Article
March 25, 2008
5 tenets for finding and keeping new business
Ann Latham, owner of Uncommon Clarity, a consulting and strategy firm with many industrial clients, has outlined some tenets for firms seeking ambitious marketing goals: 1. Select a group to target. You might choose: Those likely to buy your most profitable products. Those within a... Read more...
Article
November 8, 2005
Trailblazing with waterjet
With waterjet cutting, Johnson Enterprises has been able to attract new customers outside of its core sawmill industry customer base. A long way from its modest machine shop beginnings 20 years ago, Johnson Enterprises Inc. in Val D'Amour, New Brunswick, Canada, has become a leading... 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
June 8, 2004
Revving up weld quality
Before introducing new resistance welding systems, Ford Motor Company's New Model Product Development Center was cluttered and dark, and it was difficult to work there because of the high number of weld controls and weld guns being used (left). Installing weld controls and associated... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2004
Gaining from friction and formability data
Figure 1 Business owners now are paying closer attention to forming lubricants. Why? Because new data has linked lubricants to an important driver of business profits—steel efficiency. With metal representing close to half of a company's total operating cost and manufacturing... 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
February 12, 2004
Cutting through five myths about modern lasers
The following five myths about modern laser cutting machines can help the experienced user stay on top of the game and give the prospective laser user a few things to keep in mind. Myth 1: Automated laser cutting systems are too complicated, expensive, and big for small and medium-sized... Read more...
Article
January 29, 2004
Choosing the right robotic weld cell for your operation
If a company does much hand welding, it may have loose tolerances on the prints. However, a robot cannot work with these kinds of tolerances. A robot can maintain a good weld only if the parts are held to a tolerance of ± half the weld wire diameter. If this is not determined at... 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
Producing side-impact profiles
Euro-NCAP, which stands for European New Car Assessment Program, was introduced in 1997 by five European governments, together with the European Commission. The results of this program are followed closely by the general public, so much so that hardly any automobile producer would risk... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2004
New Year's Resolutions
What causes us to fail to follow-through on those well-intentioned resolutions we make every year? And a more important question is, How do we make them stick? Two things cause people to dump their New Year's resolutions – daily circumstances and overplanning and underexecuting. Circumstances... 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
January 13, 2004
Beating 'world' pricing
This Finn-Power Express Bending Cell, which automates complex bending and reduces tedious and costly work stages, has last bend negative capability and fully automatic operations cycles—from loading the sheet to unloading the bent parts. "I have a precision sheet metal shop and... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2004
Rolling bolsters bolster productivity
Shown out of the press, the guided wheels on this 120,000-pound rigid chain rolling bolster are evident on the front face of the bolster. One element of changing dies in stamping presses quickly and efficiently is the use of a rolling bolster. With this equipment, the operator rolls... 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
December 11, 2003
Folding technology makes sweeping changes
In particular, sheet metal was used extensively for roofing and building cladding. These applications were well-suited to the swing bending machine's geometry, and the modern metal folding industry was born. A number of German manufacturers began adding powered backgauges with... 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
Reflection—Getting the most from experience
As a sharp leader, you look for ways to evaluate progress. You know how essential it is to benchmark activities that make you successful and eliminate those that do not. You understand that it's advantageous to evaluate where you have been and where you want to go. This evaluation... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2003
Shedding light on negativity—Part 2
Read Part I . Negative thoughts, feelings, opinions, and comments are normal. Each of us thinks and expresses negative thoughts every day. Often the negatives illuminate problems that need to be addressed. When handled properly, they can lead to positive changes. But when negativity... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2003
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
Using a gel-type tube lube
As one manufacturer of automotive exhaust assemblies recently discovered, selecting the most appropriate lubricant for a tube bending operation can have a dramatic impact on part quality, workplace cleanliness, and economic efficiency. Although the liquid lubricant it was using was reliable and... Read more...
Article
October 23, 2003
The importance of storage planning
In its most basic form, a fabricator's storage area must be a secure, dry place of sufficient size to house required items. Location and ambient conditions are the critical factors. Considering the Criteria In today's fast-paced material handling world, fabricators must... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Promoting back safety—one company's approach
Over the years, our midsize company, Aeroglide Corp., has used numerous methods to battle back injuries. We have tracked injuries in five-year increments and developed battle plans based on the trends we've observed. Dealing with Injuries We noticed that very few of the injuries were... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Shedding light on negativity—Part 1
Read Part II .
