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Articles - Page 282
Fabricator rides new wave of interest in hydroforming
- By Eric Lundin
- Oct 8, 2012
- Tube and Pipe Production
- Article
Founded in 2003, American Hydoformers Inc. arrived on the scene a little too late to catch the first big wave of interest in hydroforming. A few automobile manufacturers had been oversold on the technology and were cautious to continue to convert parts to hydroforming, but AHI didn’t stumble and fall. Wise investments in equipment gave the company a unique and thriving position in the industry.
- From The Fabricator
Using plasma to heat-treat small-diameter tube, pipe
- Oct 8, 2012
- Metals/Materials
- Article
Annealing traditionally is accomplished by using a fuel (natural gas) to heat the annealing chamber; another method is to use an electrical coil to induce a current in the item to be annealed. However, these aren’t the only processes. A third method, plasma annealing, has been found to be beneficial in annealing small-diameter stainless steel and nickel alloy tube and pipe.
- From The Fabricator
Punching up productivity
- By Dan Davis
- Oct 8, 2012
- Punching and Other Holemaking
- Article
Mid-West Metal Products Co. Inc., Muncie, Ind., needed a new punching press for a large-volume order and soon found out just how fast production flow can change on a shop floor with new technology.
- From The Fabricator
The laser as a lean manufacturing tool
- By Dan Cruz
- Oct 8, 2012
- Laser Cutting
- Article
How many fabricating shops run a less-than-optimized cutting head just to avoid the downtime of switching out the head? S&B Metal Products, Lakeland, Fla., used to do like that until it got a laser cutting machine that was a better fit for its low-volume, high-mix fabricating jobs.
- From The Fabricator
You can machine it, but can you weld it?
- By Michael Pfeifer
- Oct 8, 2012
- Metals/Materials
- Article
Free-machining steels shouldn’t be welded. If a fabricator has a job requiring a free-machining steel, engineers and fabricators should get together to determine the best action. Can welding be avoided by using fasteners? If not, which weldable materials exhibit acceptable machining characteristics, and do these materials meet design requirements?
- From The Welder
Metal fab heads west
- By Amanda Carlson
- Oct 8, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
It’s been four years since FABTECH® made its debut in Las Vegas, and in that time we have been exposed to a great deal of change. We’ve elected a new president and are on the tail end of another presidential campaign. We saw the end of the recession in 2009, and in the second quarter of this...
- From The Fabricator
The incredible economic power of manufacturing
- By Jim O’Leary
- Oct 8, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
It’s no secret that the U.S. economy is in a precarious state. How did we get where we are, and what can be done to improve conditions? Longtime industry professional Jim O’Leary believes the answer lies in encouraging manufacturing and the time to choose a pro-manufacturing agenda is now.
- From The Fabricator
QE2: Quality + environmental responsibility increase attractiveness of U.S. manufacturing
- By Bruce Hagenau
- Sep 26, 2012
- Additive Manufacturing
- Article
Earlier this year my company, Metcam, announced it had been certified as a finished goods supplier for global office environments manufacturer Steelcase. In doing so, U.S.-based Steelcase was choosing to source highly cosmetic finished components from a U.S. firm (ours) rather than from overseas...
Taking NDT to the end of tube, pipe
- By Joe Baldauff
- Sep 10, 2012
- Testing and Measuring
- Article
NDT systems are limited in how close to the end of a tube or pipe they can test successfully. They rely on electromagnetic or ultrasonic waves to flow through the tube or pipe, and the end represents an abrupt change in the wall’s characteristics, making the test results difficult to interpret near the pipe or tube end. A new system overcomes the conventional obstacles by aiming clockwise, counterclockwise, and transverse transducers at a single point of entry. A timed delay based on the 1-kHz transmit frequency prevents the signals from interfering with each other, enabling the receiver to interpret the results accurately.
Tips for buying a second-hand bending machine
- By Hartmut Stöhr, Bert Zorn, and Jürgen Korte
- Sep 10, 2012
- Tube and Pipe Fabrication
- Article
The second-hand market can be a good source for a used bender, but buyers must be careful. A thorough evaluation of the bender’s capabilities and condition is necessary before making a purchase. Because modern benders are complex and sophisticated, the evaluation is best carried out by the manufacturer, not the buyer. Another option is buying a reconditioned machine from the manufacturer. However, depending on the bending needs, a new bender might be the only viable option.
- From The Welder
5 things welders need to know about weld positioners
- By Jason Ladd
- Sep 10, 2012
- Arc Welding
- Article
The concepts of positioning are the same for all weldments, large or small. A properly positioned weldment, regardless of the size, reduces welder fatigue, increases safety, improves weld quality, and saves on production floor space.
- From The Welder
Calibrating goes portable
- By John Glessman
- Sep 10, 2012
- Arc Welding
- Article
Portable calibration units allow you to perform quality assurance maintenance themselves by calibrating critical welding variables on-site. These remote servicing capabilities bring support closer to the jobsite, improving the uptime and functionality of the power supply and eliminating the need to send it off-site for calibration.
- From The Fabricator
Selecting, installing, and maintaining a through-arm robotic GMAW gun
- By Ryan Lizotte
- Sep 10, 2012
- Automation and Robotics
- Article
In recent years, through-arm robots have begun to replace conventional over-the-arm models. Following these selection, installation, and maintenance guidelines for a through-arm robotic GMAW gun can help you make a smooth transition.
- From The Fabricator
Use and weldability of high-chromium molybdenum steels
- By Professor R. Carlisle "Carl" Smith
- Sep 10, 2012
- Metals/Materials
- Article
At least a dozen chromium molybdenum (CrMo) steel combinations exist. One of the more recent alloys consists of chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, niobium (columbium), and nitrogen. Beginning sometime in the 1970s, this material became popular for use in high-temperature applications, such as gas and...
- From The Fabricator
How to optimize die-set guiding
- By Bruce Edmonds
- Sep 7, 2012
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Ball-bearing die-set guide components are a critical part of the stamping operation. Properly selected, lubricated, and positioned, they improve tool operation and promote longer component life. If they aren’t properly maintained, excessive press downtime may result.
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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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