obtaining stretch in deep draw operationsAddressing the difficulties in obtaining a wrinkle-free stamped part requires a good understanding of metal flow and how it is affected by draw beads
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Designing progressive dies: Reviewing the basics of progressive toolingDecisions and compromises must be made when designing progressive dies to produce a part. Knowing ahead of time what this process entails just might help you.
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Improving in-press transfer preformance with tooling: Plan ahead for optimum designUsing finger tooling and planning ahead of time to minimize costs can benefit your operation ahead more than you think.
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Transfer die design considerations: Questions to answer for successful designA list of basic requirements must be met to begin the design process for a transfer die. You'll probably want to know why transfer dies are used, methods for loading material, the sequence of operations in a transfer press, and the details of manufacturing process before you start.
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Designing tooling economically: Cutting costs in four areasWith the tooling trade in its current challenging economic situation, some tool companies are being forced out of business, losing money, or entering into highly competitive markets.
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Die Design for flat parts: Achieving perfection in a difficult taskFlatness is one of the most difficult part characteristics to achieve in a conventional stamping die.
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Part nesting and die design tips for reducing and utilizing scrap in stamping operationsYou might be able to gain a competitive edge by learning how to reduce the amount of engineered scrap, or that material that was inteded to be scrap rather than scrap created because of defective piece parts.
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Incorporating available technology into die design: Tools of the trade are evolvingDesigning progressive dies has increasingly become a high-tech process. The more able an operation is to use computer technology, the more able it is to use the latest advances in the field in its own designs.
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Tool design tips for coated stampings: Making surface quality a priorityDesigners and manufacturers of progressive or stage tooling are faced with a project involving production of metal stampings that will be post-processed with painting, powder coating, or plating operations.
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Rising expectations spark new approach to draw die development: Reconciling demands for increased quality at lower costsA recently formulated approach to draw die development incorporates simultaneous engineering to identify and address potential problems before dies are built.
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Protecting dies against press system faultsThe need for die protection has existed ever since the first die was produced. The most elementary form of protection has always been an alert, dependable operator. However, an operator cannot always react to a problem before it damages a die.
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Cutting die-related costs: Where to look to save moneyDemands for cheaper, better, and faster tooling for stampings and the pace of business continue to escalate. This trend is not going to reverse itself.
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Taking an integrated build approach to stamping tool tryoutMarket pressures to reduce tooling costs are pressing the tool and die industry to seek lower-cost tooling solutions. This column discusses different build approaches and the merits of an integrated build for trying out stamping dies (and molds) as part of the manufacturing validation process.
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Improving blank edge conditionsA blank, stamped in the first station of a progressive stamping operation, usually is subject to subsequent forming processes to form a designated part. If the blank is subject to straining, deformation, bending, stretching, or lateral expansion in later stations, its edge condition should be carefully examined.
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Die width selection |
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Investing in lubricants: Increasing your profits 7 percent by changing metalsAll businesses tied to the metal forming industry are scrambling to find areas in which they can lower costs without sacrificing quality. Adding to this burden are a tight cash flow and a lack of financial resources to invest in process improvement equipment. Therefore, the savings must come from doing more with less.
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Controlling bend anglesBend angles are among the most frustrating geometric features to control in metal stamping. This is due primarily to two factors – the inconsistency of the mechanical properties in the metal being bent and the die design.
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Selecting a pressure system for a stamping dieAuthor's Note: Before I begin, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to thefabricator.com's readers. I hope you have enjoyed the stamping articles, and I am excited about writing for 2004. I also would like to wish all of you a great holiday season as well as a prosperous and successful year. Best holiday wishes!Art
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Selecting a stamping die pressure system, Part II |
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Venturing Into the World of 3-D Die Design: 10 questions to ask to make an informed decision2-D, or not 2-D; that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler to venture out into a brisk, bold, new world of 3-D or to stick with old, reliable methods in 2-D.
