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The Fabricator March 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 as a process
- By Gerald Davis
- May 5, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
Columnist Gerald Davis uses CAD to explore different means to design a metal widget.
Getting to the root of pipe welding automation
- By Tim Heston
- Apr 29, 2015
- Tube and Pipe Fabrication
- Article
Automating the root pass in pipe spool fabrication has always been a challenge, and making weld preparations more consistent just hasn’t been economically practical. In this market, advanced vision systems and adaptive welding have helped overcome these challenges.
ERP and the (very) small shop
- By Dave Lechleitner
- Apr 29, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
With today’s cloud-based systems, advanced ERP systems no longer require a hefty IT infrastructure on-site, which can make advanced ERP available to even the smallest of shops. But from the get-go, shop owners need to plan for the upgrade, and they can start by asking a few key questions.
Two tanks for waterjet productivity
- By Dan Davis
- Apr 29, 2015
- Waterjet Cutting
- Article
A dual-tank waterjet system made for a metal fabricator is now a product offering for all fabricators interested in boosting waterjet productivity.
Cliché lawn art, be gone
- By Amanda Carlson
- Apr 1, 2015
- Arc Welding
- Article
Salt Lake City metal artist Fred Conlon demonstrates a steady flow in creativity with his sculptures that make you laugh, make you think, and make your lawn look good.
Continuous improvement, from the first quote to the final shipment
- By Tim Heston
- Apr 1, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
Burlington, Ky.-based Skilcraft LLC has changed a lot in the past decade. It has moved away from the traditional job shop model toward comprehensive contract fabrication. And it got there by scrutinizing every step of the manufacturing process, from quoting to shipping.
Minimum inside sheet metal bend radius vs what's recommended
- By Steve Benson
- Apr 1, 2015
- Bending and Forming
- Article
The minimum inside sheet metal bend radius shows the smallest radius that’s possible in an air bend, but your machines may not be able to handle it.
Gauging welding’s success
- By Tim Heston
- Mar 25, 2015
- Automation and Robotics
- Article
In recent years Ashcroft’s Connecticut plant has changed significantly. It’s an operation transitioning from batch-style production to lean part flow, and a new, flexible welding cell has helped the manufacturer prepare for future improvements.
An overview of structural tube sawing options
- By Richard Klipp
- Mar 12, 2015
- Sawing
- Article
Cutting ASTM A500 structural steel tube can be done more efficiently and cost-effectively by finding the saw that fits your shop floor production realities. It all starts with choosing either a band saw or a circular cold saw.
The power of why
- By Dick Kallage
- Mar 10, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
A great company has a “why” culture, one that encourages employee engagement and people don’t hesitate to ask “Why?” to find the true answer, based not on guesses or rumor, but on factual evidence.
How do you define good company culture anyway?
- By Tim Heston
- Mar 10, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
How does a fabricator build a culture that adopts, embraces, and sustains lean manufacturing? An environment that encourages idea generation may be a good start.
3-D waterjet software ingredients are the right mix for easy operation
- By Sue Roberts
- Mar 5, 2015
- Manufacturing Software
- Article
Companies have been programming 5-axis waterjet heads for 2-D and 3-D tables for decades. The process has moved from being a time-consuming chore to a couple of clicks, and from requiring extensive process and software knowledge to being operator-friendly.
How a punch press acts like a press brake
- By Dan Caprio
- Mar 4, 2015
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Traditionally bending high flanges on a punch press just hasn’t been practical, but new machines and software are changing the situation. Today, flanges up to 3 inches high can be bent not by the press brake, but by special tooling on the punch press.
4 ways to improve time per bend
- By Jamie Crandall
- Mar 4, 2015
- Bending and Forming
- Article
The time that a press brake operator spends walking to a control or maneuvering a part is time the customer is not paying for. Those seconds add up over the day and cut into a fab shop's profitability. New approaches to bending, however, can help to remedy that.
- 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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