TAKE THE LEAD in heavy plate bending with PPEB-H Press Brakes LVD is a leader in bending solutions for heavy-duty, high-tonnage applications from telescopic cranes to shipbuilding with the configurable PPEB-H Series of press brakes. Available in stand-alone or tandem configurations in sizes from 640-ton by 4 meter up to 3,000-ton by 14 meter, featuring technologies such as LVD patented Easy-Form® laser angle monitoring and correction system, Vari-VEE, Smart Crowning and LVD’s Touch-B touch screen control system. Learn more about PPEB-H heavyduty bending solutions for your application by visiting us online at www.lvdgroup.com/ppeb-h/us or calling 800-828-1527. Take the Lead with LVD LASER • PUNCH • BEND • INTEGRATE • www.lvdgroup.com THE FUTURE OF TOOLING MAINTENANCE HAS ARRIVED MATE PREMIA SHARPENING SYSTEM ACCEPTS ANY TOOLING STYLE Proper tooling maintenance is critical to produce high quality parts, increase machine uptime and extend tool life. Mate’s Premia™ Sharpening System ensures the proper result for every sharpening operation. With Premia’s easy-to-use touch screen interface, powerful high-output motor, and ability to accept virtually any tooling style, keeping your tooling in optimal condition has never been easier! •Touch-screen interface •Easily updateable software •Universal fixture accommodates virtually all tooling styles •Superior dual-stage filtration uses Mate proprietary MSR™ (Magnetic Swarf Retention) technology •Automatic coolant flow directly through the grinding wheel •Ideal for unsupervised operation •Data Tracking •Status report screen Visit MATE at Fabtech Booth #S1908 Mate Precision Tooling: Forming the Future Since 1962™ . Custom tooling for challenging applications.wilsontool. No other tooling provider understands the complexities of bending metal like Wilson Tool International ®.0929 or visit www.The art of bending. Manual and hydraulic clamping solutions.com/bending. reducing setup time or simplifying a complex bend – Wilson Tool offers more choices for better bending. Strength. Performance. staged and conventional press brake tooling.238. Wilson Tool can provide a solution. Whatever your challenge – increasing tool life. Innovation. . Whatever you need. Precision. Call 800. but if a metal fabricator really wants to change operations dramatically. Cycle time? Labor performance? It’s easy just to pick a random area for improvement. does it pay to be the early bird? 88 82 Hardware insertion meets automation 84 Automating OEE for the job shop 88 What keeps you up at night? e 2013 “What Keeps You up at Night?” survey of e FABRICATOR’s readership reveals that fabricators are taking steps to ensure that recent growth is not a short-term occurrence. released in July. but it can be a significant portion for those shops that have the capability to do it. ese equipment considerations and processing tips can help make a big bending job easier. e latest automated equipment addition is making a huge di erence in the speed at which it processes assembly work. not many people think about boiler maintenance. temperature-indicating products used in welding make a lot of sense. has had hardware insertion capabilities since it opened its doors in the early 1990s. It has added more machines as the need for additional capacity emerged. business isn’t horrible. Star Precision Fabricating. 94 Forming & Fabricating® 2013 3-D Laser Cutting Machine Buyers’ Guide© Management Strategy 56 Around Washington EPA wipes away “hazardous” designation for most industrial towels e agency puts an end to the Great Shop Towel debate and believes the move could save the metalworking industry more than $20 million per year. but its application in short-run. 6 The FABRICATOR January 2013 96 96 FMA: In The Know 6 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . Automatic data collection can help to overcome these obstacles. proper head design can help deliver successful production results. however. 80 When nesting. 9 74 Solid-state laser retrospective: A decade of high brightness Because of inherent advantages. need to stand out to the right audience. According to the inaugural Forming & Fabricating Job Shop Consumption Report. To improve. high-mix contract manufacturing has lagged somewhat given the di culty in implementing it in its traditional manual form. Cover photo courtesy of Laser Mechanisms. an organization needs to tear down these structures. e emergence of the electric arc wire thermal spray process as an alternative to the traditional weld overlay approach for protecting boiler components and systems is one such lesson. has presented some challenges in materials processing.contents COVER STORY 78 September 2013 Vol. but a long-term trend. departmental functions rarely interact. e laser’s exceptional beam quality. however. Fortunately. though. Houston. and workers within those departments are focused solely on their core assignments. In the scope of all fabricating activities. turf protection. ese six tips can help a fabricator find that right partner. Novi. Overall equipment e ectiveness (OEE) is a proven means to track the e ectiveness of production machinery. time and e ort are needed to identify the root causes in the greatest need of correction. ey just 72 Chief Concerns So you want to sell? Just because a fabricating shop is small doesn’t mean that it is not attractive to prospective buyers. ese silos perpetuate inward thinking. 90 Defending boiler components against corrosive and erosive attack 90 92 Monitoring surface temperatures with phase-change materials In a modern-day manufacturing environment where the goal is to keep processes uncomplicated and repeatable. high-powered solid-state fiber and disk lasers now account for 20 to 25 percent of the industrial laser market. 43 No. Is yours the kind of manufacturing operation that should build nests early or wait until the last safe moment? Answer the questions and find out. but it’s not gangbusters either. because it is a living textbook on how to deal with material corrosion and erosion. Features 78 6 ways to make large-sheet bending easier Bending large sheet metal parts does not represent the majority of work for most metal fabricators. and subpar results for customers. 92 58 Biz Talk e industry gets a quarterly physical 66 Improvement Insights So … exactly what are you going to improve? 68 Chief Concerns Blast the silos to unlock potential In a company with silos. ey should. Mich. Amada provided a fully-integrated and automated punching. Rubin states. “From product conception to product inspection. Russell Rubin. Inc. Increased Productivity (Processing times were reduced by 40% — while also reducing costs. leadtimes. Boston Retail Products. Boston Retail turned to Amada.amada. when we want it — while enabling us to reduce processing times by 40%. vs. Reactive Manufacturing.000 square-foot Medford. Metal components are designed and manufactured in Boston Retail’s 90. Optimal Processing (Automation ensures precise. Improved Quality (Building QC into the production process is the key to quality fabrication.” EMLK3610 NT punch and laser combination machine (with advanced automation).” — Russell Rubin. MA plant. Astro 165W NT Robotic Bending System. Inc. Russell Rubin.com See Amada at Booth # S901 . Maximum Efficiency (Three shifts were reduced to one shift with unmanned processing — providing for the reallocation of labor to more value-added tasks). FabriVISION provides an extremely quick. the company faced a number of serious manufacturing challenges — to resolve them. President and CEO of Boston Retail states.“Amada gave us the ability to produce what we want. has provided retailers and supply chain partners with a complete line of display. CEO and President Boston Retail Products. the company produces extremely high-quality products. resulted in partnering with the technology leader — and it completely changed the way we do business. scrap and WIP). a fully-staffed tool and die department. bending and laser cutting solution — increasing our productivity while reducing our costs.” Goals Achieved Through Amada’s Integrated and Automated Networked Solution: • • • • • Proactive Manufacturing (Boston Retail can now take a design-led business approach — meeting virtual any custom design challenge without production restrictions). Summarizing his partnership with Amada. By leveraging an automated production line. 180 Amada Court • Schaumburg. and UL-rated electrical assembly. Despite a long list of assets. repeatable and predictable workflow with unmatched speed and flexibility). IL 60173 • 877-262-3287 www. “What began as a machine search. Reflecting on his decision to partner with Amada. Manager of Fabrication Boston Retail Products. laser-verified inspection process that greatly increases productivity while ensuring uncompromising quality). Since 1937. Inc. President and CEO (right) and Wilfredo Escobar. Inc. Amada America. power and protection products. Visit the Industry Events section on thefabricator.. and influential historical figures with his 3-D metal pop portraits. and robotic laser welding in the free webcasts at http://media. La.com/webcasts. 18-21. 9 10 From the Editor-in-Chief Death by automotive 39 ere’s a reason that metal fabricating and forming companies don’t seek out more opportunities to work with the Detroit ree automakers.. 64 Coming in October 2013 … Learn about the forming capabilities of today’s modern punching machines. waterjet cutting. Check out what’s on the minds of e FABRICATOR’s editors and share Network with your peers. Harahan. 