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Pitch notch or not? Factors to consider when designing progressive dies |
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Bending tube with an all-electric machine: Characteristics and capabilitiesThis article discusses the ins and outs of all-electric tube bending machines, discussing the challenges, performance characteristics, and typical options of all-electric benders.
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Magnetic pulse welding for tubular applications: Discovering new technology for welding conductive materialsA review of how magnetic pulse welding works, in what applications it can be used, and what considerations users must take to perform it properly.
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Cutting tube in a recut operation: How to decide on a method and equipmentThis piece, which originally appeared in TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal in 1997, explains how to decide whether to cut tubing on the production line or cut it later in a recut operation. Discusses various types of recutting equipment and focuses on the dual-blade shear cutting method.
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The growing use of orbital tube welding: Quality, repeatability, and documentation drive the technologyAlthough orbital tube welding has been used in aerospace, semiconductor, and other high-purity applications for a long time, general industrial markets just now are beginning to view it as a viable and economical option for joining stainless steel tubing.
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Orbital welding for space program applications: Producing welds that withstand the rigors of deep spaceWelding applications in the aerospace industries demand high precision, a quality that can be entirely as low as possible. Automatic orbital welding is being used to help meet these requirements.
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The anatomy of a monster truckIt drives right over nearly every obstacle in its path and splits nearly every eardrum in its vicinity. It's supercharged, oversized, and extraordinary. It stands more than 10 feet tall, develops more than 1,500 horsepower, and can leap over a 727 jet airliner in a single bound.
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Producing holes in tubing: Comparing the piercing and punching methodsNeed to put a hole in a tube? This article provides an overview of tube punching and tube piercing, exploring the different variations of each method and comparing the two methods on cost, safety, and flexibility.
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The Bold in Arches: Pipe fabricator uses induction bending to create roof truss assembliesThe phraseobstructed viewis probably most connected with older sports stadiums. For example, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, depending on where your seat is, watching Sammy Sosa in action in right field might be replaced by a view of a rusting steel girder.
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The wrinkle-wiper for tube bends: How to choose and use wiper diesA wiper die is a piece of tooling used in tube bending that helps keep the bend from wrinkling. While there are many reasons and ways to use a wiper die in a tube bending maching, you should also know what types are available, their differences, and how to choose the right one for your application.
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Using finite element analysis to roll-form tubesRoll forming is a common method for producing steel tubes. It is a continuous process in which a strip is guided through several sets of rolls that form the strip into the desired shape. After the final shape is achieved, tube edges are welded together to form a closed section. After the welding operation, the tube is sized through another set of rolls to obtain the required diameter.
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Taking tubular aluminum scaffolding to new heights: Taper, aesthetics, elevated design for monumental structureFor the company that broke the world record for building the tallest freestanding structure with a 320-foot scaffolding (the Statue of Liberty restoration project in 1984, see Sidebarat bottom of page)designing and constructing the scaffolding for the Washington Monument restoration project was just a natural next step.
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Flying high with orbital welding: Equipment, applications, and joint designs for aerospace componentsOrbital welding first was developed in the late 1960s by a group of engineers from McDonnell Douglas to join aerospace tubes. These engineers were aware of the problems associated with producing repeatable welds for their critical applications.
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Maintaining and troubleshooting HF welders: A common-sense approach for vacuum tube and solid-state machinesThe basic steps of general preventive maintenance and troubleshooting for both vacuum tube and solid-state high frequency (HF) welders should assist in keeping welders online and producing pipe or tube.
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Tooling, the key for mill productionThis article discusses three main criteria that govern tube mill tooling—design, materials used in their construction, and alignment of tooling on the mill. Discusses advancements in design due to CAD technology; experimental use of ceramic and plastic materials for making tooling; and the use of subplates and interchangeable components to ease tube mill alignment.
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Making seamless tubing with a floating mandrel mill |
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Solving Problems on the Tube MillTube mill operators face a variety of challenges everyday in their efforts to produce high-quality tubing in a cost effective and productive way.
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Using existing tooling for new product applications: Evaluating the tooling's capabilities and limitationsThe article outlines factors for consideration when changing material type, grade, coatings, efficient speed requirements, specialty shapes, etc. Special consideration is given to the difference in speed between the minor relief angle and the root diameter.
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Taking the troubles out of tube mill tooling: Preventing and solving some common problemsThis article discusses the prevention of problems associated with tube mill tooling, touching on maintaining tooling, as well as troubleshooting common problems that may arise during the tube production process.
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Examining tube mill roll tooling, setup, and maintenanceIn today's competitive market, two of the most important considerations for high-quality production are proper roll tooling setup and mill alignment.
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Inline gauge control in welded tube production: Reducing conversion lossesReducing scrap when converting strip to finished tube is a huge step in bettering your bottom line.
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Solving the mysteries of the fin pass—Part 2Editor's Note: This article is the second part of a two-part series about fin passes. Part I, which appeared in the March issue, discussed their location, what they do, and how they do it. Part II focuses on troubleshooting.
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Roll form tooling tryout and troubleshooting: Taking a five-step approachThe secret to developing successful roll tooling—whether for tube production or roll forming—and achieving maximum roll integrity is a simple but often overlooked notion: a comprehensive approach.
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Cutting to the chase: ArrayArray
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Considering the benefits of pulse spray transfer GMAW |
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Ironworkers and contractors adapt to FCAW trendsWelders who want to become proficient in a technology whose time has come should look into getting certified for flux-cored arc welding.
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It's all about precision, craftsmanship: Shop makes commitment to solid welding practicesA case study looking at how Superior Joining Technologies Inc. got into the microwelding business, the welding equipment they use, how the meet customer requirements, and how they use a solid foundation in welding to keep up with today's stringent requirements.
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Gun Control: GTAW torch design innovations enhance productivity, qualityThis article discusses improvements to the GTAW torch that should enhance the productivity and quality of welding operations. It specifically discusses the welding gun's affect on ergonomics and cooling capacity.
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Remote GTAW of spent fuel canisters: How this process reduces operator exposure to radiationThis off-the-beaten-path article defines a remote GTAW process that allows weld operators to minimize their exposure to radiation when welding spent fuel canisters used to contain nuclear fuel.
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The fundamentals of gas tungsten arc welding: Preparation, consumables, and equipment necessary for the processLearning the fundamentals of the GTAW process will increase the welder's ability to produce quality weldments. Knowing the correct consumables, equipment, and preweld preparation necessary will help the welder troubleshoot welding problems.
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Using inverter technology: FAQs about inverter-based plasma cuttersBusinesses feel a constant pressure to gain an advantage and control their processes better. However, the decision to embrace new technology often leaves them feeling vulnerable. In the realm of hand-held metal cutting operations, one such decision is choosing between traditional technology and an inverter-based plasma cutting system.
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Let 'er rip: College students learn real-world skills in vehicle fabrication competitionBob Hollingsworth, a member of Practical Welding Today's advisory board, details the journey of the 2006 Western Washington University Mini Baja vehicle fabrication team and their quest to build a winning off-road, student-designed racing machine.
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Reviving the past: Welding students restore ironwork to Victorian-era YMCA building |
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Riding on the cusp of something great: When Colorado artist's career hits plateaus, he climbs themKevin Robb's sculptures seem to defy gravity, arrest time, encroach space. Each sculpture is a moment freeze-framed; each element seems to be impossibly suspended.
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Found art: Welding artist finds inspiration in industrial, natural formsWatching the sparks fly as his dad welded a temperamental posthole digger mesmerized Derek Arnold. "I found the immediacy of something so permanent absolutely fascinating," he said. "I knew I wanted to weld."A hands-on welding education on the family farm drove Arnold to take his skills and creativity to the next level. In 1993 he graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. "I've been welding regularly since my freshman sculpture class," he said.
