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Articles - Page 195
- From The Fabricator
Automated guided vehicles get flexible
- By Tim Heston
- Jul 8, 2016
- Materials Handling
- Article
A camera-based automated guided vehicle may have potential in high-product-mix environments. The vehicle takes pictures of its surroundings, remembers them, and then drives itself along that path.
- From The Fabricator
Maximize your move
- By Dan Davis
- Jul 8, 2016
- Shop Management
- Article
Everyone knows that moving is not easy, especially when you are talking about moving a business. Dennis Donovan, a site selection consultant, provides an overview of the main considerations that a metal fabricator should keep in mind as it looks to make a major move.
- From The Fabricator
Metal fabrication and metrics: Measure what matters
- By Jeff Sipes
- Jul 8, 2016
- Shop Management
- Article
An operation with poor or nonexistent performance metrics is a magnet for lots of confusion and disruption. Poor metrics often have a narrow focus that can negatively affect the whole organization. Conversely, good metrics support the business and its mission.
- From The Fabricator
The human side of the skilled-labor crisis
- By Tim Heston
- Jul 8, 2016
- Bending and Forming
- Article
In metal fabrication, companies need technical skill, but there’s a humanity to the skill that’s often overlooked. It’s about the relationship between the technician, his machine, and the workpiece.
- From The Fabricator
Yellow: The color of safety awareness
If you tour Plymouth Tube's Streator, Ill., facility, you can't help but notice all of the yellow caution areas. They mark potential trip hazards and pinch point areas. The focus on safety, both visually and in daily communications, has helped the facility stay injury-free for three years now. It's also enabled the tube production facility to be named the recipient of FMA’s Rusty Demeules Award for Safety Excellence.
- From The Fabricator
R&D Update: Practical methods for estimating formability of sheet materials
- By Ali Fallahiarezoodar, Berk Aykas, David Diaz-Infante, Dr., and Taylan Altan, Ph.D.
- Jul 7, 2016
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Formability is the ability of a sheet material to deform without failure or fracture. Information on formability helps process and tool design engineers predict failure during analysis of sheet metal forming processes for tool design. Formability information also is used to evaluate...
- From The Fabricator
Die Science: How many hits does it take to get to the end of a tool’s life?
- By Art Hedrick
- Jul 7, 2016
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Recently I was asked at a training session to state the average life of a stamping die. The person asking was from the costing department of a large automotive firm. He said he needed to know because he was getting different answers from different individuals in the organization—anywhere from...
Tube fabrication equipment manufacturer takes a holistic view of sustainability
- By Eric Lundin
- Jul 7, 2016
- Tube and Pipe Fabrication
- Article
Sustainability and green technology are no longer buzzwords, but comprise a host of enduring manufacturing practices. Equipment manufacturer Schwarze-Robitec has rolled out numerous developments to conserve energy, consumables, material, and other resources.
Building bridges for the 21st century and beyond
- By Eric Lundin
- Jul 7, 2016
- Tube and Pipe Production
- Article
Fabricator and bridge erector used oxyfuel for years, but changed to plasma and benefitted from faster, more precise cuts.
- From The Fabricator
Building effective and agile sheet metal forming supply channels
- By Bill Frahm
- Jul 6, 2016
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Strong supply chains hold the promise of all partners being able to share innovation. This requires a commitment from the manufacturers in the chain to be open and communicative. Without that trust, supply chain partners can hurt product success and sabotage profitability goals.
- From The Fabricator
Ask the Stamping Expert: How do we prevent buckling in thin material during strip feeding?
- By Thomas Vacca
- Jul 6, 2016
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Q: We are trying to stamp a drawn cup from 0.002-inch-thick by 0.500-in.-wide fully annealed stainless steel on a Bruderer BSTA 22e high-speed press with an aluminum ball bearing die set and a Bruderer 198/85 roll feed. There are six draws, and all of the draw die bushings are carbide with steel...
- From The Fabricator
Welding reamer keeps consumables clean in robotic welds
- By Ryan Lizotte
- Jul 5, 2016
- Automation and Robotics
- Article
Learn how a welding reamer minimizes spatter and debris, prolongs consumables life, improves weld quality, and keeps a robotic welding cell productive.
- From The Fabricator
A ticket of entry to laser cutting
- By Tim Heston
- Jul 5, 2016
- Laser Cutting
- Article
Alkras has introduced a laser small enough to fit on the gantry of a cutting table. It’s being marketed as a ticket of entry for those fab shops—especially small ones—that have not yet entered the laser cutting arena.
- From The Fabricator
Reshaping metal grinding
- By Dan Davis
- Jul 5, 2016
- Materials Handling
- Article
Metal fabricators don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the costs associated with grinding. It’s necessary in many shops, so company management just throws labor at it. They don’t realize, however, that new ceramic alumina developments have the potential to save them money when it comes to grinding operations. The Norton Quantum 3 abrasive wheel is one such example.
- From The Fabricator
Tooling: The heart of choosing a press brake
- By Steve Benson
- Jul 5, 2016
- Bending and Forming
- Article
When considering a new press brake purchase, focus on the tooling and forming method first. How will your staff react to changes? How steep will the learning curve be? Also, think about where your company is headed and the markets it serves.
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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.
start your free subscription- 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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