11 Readers’ Forum 14 Calendar of Events 16 Industry News 48 Spotlight on Energy Efficiency: Lighting 54 Applications High-mix fabricator increases e with vertical storage ciency with nesting | Manufacturer expands internally 60 Product Highlights Laser system handles oversized parts |Tooling performs 90-degree bends on punch press 48 64 Precision Matters Job shop estimating: Moving from cost to price In the ninth installment of his series on estimating. political figures. not a supply chain servant. 8 The FABRICATOR September 2013 106 8 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . ey want to be a supply chain partner.com’s home page. your own opinion. 43 No.thefabricator. Find out how Laitram Machinery Inc. Learn about grinding.com blog.contents Departments September 2013 Vol. columnist Gerald Davis explains that in the battle to deliver a competitive price. Nov. 99 Product News 99 The FABRICATOR’s Metal Market 104 Classified Ads 105 Advertisers’ Index 106 The Back Page Metal portraits that pop Contributing Editor Amanda Carlson introduces you to an Alabama metal artist who captures the essence of celebrities.com? Watch the latest webcasts. Read thefabricator. cut its labor cost for manual deburring of parts in half. Use the FABTECH® Show Preview to make your plans to attend North America’s largest metal fabricating tradeshow in Chicago. the estimator provides the ammo for a successful response to a customer’s RFQ. 54 What’s on thefabricator.cfm. we are leaders on the field.30135 10' 150 22.43400 14' 440 59. Any JMT Press Brake can be configured to be used in a Tandem Formation.815 Let Our Team Play for You! Learn More or Contact Us At: www.com .com • (855) 631-4441 • JMT@JMTUSA. Find out more at: www.600 ADS .37220 12'1" 242 31.Dominating the FielD When it comes to Large Format Press Brakes.JMTUSA.875 ADS .020 ADR .PressBrake.60400 20' 440 78.com/Fabricator JMT Press Brake Hall oF Fame Photo Name Length Tonage (T) Weight (lbs) ADR . which is surprising given the draw-down of U. Ill. Inc. Canada www. producing quality and top-selling vehicles. Long Beach.S. That’s like an unsatisfied diner complaining about a dried-out lamb chop. But the industry can’t enjoy its moment in the sun.edu Triton College River Grove.harper.S. Typically. FMA Officers and Directors Chairman of the Board Burke Doar. TI Automotive Matthew Gehman.S. Ill. Calif. Ill.kvcc.wctc.icc. If you have a comment or question.com. SB Specialty Metals Gregg Simpson.austinpolytech. According to a lawyer who works with an association that represents automotive suppliers. Second Vice Chairman Edwin Stanley. Clark Metal Products Vivek Gupta. “What end-use markets is your company targeting in an effort to diversify the business?” Only 20 percent of the respondents indicated the automotive or automotive parts market—even as large as it is.” But the Great Recession changed all of that. Bermo Inc. correct? Nope. editor-in-chief of The FABRICATOR. Smithfield. You can read some of the highlights of the survey in “Are metal fabricators having trouble sleeping at night?” on page 88.kwantlen. Rick J.com British Columbia Institute of Technology Burnaby. American Strip Steel/Marino\WARE William “Jeff” Jeffery. Ohio www.edu Northeast Alabama Community College Rainsville. www. Wilmington Grill Co. Canada www. visit www.com. President & CEO Edward Youdell Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl. TRUMPF Inc. GH Metal Solutions Secretary/Treasurer Al Zelt. www. www.org Fresno City College Fresno.S. These companies have enjoyed long periods of success. • Tom Stoltz. and have no desire to. Franklin Electric Jim Poe. Calif. www. and U.ca Long Beach City College Long Beach.amisuccess. the average age of the U. That’s quite the statement given the desire of businesses to diversify their customer bases as they look to shield themselves from the ups and downs that affect all sectors. The Detroit Three seemingly still haven’t learned the lesson from Japanese companies that have set up production facilities in the U. It would be a shame to see them do further damage.com Anoka Technical College Anoka.edu For more information on FMA’s Certified Education Centers. Iowa www. These Japanese automakers can be demanding.edu Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College Ogden.edu Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee.edu Austin Polytechnical Academy Chicago. R. can be reached at
[email protected] Harper College Paletine. the manufacturers of components that fall under one of these safety recalls would be held liable for the recall costs even if the part or assembly met original OEM specifications. because they work cooperatively with their supply chains. ultimately. Louis.morainepark.fmanet. Lyle Menke. FMA’s Certified Education Centers Advanced Manufacturing Institute (AMI) Manhattan. Ohio Laser LLC Jerry Ward.edu Ranken Technical College St. http://sheetmetal. but no thanks.org/cecs Keep in mind that you don’t have to wait until we solicit your opinion in a survey. offer up their own ideas about production efficiencies or even design tweaks that might make components easier to produce.edu Kwantlen Polytechnic University Surrey. the automakers can’t be expecting their supply chains to welcome such tough contract terms. METCAM Inc.edu Rock Valley College Rockford. Metal Locking Service Matt Kalina. Mich. Thanks for reading the publication. Ill. BC.edu Thomas Nelson Community College Hampton. • Greg Moore. Calif. www. you wonder about their long-term success etal fabricators don’t have a lot in common when trying to compare one job shop to another. They know that when it comes to working with the Detroit Three.canyons.edu Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids. Greg Cornett. after instructing the waiter to have it cooked well-done. Most don’t. Replacing the constant demand for cost reduction above all else with a spirit of cooperation and joint ownership of the manufacturing process never took place.edu EWI/Edison Welding Institute Columbus.edu Kalamazoo Valley Community College Kalamazoo. www. But I’m reminded about what fabricators tell me concerning the automotive industry: Thanks. Calif. and GM remain vibrant organizations for years to come. automakers treat their suppliers.bcit. BC. troops in Afghanistan and Department of Defense budget cuts. in early August. Wis. Mendizábal. 10 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . right? The U. Sales are up. ASKO Inc. The same goes for the customer segments they serve—with one major exception.rockvalleycollege. www. Brenco Industries Ltd. The Detroit Three have alienated a large part of the metal manufacturing base in the U. In the 2013 “What Keeps You up at Night?” survey for The FABRICATOR. First Vice Chairman Carlos Rodriguez-Borjas. www. please contact me at
[email protected]. They work with their supply chain partners. but that has crept up to an average of 11. • Jeff Francisco.fresnocitycollege. This story of sour supplier relationships emerges at a time when the automotive industry should be celebrating its performance. Mo.kirkwood. Ala. Kan. The current demand for vehicles appears to be fairly solid for the immediate future. Frankly.triton. www. Normal.V. Just as the customer certainly doesn’t make the restaurant happy with such behavior. and they are poised to invest in new wheels.edu Moraine Park Technical College West Bend. UT www.tncc.A. don’t simply demand actions from them. Va. www. car fleet has been 8 or 9 years old. automakers learned humility and realized that they could succeed in a global marketplace only if everyone in the supply chain had the same chance to succeed. we’d like to recognize four readers who were selected to win $50 gift cards as a result of their participation in the survey: • David Erickson. I hope I am. www. Feralloy Corp. www. but they are willing to share in the maturation process of suppliers that don’t initially meet their standards. Mich. Carlos R. It’s mind-boggling behavior. consumers appear hungry for new vehicles. Industrias Selbor S. Peddinghaus Corp. subscribers were asked. Wis. Immediate Past Chairman of the Board Dave Barber. Drivers have sat on their wallets for a longer than normal period. The FABRICATOR staff would like to thank those subscribers who participated in the 2013 “What Keeps You up at Night?” survey that was sent out in May. Kenosha. Ed Severson.edu Illinois Central College East Peoria. Automotive News reported that General Motors is hoping to adopt a new purchasing contract that would put the financial liability for safety recalls on those companies that supplied the components that were suspected of being unsafe.lbcc. Respondents showed more interest in 14 other sectors. Directors Teresa Beach-Shelow.5 years. including military equipment and munitions.From the Editor-in-Chief Dan Davis. IRMCO Dan McLeod. Perhaps I’m overreacting to typical contract negotiating. Hargrove. Iowa State University Death by automotive M Looking at the way U. de C.anokatech. The latest evidence of this lack of evolution occurred on the eve of an annual automotive supplier conference in Traverse City. www. They want their metal fabricating and forming suppliers to be in the best position to respond to manufacturing suggestions and. Ill. it’s usually “all for one and none for all.nacc. Ill. and then expecting the chef to eat the cost of the meal. Minn. The automakers have to squeeze concessions from the supply base. www.. In particular. work with the automotive industry. Wis.owatc.S.S. Superior Joining Technologies Inc. LAI International Subramaniam Manivannan. Ford.ca College of the Canyons