Content tagged with "fabrication"
Results: 40
Article
December 2, 2009
Creating a time analysis to measure shop floor efficiency
As a management consultant, I visit shops like these quite frequently. One shop had decided to set up a mini service center. The company set up a counter sales area and increased its inventory to support the service. Material storage for the mini service center was 7,500 sq. ft., added to... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2009
Welders to the rescue
In emergency situations such as fires, health crises, or automobile accidents, we depend on firefighters and rescue personnel to respond quickly and provide assistance. In turn, rescue personnel depend on their equipment to function properly in order to provide assistance to those in need.... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2009
Article
October 14, 2008
Article
September 30, 2008
Automation helps ovenmaker cook up profits
The test kitchen at Wood Stone Corp., Bellingham, Wash., showcases most of the commercial kitchen appliances the company fabricates.
Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Bellingham, that's automation. That slight variation of the old Dean Martin tune makes a lot of sense for Wood Stone... Read more...
Article
August 26, 2008
When does a punch/laser make sense?
Shops that process enough of the right parts can increase uptime and reduce secondary operations with a combination punch/laser machine. Photo courtesy of TRUMPF Inc.
Business growth led Hawkeye Industries President and CEO Bryan Hawkins to seek a machine that could punch and laser-cut... Read more...
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
May 13, 2008
Fabrication business coming up races
Click on images to view larger. The 2008 Mazworx entry into National Hot Rod Association Sport Compact Drag Racing Series events was fabricated from the ground up. Mark Mazurowski is armed with his main tools during a business day: the cordless phone and a cup of 7-Eleven coffee. The phone... Read more...
Article
April 15, 2008
Curving out a niche
In celebration of its 50th anniversary in April 2005, McDonald's® opened a 24,000-square-foot restaurant in Chicago. The fast-food chain wanted to highlight both its past and its future, and to that end the restaurant features the red and white colors of founder Ray Kroc's first building,... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2008
Service center fabricates its future
These are interesting times in which metal service centers find themselves. Many are finding that they have to offer some level of fabricating services to help them stand out among other metal distributors. They have seen dramatic consolidation on the mill side and are wondering if the mills... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2008
The nanofiber factor
Cartridge filters with nanofiber technology are capable of filtering submicronic particles. Maintaining good indoor air quality in a factory isn't just a matter of choosing the right air pollution control equipment and configuring it to meet the needs of the facility. Selecting the correct... Read more...
Article
January 29, 2008
Article
December 11, 2007
Maximizing your shop floor automation investment
When manufacturing companies invest hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars in shop floor automation, they need to have their machines run at full or near-full capacity to achieve a quick return on investment. In long-run production environments or in job shops, justifying the purchase... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
Making it in Mexico
More than 160 exhibitors showcased their metal fabricating equipment at TECMA 2007. Mexico and the U.S.—two countries that are separated by a river, but in some ways it can be an ocean. The metal fabricating industry is a good example of this gulf. Just consider TECMA 2007, held March... Read more...
Article
March 13, 2007
Up with energy prices and wind towers
The recent surges in gasoline and natural gas prices have reawakened many Americans' interest in alternative energy resources. Aerisyn LLC, a metal fabricator, faced the energy challenge head-on by opening a new wind tower manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tenn., in August 2005. It had... Read more...
Article
January 9, 2007
Moving to modular welding fixturing
Wrayco Industries Inc. specializes in fabricating fuel and hydraulic tanks for heavy equipment such as backhoes, excavators, large off-road trucks, and generator and pump sets. It also manufactures tanks for specialty over-the-road applications from 0.16- to 0.47- inch mild steel plate,... Read more...
Article
November 7, 2006
Drive fast, weld right
"Drive fast, turn left" may be a popular motto among race car drivers, but motorsports fabricators have their own: "Drive fast, weld right." A successful racing team is the sum of its parts, from the fabricators to the painters to the drivers. One of the most critical components is welding,... Read more...
Article
October 10, 2006
Growing, growing ... gone?
Fabrication jobs for Custom Tool & Mfg. Co. sometimes are very large and intricate in nature. Some customers left, but a contract manufacturer finds new ones on the Web In its 25 years of operation, Custom Tool & Mfg. Co. (CTM), Lawrenceburg, Ky., has grown from a small fixture and... Read more...
Article
July 11, 2006
Cracking the case
It's important to consider ways to make any welding process more efficient and effective. Welding abrasion-resistant plate, commonly known as AR plate, is no exception. Taking certain precautions and choosing the most appropriate filler metal for your application—whether you're... Read more...
Article
July 11, 2006
Reaching peak performance, productivity
Robotic welding has helped Alpine Engineered Products improve productivity, weld consistency, and overall product quality; eliminate outsourcing; and cut lead-times for its line of truss fabrication tables. The company invested inrobotic welding equipment that performs 85... Read more...
Article
June 13, 2006
10 steps to winning a government contract - Step 10
Let's review what this series has covered. You should follow 10 basic steps when doing business with the federal government:
Think like the government.
Identify your customers.
Get registered.
Find bid leads.
Get the bid package.
Review the bid.
Get the... Read more...