Are you a negaholic—someone who almost always sees the glass as half or totally empty? Do you live or work with one? If you answered, "No" to both of these questions, I'd like to know what planet you live on. These days—which are rife with economic... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Eliminating final trim shearing of hydroformed tube
An alternative to trimming a tube to establish tube length is to form the tube in the preform operation to a geometry that is close to the final product and to seal it during hydroforming with caps that match its formed shape. Generally, a round tube is bent on a rotary draw bender... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Choosing a GMAW machine for occasional aluminum welding
I want to buy a small gas metal arc welding (GMAW) machine, preferably one that runs from 120-V input power. Most of my welding will be steel, but I would like to weld aluminum occasionally. Can these machines really weld aluminum? I've heard a lot of different opinions. Some companies claim... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Article
September 25, 2003
The wrinkle-wiper for tube bends
Figure 1 Here's a quick quiz for you to take: What "wipes" the wrinkles from the bend in a tube and is one of the five pieces of tooling in a die set? If you guessed wiper die, you're right. A piece of tooling used to keep the inside bend of a tube from wrinkling, a wiper die... 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
Supporting the defense
United Defense's motto is Changing the future of defense™. One of its latest missions toward this goal was to introduce a direct diode laser into its Aberdeen, S.D., manufacturing facility. The company designs, develops, and produces combat vehicles, artillery, naval guns, missile... Read more...
Article
August 28, 2003
Roll out the shelving
These units typically are used in conjunction with overhead cranes, roller arms, and powered conveyors located at the press. The operator pushes a button that rolls out a shelf, picks up the dies with an overhead crane, and takes them directly to the press. Rollout shelves can be manual... 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
August 14, 2003
What's driving your press?
They no longer are dedicated to running one product for their entire life, and once dedicated lines now perform versatile tasks and provide flexibility from one job to the next. Whether it's for setup of a servo roll feed, an in-die transfer system, or a complex tandem line, flexibility... Read more...
Article
August 14, 2003
Keep it clean
A variety of technologies for treatment of industrial waste fluids produced by metalworking processes are available. Some of these technologies can treat waste from complex waste streams, even commingled, and allow you to reuse the water in your forming processes. Waste Treatment Options... Read more...
Article
April 24, 2003
Truckin' along through a stamping plant
The earlier cab models were built in a facility that was converted in 1921 to produce the model S truck line, a truck with a 1.5-ton load capacity and a top speed of 30 MPH. The company determined that it could not competitively launch a new line of vehicles without building a new... 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
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
July 26, 2002
Repair Brazing: Fixing Faulty Jobs and worn-out components
Brazing is a versatile process used in many industries to join materials permanently. Repair brazing is an essential part of the industry and usually is done for one of two reasons—to braze repair parts in-house before they are released to customers and to perform repairs on brazed... Read more...
Article
June 18, 2002
Staying lean in a lean economy
Over the past few months I've had the chance to speak at six different manufacturing conferences and trade association symposiums. Without a doubt, the most recurring topic of conversation has been the current economic slowdown. Specifically, many people have expressed concerns about how they... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
Pairing a servo feed with a pull-through straightener
Servo feeds have been in use for many years now. People have become comfortable with this technology and it is becoming commonplace. What is not commonplace is the knowledge that servo feeds can be used with pull-through straighteners as opposed to a conventional feed line that uses a... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
Bending tube with an all-electric machine
In the tube bending industry, all-electric, CNC benders are a fairly new development but are gaining ground. They have been commercially available in Europe since 1995 and in the U.S. since 1998. Most manufacturers now either offer all-electric bending machines or are developing them. On... 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
Maximizing your scrap's value
Scrap, an often annoying byproduct for metal fabricators, is raw material for scrap metal recyclers. Just as you closely watch the quality of your incoming raw materials, scrap recyclers watch the quality of their incoming raw materials. The more uniform and free of contaminants the scrap... Read more...
Article
November 29, 2001
Making the most of the daily grind
The design and production of abrasives have kept pace with other advances in the welding industry, making grinding and finishing products more effective than ever in helping fabricators to lower costs and improve productivity. Grinding equipment and accessories for this industry are available... 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
Adaptive bending
In conventional press brake bending, the bend angle obtained often differs from the programmed angle even though it is produced on a CNC machine. To overcome this problem, the bend angle can be measured during the forming process and this information fed to the numerical control. This process... Read more...
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
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
Contract stamper increases die life and draw die productivity
Object Jancox Stampings has remained competitive by investing in link drive mechanical presses from PTC, offering value-added assembly services, and encouraging employee initiatives. The article discusses how the presses work and how reduced speed reduces springback (which allows the company... 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
October 25, 2001
Achieving straight-side capabilities in a gap-frame press
Gap, or C-frame, mechanical stamping presses have undergone relatively few fundamental design changes since they were first introduced in the mid-1800s. The basic principle behind their operation, simply stated, is this: Inertial energy stored in a rotating flywheel is converted to a... Read more...