Santa Clarita. I’d love to see Chrysler. www. Texas ProFab Corp.S.ewi. Robert Clark. the fabricator® Editorial Advisory Board Dan Berdass.I. including ads for classes of products and services not considered of significant interest to the readership.com Practical Welding Today Associate Editor: Amanda Carlson.com Staff President & CEO.” The people doing the hiring have a vested interest in making sure there’s a “shortage. working only 184 days a year. subject to space availability. articles. timh@thefabricator. To read more blog entries and comments. and the company’s top welders make $18 an hour with limited benefits. If companies would see the value a good welder brings.thefabricator. The ABB family of robots includes a selection of integrated dressing models that deliver 15% shorter cycle times. Josh Welton Brown Dog Welding Mount Clemens.” The FABRICATOR. dand@thefabricator. and not ideal for a job seeker.com 815-227-8263 Indiana/Iowa/Minnesota/Missouri/ Wisconsin/Canada: Amy Hudson. amyh@thefabricator. But call it like it is: There’s a cheap skilled-labor shortage. and you will see the pay scale is from $12 to $18 for starting welders. that truly does mean the best person for the job. favoring no one product or company.. is determined solely by the publisher. cutting and metal fabrication applications. FMA Communications Inc. and there is no set standard for raises or advancement.com 815-227-8271 Classified Advertising: Patty D’Amico. try and get a raise. Editorial content cannot be purchased. I actively encourage it.com/robotics September 2013 The FABRICATOR 11 .metal-industries. From small parts to the largest. However. and that’s as high as they’ll get.com 815-227-8264 West/Arkansas/Louisiana/Mississippi: Tony Arnone. Anonymous Clearing up the Skilled-Worker Shortage Editor’s Note: The following was written in response to the “Skilled-worker shortage?” blog post that appeared on thefabricator. Just look in the newspaper. in these fields. and is used. highly engineered systems for heavy. But they have to pay better. lower operational costs and greater flexibility. But now you’ll find the market is saturated—which is great for the powers that be. by FMA Communications Inc. International. They continued to push for more nurse candidates while the economy was down. ABB robots and modular systems can easily handle small batch runs of highly diverse parts. As a society we need a skilled and diverse workforce to fire on all cylinders. the generic name is used.com 815-227-8237 Alabama/Florida/Illinois/Tennessee: Michael Scott. But it is my opinion that you got it wrong about welders [“Culture class. matthewp@thefabricator. Consult SRDS or our current rate card for full rates and data. And there are rewarding jobs. Can’t Find Help. Automated metal fab made easy. Standard Rate & Data Service lists our advertising rates in Section 88. ABB has the ideal robotic system for the full range of welding. however. the editors regret such oversights and re-emphasize their policy to be impartial at all times. and after four years they are making more money than I make. tony@thefabricator. We acknowledge that on occasion there may be oversights and errors.com. Editorial content. Big business is what it is. Janell Drolsum.com on July 12. I have been at my current workplace more than 25 years. it is recommended that correct safety procedures and equipment be utilized. 80]. Make welding worth the effort and pay more money. Then you read on. new literature. IL 61107-6302 815-399-8700 | Fax 815-484-7700 www.com Contributing Editor: Amy Nickel Associate Editor: Sue Roberts Senior Copy Editor: Teresa Chartos Graphic Designers: Mary Mincemoyer.Readers’ Forum Show Them the Money I get The FABRICATOR at work. But it’s completely unjust for a company to cry “We can’t find any skilled help” when they readily admit they will not hire anyone above $x per hour.” In a few cases.com Statement of Policy As the official publication of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association. p. I don’t want to deter people from going into skilled trades. Unless product identification makes the reference unavoidable. In fact. but there are other jobs they go to after school. ericl@thefabricator. seans@thefabricator. In most cases. mikel@thefabricator. “The right employee. Margaret Clark. maintain a policy of keeping editorial and advertising separate to ensure editorial integrity that most benefits our readership. jimg@thefabricator. etc. under license. And they still do. patriciad@thefabricator. 10]. Now on $12 to $18 could you afford house and car payments and food for four people? Then after you have been with the company for a couple of years. it means the “cheapest asset that’ll hopefully get us by. this impartiality is strived for and extends to the mention of trade names. Publications of FMA Communications Inc.” or at least making it look like a shortage. michaels@thefabricator. Associate Publisher: Jim Gorzek. and you will get more to go into welding. International. My kids chose the college way. news of the industry. Do you have a document explaining Caterpillar’s 7 Steps to Welding Excellence (7SWE) program? John Hagy Fort Pitt Machine Co.com TPJ–The Tube & Pipe Journal Editor: Eric Lundin.” From the Editor-in-Chief. large frame welding. they are both in education jobs. Jennifer Paulson Publication Coordinator: Kelly Palmer Director of Circulation: Kim Bottomley Circulation Manager: Brenda Wilson Data Verification Specialist: Rhonda Fletcher Senior Fulfillment Specialist: Anna Peacock Web Content Manager: Vicki Bell Multimedia Specialist: Sherry Young Senior Web Developer: Jason Bartholme Web Developer: Johanna Albee Advertising Sales ABB Robotics. Yes. With industry leading software innovations that reduce programming complexity.com 815-227-8278 Sales Assistant: Matthew Paul.thefabricator. More Information on Welding Program? Thanks for the well-written article on Sintel and Caterpillar [“Revitalizing a welding department in 16 months. machinery. kateb@thefabricator. more kids would get into welding and stay with welding as a life job. Mich.com Green Manufacturer Editor: Kate Bachman. Note: Some photographs printed in this publication may be taken with safety equipment removed for photographic purposes. tooling and management concepts for the metal fabricator. Editorial is free-of-charge. Sometimes you have to pull teeth just for a 25 cent raise. The policy of the publisher and this journal is to be nonpartisan. They need to do what’s best for them. and open to all interested parties that submit items meeting our editorial style and format as determined by the publisher. nor can it be used as a benefit of advertising dollars spent. July 2013. From entry level systems for smaller parts to the most intricate. both monetarily and spiritually. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising deemed inappropriate for publication in The FABRICATOR. and I just have to let you know that it is a great magazine. I would want my child to be a welder if there were good pay for it. July 2013. in actual operation. and people were desperate for work. Supply and demand? “They’re gonna start training from the ground up. amandac@thefabricator. www. for obvious reasons.com Senior Editor: Tim Heston.abb.” It looks like they’re just ignoring the current ratio and are looking to tip supply in their favor. visit http://blog. p.com 815-227-8265 Ohio/Southeast/International: Mike Lacny.com 815-227-8219 France Representative: Arnaud Vacherand Pressedition SA www. I’ve seen this time and time again on these BS fluff “shortage” pieces: Company X Holds Job Fair. By including information on new products. Pittsburgh (continued on page 12) the fabricator® Published by FMA Communications Inc. Inc. The representations of fact and opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher and this journal.: Edward Youdell Group Publisher: Dave Brambert Editor-in-Chief: Dan Davis. 833 Featherstone Road Rockford. The FABRICATOR recognizes the need and importance of disseminating information about modern metal forming and fabricating techniques. Look at the health industry. No wonder you can’t find help. “The FABRICATOR” is a service mark and a trademark of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association. including feature articles and press releases. for as long as possible.com 815-227-8269 Senior Account Representatives: Michigan/Northeast: Sean Smith. com/ for more information. Dust & Oil Mist Collectors Uni-Wash Wet Type Dust Collectors & Downdraft Benches Intercept Cartridge Collectors Tornado Cyclones Sidekick Portable Collectors MachineMaster Oil/ M Cyclone Dust Collectors tornado ™ intercept™ Removes Hexavalent Chromium! FXR fume extractor™ A Welder’s Best Friend! machinemaster™ Oil Mist Collectors sidekick™ uni-wash ™ 12 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . Stephen Lockhart IT Director Farris Fab & Machine Co. In general.logicbay. Michigan USA 866-386-1442 uni-wash ™ ProVent has the design and engineering expertise to get you on the right track with a dust collection system that is safe and will perform properly. N.com Industrial Ventilation Professionals Manufactured in Harbor Springs. A Question About EDI I would appreciate it if you have anyone on staff who might be able to answer some questions for me regarding the role of EDI in the fabrication industry. board members said EDI could help to reduce leadtimes. improve analysis of forecasted orders compared to actual shipments. and create the ability to quote more work with those companies that mandate