Article
January 14, 2010
2010 Capital Spending Report indicates rebuilding set to begin
For those metal fabricators that have wondered if their competitors were operating at similar capacity levels in 2009, you can rest easier at night. More than likely, those companies have been as slow as your company. FMA Communications' 2010 Capital Spending Report reveals that facilities,... Read more...
Spanish
August 4, 2009
Article
May 13, 2008
Driven to integrate
A Parkview Metal Products worker operates a stamping press at the company's facility in Lake Zurich, IL. Parkview produces components for the automotive industry, consumer electronics, and barbecue grills. Changes come often in the steel industry. An item manufactured in the U.S. today can... Read more...
Article
January 15, 2008
Capital equipment spending remains upbeat
Figure 1 Metal fabricating companies with one to 49 employees are the least likely to increase spending for capital equipment purchases in 2008. while some metal fabricators and formers may be caught up in the sluggish supply chains connected to the u.s. auto manufacturers or affected by... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2007
Retrofit Rxfor automaker's aging press
Aging presses can pose challenges, from maintenance to unavailability of obsolete spare parts to performance limitations on new or complex applications. For metal forming processes requiring deep or off-center draw operations, a bed cushion retrofit can resolve some of these challenges.
Old... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2007
Flexibility in the press shop
The influx of European and Asian automotive manufacturers into the North American market, along with increased outsourcing of stamped parts, is creating both opportunities and challenges for the tier and general stamping industry. To stay competitive, North American stampers must be prepared... Read more...
Article
January 9, 2007
Spending time with capital equipment
Ask fabricators how they view business in 2007, and you'll likely get for a response, "Cautiously optimistic." In these days of potential terrorist attacks, war in Iraq and Afghanistan, tightening oil supplies, a shallow labor pool, and the constant threat of being replaced by an overseas... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2006
A breath of fresh air
Ten years ago laser cutting offered a distinctive advantage to those who invested in the technology. For the most part, successful laser cutting required gas, optics, and patience. The decade has brought many changes to laser cutting, including higher power levels and faster drive... Read more...
Article
October 12, 2004
A growing force in Washington, D.C.
If you take a thorough look at federal bureaus and agencies, you'll see quite an array of departments intended to promote a variety of industries and business-related activities. Many of them have been around for decades, and some are more than a century old. The United States Department... Read more...
Article
September 14, 2004
Thinking about an equipment upgrade?
It's no secret that manufactured products change continuously. Technological developments and higher consumer expectations are two of the forces that drive changes in nearly every manufactured item. Just as manufactured goods change, so do the approaches used to manufacture them. From... Read more...
Article
June 8, 2004
Safeguarding machines with an ergonomic spin
Figure 1 While the NSC publications provide generous guidance, two aspects they do not address fully are the application and implication of ergonomics and human factors in the design of machine safeguards. The National Safety Council (NSC) published the fifth edition of the Power... Read more...
Article
June 8, 2004
Dangerous curves
Provocative lines and innovative materials are the hallmarks of luxury car manufacturer Jaguar Cars Ltd. Jaguar has reaped the benefits of aluminum since 1922, when the company, then known as the Swallow Sidecar Co., designed sidecars out of lightweight aluminum panels. Since then the... 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
March 25, 2004
Developments in hydroforming
The demand for hydroformed products continues to grow around the world, and so does the demand for hydroforming knowledge. To serve the continuing need for such knowledge, the third International Conference on Hydroforming brought people from around the world to Stuttgart, Germany, Oct.... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
New Features in Coil-to-Coil Slitters
Productivity is at the forefront for equipment builders today because their customers demand it, and processing margins for users of coil processing equipment haven't changed from years ago. For a company to be profitable, its equipment has to produce more. It's that simple. To accommodate the... 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
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
Appliancemaker reduces downtime with stamping press feed system
Most of the parts are stamped out of light-gauge metals. "On the majority of our machines, we're feeding 0.0040 inch and less," said Dan Partin, senior process engineer at Whirlpool. Partin reported that the company had noticed excessive downtime on some of its key presses that were running for... Read more...
