Article
November 8, 2004
Having a safe office party
Editor's Note: Originally published on December 11, 2003. It's that time of year when companies celebrate the holidays. Whether the celebration involves a lavish holiday party held off-site or a casual get-together in the office, both party organizers and attendees should follow safe... Read more...
Article
October 12, 2004
When hurricanes come
As I watched the power of these hurricanes on television, I wondered how they must have altered the lives of thousands of people. What grand plans were temporarily or permanently altered because of these events of nature? It was apparent from the reports of those affected that... 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
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
May 4, 2004
Dealing with difficult people
Whether the contact is in a group meeting, one-on-one, or even when you think about this person, you get the same negative feeling in the pit of your stomach. These are the people that take not only your time, but also something more valuable. They rob you of your energy. Is It Possible... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Gear up for welding
I'm sitting here at this computer realizing how much I hate sitting here at this computer. I'm just not a sit-in-a-chair type of guy. I tried it once between jobs. I interviewed for an inside sales position for a company that sold welding supplies. I'll be danged if they didn't hire me,... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
US. DOC Offers Export Assistance
Editor's Note: This article—a companion piece to Goin' Global , which appeared in the March 2004 issue of The FABRICATOR® magazine and is reprinted on thefabricator.com—lists some of the export assistance available from the U.S. Department of Commerce . Market Research... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Implementing open-book management
Editor's Note: This article is adapted from Larry Dunville's workshop presented at the STAMPING Journal® Forum: Strategies for Stamping Success, Feb. 5-7, 2003, Orlando, Fla. U.S. manufacturing is experiencing the most significant threats in its history. Since World War II, U.S.... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Goin' Global
Welding photo courtesy of Fronius Intl. GmbH, Austria. According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), the U.S. trade deficit for the 12-month period from December 2002 to November 2003 was $489.1 billion.... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2004
A 'bout' with the champion
Rep. Don Manzullo, R-Ill., has emerged on Capital Hill as the mouth for manufacturers. As a congressional representative for a district in which many manufacturers have closed their doors in recent years, he says he can't help but accept that role. His public statements, sponsorship... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2004
Metal Art Takes on the Fireplace
Figure 1 After tracing the fireplace screen pattern on 12-gauge mild steel plate, Jim Truett performed his intricate cuts with an air plasma cutter. Truett knows his way around a welding power source and its allied tools, consumables and equipment. His job mandates it. But it'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 29, 2004
Occupational injury and illness statistics
Statistics also were reported for cases that resulted in days away from work, a job transfer, or restriction and are grouped in two categories: those requiring at least one day away from work, with or without job transfer or restricted activity, and those requiring job transfer or... 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
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
Is your company a breeding ground for workplace violence?
Approximately 2 million U.S. workers are victims of workplace violence each year. In 1997 the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reported that an average of 20 workers are murdered each week in the U.S., and an estimated 18,000 per week are victims of nonfatal... 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
March for manufacturing
Yes, the issue is on the radar screen. People are talking about it. E-mails are racing around the Internet. Letters are being written. Industry associations are working hard to educate, raise awareness, and get attention. The Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) organized a Town Hall... 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
Combating plate corrosion
According to a recent study sponsored by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)1, with support from NACE International—The Corrosion Society, corrosion-related direct costs such as prevention methods and infrastructure repair and replacement make up 3.1 percent of the gross... 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
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
Hydraulic presses make their mark
Just like hydraulics technology itself, the market for presses based on it is fluid and dynamic. And for the first time in a while, the tide may be turning in favor of its practitioners. As many manufacturers report prosperity and strong prospects for it in the near future, the hydraulic... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Budget cuts hit welding hard
Bill Garner is outraged when he hears that Connecticut, where he teaches welding, would rather import welders than keep adult vocational education programs that train the state's own residents. "I don't think that the people making this decision understand that welding is used in... Read more...
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
July 24, 2003
Using inverter technology
Those familiar with inverters usually know they offer size, weight, and portability advantages. They also can improve reliability by overcoming primary power fluctuations, also known as dirty power. Question: Does the weight of the plasma cutter matter? Answer: Yes, because labor... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
The business of lasers
From the laser manufacturers' standpoint, the U.S. market for lasers has simply gotten smaller. This is a function of multiple market forces. The slumping manufacturing sector is a major influence, but so is the increased productivity of today's laser systems. At its peak during 1994 and... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Tuning a piano—making the most of your best resources
Editor's Note: Is your company in survival mode? There are questions you should be asking and steps you can take to improve your company's position—instead of shooting the pianist. Ever listen to someone playing a piano that's out of tune? Remember the sound? Completely sour.... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2003
Article
June 26, 2003
Making the workplace safe for Spanish-speaking employees
Over the past several years, the U.S. has seen a dramatic increase in its population of Hispanic, Spanish-speaking people, with a corresponding impressive increase in the number of Spanish-speaking citizens who are entering the manufacturing work force. Having employees who speak limited... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
The end of the (welding) world as we know it?
Many across the state whose livelihoods depend on welding—shop owners, instructors, and welding equipmentmakers—are waiting to hear if all but one of the state's vocational-technical welding programs will be eliminated as the result of state budget cuts. Vocational-technical... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Press brakes: the quest for a happy ending
Cast: Press brake manufacturers and users. Genre: Suspense/Drama/Horror. Plot: Our hero, Press Brake Professional, fights a life-and-death struggle with the forces of Foreign Competition and his nefarious gang of cohorts—Tiny Orders, Slow Economy, and Skilled Labor Shortage. With... Read more...
