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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What is your facility cut out for? Circular and band saw purchases depend on application requirementsWhat cutting equipment you buy depends very heavily on what area of industry you are supplying, throughput requirements, and, not least, finances. Don't let preconceived notions prevent you from making the very best possible decision.
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Cutting exotic alloys: Circular saw helps shop land aircraft tubing projectCutting tubing with a circular cutoff saw is a common metal fabrication operation. This type of saw can produce a smooth finish that requires little secondary finishing.
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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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Abrasive control factors for mass finishing systems: Understanding the performance characteristics of various mediaThe article circulates around the different media styles for mass finishing systems, discussing the cost, weight, and ability of each style. The styles discussed are divided into several areas: Random versus preform shapes; ceramic versus plastic; spherical shapes versus angular shapes versus hybrids; and dry finishing options versus wet options.
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The evolution of coatings with low levels of volatile organic compounds: Where the industry stands in its quest for zero VOCA lot of advancements have been made in liquid coatings over the past 30 years toward the ultimate goal of zero-volatile-organic-compound paints. Anyone having to meet environmental regulations could benefit from knowing what has been done and what is brewing in the industry.
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Choosing the right coated abrasive for plate finishing applications: A look at grain propertiesMost plate fabricating companies need to select a coated abrasive to finish their parts. This selection process can be intimidating, as well as confusing, because so many types of coated abrasives are available.
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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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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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Stretching metal's forming limits with HSP lubricants: Forming aluminum, high-strength steel without tooling upgrade |
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Considering thermal processes for dissimilar metals: Joining steel to aluminum in heat-intensive applicationsKnowing how to weld dissimilar metals is becoming more and more important. One reason is that it's often impossible for one material to provide the optimum chemical, physical, and mechanical characteristics needed for an application. For this reason, as well as cost efficiency, technology specialists are experimenting with different joining processes to weld bimetal joints optimally.
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Safety Fundementals for Today's Industrial Lasers: As Laser Use Increases, So Does the Importance of SafetyAddressing laser beam hazards, safety regulations for laser use, and methods to improve laser safety should be foremost in the mind of every laser machine operator.
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Installing and maintaining coil cradles and reelsThe installation procedures that can help to prolong the life of coil cradles and reels are outlined in this article. Specific steps to maintain cradles and reels are also included.
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The basics of uncoiling: A review of standard equipmentA review of the basic components of a coil handling system which covers servo drive roll feeds, cradles and reels, straighteners and combination units.
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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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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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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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High-tech presses: Servo technology meets mechanical presses |
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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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Resisting cracking, deformation, and premature wear: Powder metallurgical steels provide an alternative to conventional tool steelsWant to know how powder metallurgical tool steels are produced and how their properties provide the material's toughness and wear resistance? Read on.
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Choosing the proper steel to minimize abrasive adhesive tool wearThe most disruptive type of failure in any tooling application is when the tool cracks. To prevent this type of failure in cold-work applications, it's important to select the correct steel.
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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 the right temporary coating: Choices abound for tube and pipe applicationsTube and pipe manufacturers should consider carefully environmental laws, cost, quality, and the cost of a coating line before deciding on a temporary coating for their products.
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Waste not, want not: ArrayArray
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Making seamless tubing with a floating mandrel mill |
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Skiving strip edges for tube and pipe producing: New equipment developments address coil preparation challengesEdge 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.
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Laser welding of stainless pressure tubesNot all laser welded tubes are created equal. Know what to look for in the final product to ensure that you're buying quality and not just an imposter.
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Welding aluminum with inverter-based power suppliesIt's easy to look at such a long-established technology as welding and believe that little or no technology development is taking place. In truth, however, the capabilities of welding power supplies are changing constantly and rapidly, especially in the area of inverter technology. These power supplies are suitable for welding aluminum alloys, including thin aluminum alloys.
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Inverter versus transformer power supplies for aluminum GTAW |
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Advantages of plasma welding: Often-overlooked PAW offers speed and affordabilityPlasma arc welding sometimes offers greater welding speed than gas tungsten arc welding at lower cost than laser beam welding.
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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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Which wire do you require?: How to select a gas-shielded welding electrodeAre you looking for ways to improve quality, raise productivity, and save costs in your current welding operations? If you haven't examined the various electrode choices, you could be missing an opportunity to take your production welding to the next level.
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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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Producing side-impact profiles: Automotive body part combines roll forming, punching, laser weldingThe ramming machine bores into the side of the new automobile at a speed of 50 kilometers (31 miles) per hour. Within a fraction of a second, sensors situated all over the test dummy signal details of the stress load. Shortly afterward the overall results of the Euro-NCAP crash test will appear in all the specialized automobile magazines.
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Radiographic and ultrasonic weld inspection: Establishing weld integrity without destroying the componentThis article outlines the differences in radiographic and ultrasonic weld inspection, the two most common methods if nondestructive testing. It gives an overview of both methods, including how they are used.
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The future of structural welding |
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The challenges of laser cutting: Overcoming some common obstaclesLasers can be used to process expensive alloys as well as traditional materials such as stainless steel. However, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of laser processing is the key to determining whether or not a laser is the right choice for cutting.
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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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