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Articles tagged with "software"
Results: 77
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Plasma Cutting: Then and nowTo get a better idea of just how far plasma cutting has coe, let's take a look at where it started and where it's headed.
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Better cuts with plasma: High-density plasma cutting equipment opens new doors for industrial contractorOne job led Keller & Son Industrial Contractors Inc., Spartanburg, S.C., to buy a new plasma cutting table in 2001. The need for extra capacity required it to purchase another in 2006. Now the company feels it is in the perfect position to take on all types of metal fabricating jobs.
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Taking waste off the plate: Operators for C&S Metal Fabricating use controller software to improve quality, reduce costs in thermal cuttingC&S Metal Fabricating, Houston, fabricates parts for the oil and petrochemical industry. When it purchased a thermal cutting table with the latest controller technology, it took the unusual step of keeping all nest designs down on the shop floor, not in the front office as many other shops do.
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Not your father's abrasive jet: Technological advances, attention to common woes give fabricators options for precision cuttingThe advances made in abrasive jet cutting in recent years have negated much of the downside formerly associated with the technology.
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Software for abrasive water jet machinesSoftware plays a key role in abrasive jet machining. Infact, it is only through software that precision abrasive jet machining truly is possible. Some of the most significant advancements in the industry have been in software.
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Selecting a table for abrasive jet machining |
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Advancements in waterjet technologyWhen Jack Budd, president of Precision Waterjet, Orange, Calif., purchased his first waterjet system seven years ago, he expected most of the company's work to come from the aerospace industry, which was robust at the time. When business from that industry tapered off, he searched for new customers in the architectural, signage, and automotive aftermarket industries.
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Fabricating technology advancements drive new plate finishing trendsThe same industry forces of nature—globalization, economic conditions, quality demands, and safety and environmental regulations—that are pressuring metal fabricators to do more, better, and faster with less are blowing no less forcefully on finishing fabricators.
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Folding technology makes sweeping changes: New developments in 200-year-old technologySchwenkbiegemachinen, or swing bending machines, have been in use for more than 200 years. European manufacturers began to power them with electrical or hydraulic power after World War II, when an enormous amount of sheet metal was used in the reconstruction of Europe.
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Successful tube hydroforming: Watching parameters, accurately simulating the process yield good resultsA typical tube hydroforming system is shown in Figure 1. Within this system, a host of factors must be taken into account, from starting tube geometry and material properties to the quality of the final part (such as thickness distribution and dimensional accuracy).
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Effective simulation of hydroforming: Current capabilities and requirements for the futureSimulation is used in the hydroforming process to replace the experimental investigation and tests required in a real tryout process.
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Predicting the service life of galvanized steelZinc, which has been used to hot-dip-galvanize steel for 250 years, provides 50 to 75 years of corrosion protection in many environments. Empirical data collected about hot-dip galvanized (HDG) steel field performance from 1940 to 1980—in environments ranging from industrial to marine to suburban—indicates that zinc can prevent base steel corrosion more than other surface treatments. Because of zinc's long-lasting protection, projects require no maintenance and therefore no maintenance costs.
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What's that material?: Using XRF technology to identify alloysMany alloys—stainless steels, HASTELLOY®, INCONEL®, INCOLOY®, MONEL®, duplex and superduplex alloys—are similar in appearance and easily mixed up after mill test reports (MTRs) and heat stamps are removed in material processing. These mix-ups can have serious consequences to the end user, including product rework, factory downtime, or premature product failure. A single mistake may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in materials and labor to correct. In addition, any loss of consumer confidence resulting from shipping incorrect material carries incalculable costs.
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Improve HSS part quality before die tryout: Calculating springback compensation with simulation softwareThe use of high-strength steels (HSS) and aluminum in automotive and other stamping manufacturing is creating forming challenges for tool and die engineers. Forming simulation software, formerly used to predict conventional failure causes, now also enables the stamping tool and die engineer to simulate secondary operations, including springback to avoid expensive and time-consuming die tryouts.