Article
June 26, 2003
Managers are not necessarily leaders
There are business leaders and there are business managers. And while some leaders are managers and some managers are leaders, many times leaders and managers are very different animals. All too often we fail to recognize these differences in our businesses' day-to-day operations.
Many U.S.... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Waste not, want not
How good are tube fabricators at finding hidden waste? Uncovering and eliminating hidden waste has as much to do with being profitable as any other manufacturing cost. We all know how to quote and define the structured costs involved in a job, but what can we do to take care of waste that... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
The future of vocational education
Many of those who responded that programs are still intact expressed concern that they may be cut in the near future. A Major Issue A recent article by Marty Rice, a welding instructor concerned about the growing trend to cut vocational and technical programs and the rumors circulating... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Your best safety resource
The committee is made up of busy people—presidents, CEOs, vice presidents, directors, managers, and engineers. They come from businesses located in several states—from New York to the Deep South. They share the common struggle of helping their businesses weather the current economy,... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Handling the rush
Photo courtesy of Hanna Steel Corp., Fairfield, Ala.
Think delicate: an antique vase, velvet gloves, the sweet sound of string music.
Then imagine a typical stamping operation: bam-bam, metal on metal, all day long.
OK, now put those two together. Voil—you've... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Don't be a hot dog with heating heads
Welders use heating heads to preheat steels before welding, maintain heat between welds, heat treat after welding, and heat before straightening or bending. Heating heads can be safe every time they're lit when you use them safely. However, heating attachments probably are the most dangerous... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Spinning your wheels?
Grinding wheels, rocks, stones—what's the difference? Grinding wheels used in welding and fabrication are strong, tough tools, but many in the industry have called them "rocks" or "stones," implying that they're unbreakable. This myth, or misconception, has led people to become... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Art From the Forge
It's been happening gradually over the past 25 years, but in the past four or five years, art from the forge is finding outlets in fine art and sculpture galleries, as public art and even jewelry. These motifs, techniques, designs, and objects are heading ironwork in new directions. Much of it... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Defibrillators—Should you have one in your workplace?
Photo courtesy of American Heart Science . In December 2001 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a statement encouraging employers to consider making automated external defibrillators (AEDs) available in their workplaces. This announcement followed the... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Overcoming organizational paralysis
What if you were powerless or incapable of moving? Wouldn't it be awful if you found yourself in a situation in which you knew you had all the appropriate limbs, plus the desire for movement, but still couldn't move? Paralysis is not something any of us wants to experience or even think... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Riding on the cusp of something great
The sculptures' pieces seem only incidentally connected, barely touching, much less literally supporting and balancing each other. They appear more like glittering ornaments dangling from a mobile than weighty metal structures connected by fate and strong welds. Ironically, Robb said he... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Sick at Work?
For some workers, various symptoms of illness appear when they enter the workplace and disappear when they leave. These workers suffer from sick building syndrome (SBS). According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), SBS is used to describe situations in which building... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2003
Superior Service—Why you need it
Industrial customers value good service even more than retail customers do. They depend on their suppliers to deliver goods on time, just in time, so that they can meet their own customers' needs. And they can measure a supplier's substandard service in terms of lost sales and profits.... 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
July 12, 2002
It happens 'under the hood'
Object Rick Walsh doesn't have a degree in landscape architecture, but he builds water gardens. He doesn't have a degree in art, but he sculpts metal. He has no formal training in welding, but welds all his sculptures. And for years people have been paying him a lot of money to create his... 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
When sparks fly ...
While an arc welding unit was being used on the second floor in a Kaukauna, Wisconsin, warehouse, sparks dropped through an opening to cardboard boxes below, igniting the boxes. There was no fire watch on the first floor, and when the fire was discovered 15 minutes later, employees could... 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
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 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...
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November 15, 2001
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October 25, 2001
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October 11, 2001
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August 23, 2001
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August 16, 2001
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August 16, 2001
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August 16, 2001
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July 26, 2001
How to avoid getting burned by hot work
Hot work can have disastrous results in a myriad of situations: At a metal processing plant, sheet steel became jammed in a tempering mill. An operator began using a cutting torch to remove the steel. Hot slag from the torch ignited oil deposits and oil-soaked paper towels lying around... Read more...
Article
July 26, 2001
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July 12, 2001
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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
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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...
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June 15, 2001
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May 30, 2001
Dressing for success and other welding safety tips
Whether we are attending a social occasion or dressing for the job, we all give some thought about what we are going to wear. For many social occasions, the decision is made for us, or it depends on how good we want to look. On the job, safety is more important than appearance, but again, some... 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...
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February 19, 2001
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February 19, 2001
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February 19, 2001
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February 19, 2001
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February 19, 2001
Cutting die-related costs: Where to look to save money
I want it cheaper. I want it better. I want it faster, preferably yesterday. The pace of business in the metal stamping industry continues to escalate. And the trend is not going to reverse. Balancing cost against quality and time can be a real challenge. Add to that the pressures of... Read more...
Article
February 19, 2001