EDI. We are uncertain of their risks and benefits. I’m curious if you have on your staff anyone who can provide helpful information or contacts for me. Editor’s Note: While we don’t have anyone on staff who has in-depth knowledge or experience with electronic data interchange (EDI). We are a longtime subscriber to your publications and look forward to any help you may be able to provide. create a clearer means of communication with customers. www. members of the editorial advisory board suggested the pros far outweighed the cons. included software compatibility issues with various customers and suppliers and the cost to implement. Rockford IL 61107. but we can point you to Caterpillar’s Supplier Development Center. eliminate problems associated with manual input of data.Readers’ Forum (continued from page 11) Editor’s Note: We don’t have a summary document to share. according to our experts. improve on-time deliveries. Visit https://sdc. we did pose your questions to The FABRICATOR’s editorial advisory board. Overall.C. METALCON BOOTH 640 If you have a question or thought you would like to share. but have very little prior exposure to them. We are currently examining EDI solutions. please send a note to Editor-in-Chief Dan Davis at 833 Featherstone Road. however. or email dand@thefabricator. The concerns with implementing an EDI package.proventilation. Cherryville.com. 916. IL 60148 • 630.us .FS FIBER Han-Kwang USA.hankwang. Inc. • 1120 North Garreld Street • Lombard.0200 • www. LaserGrating. 17-19—Bangkok Wire and Tube Southeast Asia Messe Düsseldorf Asia 65-6332-9620 www. 888-394-4362 www.fmanet. 29—Park Ridge.com Sept. Ore.mfgday. 9—Elk Grove Village. Louis Powder Coating 2013 Powder Coating Institute 832-585-0770 www. Ill.org/safety13 Oct. 25-27—Yangon. 15-17—Silverton. Electronic Sensors for Errorproof Metal Forming. 30-31—Park Ridge. 1—South Bend.net Oct. Designing Parts for Metal Stamping Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. Fabricating & Assembly Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. 888-394-4362 www. up to 1200 pounds. 200 pound and 500 pound capacity.com Oct.org Oct.com Sept. 888-394-4362 www. Model 1200 Pipemate Rotates pipe and tube from 1 ½” to 17” diameter.m. Mich.powdercoatingshow. 6-9—Las Vegas Titanium 2013 International Titanium Assn.tube-southeastasia. 30-Oct. 23-24—New Orleans Tube Producing 2013 Conference & Tour Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. 734-994-6088 www.fmanet. Advanced Materials and Processes Crafts Technology 847-758-3100 www.org Sept. 14-16—Indianapolis 25th National Robot Safety Conference Robotic Industries Assn. CT FabCast: What’s Your Business Worth? Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. EDTR Roundtable: Lean Manufacturing and the Quality Imperative for the Seamless Tubing Industry Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. Ill. Ga. Ill.org Oct. 105 Visit our website at www.org Replacement laser Slats For all major brands of CO laser cutting machinery 2 New Product 2013 Traditional Copper Slat • • • • Improved part quality Less slag build-up Increased machine uptime Ask about our FREE slat cleaning tool • Up to 70% savings • Patent Pending Hybrid Copper Slat WORK SMART For a quick quote contact us online. 22-24—Cincinnati Modern Furnace Brazing School Wall Colmonoy 248-585-6400 www.fmanet. 8-10—St. 888-394-4362 www.org Oct. 888-394-4362 www. 303-404-2221 www.atlaswelding.org Oct.fmanet.fmanet. 24—Grand Rapids. Environmental Footprint Reduction Workshop for Finishing Operations Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. The FABRICATOR’s Technology Summit Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. Smart Work Handling Means Increased Productivity 800-962-9353 www.com 14 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . or at 763-784-4600 ext. 888-394-4362 www. 15-17—Los Angeles WESTEC Society of Manufacturing Engineers 866-635-4692 www.Calendar of Events Sept. 888-394-4362 www.com Oct.westeconline.robotics.com Oct.fmanet.org Oct. 888-394-4262 www. Oct.org Sept. Precision Press Brake Certificate Course Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. Ltd. Ill. 3-4—Wood Dale.com Oct. 888-394-4362 www.craftstech.fmanet.wallcolmonoy. 65-6278-8666 www.fmanet. 11—10-11:30 a. Myanmar Myanmar Manufacturing Expo Conference & Exhibition Management Services Pte. 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Respondents are working hard to meet product/service features and function expectations (60 percent) and believe their customer will continue buying if they greatly deliver and support their product and service (29. An enhanced customer experience paves the way for customer loyalty and longer-lasting relationships between supplier and purchasers—a win-win situation for all parties. according to Epicor.000 employees. quantity. Only 30 percent of respondents indicated continued relationships were influenced by meeting product expectations. nearly 75 percent of large manufacturers with 5.” comprises answers from more than 460 enterprises across multiple sectors. 16 The FABRICATOR September 2013 .000 employees or more indicated that their ERP is a vital platform for delivering a good customer experience as it connects the back and front office operations. the ability to deliver the perfect order—right quality. flexible ERP system that streamlines operational processes and connects back office with front office by offering integrated CRM. and service organizations. or no contribution toward the delivery of a good customer experience.. and only 6. for sellers the focus is less about cost and more about delivering a good product and service to customers. more than 90 percent of respondents indicated that their ERP has limited. “Many companies continue to describe good customer experience in terms of products or service features and functions rather than the service level that they deliver at any touch point during the entire relationship. distribution. retail. and metal fabrication. “This includes. fully integrated. and aftermarket functionality. and Africa.5 percent based continued business with a supplier on their ability to support and deliver a product. and due date—and the range of aftermarket services supporting the initial product. a provider of business software systems for manufacturing. for example.Industry News Report highlights importance of ERP systems Epicor Software Corp. Middle East. location. Stocking Models 1/4" through 1" Standard Sizes up to 6" Come See Us at FABTECH! Booth S1749 America’s Manufacturer of Heavy Plate Bending Rolls Since 1879 In companies with 100 to 1. The white paper. little. Conversely. high-tech.8 percent). warranty. covering 13 countries.” The research also uncovered that manufacturers can improve the customer experience by investing in a modern. The report also highlights how crucial enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are in helping all manu1 8/6/13 2:14 PM MegaFab-Bertsch-ad_SeptFAB. including industrial machinery and equipment. Conversely. com and save up to 40% every day! EXPERT EXPE E Just 3 clicks and we ship! Everyone needs a little guidance now and then.bandsawparts.GUIDANCE GU G UIDA IDA DAN Visit BandSawParts. or visit our web site today. well they need guidance too. you can count on orders shipping the same day they’re placed. Call.240. Our strong value proposition built on prompt. courteous service. 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Punch and Laser Combination. most productive fiber laser cutting system FOM2RI — Easily switch from flat sheets to tube or pipe cutting with an integrated rotary index FLCAJ— (2kW) Fiber laser cutting system EMLK — The flexibility of a 4kW laser combined with 33 tons of punching power Quattro — Compact. forming and part removal ACIES — The next evolution in punch and laser combination technology Amada America.amada. IL 60173 • 877-262-3287 • www.1kW to 6kW with a Full Range of Features and Options.com . LC-F1 — Eliminate setups with “no-lens change” technology and an automatic nozzle changer FOM2 — The “workhorse” machine built on a single-piece cast frame with a proven flying optic design LC-C1 — The ultimate prototype/small lot production system includes tapping. 180 Amada Court • Schaumburg. Inc. had plenty of room to expand its business on the south side of the tracks. Koike’s president.125_Layout 1 5/28/13 10:58positioner AM Page manufacturing 1 welding and refurbishment. greinerindustries. as many things are when it comes to state government. So give it to us straight. Now the plan is to try and get the company back to the same level as 2012. and girders. flat bar. which meant more robots and welding equipment.Industry News Koike Aronson gets back on track Two things have been consistent in Arcade. That gave Koike the green light to begin its expansion. purchased by Koike in 1985. has rebounded in a very large way as global manufacturers seek out its welding positioners and companies in North and South America look to adopt Koike’s thermal cutting technology. PA. local elected officials. and we’ll handle the curves. said the company knew it was in need of more space.000-sq. “The Big House. and the company that owned the railway. since 1946: Aronson Machine Co. ft. Koike plans to use the new addition for manufacturing and refurbishment of its welding positioners. expansion. It contains a 35. Although the process was slow. we can roll.” as the Koike officials affectionately call the 30. Around 2007. The money and all of the OKs finally came around about two years ago. It had added manufacturing of CO2 laser cutting machines. A new 30. channels. angles. we’ll truck any size rolled steel. So Koike Aronson management started the negotiating process with state transportation officials. channels.Y. W p mU Ste em St Ou t asy Way) Horizontal (Hard Way) Vertical (E Leg Ou t Le gI n In With the the larg ea s achine in our reg ing m d n io w d r e a a y h a b e n d th n. and railroad tracks have sat right behind that facility.