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The growing versatility of turret punch presses: New developments = a more useful toolRecent improvements in press drive technology, machine control design, tooling, and CAD/CAM programming software are increasing the throughput capability and the overall versatility of CNC turret punch press equipment.
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Working safety with metalworking fluids: How to protect workers from their harmful effectsThis article examines the hazards associated with metalworking fluids. Health effects, including skin and respiratory disorders and cancer, are addressed. A look at engineering and administrative controls that can be implemented to ensure the safe use of metalworking fluids is included.
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Managers are not necessarily leadersOften we are told that leadership is the key to the success of any business or organization. What is leadership? Is it the same as management? And whatseparates would-be or so-so leaders from world-class leaders?
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US. DOC Offers Export Assistance: Provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Administration. |
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Inline Process auditing: Moving beyond random samplingImagine this: The line is running smoothly, delivery is tight but on schedule, it is 10 minutes to shift change, and suddenly Art the quality control inspector runs by the office window shouting, "We've got bad parts coming out!" You shut the line down, your production supervisor comes running, Art is grabbing as many parts as he can to start checking, and the operator is thinking, "I should run now and let the second shift deal with it."
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Taking software integration to new heights: Tying the front office to the shop floor drives productivity, profitabilityFor a job shop or contract manufacturer to take as much labor out of the manufacturing process as possible, automation is necessary. This can be helped with the integration of front-office and shop floor software.
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Family business going strong after 100 yearsThe average lifespan of a family-owned business is 24 years, and 60 percent of family-owned businesses do not have a clear succession plan. Tell that to the Peddinghaus Corporation and you might be in for a big "Oh really?" In business for 100 years and with a Peddinghaus still at the helm, the family-owned manufacturer of steel construction industry equipment clearly is a statistical exception.
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Right on schedule: Shop management software streamlines QC Metal Fabricators' operationsQC Metal Fabricators of Elkhart, Ind., witnessed improved scheduling and shipping with the implementation of new job shop management software.
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Nothing standard about this fab shop: The old approach isn't of interest to the new kid on the block, Seconn Fabrication--The FABRICATOR's 2008 Industry Award winnerRob Marelli left a family-owned metal fabricating company four years ago with the intention of doing things his way. Joined by a loyal group of managers and employees, he's found success at Seconn Fabrication. In the short time the company has been open, it has earned revenues of $9 million. And the company has done this by doing things other metal fabricating competitors aren't.
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Fabricating precision parts for automobiles: Examples of Malaysian manufacturers stepping up to strong demandThe Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) trade ministers have agree to move ahead with a closer economic partnership with Australia and New Zealand as an initiative amid the global economic slowdown. This article describes how some Malaysian companies are addressing productivity and cost issues.
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Pinpointing future laser welding marketsAficionados of laser welding technology at times must feel a little like telephone vendors beamed back to 1603. They know almost everyone is going to use them in the future, but getting buy-in today can be like hawking loans at 25 percent-lots of interest and few takers.
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Goin' Global: How U.S. fabricators can angle in worldwide watersThe U.S. is considered to be the best consumer market in the world. However, competition for this market has increased as more and more countries have cast their rods in the U.S consumer pool.
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Gaining control over the shop floor:: How software affects record-keeping and qualityThe big order is in—now what? After you've reviewed the capacity of your shop and the customer's schedule, help can come from shop floor control software, which gives a business control not only over the manufacturing operations but also the total flow of material into and out of the shop.
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Intelligent business investments in uncertain economic timesWhen the going gets tough, businesses have a tendency to make broad, sweeping budget cuts, sometimes without taking into consideration the long-range effect of the proposed cuts. Key investments in certain areas can streamline processes, improve operations, and ultimately have a positive effect on the bottom line.
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Automated collection of real-time production data: How to get the data, and what to do with it once you have itConsidering that raw data from the shop floor forms the basis for all production reports, companies need to eliminate possible shortfalls in collecting this data. That's where automatic data collection can help.