Article
December 11, 2003
Filling in the blanks
Because of sluggish economies and uncertain markets, the need to hone a competitive edge is more sharply defined. Many stampers are doing this by taking control of their material inventory and production schedules by adding a cut-to-length blank shearing line. An in-house blank... 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
High-tech presses
Figure 1 Complex drive system Stampers are looking to achieve higher productivity, better component quality, longer die life, and increased flexibility. While these capabilities are essential to maintaining an edge in today's competitive environment, they come at a price. New... Read more...
Article
November 20, 2003
Handling appliance steel
As appliance manufacturers strive to reduce costs and streamline production processes, additional pressure is placed on coil processing to produce high-quality, surface-sensitive materials. These materials include pre-painted steel products and decorative metals such as stainless steel,... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2003
Choosing the right oxyfuel gas and supply system
Photo courtesy of Weldstar Inc. Cutting In oxyfuel cutting, an oxygen jet, not the preheat flame, performs the cutting. The oxygen jet oxidizes the material and expels the heated material from the kerf. The purpose of the preheat flame is to heat the material to the ignition... Read more...
Article
October 23, 2003
Pinpointing future laser welding markets
While some laser welding equipment manufacturers are thriving right now, others still fight a battle as old as the technology itself—gaining acceptance for equipment that carries a hefty initial price tag (albeit one that can save money over time). Consequently laser welding... Read more...
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 23, 2003
Blast Cleaning Equipment: What you need to know before buying
Many options are available that can achieve the necessary prefinish requirements of any part. Of those options, blast cleaning can be an efficient and economical choice. Blast cleaning requires no chemicals and does not remove any surface metal in its process. Some facts however, should be... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Identifying the right cutting and welding tips
The tip of a welding or cutting torch is where the action is (see Figure 1 ). Welding tips usually produce positive pressure (higher than 1 pound per square inch ) and are used at equal pressures of acetylene and oxygen. These single-hole copper-alloy tips are attached to a torch handle... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Making the most of hydroforming
Figure 1 To help ensure successful part development, it is necessary to establish a multitask project team. Designers, hydroforming technologists, and material specialists should be involved in the component stage. To achieve possible economic benefits from this process, it is... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Stamping 101
Figure 1 The Catalyst To make the facility a reality, in 2000 Mike Chester, president and co-owner of Buhrke Industries, a Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive stamper, donated 1,750 square feet of space in one of Buhrke's buildings. Once a location was established, many Chicago-area... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Protecting yourself from gases and fumes
Protecting yourself from fumes and gases often means overcoming objections. Some welders mistakenly argue that running a fan to blow smoke away eliminates risk. Others avoid using protective equipment because it's uncomfortable or takes too long to set up. Worse, your workplace might not... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Roll formers look for a win
Many systems enable users to download a DXF drawing directly into the roll forming line's computer. Not everyone can be the New York Yankees, or even the roll forming version—especially in today's economic climate. It would be nice, though. The Bronx Bombers have used a fat wallet... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Getting a handle on work-related hand injuries
Of the 3.6 million work-related injuries treated annually in emergency rooms across the U.S., hands and fingers are the most commonly treated body parts, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 90 percent of all acute injuries in the workplace are... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
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August 28, 2003
Article
August 14, 2003
Selecting equipment for a robotic welding workcell
Keep the end result—the product that the robotic workcell is turning out —as your primary focus when you select automation equipment. The entire workcell, no one part of it, is crucial for successful integration and an expedient return on investment. A robot is repeatable and makes... Read more...
Article
August 14, 2003
Any good news in manufacturing?
This article was inspired by a reader's reaction to Part II of David Goodreau's two-part series about the state of manufacturing, The Perfect Economic Storm and the 100-year Flood in Manufacturing . The reader asked, "Can you find ANY good news out there for the industry?" While... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2003
Slash maintenance inventory costs
Typically, managers hesitate to initiate a cost-cutting project in this area because they fear that critical parts may not be available when they are needed. And the number of parts that can be reduced—typically one or two—may seem too few to yield meaningful cost savings. In fact,... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2003
Lifting the load
Using electric lift trucks in the confines of a manufacturing facility eliminates the byproducts of combustion, resulting in better indoor air and noise quality. A range of electric lift trucks is available for manufacturing environments, including sideloaders, multidirectional trucks,... Read more...