-ft.125x10. G t y. to a radius less than 100ft next Metal Bending with almost no distortion • Roll a 26” OD pipe with 2” wall thickness www. truss or girder to your site. was completed in June. or some owner of the Aronson brand has been making welding positioners at a facility on Main Street.000-sq.000-sq. The latter wasn’t really noteworthy until recently because Aronson. addition. Koike Aronson Inc. pipe and tubing in dimensions not found anywhere in our region. • Roll any size I-beam.greinerindustries. angle and tee trusses. square and rectangular tubing. which is currently made the EASY way (Y-Y axis) Call us at 800-782-2110 for a free quote on your • Roll a W40” by 211lbs/ft I-beam job.-ft. T e l h d e Cur n a H ves ’ll e . 10 months after construction began. From our 400. igh Leg In . and its welding positioners consistently were being ordered with more automation. will be used for Give It To Us Straight. Koike’s peak year in terms of 20 The FABRICATOR September 2013 p gU Le Ste m iameter Specify CL D ameter ide Di ify Ins Spec Leg Ou t it does ner rei t way. th s e wa er y With our ROUNDO R-16S Rolling Machine. beams and pipe. 13GI304_FAB_StraightCurves_7. We can even paint them before they leave.. Gerald Leary.com Call us at 800-782-2110 for a free quote on your next Metal Bending job.000 sq. The problem was the train tracks right outside the doors on the north side of the building. expansion at Koike Aronson Inc. which originally were made in Japan. That changed in recent years. everyone knew the importance of Koike’s expansion. both in floor space and building height.and a 50-ton crane for moving equipment and material around the new facility. Arcade.ft.com • Roll almost any size square or rectangular tubing From the depths of financial despair in the early 2000s. We can: • Roll a W44” by 242lbs/ft I-beam the HARD way (X-X axis) We also fabricate rolled structural members from steel plate. N. angles. however. even one as large as the 750-metric-ton welding positioner that was sold to a Chinese company last year. N. will allow it to tackle a variety of projects. The transportation infrastructure that was so important for transporting welding positioners in the early days of the company was now an obstacle to the company’s future prosperity.. beam trusses. The added space.. facility (under roof ) in Lancaster County. We specialize in all types of custom rolling and fabrication … including pipe trusses.Y. bend and shape structural steel beams. and the tracks were moved about 150 feet to the north quickly thereafter. following a 20. and Asia. has expanded its tube stamping and cutting operation. As part of the expansion. has announced the acquisition of Hansen Metal Fabricators. shift in the placement of a railroad track. Dayton Progress Corp. such a comment makes sense. Over the next several years.” Leary told guests at Koike’s open house in mid-July. and many business owners that might normally be investing in their company are hesitant to make those expenditures in the face of the uncertain economy.. and Ohio. also of Farmington.Y. Misumi Group Inc. metallurgical integrity and consistency. composite. Important markets such as mining and the military have slowed in the Americas. pipe. and MDF components for OEMs in a variety of industries. Sanford Industrial acquires Hansen Metal Fabricators Sanford Industrial Contractors. The acquisition allows Sanford to expand its capabilities in heavy metal welding and fabrication. Quality. Leary said. is a global supplier of factory automation products and die and mold components. will expand and adopt Dayton’s blank-making process at its blank factory in Vietnam. N.” Following the good news that came with a 150-ft. the company reports. “We have an emerging market here. It’s called the pipelines and infrastructure. Europe. The 500+ jobs at the Dayton location will remain. freeing up capacity and space for continued growth. a Tennesseebased manufacturer of metal. The machinery is used to manufacture several industrial parts from 1-in. and delivery all will be unaffected by this transfer. Pennsylvania. a supplier of rigging and millwright services in Farmington. which supplies all Misumi punch-making factories worldwide with blanks. “Let’s put that money into it. Misumi.Industry News Koike Aronson (continued) sales revenue. September 2013 The FABRICATOR 21 . square tube to be packaged with a variety of sheet metal stampings into adjustable mattress foundations. Oddello Industries announces expansion Oddello Industries. There are opportunities for market expansion. The company now processes nearly 15 miles of tube per day into 38 unique parts within length tolerances no higher than 0. the manufacture of Dayton semifinished punch blanks will transfer from Ohio to the Vietnam plant. manufactures tooling for metal stamping and forming. the company recently added a programmable process that couples a piercer from Criterion Machinery with a servo dual-blade cutoff machine from Haven Mfg.0015 in. according to Leary. with 10 factories in North America. —Dan Davis. but they don’t necessarily have to do with the emerging markets elsewhere in the world. tube. Editor-in-Chief Dayton Progress announces plan to transfer punch blank production Dayton Progress has announced that its parent company. The company operates in New York. 450 SOUTh SPRUCe ST. Vulcanium President Jerry St. machining. Chicago. specializing in providing titanium distribution and supply chain services to OEMs and subcontractors worldwide. the overall structure was designed by a Florida structural engineering company to withstand potential hurricanes. Atlas Tube produces a variety of steel tubular products and HSS. The company also performs leveling. The company provided structural steel components that made up the internal structure of the external tanks. shearing. O’Neal Industries acquires Vulcanium Metals Metals service center O’Neal Industries. student teams design and fabricate a one-tenth scale steel bridge.300 lbs. The full-scale replica resides just outside the main entrance to the new Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. chamfering.COM UNIT F . which were 40 ft. sawing. Calif. laser cutting. “The largest pieces we provided were the 48 columns.” said Brian Pendarvis. hOwARD ReeVeS FROM TeLKO eNTeRPRISeS: “In 2012 TELKO Enterprises. The UIC team constructed its bridge entirely out of hollow structural sections (HSS). The Voortman’s speed.VOORTMANCORP. Atlas donated $1. VoortMan ManUfaCtUres a fUll line of steel proCessing MaChines With the saMe CnC Control to proCess yoUr steel fUlly aUtoMatiC! COPING DRILLING SAwING CUTTING BLASTING PAINTING MARKING PUNChING SheARING VOORTMAN USA CORPORATION www. through its subsidiary United Performance Metals Inc. owner. Northern Ireland. and bar products. Ill. MANTeNO. which houses the Atlantis. built hundreds of steel subassemblies that were used in the construction of a 184-ft. sponsored the eight-member University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) steel bridge team at this year’s Great Lakes Student Conference. a division of JMC Steel Group. structural steel tubing.COM a v o o r t m a n s t e e l g r o u p c o m pa n y 22 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . each..-tall replica of the Atlantis space shuttle’s solid rocket boosters and external tanks.. plate.. “Because the installation was at the Kennedy Space Center. long and weighed an average of 4. Clair continues to oversee the company’s operations. defense.Industry News Pendarvis supplies steel subassemblies for Atlantis rocket booster replica Pendarvis Mfg.. with the exception of nuts and bolts.000 to the UIC ASCE Student Chapter for the competition. versatility and reliability has improved quality and turnaround time for existing customers and allowed us to win the business of a whole new customer base. and waterjet cutting services. Ala. and high-strength steel plates. the firm provided more than 300 subassemblies used in the final assembly of the solid rocket boosters. a stock/distributor and processor of titanium for aerospace. hosted by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). and Belfast. facing.” Atlas Tube sponsors UIC team for 2013 ASCE Great Lakes Student Conference Maybe it’s tiMe to start fishing in a different pond? NEW EQUIPMENT = MORE CAPABILITY = neW CUstoMers MR. Using pieces of wide flange beam.” Atlas Tube. block. Birmingham. In the competition. has acquired the assets of Vulcanium Metals.. a precision machine shop and fabricator in Anaheim. IL 60950 PhONe: 1 815 468 6300 e-MAIL: INFO@VOORTMANCORP. and medical instrument applications with locations in Northbrook.000 lbs. Inc chose the Voortman V613 drilling and layout marking system and VB1050 automatic saw. Vulcanium provides titanium sheet. The total weight of steel pieces was more than 255. . delivered the outlook on commercial vehicles (mediumand heavy-duty trucks). Lightvehicle sales are expected to rise to 15.000 over the same period.6 million units in 2009. noting that supplier sentiment has become more positive in recent months.700 units in 2012 to 262. Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA). senior economist. 24 The FABRICATOR September 2013 .7 million units projected for 2015. The metal fabricating company will move to an existing building.8 million units next year. Over the past few years. they are expected to surge to 300. 2013. because North American light-vehicle production is expected to ramp up to 16.000 sq. academia.700 units in 2014. as well as medium. David Andrea.000 to 500. C.900 units in 2014.300 units in 2013.. held May 30-31. and add more machinery and employees.S. ft.. However.and heavy-duty trucks). mediumduty truck sales are projected to grow from 188. Andrea said that to support the 16. to which it will add 10. partner. presented the sales outlook for new vehicles (new cars and light trucks.S. senior vice president.. reaching a record high of 80 to 85 million units in 2013. presented the outlook on the auto parts supplier industry. He noted that while heavy-duty truck sales are forecast to decrease from 278.400 units in 2012 to 197. Kenny Vieth. suppliers will have to significantly increase their capital expenditures and workforce from current levels. has announced plans for a $2 million expansion of its Covington.. such as new equipment purchases. economists say According to the more than 70 economists and analysts from business. auto parts manufacturing employment has increased only from about 400. She said that global new-vehicle sales growth is expected to continue this upward trend. suppliers have often lacked the confidence to do so and have instead focused on keeping their operations lean and disciplined while still meeting the rising demand for auto parts. the nation’s economic growth is forecast to be solid this year and to strengthen somewhat in 2014. Lin predicted new-vehicle sales to surpass 15 million units this year after having bottomed out at 10..7 million units by 2015. Focusing on the U. Andrea noted that North American production of light vehicles has almost doubled from an annualized rate of 8 million units in September 2009 to more than 15 million units in January 2013. Americas Commercial Transportation (ACT) Research Co. The new plant is expected to be up and running in late September. location. Cutting Edge Laser Machining to expand in Georgia Cutting Edge Laser Machining Inc. at its Detroit branch.600 units in 2013 and 213. and government who participated in the Chicago Fed’s 20th annual Automotive Outlook Symposium. Jenny Lin.3 million units this year and then improve to 15. Ga. Ford Motor Co. According to Andrea. while U.Industry News Automotive sales expected to continue accelerating. and hiring more workers. suppliers have been looking into making long-term investments. highlighting its engineered deburring technology. including the Tri-Ten planetary-head automated deburring system.. The award is the DOD’s highest recognition given to employers for exceptional support of Guard and Reserve employees. Once they have cooled down. and offers applicationspecific product links to abrasive filament brushes. The 10. so you can focus on your company and leave the software to us. owner and president. deburring systems. manual mills. or the company can produce detailed drawings using its in-house design capabilities. and application examples. information on upcoming tradeshows.200 metric tons—as compared to 2. a subsidiary of Knoxville Sheet Metal Works Inc. adding resistance welding. and grinders.Y. The company also provides brake forming. Texas.000-sq. In the next two years. Pa. Steel Plate Fabricators wins 2013 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award Certified welding and metal fabrication provider Steel Plate Fabricators.. the site has technical papers.assets of Schugt Mfg.I.500 to 3. The only nesting software you’ll ever need. The company reports that the move lowers its fixed costs and brings it closer to many local customers. Lancaster.Industry News Press hardening takes center stage at Schuler convention Press manufacturer Schuler recently held a convention in Waghäusel. Top products include 38-caliber. “The heated blanks then have to be fed into the press as quickly as possible to prevent rapid air cooling. GSM Industrial. The waterjet machines can cut stainless steel up to more than 6 in. Germany. As part of the deal..com/software_trial ProNest® nesting software Your business needs are changing all the time.. and tunnels. Ill. Dresden. a provider of engineered metal manufacturing systems. joined GSM. Chirch Global Mfg.-ft. ATW Companies expands Metalform manufacturing operations ATW Companies. building in Cary.” explained Schuler Sales Manager Jens Aspacher. The existing equipment at the Schugt facility has been transferred to GSM’s plant. com. Use of press-hardened parts has grown from about 8 million pieces in 1997 to 124 million in 2010. a fabricator and installer of custom industrial steel products. in Knoxville. The shop is equipped with CNC turning centers. demand is expected to almost quadruple to as many as 450 million pieces. The acquisition allows GSM to expand its machining capabilities. Tenn. five Schugt employees. Schugt specialized in precision CNC milling and turning.” The press remains closed for a few additional seconds during the forming process so that parts can cool and harden. Abtex updates website GSM Industrial acquires Abtex Corp. and powder coating in Cudahy. manual machining. The home page highlights the company’s engineering capabilities. Warwick. spot welding. machining. lathes. 45-caliber. and 9-mm magazines.. has acquired the assets of Schugt Mfg. a Department of Defense office. addition. The demand comes mainly from the automotive industry for such parts as bumper supports. to offer 5-axis waterjet cutting. a $412. has announced that its Metalform product line has expanded its manufacturing capabilities.-ft. stamping. the parts have a final tensile strength of up to 1. including reflective materials and soft materials. CNC vertical machining centers. See us at FABTECH booths S951 and S1986 PLASMA | LASER | WATERJET | AUTOMATION | SOFTWARE | CONSUMABLES September 2013 The FABRICATOR 25 . to a new 30. has re. Wis.000 metric tons—and springback is reduced. Visitors can also view videos of each deburring system in operation. Since 1996 only 175 employers have received the award.abtex. and finishing of many traditional and nontraditional materials. a precision CNC machining shop in Dover. elastic-bonded abrasives. less material is needed per part to ensure the same level of stability. Fort Worth.500 megapascal.. laser cutting. designed its website at www. thick with no HAZ. and fabrication services for customers throughout Dallas. including David Schugt. N. where about 80 visitors heard from industry and academic experts about the latest developments in press hardening and other lightweight construction methods. The new welding equipment is expected to increase production by at least 10 percent. Cycle times are from 8 to 30 sec. is expected to result in the hiring of 15 full-time employees over the next three years. thus reducing weight. Hypertherm. “Blanks or preformed parts are heated in a furnace to a temperature of 930 degrees C. has been named one of 15 recipients of the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award from Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). Because of their high rigidity. Its cut-to-print and build-to-print services can be based on a customer’s design drawings. a manufacturer of metal stampings and sheet metal fabrications.800-sq. So should the capabilities of your software. B-columns. Hypertherm CAD/CAM nesting software is constantly evolving to meet the needs of business owners. Metalform’s capabilities include deep drawing. DallasWaterjet offers waterjet cutting for north Texas DallasWaterjet has been established in Plano. spot welding. R. Recipients go to extraordinary lengths to support their military employees through both formal and informal initiatives. and pistol magazine fabrication. has announced plans to expand one of its two buildings for metal fabricating. and north Texas. In addition to complete product specifications and application information. Pa. and robotic plasma welding equipment.000 investment. welding. and customer testimonials. roof frames. Try it free for 30 days. The company currently employs 50 people. and Blanchard grinding. sills. LLC. has moved from McHenry. CR Industries announces expansion plans CR Industries Inc. LLC relocates in Illinois Chirch Global® Mfg. Ill.. Press force can be reduced to 400 to 1. . Industry News Ford develops technology to speed prototyping, low-volume production Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Mich., is developing a highly flexible, first-of-its-kind, patented manufacturing technology to form sheet metal parts rapidly for low-volume production applications. When fully developed, the technology will allow for lower costs and prototype delivery within three business days versus conventional methods that take two to six months. e development is based on Ford Freeform Fabrication Technology (F3T), a patented manufacturing process developed at the Ford Research and Innovation Center. rough this process, a piece of sheet metal is clamped around its edges and formed into a 3-D shape by two stylus-type tools working in unison on opposite sides of the sheet metal blank. Similar to a digital printer, after the CAD data of a part is received, computer-generated tool paths control the F3T machine to form the sheet metal part into its final shape to the required dimensional tolerances and surface finish. While traditional processes remain the most e cient method for high-volume stamping, e ciencies for low-volume production can be achieved with the flexibility F3T provides, the company reports. e technology eliminates the need for geometric-specific forming dies and allows flexibility for the quick creation of prototypes and concept cars. It could produce sheet metal parts for prototypes in just days for essentially no cost, according to the manufacturer. e technology also is expected to have broad applications outside of the automotive industry, including use in the aerospace, defense, transportation, and appliance industries. e project is part of a three-year, $7.04 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to advance next-generation, energy-e cient manufacturing processes. Led by Ford, other collaborators include Northwestern University, e Boeing Company, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Penn State Erie. You will never outperform China ...Mexico, India or the guy in Indiana if you keep cutting your own profits. Stop wasting material. Take your efficiency seriously. Switch to SigmaNEST. 