- Home
- MyFab
- Tech Cells
- Assembly
- Automation and Robotics
- Bending
- CAD/CAM Software
- Cutting
- Finishing
- Folding
- Hydroforming
- Machining
- Materials Handling
- Metals/Materials
- Power Tools
- Punching
- Roll Forming
- Safety
- Shop Management
- Stamping
- Testing and Measuring
- Tool and Die
- Tube and Pipe Fabrication
- Tube and Pipe Production
- Welding
- Article Search
- Industry Directory
- Publications
- Advertise
- Media Center
Tags
Articles tagged with "fabricating"
Results: 38
 |
Optimizing consumable life in mechanized plasma cutting: Identifying and correcting typical problemsIf you don't stay on top of torch maintenance and replacing consumables, an efficient cutting process can quickly become a lot more expensive to operate.
|
 |
Pursuing a plate-cutting saw: Employees team up to make a buying decisionMetal Cutting Service, City of Industry (Los Angeles), Calif., specializes in sawing metals. President David Viel explained the company's strategy: "We do not buy or sell anything, we just add value to others' products." Although it does very little advertising, the 26-employee company has customers throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia, even though the cost to ship material can be substantial.
|
 |
Analyzing shear features: Basic knowledge can impact productivity, safetyUnderstanding shears is a matter of understanding shear features, including design and drive systems. This article offers information about evaluating shears and includes a list of 20 enhancements and explains each of them.
|
 |
Designing for abrasive waterjet fabrication: Forethought, flexibility can help cut cornersArray
|
 |
How one company organized its powder coating process: Tips from a job shopLearn how Gauthier Industries, a stamper and powder coater, organized its powder coating operation into control points to help regulate quality and efficiency as parts move through the finishing process. Areas discussed include pretreatment, the paint booth, inspection, and tips for efficiency.
|
|
Prefinishing trends towards growth: No-muss, no-fuss technology blazes trails into new territories, gains ground in others |
 |
How one shop benefited from abrasive waterjet technologyTriplex Systems found that using abrasive waterjet cutting technology combined with a hole-and-tab technique to fabricate its products helped eliminate machining operations and reduced costs.
|
|
Hydroforming with end feedingThe list of applications for hydroforming with end feeding is growing all the time. Maybe you should check into how this technology could benefit your operation.
|
 |
Anchor's a way down the road to improvement: Texas fabrication shop solves material handling dilemmaA Fort Worth, Texas-based fabricator found that it was spending thousands in moving material from one building to the next for various operations. The company embarked on several expansion projects and invested in new equipment to help remedy the situation.
|
|
How important is roll forming lubrication compatibility?At first glance, it doesn't seem that the compatibility of the lubricant used in the roll forming process needs much attention. You'd better look again. It may surprise you that the chemical and physical properties of the roll forming lubricant leave fingerprints in at least six different areas of the operation.
|
|
A good start makes a difference: How to set the entrance guide elevation for best results in roll formingUnderstanding the relationship between the elevation of the entrance guide and the shape of the roll formed strip is crucial to satisfactory roll forming. The entance guide elevation, if improperly set, can cause the strip to bow and twist as it leaves the first forming pass. Setting the elevation properly can help to eliminate additional stress and strain at the strip edges that cause bow and twist.
|
|
A different battlefield, the same strategy: How the OODA Loop applies to businessThe war in Iraq is giving the world a firsthand look at modern warfare and its latest weapons. Embedded reporters and military experts give us blow-by-blow details and explain strategies, logistics, aircraft, weapons, and other tools of war. While war coverage and weapons have evolved since previous wars, the basic strategies remain the same, and these same strategies have found acceptance in business.
|
|
Rapid Creek Cutters—The second time aroundAt a time when companies are thinning the worker ranks, many people may be thinking about going into business for themselves. Pat Burrington, the owner of Rapid Creek Cutters, has worked for others and for himself. He recommends the latter.
|
 |
An industry perspective: Good news (productivity), bad news (poor supply chain management)On the positive side, job shops continue to be innovative and improve productivity; materials and software are improving; entry-level positions normally can be filled.
|
|
The Age of Cautious OptimismWhen it comes to the economy, cautious optimism is as good as it gets.
|
 |
Competing in the global arena |
 |
FMA goes to ChinaTwo weeks after the first FMA China Tour group returned to the U.S., news broke that IBM had entered into talks to sell its PC business to China's largest PC manufacturer, Lenovo. That news came as no surprise to tour participants.
|
|
'It's the economy, stupid'The annual "Fabricating Update" survey of metal fabricators about their main business concerns revealed that the economy, which edged out steel prices as the industry's leading concern in 2008, now outranks all other concerns by a huge margin. This latest survey also polled readers of "Stamping News Brief" and "Tube Talk" for an even greater sampling of the metal manufacturing industry.
|
|
Are you preparing for the worker skills gap?The skilled labor shortage many manufacturers already are experiencing is being joined by a skills gap as the aging work force retires and fewer young people pursue technical training. Manufacturers need to act now to cultivate and grow the future work force and bridge the gap.