Article
March 27, 2003
Fill 'er Up
Fuel filler tubes currently are manufactured from carbon steel tubing, which is expanded using mechanical forming techniques. The filler tube then is welded to a section of tubing that is bent to the shape required by the vehicle's design.
Most filler tubes have an offset centerline and their... Read more...
Article
March 27, 2003
The art of laser cutting
On modern laser cutting machines, most of the internal functions are automated. Focus point is changed remotely via a cutting database or technology table. Assist gas change and pressure are system-controlled as well. The numerically controlled cutting database has taken over almost all of the... Read more...
Article
March 27, 2003
Article
March 13, 2003
Mechanized plasma cutting for HVAC applications
Today many HVAC shops use plasma cutters—both hand-held torches and CNC mechanized systems—to cut material for fabrication. These fabricators find that for their applications, plasma is a fast, clean, economical way for them to cut light-gauge metal. This overview of... Read more...
Article
March 13, 2003
Special slitting for specialty metals
Object As this transition to more challenging environments occurs, an on-time supply of high-quality processed stainless steels and other specialty metals becomes vital to U.S. industry. Many steel suppliers that process carbon steel grades are being asked to slit more exotic and often more... Read more...
Article
January 16, 2003
Article
November 7, 2002
Focusing on tube cutting lasers
Object
It travels at 186,287.490 miles per second (299,792,458 meters per sec.). Its visible spectrum ranges from 400 to 700 nanometers. Its smallest unit is a packet of energy, a photon. While its chief use is illumination, it has many other commercial, industrial, and military... Read more...
Article
October 25, 2002
Considering the benefits of pulse spray transfer GMAW
Object Pulse spray gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is a versatile welding process. Sometimes welding suppliers and welding managers don't want to try it, because they don't want to change the process they're using, train users, adjust welding processes, or spend money on new equipment.While any... Read more...
Article
March 28, 2002
New machines do not a world-class company make
President Bush paid Oregon a visit a few weeks ago. He spoke at length about the sagging Oregon economy. In fact, he held Oregon up as a poster child for a state with the slowest economic growth and highest unemployment rate. His solution to these problems? Tax incentives to buy new and more... 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
December 13, 2001
The basics of uncoiling
Choosing proper coil handling and processing equipment can improve material handling and jump-start your shop's overall productivity improvement effort. However, before purchasing any one component, you should consider four factors: • Material to be processed • Line speed... 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
Tooling, the key for mill production
One of the most important lessons any successful tube mill producer learns is that high-quality tooling is mandatory to achieving and sustaining top-grade production values. To put it simply, tooling is to a tube mill as an engine is to an automobile: You can't get where you need to go without... Read more...
Article
November 29, 2001
Ensuring a plant's electrical system safety
Many people work in buildings that were constructed more than 40 years ago. At the time they were built, no one could have imagined the power requirements of the 21st century. An older plant has much more equipment today than it did when it was built, and each piece of equipment pulls... Read more...
Article
November 29, 2001
Mobilizing equipment-saving time and talent
Think about the increased production that would be possible if one operator could manage two machines simultaneously. You could make it work simply by varying access to different pieces of equipment as needed anywhere in your facility.
Of course, some machines on the shop floor cannot be... Read more...
Article
November 29, 2001
Gettin' down with downtime
The pressures of increased competition and the need for stampers to stay competitive affect every aspect of their operations. One of the key ways stampers can create an efficient and cost-effective operation is to reduce downtime on the shop floor. One of the principal causes of downtime... 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
Is robotic welding right for you?
Recent shortages of trained labor, combined with advances in technology, present a convincing argument to introduce robotic welding to many factory and job shop operations. When a fabricating company already operating at its highest production capacity gets a bigger contract, it is... Read more...
Article
November 15, 2001
Setting realistic goals for robotic welding projects
Companies interested in purchasing robotic welding equipment often expect robots to solve all their productivity and quality problems. After installation, the actual results often do not meet the end user's high expectations. The natural conclusion is that the robot company dropped the ball;... Read more...