513-674-0005 Supplier News Bernard, Beecher, Ill., and Tregaskiss, Windsor, Ont., have launched a new joint toll-free telephone number for distributors and end users in the U.S. and Canada. e new number, 855-MIGWELD (855-644-9353), provides one point of access to customer service and technical support for the companies’ welding guns, peripherals, and consumables. International customers can call 519-737-3030 to access the same information. e lines are open Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST. Distributors can use the number to inquire about ordering, delivery status, and pricing. End users can receive product information and technical support. Delcam has established a direct o ce in Illinois following its acquisition of its Rockford-based reseller, CAD CAM Systems Inc. CAD CAM (continued on page 29) Stop Cutting Profits V3_Fabricator.indd 1 Go with the world’s #1 CAD/CAM nesting software to improve your material utilization & cutting speed. Guaranteed. ® www.sigmanest.com 6/20/2013 5:55:50 PM 28 The FABRICATOR September 2013 Industry News Supplier News (continued) Systems President Andy Bergstrom and the company’s sta have become direct employees of Delcam North America. is is the company’s sixth direct o ce in North America. e others are in Salt Lake City; Philadelphia; Pasadena, Calif.; Windsor, Ont.; and Toronto. CAD CAM Systems became a Delcam sales partner in 1994, serving Illinois and Iowa companies of all sizes in the mold, die, pattern, and prototyping industries. In 2008 the company established its Azimuth CNC machining division—that division now is a stand-alone company using Delcam software. Diamond Ground Products, Newbury Park, Calif., has moved to a 40,000-sq.-ft. location a few blocks away from its previous facility. e expansion is in response to rising demand for the company’s preground tungsten electrodes and tungsten electrode grinders. Lawn mower blade producer Fisher Barton Blades Inc. (FBBI), an operating division of the Fisher Barton Group, has announced the relocation of its Watertown, Wis., mower blade operation into a larger manufacturing facility. e new facility, located 2 miles from the former plant, has twice the manufacturing floor space. e additional space will be used for product packaging and direct order fulfillment for the company’s OEM customers. IRMCO® Advanced Lubricant Technologies, Evanston, Ill., a manufacturer of synthetic lubricants, has received worldwide automotive approval from Renault for use in all plants. After being subjected to vigorous testing procedures to ensure they are compatible with Renault’s strict manufacturing processes, the company’s oilfree lubricants now can be used in forming and metal stamping operations for all of the automaker’s components. IRMCO also has announced the addition of Manufacturing Technology (M-Tech) as its regional sales representative in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. M-Tech is a distributor of metal stampings, conveying, press safety equipment, tooling, and now stamping and bending lubricants. It provides pressroom products, application engineering, installation, machine repair, and training services. Koike Aronson Inc./Ransome, a manufacturer of metal cutting and positioning equipment for the metalworking industry, sponsored the Steaming Toward a Cure for Diabetes event to benefit the American Diabetes Association’s Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes® campaign of western New York. At the July 13 event, a steam train of the Arcade & Attica Railroad took passengers on an excursion from Arcade, N.Y., Koike’s U.S. headquarters. e American Diabetes Association funds research of improved treatment of diabetes and provides resources to those who have the disease. Laser Mechanisms Inc., Novi, Mich., and Fitchburg, Mass.-based Vinyl Technologies Inc. (Vytek) have settled a six-month federal court trademark dispute. Laser Mech, a designer and manufacturer of (continued on page 30) THIS VIEW MADE POSSIBLE WITH LINCOLN ELECTRIC Get the whole story at www.madepossiblewith.com AR13-73 © The Lincoln Electric Co. All Rights Reserved. Photo Credit: John Burcham 1993 Email:
[email protected] Fax: 630. The company also has ASUs in Southern California and New Mexico. Tube bending machine manufacturer Schwarze-Robitec has invested 1 million euros in its new drilling and milling center at its headquarters in Cologne. which manufactures solid carbide drills. high output. The plant is expected to be onstream. Slash Operating Costs up to 75% Work With up to 4 kW at The Cutting Head Eliminate High-Maintenance Gas Systems And Components ■ Bring Advanced Automation Solutions to Your Production ■ ■ The World’s Most Advanced Fiber Optic Lasers Cy Laser LLC 65 N River Lane.J. and blanking lines.. and fiber lasers and other wavelengths. The charges stem from Vinyl Technologies’ recent adoption. The machine is operated from a cockpit. And your bottom line. Efficiency. horizontally and 9. Reliability.. PCD inserts. among other claims. and special round tools. has announced the opening of its Tool Engineering Center (TEC) and plant expansion in New Berlin.000-sq. The companies have resolved their dispute in a manner acceptable to both parties.820 to 172. and promotion of the mark FiberCut in connection with selling complete laser systems. expansion has more than doubled the size of the facility. ft. TEC includes a large training room for multiple levels of training classes. and argon in Mesa. Our combination of low power consumption. Ariz. N. www. Matheson. producing high-purity merchant product.000-sq. hydraulic machines. Wis. which were alleged to be likely to cause confusion with the FiberCut trademark used by Laser Mech since 2009 in connection with its laser processing heads.us Precision. including stamping and cutting systems. use. and dramatically lower operating costs will increase your productivity.69 IPS. filed claims against Vinyl Technologies in January 2013. Throughout the case.. nitrogen. alleging unfair competition under federal and state laws. during the third quarter of 2014. Forget What You’ve Heard About Fiber Optic Lasers Cy Laser Has Changed All The Rules No other fiber system gives you.208. machines to display cutting tool products and (continued on page 34) 30 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . tripling capacity at the production facility. The 10. Mount Prospect. With a movement range of 39. which recognizes Laser Mech’s trademark rights in its FiberCut mark. In one clamping. Basking Ridge. The investment is intended to improve support for current customers and the recently acquired U. the system can machine up to 30 tons of heavy components on five sides. regrinds. The nearly $21 million expansion allows the company to design a variety of press models at the location.37 ft.. Vytek has denied all claims.-ft. The 55.Industry News Supplier News (continued from page 29) laser beam delivery components and articulated arm systems for high-power CO2. The company has expanded from 53.208. Suite 209 Geneva. CBN inserts.. YAG.Cy-Laser. Ill. vertically.S. The Power to Cut: 1” Mild Steel 3/4” Aluminum 5/8” Stainless As Easily as Thin Gage! Cy Laser delivers the next generation of solid state fiber optic laser performance. with components moving along at a speed of 19.84 ft.us Sumitomo Electric Carbide Inc. it can machine large components. has announced plans to build a new large-capacity air-separation unit (ASU) to supply oxygen. and trademark infringement.