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Reducing scrap, inventory costs with coil optimization software: Maximize material usageCoil optimization software is a valuable tool that fabricators can use to attack the problems of high scrap and high inventory. It offers the ability to quickly and easily make sound decisions regarding the purchase and use of master coil sizes. By using computers and specialized optimization algorithms, fabricators can minimize manual selection of coil sizes.
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The importance of the n value in sheet formingStrain hardening is represented by the exponent n in the flow stress equation, which approximates the relation between true stress and true strain during plastic deformation of a metal. The constant n plays a crucial role in sheet metal forming, and this brief article describes its effects.
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Equipping Your Press With the Right Tonnage MonitorThis article explains why it's useful to monitor press tonnage, the types of tonnage monitors available, the choices for mounting load sensors, calibrating a monitor, and options available for tonnage monitors.
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Using binder force control, force modulation, to improve part quality, stamping efficiency |
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Hydraulic presses make their mark |
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Collaboration in the stamping industry: More than a buzz wordWhat is the best way to determine the optimum combination of application, design, and costs? An effective collaborative process makes the difference. Teamwork and open communication throughout the process — from prototyping to production — ensure the best design and most efficient manufacturing process, which can save millions of dollars in large projects.
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Automotive blanker presses on: Production software helps Kasle Metal Processing weather slowdown, prepare for the futureAmidst the bad news associated with Ford Motor Co., good news is surfacing in Jeffersonville, Ind., home of Kasle Metal Processing. The company is using a software tool to ensure it is operating as efficiently as possible as it heads into one of its busiest months ever.
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Next-generation large-tonnage presses rely on new software for virtual integration: How system design can make flexible systems easier to manageOperating large flexible press systems without sacrificing speed and quality can be a complex undertaking. New software takes CATIA to the next level. Users can really learn how to "drive" their large presses optimally by virtually integrating the slide motion, the transfer movement in a way that allows 1) the press to be built, 2) the transfer to be integrated and 3) the die to be built to most efficiently run in the system--a quantum leap. Now being used by Ford and Magnum.
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Technology modernizes CMMs: Hardware, software progress to enhance these shop toolsCoordinate measuring machines have progressed since their inception in the 1970s.
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Incorporating available technology into die design: Tools of the trade are evolvingDesigning progressive dies has increasingly become a high-tech process. The more able an operation is to use computer technology, the more able it is to use the latest advances in the field in its own designs.
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Rising expectations spark new approach to draw die development: Reconciling demands for increased quality at lower costsA recently formulated approach to draw die development incorporates simultaneous engineering to identify and address potential problems before dies are built.
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Die width selection |
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Venturing Into the World of 3-D Die Design: 10 questions to ask to make an informed decision2-D, or not 2-D; that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler to venture out into a brisk, bold, new world of 3-D or to stick with old, reliable methods in 2-D.
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Cutting tooling costs: ArrayArray
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Cutting tooling costs Part II: Part II: Selecting the proper tool steel, design softwareTo stay competitive in today's market, stampers must build dies from materials that adequately perform with as little maintenance as possible. Appropriate tool steels can be cold-rolled steel to solid carbide. The key is to know when to use a lower-grade steel and when to use a higher-grade tool steel.
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Bending tube with an all-electric machine: Characteristics and capabilitiesThis article discusses the ins and outs of all-electric tube bending machines, discussing the challenges, performance characteristics, and typical options of all-electric benders.
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Automating for the future: Tube bending tool manufacturer uses software to speed production timeIf you need to cut production time, you might glean a few tips from a little job shop in Ohio that has made the most of its software.
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The Bold in Arches: Pipe fabricator uses induction bending to create roof truss assembliesThe phraseobstructed viewis probably most connected with older sports stadiums. For example, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, depending on where your seat is, watching Sammy Sosa in action in right field might be replaced by a view of a rusting steel girder.
