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The Fabricator September 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: Forming sheet stock
- By Gerald Davis
- Sep 8, 2015
- Metals/Materials
- Article
Columnist Gerald Davis demonstrates the flexibility of forming tools in CAD modeling by working on the body of a not-ready-for-prime-time tricycle.
A grand unifying theory of bending on the press brake: Part I
- By Steve Benson
- Sep 8, 2015
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Press brake guru Steve Benson proposes a new theory of bending, altering some long-held labels and definitions and introducing new formulas. Those long-held definitions worked well, but these new definitions and formulas may help a press brake technician become even more accurate in predicting how a part will form.
Scheduling by constraint in metal fabrication
- By Bob Sproull
- Sep 8, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
As stated in the theory of constraints, the constraint process governs the pace of manufacturing. In job shops, the constraint may change from job to job. Identifying a controlled constraint, or control point, can simplify scheduling even in the complex world of high-mix, lowvolume manufacturing.
2015: What keeps you up at night?
- By Dan Davis
- Sep 8, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
The huge economic rebound that normally follows a recession has never really materialized, but metal fabricators appear to be making the most of the slow and steady climb from the economic doldrums of the late 2000s. The 2015 “What Keeps You up at Night?” survey suggests that fabricators are looking to take the steps necessary to support continued growth in their businesses.
Lean or mean in punching tool organization?
- By Dennis Lowry
- Sep 8, 2015
- Punching and Other Holemaking
- Article
Examining the eight deadly wastes can help to eliminate inefficient production practices in a fabricator's punching operation.
Metal stamper takes to the lake
- By Dan Davis
- Sep 8, 2015
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Kenmode Precision Metal Stamping, Algonquin, Ill., displays strong design and manufacturing skills in the creation of a cardboard catamaran for the 31st America’s Cardboard Cup Regatta at Crystal Lake, Ill., earlier this summer.
Plasma cutting meets biochemistry
- By Tim Heston
- Sep 8, 2015
- Plasma Cutting
- Article
A fluid for plasma cutting tables is designed to coat workpieces to prevent rust and corrosion. The fluid effectively biodegrades bacteria on contact. The company also reports that the fluid is safe enough to send down the sewer.
Parts identification for extreme environments
- By Tim Heston
- Sep 8, 2015
- Materials Handling
- Article
A marking technology—which involves the interaction between a laser, coating, and metal substrate—is designed to withstand harsh processing environments, including blast cleaning and hot-dipped galvanizing.
Fabricating skills travel
- By Dan Davis
- Sep 8, 2015
- Arc Welding
- Article
Hutchinson Manufacturing Inc., Hutchinson, Minn., is working with oil and gas customers thousands of miles away because it can handle almost every aspect of production on its one campus, which gives the company complete control of quality and the delivery date.
Metal fabrication, automation, and the big picture
- By Tim Heston
- Sep 8, 2015
- Automation and Robotics
- Article
Ludlow Manufacturing Inc.’s managers are big believers in automation, but they’re not just interested in shortening machine cycle times. They look at the big picture, from the first order to the final shipment.
Will this stainless steel weld rust?
- By Tim Heston
- Sep 3, 2015
- Metals/Materials
- Article
Is a stainless weld truly passivated, or will some unexpected rust emerge down the road? New testing technology, used in-house by fabricators, helps answer this question
The metal manufacturer and the employee survey
- By Dick Kallage
- Sep 2, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
Employee surveys can either be an important tool for improvement or virtually useless. For surveys to be useful, they need to have a purpose and, most important, spur action.
Eliminating oxyfuel hazards in your shop
- By John Karpus
- Sep 2, 2015
- Oxyfuel Cutting
- Article
Keeping these tips in mind during safety and performance audits can help you keep the shop floor safe even when potentially dangerous fabricating activities are taking place.
Are workers really less productive?
- By Tim Heston
- Sep 2, 2015
- Shop Management
- Article
According to the Labor Department, American workers aren’t as productive as they once were. But how do we measure productivity? Perhaps most important, do customers value it?
Moving big fabrications
- By Jeffrey Dean
- Sep 2, 2015
- Materials Handling
- Article
Delivering a large fabrication in some ways is almost as difficult as creating the piece in the first place. In many instances, the fabrication is awkward in shape and a challenge to move even a short distance. Like everything else, fabricators figure out how to do it, and these are their stories.
- 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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