Article
November 15, 2001
Meet the Press
Stamping means different things to different people depending, to some extent, on their generation. Some consider stamping to be synonymous with blanking. Years ago, a stamping or blanking press was a mechanical press and vice versa. Today, that has changed, and these presses often are... Read more...
Article
November 15, 2001
Assessing cutting and forming machine tool safety
During the past decade increasingly comprehensive machine tool safety standards have been adopted in many countries, including the U.S. The expanded breadth of recent standards typically includes the entire life expectancy of machines, the full scope of possible risks, the frequency and severity... Read more...
Article
November 15, 2001
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October 11, 2001
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October 11, 2001
Installing and maintaining coil cradles and reels
All stamping and forming operations outside of the powder or forging industries begin with coiled steel. In many fabricators' plants, the decoiler, payoff reel, recoiler, tensioner, or other coil handling equipment require constant maintenance. Installation The nature of the... Read more...
Article
September 4, 2001
Changing the way they do business
Dealing with work loads, delivery schedules, and many other responsibilities doesn't leave managers with much time to consider factors that justify equipment improvements. Often this means ideas for improvements get shelved. However, fabricators who want to improve production and... Read more...
Article
September 4, 2001
Skiving strip edges for tube and pipe producing
Edge treatment of coil strip before it enters a tube and pipe mill, called skiving, is a rapidly advancing technology. Improving the coil edge before it is welded helps increase the quality of the seam join and helps prevent rejected tube or pipe. Traditional Skiving Equipment Edge skiving to... Read more...
Article
August 23, 2001
Article
August 16, 2001
Safety with press hydraulic systems
In a large sheet metal plant, a typical order was being processed on a 200-ton hydraulic press. The setup workers were finished setting the 6-ft. dies in the press and adjusting the backstop. The light curtain operation had been verified, and the operator began forming an order for 800... Read more...
Article
July 26, 2001
Achieving faster, more efficient tube mill changeovers
A changeover on a tube mill does not mean just changing the tooling. It means changing from running good tube of one size to running good tube of another size. Many machine configurations can speed up a changeover, such as rafted sections, quick-change fasteners, etc. However, fast changeover... Read more...
Article
July 26, 2001
Article
July 12, 2001
Thermal spray safety and OSHA compliance
Object Thermal spray equipment normally is operated in special enclosures designed to reduce noise levels, extract fumes, and provide direct viewing of the spray nozzle when it's used in high production environments. Occasionally R&D projects, large parts, low production runs, or complex... Read more...
Article
July 12, 2001
How to Kill a Robotic Project in Five Easy Steps
The same few roadblocks always seem to conspire to either cause a robot project to fail or at least greatly limit its success. Too many manufacturers do things that virtually guarantee that their robots will have serious problems performing as expected. Many of these hindrances have... Read more...
Article
June 13, 2001
Material Handling on Squaring Shears
Often it is thought that to get more production from a shearing operation, another shift, or even a new shear must be added. However, because of a lack of funds, personnel, or floor space, a new shear is not always the answer. The basics of a productive shearing operation are often overlooked.... Read more...
Article
June 6, 2001
Protecting surface-sensitive materials in coil processing
In today's world of metal fabricating, reducing the number of steps in the production process is an ever-increasing trend. Fabricators are becoming more efficient by: Feeding production lines with materials that have been slit to the proper finished dimension. Feeding production lines with... 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
April 24, 2001
Article
April 24, 2001
Preparing for aluminum GTAW
Even if you are experienced in welding steels, aluminum welding can present quite a challenge. Aluminum's oxide coating, higher thermal conductivity, and lower melting point easily can lead to welding problems unless you know how to prepare for welding and set up the equipment. Though many... Read more...
Article
February 19, 2001
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February 19, 2001
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February 19, 2001
Designing for successful robotic arc welding automation
This dual robot system uses a large "Ferris Wheel" positioner to give the robots access to the underside of the parts to be welded. Automated robotic arc welding systems are used in all types of manufacturing. They can provide several benefits in certain welding applications. The... Read more...
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February 19, 2001
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February 19, 2001
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February 19, 2001