Article
October 25, 2001
Article
October 25, 2001
Article
October 11, 2001
Article
September 17, 2001
Working safely with metalworking fluids
Metalworking fluids (MWFs) are widely used in many manufacturing industries. These fluids are used in the cutting, machining, and grinding of metal parts to cool and lubricate tools and workpieces, wash away the removed metal, prolong tool life, and prevent corrosion of the workpiece.... Read more...
Article
September 17, 2001
Examining tube mill roll tooling, setup, and maintenance
Poor tooling setup and mill alignment can be costly, especially when they result in decreased production quality and scrap. Both areas must be maintained continuously. A secret to achieving maximum roll integrity is simple, but often forgotten: Roll tooling design is based on known parameters... Read more...
Article
September 17, 2001
Article
September 17, 2001
Monitoring laser beam performance
In the last 20 years, the use of industrial lasers for cutting, drilling, welding, marking, and cladding has increased dramatically. Industrial lasers, unlike their laboratory cousins, are not designed with continuous monitoring in mind. The laser often is assumed to be operating at peak... Read more...
Article
September 17, 2001
Welding exhaust system components
In 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. Today, large numbers of these components are welded with a laser.... 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 16, 2001
In search of the perfect bend
Press brake manufacturers have made tremendous advances in the art of machine design and manufacturing. Machine frame components are designed to use proven mechanical engineering principles combined with CAD technology to identify the areas most susceptible to stresses consistent with the metal... Read more...
Article
August 16, 2001
Article
August 16, 2001
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August 16, 2001
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 26, 2001
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
July 12, 2001
Automated welding for job shops
A robotic welding system represents a significant capital investment for a job shop. The number and diversity of typical products that job shops produce may discourage any interest in automation, primarily because the company cannot figure out how to justify the system purchase and operation.... Read more...
Article
July 12, 2001
The growing use of orbital tube welding
This trend is due partly to orbital welding's capability to make an entrapment-free, permanent connection that is highly resistant to vibration. This makes it a good choice for joints that are not intended to be disassembled in the future. However, the appeal of orbital welding also is due to... Read more...
Article
June 18, 2001
Article
June 15, 2001
Gas-shielded cored wires find their niche
Object Gas-shielded flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) and metal-cored arc welding (MCAW) are growing in popularity for many applications. To determine if these wires should be used, shop managers should understand how formulations of cored wires do or do not fit their quality requirements for... Read more...
Article
June 15, 2001
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June 13, 2001
Article
May 30, 2001
Abrasive control factors for mass finishing systems
Figure 1: Literally hundreds of media compositions, sizes, and shapes are available. With the advent of the Clean Air Act in the early 1970s, a new playing field for the coating industry began evolving. Simply providing better service and possibly better economics with the... Read more...
Article
May 30, 2001
Article
May 30, 2001
Protecting dies against press system faults
Mechanical switches and grounding switches were among the first devices to be used for automated die protection. Early sensing systems based on mechanical switches simply opened the top stop circuit of a press when a fault was detected. These systems, however, offered no protection from faulty... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2001
Hydroforming of tubes, extrusions, and sheet
Hydroforming tubes, extrusions, and sheet metal is a state-of-the-art enterprise and is just now becoming more popular in the industrial production of frames for light trucks and vans. Figure 1: Hydroforming tubes with outer pressure, though not the norm in the industry, has several... 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
March 23, 2001
Selecting a new press brake
You have realized for a long time that your company should consider buying a new press brake. Now you have the responsibility of developing the specifications and recommending a new machine. This is an awesome responsibility, because if you select the wrong machine, your manufacturing costs... Read more...
Article
February 19, 2001
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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...
Article
February 19, 2001
Auto industry demands shape the future of stamping
Editor's Note: This column was prepared by the staff of the Engineering Research Center for Net Shape Manufacturing (ERC/ NSM), The Ohio State University, Professor Taylan Altan, Director. As we face the 21st century, the stamping business continues to be driven primarily by the automotive... Read more...
Article
February 15, 2001
Managing innovation in the factory
The common view that new things start in a research and development lab is not always true. Some useful innovations come right off the factory floor. Even more result from an effort to solve a customer's problem. Twenty years ago, Eric von Hippel, a professor at Harvard Business School, found... Read more...