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Using finite element analysis to roll-form tubesRoll forming is a common method for producing steel tubes. It is a continuous process in which a strip is guided through several sets of rolls that form the strip into the desired shape. After the final shape is achieved, tube edges are welded together to form a closed section. After the welding operation, the tube is sized through another set of rolls to obtain the required diameter.
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Choosing the right robotic weld cell for your operationYour company's first robot may cause more trouble than expected. This doesn't mean that the robot will not work, but it is a piece of
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Lasers loom larger in tube, pipe cutting: Ushering in a new era in tube designLaser technology has a new, larger role in cutting tube and pipe. It's suitable not only for niche applications, but also for broader tube cutting applications such as cutoff.
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Tooling, the key for mill productionThis article discusses three main criteria that govern tube mill tooling—design, materials used in their construction, and alignment of tooling on the mill. Discusses advancements in design due to CAD technology; experimental use of ceramic and plastic materials for making tooling; and the use of subplates and interchangeable components to ease tube mill alignment.
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Ironworkers and contractors adapt to FCAW trendsWelders who want to become proficient in a technology whose time has come should look into getting certified for flux-cored arc welding.
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Set loose the juice: Electronics change how power gets to the gunAs in other facets of welding equipment technology, arc welding power sources are evolving as fabricators' needs change. Electronics is playing a large role in power source modernization as power source equipmentmakers begin to employ digital interfacing, Internet access, software control, and other innovations to these machines.
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Robotic arc welding gets smart in real time: Immediacy of information can benefit shop floorsWhether you're dealing with low part counts or wild welding variables or the challenges of just-in-time production, monitoring software can help smooth your operation.
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How to Kill a Robotic Project in Five Easy StepsHow would you like to fail utterly in your quest to modernize your shop with robotic weldingequipment? Look no further—we've got all the bad advice you need right here.
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Is robotic welding right for you?: Making an informed decisionThis article examines robotic welding and discusses the considerations behind choosing to use (or not use) welding robots. It answers the questions what comprises a robotic welding installation, what costs are associated, and what industries are best suited for robotic welding.
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Laser-integrated robotics for assembly: How one job shop met an aluminum welding challengeIn recent years laser welding has advanced into many different industries, from automotive to electronics. With lasers, it is possible to weld at high speeds with great efficiency. Once unthinkable applications and processes are now being developed into working systems.
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Programming multiple robots: Operating two or more robots from a single point of controlIn many applicatios -- such as large-component welding, press-tending lines, and multiprocess cells -- running multiple robots from a single point of control assists in preventing collisions, simplifying the programming structure, and reducing integration cost. This approach also meets the American National Standards Institute/Robotic Institute of America (ANSI/RIA) R15.06-1999 safety standard.
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Brake Line: Press Brakes and More: Planning to cut corners on safety?Press brake safety is a common sense issue.
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In search of the perfect bend: Advancements in press brake angle measurement and bend springback systemsPress brake manufacturers have made tremendous advances in the art of machine design and manufacturing.
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Automating press brakes: Simulation software can boost productivityWhen the right technology is available, manufacturing small lot sizes can be a shrewd business strategy. Three developments are bringing automation to press brakes and, as a result, are helping fabricators meet customers' demands for smaller lot sizes.
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Gauging difficult parts at the press brake: It's easier than you might thinkGone are the days when engineers and draftsmen slaved for hours over drafting boards with a pencil and slide rule in hand (does anyone remember slide rules?). Today we've moved beyond slide rules and even beyond hand-held calculators to personal computers and mainframes to do much, if not all, of our design work. CAD and CAM software has made this possible.
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Making your own punch and diesHow many times have you looked through huge piles of blueprints for a prototype part or short-run job and thought, "If only I had that tool, this job would be a piece of cake?"
