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Articles - Page 287
- From The Fabricator
Status update on hot stamping
- By Dan Davis
- Jun 13, 2012
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Hot stamping has been around since the early 1970s, and it still holds as much promise today as it did then. Imparting strong steel characteristics on lighter-weight metals remains as relevant today as it did then. Today, however, the desire to exploit hot stamping remains strongest in the automotive industry as it seeks to develop lighter-weight vehicles that can still attain five-star crash ratings. The auto industry's work, however, may eventually influence other sectors that crave that combination of light weight and strength.
- From The Fabricator
Quick die clamping: Hydraulic, magnetic, or hydromechanical?
- By David Fischer
- Jun 13, 2012
- Bending and Forming
- Article
As more metal formers find themselves taking on more jobs with lower quantities, they have developed higher interest in quick die change. Many want to automate the entire clamping process: Hit a button and the clamps quickly engage or disengage. Hydraulic, magnetic, or combination clamping systems are options for stampers, but they shouldn't think one is necessarily better than the other without a thorough investigation.
- From The Fabricator
Straightening out coil terms
- By Thomas F. Hazen
- Jun 13, 2012
- Bending and Forming
- Article
The nomenclature associated with some coil processing equipment suggests they might perform the same jobs, but reality suggests that flatteners, levelers, and straighteners serve completely different purposes for the metal former working with coiled materials.
- From The Fabricator
Choosing the right shielding for the best plasma cut
- By Dirk Ott and Nakhleh Hussary, Ph.D.
- Jun 8, 2012
- Plasma Cutting
- Article
The methods used to shield the plasma arc from the atmosphere have evolved. The concept of using tap water to generate the secondary gas has been around for more than three decades, but high-precision plasma cutting using the nitrogen-water process was developed less than a decade ago.
- From The Fabricator
Fabricate, install, maintain
- By Tim Heston
- Jun 8, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
The Roberts Co. isn’t a heavy industrial metal fabricator. It’s not a erector, general contractor, maintenance services provider, or engineering firm. It’s all of the above.
Taming two weld beads
- By Eric Lundin
- Jun 8, 2012
- Tube and Pipe Production
- Article
The essential tube and pipe production processes on a weld mill haven't changed much since the 1920s. Some new processes are available, such as laser welding, and the line speeds are faster, but much else hasn't changed. One factor that has undergone some change is how the weld bead, also known as scarf and a stringer, is handled. The conventional method was to wind it up as it came off the tube, but OD scarf choppers reduced operator exposure to this strand of red-hot, razor-sharp metal. Similcut has taken safety a step further by introducing a self-feeding OD chopper and wheelless, cantilevered ID chopper.
- From The Fabricator
It starts with a sketch
- By Eric Lundin
- Jun 8, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
Artist and fabricator Philip Dees, who holds a bachelor’s degree in art and a master’s degree in fine art, has worked in metal fabrication and roll forming for nearly 30 years while pursuing a career as an artist. In addition to his drawings, paintings, and sculptures, Dees sees other opportunities for artistic expression, such as refurbishing an old house.
- From The Fabricator
Depressed-center grinding wheel safety—test your knowledge
- By Dave Long and Roger Cloutier
- Jun 1, 2012
- Power Tools
- Article
Do you use portable grinders with depressed-center wheels? Are you following the proper safety guidelines? Take this 10-question test and find out.
- From The Welder
A road map to robotics
- By Andrew Glaser
- May 25, 2012
- Automation and Robotics
- Article
Implementing robotics can prove to be beneficial, but you can’t expect to achieve your desired productivity results if you don’t know how products flow to and from that cell. In other words, simply throwing a robot onto the shop floor is not the answer. Before you make the commitment to robotics, it’s important to analyze your process flow and adopt methods that will help reduce waste from the manual process.
- From The Welder
Metallurgy for welders
- By Keith Packard
- May 25, 2012
- Metals/Materials
- Article
The goal when welding any material is to change its microstructure as little as possible and to preserve its mechanical and chemical properties. To achieve this you must be able to determine its weldability, control the heat input, and prevent rapid cooling.
- From The Welder
Aluminum MIG
- By Amanda Carlson
- May 25, 2012
- Arc Welding
- Article
The push for lighter, corrosion-resistant components has brought aluminum to the forefront of the minds of traditional steel fabricators. Those that approach the material the same as steel often run into weld quality issues that can prove costly. But those who are committed to putting together a topnotch, aluminum-friendly system before striking an arc—from equipment and setup to material preparation and welder education—are better equipped to find success afterward.
- From The Fabricator
More armor for armored cars
- By Eric Lundin
- May 9, 2012
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Thefts. Car-jackings. Kidnappings. Assassinations. If you’re a high-profile political figure or wealthy executive doing business in a foreign country, especially one in which the division between rich and poor is vast, you’re vulnerable. In addition to having a security system at your home and a personal security detail that travels with you wherever you go, you need a vehicle that can protect you against an attack. Texas Armoring Corp., a fabricator in San Antonio, has been providing armored cars to foreign heads of state and corporate executives since it was founded in 1997.
- From The Fabricator
“A creation of me”
- By Amanda Carlson
- May 9, 2012
- Arc Welding
- Article
When photography lost its luster, a happy coincidence sent Dick Roberts on a quest to learn everything he could about metalworking. The result has led him to appreciate how new technology and an old processes can work in unison for his newfound method of artistic expression.
- From The Fabricator
Record achievement for metal fabricator
- By Dan Davis
- May 9, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
The town of Clear Lake, Iowa, is synonymous with the names Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. Those three music legends died in a plane crash on Feb. 3, 1959, right after performing at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. To help the town honor those legendary musicians, a metal fabricator stepped forward to create a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork that is the centerpiece for the town's newest park—Three Stars Plaza.
- From The Fabricator
From automobiles to artwork
- By Eric Lundin
- May 9, 2012
- Plasma Cutting
- Article
Manuel Sarmiento went to a vocational school to learn to be a fender-and-body technician and to learn to paint cars. Fooling around with a plasma cutter one day, he cut out the shape of a hand and took it home to his wife. She loved it and encouraged him to experiment more. Years later he was successful enough as an artist that he quit his full-time job, and today his artwork supports him and his family.
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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.
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- 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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