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The Fabricator October 2017
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.
Mastering fabrication by mastering cash management
- By Tim Heston
- Oct 26, 2017
- Shop Management
- Article
The latest “Financial Ratios & Operational Benchmarking Survey” shows a slight decline in sales for participating shops. But even during not-so-stellar times, top-performing shops ended the year with a healthy profit.
Their lips aren’t sealed
- By Dan Davis
- Oct 25, 2017
- Waterjet Cutting
- Article
People know about Creative Metal Works Inc., a small shop in Lockridge, Iowa, because of its work with commercial signage. That’s why it has customers from coast to coast, including the federal government in Washington, D.C.
Change in metal fabrication: It is futile to resist
- By Steve Benson
- Oct 24, 2017
- Bending and Forming
- Article
If you’re transitioning from coining or bottoming to air bending or, for that matter, making any process change, be sure to follow procedures based on physical realities, not on the way it’s always been done.
Shop technology and 3-D CAD: Where’s the best place to start modeling?
- By Gerald Davis
- Oct 24, 2017
- Shop Management
- Article
Columnist Gerald Davis discusses uses of the world coordinate system, user coordinate systems, and split-body modeling to create assemblies.
Industry 4.0 is alive and well
- By Simon Spencer
- Oct 23, 2017
- Shop Management
- Article
Any revolution leads to change. Industry 4.0 is no exception. The age of interconnectivity is rapidly descending upon North American manufacturers, and the evidence of this future is already evident on the shop floors of some manufacturers.
How to measure a laser in manufacturing
- By Gary Wagner
- Oct 20, 2017
- Shop Management
- Article
All the elements of a laser system—from beam delivery and gases to the optics and nozzle—must work together to deliver a beam tailored for the application. But as with anything else, a laser process can’t be managed or improved upon without good measurement.
Don’t be a one-trick pony
- By Jeff Sipes
- Oct 20, 2017
- Shop Management
- Article
The various tools in the lean toolbox do have worth on their own, but you uncover their true power when carefully chosen methods interact with each other. By choosing specific methods—a lean “recipe” tailored for your operation—you reap the benefits of continuous improvement
Actions and reactions: Combustion dangers in metal manufacturing
- By Karen Wear
- Oct 18, 2017
- Safety
- Article
With the upswing in business, shops are likely adding new materials and operations to the shop floor mix. This can increase the potential for a combustion event and add challenges to mitigating strategies. A fab shop owner or manager needs to take the time to review the manufacturing processes, understand the risks posed by the dust and the process, and consider the variety of combustible dust mitigation equipment options available to mitigate those risks.
Metal fabricating in sequence, by color
- By Tim Heston
- Oct 18, 2017
- Shop Management
- Article
Six years ago workers at Hillphoenix’s Iowa operation spent 13 weeks getting an order ready to ship to a customer—and they put in a lot of overtime to make it happen. It now takes them less than half the time. The company got there by manufacturing in sequence and focusing on job velocity.
It's time to accelerate the quoting process
- By Brad Stropes, Patrick Medlin, and Robert Farrell Jr.
- Oct 17, 2017
- Shop Management
- Article
By leveraging known pricing, run-time, and other production variables through the use of web-based quoting software, a fabricator knows if it had a profitable day, not just hope for it.
Good engineering, better metal fabrication
- By Tim Heston
- Oct 16, 2017
- Finishing
- Article
Good engineering practice drives everything at Royal Welding & Fabricating, a custom fabricator in California. It can be seen in the design of some of its tanks and vessels, as well as its manufacturing processes on the floor—including grinding and polishing.
Plate rolling, cutting, welding, and thinking big
- By Tim Heston
- Oct 16, 2017
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Nuclear industry manufacturer Holtec International opened a new fabrication facility on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River. But it’s not a traditional industrial fabrication plant. The company has introduced single-piece part flow to extremely large-workpiece fabrication.
How multitools help maximize punch capacity for jobs—small to large
- By John "J.J." Johnson
- Oct 12, 2017
- Punching and Other Holemaking
- Article
Having enough capacity and operating at top efficiency are both common challenges faced by job shops in punching applications. Frequently, a variety of tools are needed for each job but space in the punch press is limited. Manufacturers in punching applications are bridging this gap with multitools. Using them, fabricators can add capacity to their existing punch press and sidestep the limited space restrictions.
How trust leads to success in custom fabrication
- By Tim Heston
- Oct 11, 2017
- Shop Management
- Article
USA Dutch, a North Carolina custom fabricator, has grown significantly since the Great Recession, especially after acquiring a competing (and larger) fabricator in 2015. Managers attribute much of that growth to the company’s culture.
9 steps to custom metal fabrication excellence
- By Drew Locher
- Oct 11, 2017
- Shop Management
- Article
How does a custom fabricator adapt lean manufacturing to suit its needs? Drew Locher of Change Management Associates describes the process in nine steps.
- 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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