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Press brakes: the quest for a happy ending: Manufacturers, users hope technology is the ticketScreen some press brake owners and manufacturers these days, and it's like they're all reading from the same script:
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New PC-based controls open path to better press brake utilization: Control improvements simplify operator usePress brake forming always has been a labor-intensive process. Shrinking lead-times and smaller lot sizes demand more frequent setups, which cut into productive output hours and put more pressure on manufacturing efficiencies. Fabricators need to find ways to reduce machine downtime for setup and operator adjustments.
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Manufacturing evolution in the job shop: Contract manufacturer figures out how to accomplish more with lessGardner Manufacturing, Horicon, Wis., needed automation and flexibility to keep up with more challenging customer demands. The contract manufacturer found its answer with two laser cutting devices with automated material handling and three new press brakes capable of precision bending.
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Sheetmetal software: Nothing soft about it: Developers look to help fabricators solve the problems they faceSoftware continues to evolve to better serve its users, and during recent times, sheet metal fabricators have been trying to get the most out of their systems. Such things as nesting, ERP, communications networks, and CAD/CAM are all making bounds to do more and take better advantage of technology advancements.
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Laser cutting 3-D preformed parts: How software can affect setupThis article describes how a fabricator can use the advances in modern CAD/CAM software to cut preformed parts quickly on a sophisticated, multiaxis rotary laser. It specifically examines surface data cleanup, conversion, work envelope check, cutting simulation, fixture design and code generation, and fixture cutting and positioning options of newer programs.
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Can your manufacturing software do this?: Questions you should be asking about your softwareManufacturing software has come a long way in just the last five years. Independent software developers point out some of the advancements in manufacturing software in the hopes that some fabricators realize they may be missing out on some real production-optimization tools.
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Laser cutting with less labor and less hassle: Machine automation and software help IMS keep the laser running and customers coming backCan a four-man job shop keep up with the demands of its manufacturing customers? IMS, Shakopee, Minn., will make you think about that and give you reason to question other practices going on in your job shop.
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Evaluating a CAM system: A complete list of everything to consider before you purchase or upgradeThe feature looks at what fabricators should be looking for in a CAM system, and how they can improve the efficiency of their machine tools, their work force, and their material utilization.
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One nesting software for all: Maurer Manufacturing now uses one software package for its plasma and laser cutting machinesMaurer Manufacturing, Spencer, Iowa, purchased a new plasma cutting table in late 2006 and decided it wanted one nesting program to run both the new plasma table and its slightly older Cincinnati laser cutting machine. After a slight stumble, the company found the solution it needed with MTC Software's ProNest program.
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The business of lasersAs we all know, the laser industry has seen easier times. Economic and market pressures have changed the competitive landscape for laser cutting equipment, and the changes are likely to continue. Both lasermakers and laser users need to adapt to the changes in the laser market, and the companies that recognize and adapt first are likely to be those that succeed.
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Cutting through five myths about modern lasers: The truth behind laser cutting technologyWhether you're operating a 10-year-old laser machine or evaluating the purchase of a new one, staying up-to-date on current laser cutting technology and techniques can be the key to maintaining a competitive edge.
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Laser cell system gives job shop the home field advantageContract manufacturer CGI Automated Manufacturing Inc., Cicero, Ill., fabricates parts as an outsource resource for vertical manufacturers. The company started out as a stamping operation, then added other fabrication technologies, including welding, press brake forming, drilling, punching, rolling, shearing, and cutting.
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Expanding upward and outward: A sheet storage tower helps Watson Engineering's laser operations grow upWatson Engineering didn't have to add any laser operators during its most recent expansion effort. The reason was technology advancements associated with material handling and modern laser cutting devices.
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When does a punch/laser make sense?: 3 Questions a fabricator needs to askHawkeye Industries Inc., Tupelo, Miss., was getting more and more orders for parts that required both punching and laser cutting. To meet the growing demand, the company purchased a combination punch/laser machine. Some shops are more suited than others to this technolgy--combination machines can increase profits for some companies, and costs for others. Shop owners should keep five key things in mind when evaluating and purchasing a combination punch/laser machine.
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