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More from The Fabricator
- From The Fabricator
NLMK-Duferco, Esmark to Acquire Winner Steel
- Mar 13, 2007
- Metals/Materials
- News Release
Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) and Duferco Group have announced that Duferco U.S. Investment Corp. and Esmark have formed a consortium to purchase the assets of Winner Steel, based in Pennsylvania. Currently the consortium has entered into a letter of intent with Winner Steel, which is subject to...
- From The Fabricator
Kobe Steel's U.S. aluminum forging unit to increase production
- Mar 13, 2007
- Metals/Materials
- News Release
Kobe Steel Ltd. has announced that its U.S. subsidiary, Kobe Aluminum Automotive Products, LLC (KAAP), will further increase production of aluminum forgings to meet the growing U.S. market for lightweight automotive suspension systems. The Bowling Green, Kentucky-based company is investing $14...
Error-free tube fabrication
- By Dave Bird
- Mar 13, 2007
- Testing and Measuring
- Article
Manufacturing processes are prone to variances, resulting in manufactured products that do not conform to specifications. Dozens of types of electronic sensors and measurement systems are available that fabricators can use to verify that their products are not defective. Understanding what types of sensors are available and how they work are the first two steps in implementing electronic sensing devices for quality control.
Tube drawing principles
- By Laurence Shaheen
- Mar 13, 2007
- Tube and Pipe Production
- Article
Five tube drawing methods are sinking, rod drawing, floating plug drawing, tethered plug drawing, and fixed plug drawing. Choosing the right method or combination of methods for a particular application requires understanding the characteristics of each. Tube producers also have a choice of feedstock: seamless or welded tube. Likewise, choosing the right one is a matter of understanding the differences.
- From The Fabricator
An exception to the industry rule
- Mar 13, 2007
- Shop Management
- Article
IRMCO, a 93-year-old manufacturer of environmentally friendly lubricant technologies for the metal forming industry, is not only surviving but thriving in an industry that's facing tough times with plant closures, downsizing, and fierce foreign competition.
- From The Fabricator
The adult learner: Training your labor force
- By Phil Evans
- Mar 13, 2007
- Shop Management
- Article
Training programs enhance worker skills, encourage employee/employer loyalty, and help reduce employee turnover. This article defines what is important to an adult learner, describes the different types of adult learners, and details the components of an effective training program. It also discusses trainer requisites.
- From The Fabricator
Improving manual plasma cutting quality
- By Don Keddell
- Mar 13, 2007
- Plasma Cutting
- Article
Some tips and suggestions for best practices that will increase your efficiency and precision and prolong the life of your plasma cutter and consumables include: Take the time to read the manual thoroughly; develop a "preflight routine" visually follow the arc that is coming from the bottom of the cutâthe arc should exit the material at a 15- to 20-degree angle opposite the direction of travel; and maintain a 1/16- to 1/8-inch distance between the tip and the workpiece.
- From The Fabricator
Air cutting revisited
- By Erin Chasse and Mickey Lawson
- Mar 13, 2007
- Laser Cutting
- Article
Fabricators are increasingly using compressed air in laser cutting, instead of relying on laser assist gases such as oxygen and nitrogen. Recent findings reveal that shop air can be used on more material types and thicknesses, including parts on which the edge quality is visible.
- From The Fabricator
Easing the grind of cost reduction
In early 2005 SPX CONTECH decided to evaluate the abrasive disks used in its 22 workcells for aluminum grinding in its Auburn, Ind., facility. By the end of the year the new disks had increased the number of parts processed and exhibited improved life per disk.
- From The Fabricator
Flexible automation of laser cutting, material handling
- By Elizabeth Kautzmann
- Mar 13, 2007
- Laser Cutting
- Article
What's the point in purchasing an expensive laser cutting machine if you are going to waste money-making opportunities by unloading parts manually? Good nesting software, proper maintenance, and the latest unloading technology can help to make automated laser cutting and unloading a reality.
Reducing tube bending cycle times
- By Sabine Neff
- Mar 13, 2007
- Tube and Pipe Fabrication
- Article
Because any multiple-step manufacturing process is only as fast as the slowest machine, fabricators interested in purchasing an automated tube bender might suddenly find his production line saddled with bottlenecks. It's necessary to analyze the entire production line and learn about the equipment that is available before automating the bending process.
The ABCs of PAC
- By W.F. Garth Stapon, Randy Damas, and Bob Einfeldt
- Mar 13, 2007
- Plasma Cutting
- Article
Plasma arc cutting systems come in many capabilities. Knowing what those capabilities are and which ones you need for your operation is crucial when choosing a system.
- From The Fabricator
Bending the new breeds of high-strength steel
- By David Bishop
- Mar 13, 2007
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Several new breeds of high strength steels have arrived that bring with them a host of new opportunities. However, these new breeds also bring with them special challenges not common to bending mild steel, and with them, the need for new tools and new rules for proper bending.
- From The Welder
Up with energy prices and wind towers
- By Sue DiBianca
- Mar 13, 2007
- Arc Welding
- Article
With the recent increases in gasoline and natural gas prices, more attention than ever is focused on alternative energy sources. One fabricator, Aerisyn LLC, investigated manufacturing towers for use in the wind power industry. To produce towers efficiently enough to compete against imports from Asia, Aerisyn relied on an equipment vendor that had experience in demanding fields such as aerospace, nuclear, and wind power.
- From The Welder
Grainger donation to aid welder training
- Mar 12, 2007
- Aluminum Welding
- News Release
Grainger, a national supplier of facilities maintenance supplies to businesses, has donated $5,000 to the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology (HIWT), Troy, Ohio. The contribution will be used to help the program purchase equipment for its classrooms and learning labs. "Grainger has a long...
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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:
- 04/30/2024
- Running Time:
- 53:00
Seth Feldman of Iowa-based Wertzbaugher Services joins The Fabricator Podcast to offer his take as a Gen Zer...
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