Article
June 13, 2006
10 steps to winning a government contract - Step 7
Let's review what this series has covered. You should follow 10 basic steps when doing business with the federal government:
Think like the government.
Identify your customers.
Get registered.
Find bid leads.
Get the bid package.
Review the bid.
Get the... Read more...
Article
May 9, 2006
Hitting pay dirt -- in pipe
72-in.-dia., 1-in.-wall pipe is being welded using preheating coils on each side of the weld. A torch bracket reaches over the coils. Oil refineries aren't the only ones hitting pay dirt in Canada. Northern Alberta is the land of opportunity for welders and pipe fitters these days.... Read more...
Article
April 11, 2006
Metalfab: All that glitters is metal
Flying Car, "Monster Garage," Discovery Channel; Photo courtesy of DCI. Race-car House, "Monster House," Discovery Channel; Photo courtesy of DCI. The Teutuls, "American Chopper," Discovery Channel; Photo courtesy of Orange County Choppers. Jesse James, "Monster... Read more...
Article
April 11, 2006
Fastener insertion technology moves ahead
Advanced hardware insertion technology offers visual guides to ensure correct insertion and allows fabricators to install multiple sizes and types of fasteners. It's a fact many have pondered often for many years now but that must continue to be discussed: The face of fabricating in... Read more...
Article
April 11, 2006
10 steps to winning a government contract - Step 8
So it's finally time to submit your bid. Now you must decide how to send it. You can use any mail carrier, but the U.S. Postal Service is the only postal carrier that the government recognizes when considering a late bid. Keep that in mind if you're running close to the... Read more...
Article
April 11, 2006
American Fabricator
Vincent DiMartinoMr. Vinnie to youis the fabricator behind the bikes, the muscle behind the biceps, the grin behind the guns. The show follows the everyday work of custom motorcycle shop Orange County Choppers, Montgomery, N.Y. While the shop provides a creative outlet for Orange... Read more...
Article
February 7, 2006
Making your way as a job shop today
Karl Fischer says that staying flexible, within the skills you have to offer, has helped him keep his business successful over the years. Here, he stands next to a 304 stainless steel beer carbonation carboy that required internal pipe upgrading. With a small, $200, one-afternoon job,... Read more...
Article
February 7, 2006
10 steps to winning a government contract - Step 6
Now here's an interesting switch: When you price out your bid, guess what? You get to be the expert.
First, let's get the fantasy ideas out of the way. The 30-year-old stories about $200 toilet seats and $300 hammers are long gone. Actually, if you knew the real stories, you'd... Read more...
Article
October 11, 2005
10 steps to winning a government contract - Step 5
Accessing the bid package is an important step when bidding on a contract, but it's only step one in the process. Step two is getting the technical data you need to bid on the contract.
You might remember this advice given in a previous article: Read the contract not once but... Read more...
Article
March 8, 2005
Managing rotary-draw tube bending
Most information published about tube bending relates to a specific aspect of the process, such as tooling, control and equipment features, or component technology. This type of information is valuable for keeping tube fabricators up-to-date on what's available and is useful in selecting... Read more...
Article
July 13, 2004
Getting more punch life
Augur Metal Products, a custom fabricator in Independence Ken., performs a variety of processes for manufacturers. While the company's capabilities include shearing, cutting, forming, welding, and finishing, chief among them is sheet metal punching. One of its processes involves punching... Read more...
Article
April 6, 2004
A most excellent fabricator
One recent afternoon Don Begneaud was on the phone with his contractor trying to drive home a point. "I don't want to drill shafts. I don't want to hear that we have to drill shafts," he said. It was an indication to the visiting reporter that, despite his friendly demeanor, Begneaud... Read more...
Article
November 20, 2003
Zero to sixty in the blink of an eye
Bruce Van Sant heats the rear tire just before a time trial at The Big Race at Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minn. It would be no exaggeration to say that Bruce Van Sant grew up around motorcycles. The youngest of three Van Sant brothers, he rode motorcycles all over the... 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
February 27, 2003
Advanced roll forming troubleshooting
If the tooling is fine, you need to begin by dividing the process into three areas: The roll form machine The material being roll formed The setup of the roll form tooling Then start eliminating the areas as potential causes of the problem. Machine Face Alignment One of the most... Read more...
Article
July 11, 2002
Say 'no!' to burrs, dimples
Tube and pipe producers know two sources of pressure all too well — competitors' relentless progress and customers' uncompromising demands. Tube producers are caught in the middle. To remain competitive, they run their mills at increasingly higher speeds, which often leads to... Read more...
Article
July 29, 2001
Quenching and tempering of welded carbon steel tubulars
Figure 1: A schematic of a heat treating line layout. The process of quenching and tempering carbon steel tubulars is not unlike that which is applied to other carbon steel shapes: the part is heated to about 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit, cooled rapidly, and reheated to a temperature... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2001
Overcoming the skilled labor shortage
The booming business climate manufacturers experienced in the '90s increased the number of jobs available to skilled workers and lowered the unemployment rate. This, along with the dirty, sweaty work image that has been, perhaps erroneously, attached to engineering has dealt a blow to recruiting... Read more...
Article
March 5, 2001
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