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The Fabricator April 2012
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.
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.
A character sketch of the code welder
- By Tim Heston
- Apr 16, 2012
- Arc Welding
- Article
A career in code-level welding involves an odd concoction of hands-on work, excellent hand-eye coordination, on-the-job focus, and a dash of lawyerlike thinking. Some can be loud extroverts who get the most attention, but others can be quiet introverts. Many share a dedication to the welding craft, and the best strive to do the job right the first time.
Balancing the variables for optimal dust collection
- By Bob Walters and Kirt Boston
- Apr 16, 2012
- Laser Cutting
- Article
Designing and integrating an effective dust collection system for thermal cutting is not a one-size-fits-all exercise. Balancing all the factors will help a shop ensure it gets the most out of it.
Delivering orders on time, every time
- By Tim Heston
- Apr 16, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
Considering the demands from OEMs, stellar on-time delivery now is just as important as quality, and manufacturing cells may help a fabricator attain that stellar on-time delivery.
The problem with estimating using paper and pencil
- By Dan Davis
- Apr 16, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
Metal fabricating companies that rely on a seasoned worker who knows all of the production processes like the back of his hand and transfers that experience into the job estimating function are common. Fabricating operations that run that department smoothly and efficiently with no fears of inaccurate or inconsistent quotes while still relying on that one person's experience are pretty uncommon. The fact is that a majority of shops are taking huge risks by estimating jobs based on tribal knowledge and paper and pencil. Software can help change that.
3-D CAD: Bill-of-materials construction inproject documentation--Part I
- By Gerald Davis
- Apr 16, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
Columnist Gerald Davis takes a look at the appropriate way to construct a bill of materials as he continues his cutting table project.
Axes to mine
- By Dan Davis
- Apr 3, 2012
- Waterjet Cutting
- Article
More fabricators haved jumped into flat waterjet cutting, so to attract new customers and carve out a niche around 3-D design and manufacturing, Maximum Industries, Irving, Texas, started five-axis cutting in 2011.
Justifying a robotic press brake
- Apr 3, 2012
- Bending and Forming
- Article
Robotic press brakes may offer higher productivity and better profitability--much of which is achieved by running the press brake lights-out at top speed. In some cases, robotic press brakes can reduce per-piece costs by almost half. Still, robotic press brakes aren’t for every application.
How metal-cored wires reduce hidden welding costs
- By Amanda D'Arcy
- Apr 3, 2012
- Arc Welding
- Article
Metal-cored wire typically costs more than solid wire, but the benefits often offset the per-unit price. In reality, any consumable comprises a relatively small portion of overall welding costs; in fact, material and labor make up the lion’s share of welding expenditures. But in the right application, an increase in filler metal costs may lead to greater savings elsewhere.
Vessel fabricator bases hiring on attitude, not experience
- By Tim Heston
- Apr 3, 2012
- Arc Welding
- Article
In a 2010 survey from the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, respondents cited welding as the most sought-after, difficult-to-find technical skill. But at Mitchell's Specialized Fabrication, managers don't look for that experience. They look for someone with a good attitude, eager to learn.
A (re)moving story: Eliminating condensation
- By Erin Holaday Ziegler and Richard Oleson
- Apr 3, 2012
- Shop Management
- Article
Air movement is a cost-effective way to reduce condensation, create a more uniform temperature from floor to ceiling, and increase employee comfort and productivity. Large-diameter, low-speed fans, up to 24 feet in diameter, provide efficient air movement while using less energy than smaller fans running at faster speeds.
- 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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- Upcoming Webcasts
Navigating Change: The Manufacturer’s Guide to Change Management with ERP Implementation
- May 16, 2024
- Sponsored
- Presented By: ECI Software Solutions, M1
Managing Dangerous Dusts from Metalworking
- June 26, 2024
- Sponsored
- Presented By: Camfil Air Pollution Control