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Unique fireplace items can fire up your incomeFireplace screens don't have to be boring. Fireplace tools don't have to be ordinary. Re-thinking the function of fireplace screens and tools can add a new dimension to these items and attract customers like moths to a flame.
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Metal Art Takes on the Fireplace: Jim Truett’s custom fireplace screens are both functional and beautifulMetal art takes on many forms, from wall hangings to picture frames to fireplace screens. Just ask Jim Truett, a district sales manager for Miller Electric Mfg. Co. by day and artist in his spare time from his Huntsville, Utah, home.
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Designing for successful robotic arc welding automationFor a fabricator to enjoy the benefits afforded by a robotic welding system, the parts to be welded and the system itself must be designed properly.
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Automated welding for job shopsA robotic weldingsystem represents a significant capital investment for a job shop.
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Setting realistic goals for robotic welding projectsExpecting a robot to solve all of your production problems can inflict the cruel irony of ceating more. If you want your robots to speed up your operation, know what they can and can't do from the start.
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Welding exhaust system components: Laser technology may aid this traditionally high-volume applicationIn the field of automobile exhaust systems, such components as manifolds, pipes, catalytic converters, and mufflers are joined either by the car manufacturer or by a subcontractor to form a subassembly ready for attachment.
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Laser-integrated robotics for assembly: How one job shop met an aluminum welding challengeIn recent years laser welding has advanced into many different industries, from automotive to electronics. With lasers, it is possible to weld at high speeds with great efficiency. Once unthinkable applications and processes are now being developed into working systems.
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Gas-shielded cored wires find their niche: Suitable applications for flux-cored and metal-cored electrodesGas-shielded flux-cored and metal-cored wires are growing in popularity because the wires are fabricated and can be applied to many applications.
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Shielding gas consumption efficiency-- Part I: Spend a penny, save a dollarInstalling a bulk delivery system in your welding shop is perhaps the best way to save money
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Identifying the right cutting and welding tips: Understanding torch tip design and function |
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Four factors to consider when purchasing a grinder: You get what you pay forCost often is a deciding factor when you purchase a grinder. However, the saying "you get what you pay for" can be true when you're talking about tools. The price tag alone doesn't always reflect some of the more important factors--performance level, cost to operate, and tool life--that make a grinder worth its cost.
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Three optional techniques for beveling: Understanding the advantages and drawbacks of eachMany fabricators use standard plasma cutters and abrasives to create beveled edges. Along with these traditional methods, welders also have the option of using three alternative beveling techniques: punch and nibble, peeling and shearing, and milling and routing. Each has advantages and drawbacks.
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Understanding weld discontinuities |
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Design tips for sheet metal: Bend relief, small holes, hole distortion near bends, and minimum flange widthsThe article discusses making small holes and when to use a punch or laser cutter, inside radius measurements and how they differ depending on whether you are coining or air bending on a press brake, and adding bend relief to prevent tearing material.
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In search of the perfect bend: Advancements in press brake angle measurement and bend springback systemsPress brake manufacturers have made tremendous advances in the art of machine design and manufacturing.
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Making your own punch and diesHow many times have you looked through huge piles of blueprints for a prototype part or short-run job and thought, "If only I had that tool, this job would be a piece of cake?"
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Repair Brazing: Fixing Faulty Jobs and worn-out componentsBrazing has myriad uses for shop repairs. Knowing what seperates a proper brazing job from a poop one can save you alot of headaches and produce some slick results in the process.
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Turning up the power: Using lasers to cut thick plateThe most common power levels ranged between 1,500 and 2,000 watts. However, a statistical survey conducted by the AMT Laser System Product Group indicates a steady increase during the last 12 months of installations for high-power 3,000- to 4,000-watt laser systems and a decline in sales of lasers with power levels less than 2,000 watts.
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