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The Fabricator November 2012
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.
Capital spending forecast up again
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 9, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
According to the 2013 Capital Spending Forecast, to published by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, projected spending for U.S. metal fabricators climbed 4 percent over last year. The total amount is just shy of readers' projected spending before the recession.
Sheet metal bending calculation basics
- By Steve Benson
- Nov 9, 2012
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Why do a sheet metal bending calculation? Because sometimes you will need to work around a bend, and you may need to know sheet metal bend allowance.
How laser welding sets contract fabricator apart
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 9, 2012
- Laser Welding
- Article
Estes Design and Manufacturing, Indianapolis, finds that laser welding produces a joint that is cosmetically appealing to customers. “We’re looking for an appearance that matches almost exactly the outside of a formed corner,” said Jay Reddick, the company's laser welding development manager.
Sales strategy drives growth at Minnesota Fabricator
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 9, 2012
- Waterjet Cutting
- Article
Managing a shop full of a great number of incredibly diverse, short-run, nonrepeat orders can be a complicated undertaking. Fedtech, a St. Paul, Minn., fabricator, stays on top of all the activity by giving customers a single point of contact. Upon receipt of an order, one person shepherds the job through production—from cradle to grave.
Growth opportunities worth trumpeting in manufacturing
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 9, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association 2012 Salary/Wage & Benefit Survey is out, and it proves a lucrative career awaits those fabricators willing to put in the work to hone their skills.
Beyond mere convenience
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 9, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
As this Q&A with Plante Moran's Jeff Mengel reveals, an innovative approach to a customer relationship can lead to a very successful supply chain partnership.
How a fabricator can stand out to customers
- By Christine Hansen
- Nov 9, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
The best metal fabricating partner in a supply chain is the one that not only provides on-time delivery of quality products, but also provides complete and open communication. Today the only means to do that is by opening up information technology systems to those important customers.
Taxes and the deficit: The perils of oversimplification
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 9, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
Chris Kuehl, economic analyst for the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association and managing director of Armada Corporate Intelligence, Lawrence, Kan., offers a reasonable look at taxes and what they mean to business planners.
3-D CAD: Productivity, reliability, and responsiveness
- By Gerald Davis
- Nov 9, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
Columnist Gerald Davis discusses when formality should enter a CAD operator's workflow and offers up an example of how a simple CAD task might go.
Hybrid laser-arc welding takes on heavy transportation
- By Ed Hansen
- Nov 2, 2012
- Laser Welding
- Article
Today lean thinking has led many to consider not just manufacturing costs, but also the costs that occur over the entire product life cycle. This is where hybrid laser-arc welding has really stepped up to the plate—literally. The technology can be used to weld high-strength steel parts effectively, which is great news for the transportation industry as they look to reduce the weight of components.
What's the best approach for sawing aluminum?
- By Richard Klipp
- Nov 2, 2012
- Sawing
- Article
Interest in incorporating more aluminum parts into final product designs is causing fabricating operations to reconsider how they approach sawing aluminum. Traditionally, the conversation centered around circular saw technology when it came to cutting aluminum, but now new band saw developments have helped to expand the discussion.
Why the little things matter
- By Tim Heston
- Nov 2, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
The issue for Laser Access employees wasn't getting the equipment running, it was the time they spent away from the machine, hunting for the right tools and material. That's why the Michigan shop took steps to keep the necessary tools nearby and neatly organized.
The Lombardi Trophy, with a “Girly” touch
- By Amanda Carlson
- Nov 2, 2012
- Arc Welding
- Article
Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis earlier this year featured athletic prowess and classic gridiron toughness with a little speed and finesse. But also on display outside the stadium throughout the heart of downtown was a combination of strength and artistic flair that only a metal art sculpture can provide.
- 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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