|
|
Special slitting for specialty metals: Stainless steel has its own issuesMany of today's consumer products, commercial and industrial processing machines, and automotive components are being exposed to continually higher temperatures and more severe corrosion.
|
 |
Correcting shape problems in flat-rolled coil: Defining simple and complex shape defectsVarious shape defects can be encountered in flat-rolled ferrous and nonferrous strip. Knowing their mechanics and origins and how to correct them can be very useful in times of need.
|
|
Measuring Lubricants' Impact on Metal FormabilityToday more than ever, the metal forming industry is economically challenged. Everyone is scrambling to find new ways to lower process costs without sacrificing quality. In the case of metal formability, a lot is at stake. With metal prices and operating overhead continuing to rise, any downtime or wasted material significantly impacts the bottom line.
|
|
It's all about tool selection -- or is it? |
 |
Focusing on tube cutting lasers: Tube fabricators, producers see the lightState-of-the-art laser technology for cutting metal tubes includes capabilities for cutoff, beveling, and cutting an infinite variety of shapes such as holes, slots, and notches. In this article, manufacturers of laser cutting equipment discuss the state of advancements such as automated loading and unloading of parts; simplified programming; automatedinspection of finished parts; and lights-out operation.
|
 |
Is your bend good enough?: Standards for hot and cold bendingBending tube or pipe so the finished product conforms to one of two bending standards can help to reduce rejects and improve relations between fabricators and their customers. The standards can facilitate the use of bending terms, and promote an understanding of bending tolerances and acceptable defects before starting a bending project.
|
 |
Laser tube processing: Ten out-of-the-box techniques save money, spur innovationThe introduction of lasers to the manufacturing process has changed the fabrication of tubing. Today, many manual processes can be replaced with laser processing techniques. Using the flexibility afforded by lasers, a bundle of raw tubing can be loaded into a laser tube cutter; parts can be cut with high accuracy, quality, and speed; and then finished parts from the machine can be sent directly to the final assembly.
|
 |
Aluminum stands tall as a structural metal—Part 1Editor's Note: This article is Part I of a two-part article covering the properties, characteristics, and applications of aluminum as a structural metal. Part II, which will appear in the December issue of The FABRICATOR®, explores the use of structural aluminum in the design of the U.S. Botanic Garden's conservatory in Washington, D.C. Topics such as tension, compression, bending, shear, and torsion are addressed.
|
|
The blades of Don Fogg—a cut above |
|
Fatigue FailuresFatigue causes the majority of mechanical element failures in structures and machinery. It is important to understand the causes of the failure and how to prevent or repair it.
|
|
Bumping up large-radius bendsThe step-bending method can be a good way to achieve large radiuses without having to spend huge sums of money on special tooling.
|
|
Bend deduction charts: Where can I get one?Quite often I am asked, "Where can I get a bend deduction chart that works, one with valid numbers?" That's a good question.
|
 |
Improving bending operations: Advanced bending technology reduces setup time, improves part accuracyThe Ottenweller Company Inc. is a heavy sheet fabricator that produces fabrications and assemblies for construction and agricultural equipment manufacturers and heavy-duty truck builders. The family-owned business employs 150 and operates from a 120,000-square-foot facility in Fort Wayne, Ind.
|
 |
New bends in the roll: Roll bending trendsAs more commercial buildings are designed with larger open spaces, the beam spans grow longer, and the beams must be bigger and heavier. This requires ever-larger section bending rolls to accommodate this demand. In addition, the trend toward the use of higher strength steels has taxed the capabilities of plate roll bending equipment. These changes and other emerging demands have driven the trend toward the use of CNCs, inline material handling, and larger angle bending rolls.
|
|
Oversized V dies: the effects on bottom bendingUsing oversized V dies in bottom bending can damage press brakes and tooling, but used properly, these dies can help compensate for springback.
|
|
Say ye shibboleth!: Finding, defining, and preventing taper in press brake operationsProperly trained press brake operators understand the nuances of tapers. Armed with this knowledge and following a five-step process that includes inspecting tooling and materials, precise setup, checking the part, and making necessary adjustments, these skilled workers can complete machine setup and produce quality parts in minimal time.
|
|
Making solid delivery and storage choices for assist gases in CO2 laser cuttingHow you store and deliver assist gases to your laser cutting system is of critical importance to the effectiveness of your whole fabricating operation.
|
|
Fanning production rates: Fabricator quadruples fan production with cutting systemEditor's Note: This article is Part II of a four-part series covering flatness and stability in cut-to-length, slitting, and tension leveling operations. This article discusses flattening solutions and the anatomy of a bend. Part I, which appeared in the October issue of The FABRICATOR®, discussed how flat-rolled metal gets unflat; Part III in the December issue will address how coil processors can make metal flat so it stays that way; and Part IV in the January 2003 issue will discuss new applications and options in leveling equipment.
|
|
Laser-gas delivery systems for all applications, including 24/7 operation: A comprehensive look at the optionsWhen laser gases are used in significant volumes or in an around-the-clock operation, a centralized gas delivery system is a practical necessity. A well-conceived delivery system reduces operating costs, increases productivity, and enhances safety.
|
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn