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The Fabricator April 2015
The Fabricator is North America's leading magazine for the metal forming and fabricating industry. The magazine delivers the news, technical articles, and case histories that enable fabricators to do their jobs more efficiently. The Fabricator has served the industry since 1970.
Shop technology and 3-D CAD: Design for manufacturing
- By Gerald Davis
- May 12, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
Columnist Gerald Davis provides an overview of using CAD to develop a better design, which leads it to being more manufacturable.
Bending and brewing
- By Eric Lundin
- May 11, 2015
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Sheet metal worker Paul Ziegman puts in long days building stainless steel kitchen equipment for restaurants and other food-service businesses in and around Spokane, Wash. He recently opened his own such business using the same equipment and skill set.
Synchronized welding
- By Dan Davis
- May 7, 2015
- Arc Welding
- Article
No one doubts that welding equipment has advanced to the point where it has greatly improved welding results and productivity when compared to the technology of previous decades. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for improvement. Fronius has attempted to address some of GMAW’s shortcomings with its LSC welding platform.
Making lean manufacturing work in a job shop
- By Dan Davis
- May 7, 2015
- Assembly and Joining
- Article
Lean principles apply to all manufacturing, not just OEM settings where a few types of products are made each and every day. These tips can help a job shop fabricator to eliminate waste in its assembly area.
Flow, quality, and operational excellence in manufacturing
- By Tim Heston
- May 7, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
A fabricator can’t achieve operational excellence without good flow, and good flow isn’t possible without good quality. Kevin Duggan, founder of the Institute for Operational Excellence, describes how quality assurance intertwines with every process in a business.
Four steps to calculate press brake tonnage limits
- By Steve Benson
- May 3, 2015
- Bending and Forming
- Article
To ensure you always work within the press brake tonnage limits, there are four steps you need to take. Learn how to calculate press brake tonnage here.
You can’t commoditize human connections
- By Tim Heston
- Apr 30, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
Ken Schmidt helped turn Harley-Davidson around, not by improving product quality, but by connecting to the people who bought motorcycles. That same connection can form the backbone of a fabricator’s success.
Employee retention: The first 30 days
- By Dick Kallage
- Apr 29, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
Nothing is more frustrating than spending time and money to train new hires, only to lose them six to 12 months later. Why did they leave? Quite often the reasons go back to their first 30 days on the job.
Spiral pipe welding automation drives productivity
- By Don Schwemmer
- Apr 23, 2015
- Tube and Pipe Production
- Article
To meet demand from the petroleum industry, spiral pipe producers have turned to advanced automated systems to ramp up production
Punch it, laser-cut it, or something else? The sequel
- By Lutz Ehrlich and Mike Millette
- Apr 23, 2015
- Punching and Other Holemaking
- Article
Ten years ago The FABRICATOR ran an article titled "Punch it, laser-cut it, or something else?" which looked at the different machines available to perform basic fabrication operations. New technology has changed the thinking a bit when it comes to the discussion of what can be accomplished with laser cutting and punching machines. This article sequel tackles those points.
3 tips for building an effective welding workforce
- By Jeff Keen and Mike Canter
- Apr 9, 2015
- Arc Welding
- Article
Shapiro & Duncan Inc., a third-generation mechanical contractor serving the mid-Atlantic region offers some tips for building an engaged and talented welding team.
Lean welding comes full circle
- By Dan Davis
- Apr 8, 2015
- Assembly and Joining
- Article
Andersen Industries is experienced with working with large fabrications, such as custom trailers, and eventually sought a method to make it easier to help welders move equipment and accompanying lines. The result was a boom designed specifically for welding.
Quality shines bright at MACO
- By Tim Heston
- Apr 7, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
The recession nearly killed MACO Incorporated, a fabricator and machine shop in rural western North Carolina. But it survived thanks to some introspection and a new focus on quality certification.
4 ways to a better laser-cut edge
- Apr 2, 2015
- Laser Cutting
- Article
Edge quality in laser cutting has improved significantly over the decades, and many of those improvements come from four areas: better materials, nozzles, process control, and beam quality.
How clean is the air in your manufacturing facility?
Metalworking facilities have to meet basic federal requirements for indoor air quality, but some companies may choose to go beyond that to create a work environment that encourages employee engagement and higher productivity.
- Podcasting
- Podcast:
- The Fabricator Podcast
- Published:
- 04/16/2024
- Running Time:
- 63:29
In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Caleb Chamberlain, co-founder and CEO of OSH Cut, discusses his company’s...
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