-ft. Value.222 sq. Airweld distribution business. in less than one year. Germany. China. Schuler has opened a new location in Dalian. IL 60134 Phone: 630. press lines. replaceable carbide drills. . . . S.. Waterjet USA LLC is a newly established sales. when it acquired Bucyrus Intl.. steel water pipe. Ill. in 2010. Drill. Tap. Ill. a mining equipment manufacturer based in Peoria. For several years Waterjet Corp. section of steel pipe installed in 1911. a Mitsubishi-owned machine tool importer and distributorship based in Wood Dale. “Near-term plans include beefing up management and opening a showroom for application development and customer product demonstrations.S.” said Wayne Geyer. through a Canadian importer and distributor. Before that its products were imported into the U. has been building complete cutting systems for the North America market. “Factory service personnel are being relocated to Geneva. Ill. Mich. Inalfa Roof Systems.. Plant News Caterpillar Inc..3 million people in Denver and surrounding suburbs. (continued on page 35) 34 The FABRICATOR September 2013 .” Denver Water receives STI/ SPFA’s Steel Water Pipe Century Club Award TO P ART FASTER THAN L ASER ! P L ATE Whitney 3400 HEAVY • Punch. Ill. and extensive measuring tools.500-ft. s. has announced plans to close its Milwaukee metal fabrication shop. STI/ SPFA is a trade association for member companies that fabricate steel tanks. providing water to 1.” said Massimo Denipoti. location. executive vice president of STI/SPFA.. a provider of vehicle roofing systems with headquarters in Auburn Hills. The welding operations will be moved about 8 miles away to the company’s main facility in South Milwaukee. and parts organization in Geneva. supporting users of the high-precision 2. Caterpillar took over a lease for space in the building.. owned by Industrial Partners LLC. Lake Zurich. Denver Water is Colorado’s oldest and largest water utility. Italy. of Monza. Mill Come See Us at FABTECH! Booth S1749 • Choose Your Level of Automation—from basic to 100% full automation • Complete Raw Material to Finished Part—with 50% or more faster cycle times than laser Denver Water has received the Steel Water Pipe Century Club Award from the Steel Tank Institute/Steel Plate Fabricators Association (STI/ SPFA). Plasma Cut. Ill. 2. in recognition of the reliability of Conduit 40. has announced plans to open a manufacturing plant in Cherokee County. “Our Steel Water Pipe Century Club Award is presented to utility management whose steel water pipe or pipeline has been in continuous service in the water delivery infrastructure for more than 100 years.r. service. The location has been used for overflow work from the main facility. president of the U.-dia. a 24-in.to 6-axis cutting machines from Waterjet Corp..l.pdf 1 8/6/13 2:21 PM sold exclusively to and through MC Machinery Systems. MegaFab-3400HVYad_std-bld_SeptFAB. to consolidate our local installation team and post-sales people. and steel pressure vessels.Industry News Supplier News (continued from page 30) demonstrate on-the-machine training. com ©2012 Wintriss Controls – All Rights Reserved . B. and can be quickly implemented into any discrete manufacturing environment. The company serves such industries as electronics. press-brakes.. ShopFloorConnect provides a powerful report-generator as well as a browser-based viewer that displays machine status in real time. has achieved ISO 9001:2008 certification.1 million investment is expected to create 300 jobs. ShopFloorConnect software is used by the discrete manufacturing. and food-and-beverage industries to collect operating data from stamping presses. General Motors. welders. consistent quality. and enclosed tracks products. U. celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2013.S. Terex Material Handling has announced that its Cleveland facility has been awarded recertification in ISO 9001 and 14001 and certification in OHSAS 18001 by Global Group for commitment to safety. rope hoists. stamping. Ind. Toronto-based Thunder Tool & Mfg. aerospace. September 2013 The FABRICATOR 35 See us at FABTECH Booth S4737 For additional information about ShopFloorConnect. Certification News (continued) Phinney Tool & Die. Smithfield. hydraulic. It comes factory-configured to communicate directly over your LAN with the ShopFloorConnect Machine Interface (SMI). has announced that its Toggle-Aire® pneumatic. Advanced Metal Etching celebrates its 20th year in business Advanced Metal Etching Inc. The company. and environmental management.-based Fine Tubes has received accreditation from Nadcap for its standards in metal tube manufacture. turret presses. Whistler & Sons Inc. a new $2. USA Inc.. microwave. The plant will employ 45 people to manufacture metal components for automotive engines and transmission mounts. R. toggle-actuated presses have received European Economic Area (EEA) CE mark approval. Parts design consultation. computer. It is a turn-key solution that provides timely accurate data to improve your operation. and implementation of progressive fin die lines. custom hard dies. is a supplier of photochemical etching services for thin. N. Ky. packaging.Y. founded in 1993 by Blake Geer and Scott Seniff. Volvo. and stamping services primarily for the HVAC industry. The company manufactures turnkey progressive punching and notching systems.K. has opened Thunder Mfg. or visit us at www. Certification News AIM JORACO®. packaging and other machines. The plant is projected to begin operating in January 2014. Its core focus is the design. manufacture. The company also founded AME Swiss Machining LLC.I. machining centers. and aerospace.. laser cutting machines. The company produces the Demag brand of overhead cranes. and BMW Group. The company supplies sunroofs and open roofing systems for automotive manufacturers such as Hyundai Kia. automated saws. paint lines. injection molders. Ligonier. Ford. Medina. The new facility is the company’s fourth in the U. The company previously earned Nadcap recognition for its heat treating and NDT processes. flat metal parts for prototype and production requirements. 978-268-2700. a Swiss machining specialist providing highprecision Swiss CNC machining for the medical.2 million metal stamping operation in Richmond. This accreditation entitles the company to appear on the Qualified Manufacturers List for welding. call us at 800-586-8324 (US and Canada). chain hoists. Ltd. technical assistance. medical.. The presses are certified to comply with the essential requirements of the machinery directive 2006/42/ EC and further conform with the EU Harmonized Standards EN ISO 12100:2010 and EN ISA 4414:2010.Industry News Plant News (continued) Ga. Chrysler Group. a division of S. progressive tube sheet lines... You Can’t Improve What You Don’t Measure ShopFloorConnect® Collects and Analyzes Efficiency Metrics from Any Machine. as well as precision stamping services. and electronics industries.ShopFloorConnect. and secondary operations also are available. geared motors. ShopFloorConnect is scalable and flexible. The $17. he holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan. a Misumi Group company in Farmington Hills. has proDonald Hahn moted Donald L. Hahn. the name change reflects its focus on innovation. Okla.Y. Based out of the company’s Farmington Hills o ce. He leads the company’s development of new products and oversees improvements to the current product o ering. Before Paul King joining the company.. regions east of Michigan. application engineering. Mich. IEM. has named Tom Calabrese as its CFO. N. He holds an MBA from Friends University and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Saint Mary of the Plains College. he is responsible for sales of the Danly. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Eastern Michigan University and an MBA from Madonna University. and purchasing and planning.S. He is responsible for Tom Calabrese financial services. Phillips has extensive experience in the industrial distribution industry. Mich. and Lempco component brands in Michigan and all U. He joined the company in 1988 as a welder and has served as lead person of welding. Anchor Lamina America Inc. Lamina. According to the company. electrical and hydraulic assembly. a weld and fabrication department. Koike Aronson Inc. mechanical assembly. has changed its name to Delta Steel Technologies (DST) and has hired Joseph Savariego as its new president.. PE. and shipping and receiving. Avoid jeopardizing your production process and quality of your products with TigerRack. He previously held a die process engineering position with yssenKrupp Budd. he was CFO for nine years at Flexovit USA Inc. rework and waste plague the fabrication industry. and oil and gas industries. Its manufacturing department includes CNC plate burning equipment. a manufacturer of metal cutting and positioning equipment for the metalworking industry in Arcade. e company also has hired Ted Phillips as director of business development. Hahn most recently served as components technology manager for the company’s Lamina Hydraulics line. Steve Morris has announced his retirement as executive vice presi- When you’re slamming it out: miscuts. Sa ell has more than 30 years of experience in the aerospace and defense. manufactures tool. He is responsible for driving business growth by evaluating and continuously improving operational e ciency. e company also has named Paul King as diSteve Morris rector of manufacturing. and mill duty construction. die. and mold components for the metalworking and plastics industries. DST designs and manufactures metal processing machinery. .Industry News People News Engineered component manufacturer Aerobraze Engineered Technologies has hired Mark Sa ell Mark Sa ell as plant manager for its Oklahoma City.. Licensed as a professional engineer in Michigan. Delta Brands Inc. facility. customer services. heavy equipment. to the position of senior engineering manager. assistant plant superintendent. information services.. quality control./Ransome. Anchor Lamina America Inc. and plant superintendent. most recently serving as vice president of sales for Paragon Technologies in Warren. stress-relieving equipment. M. purchasing. 1. will be announced in November. and an MBA from the University of Michigan..Industry News People News (continued) dent of operations. succeeding Rolf Biekert. a master’s degree in manufacturing engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.. Schuster joined the company in 2006 with more than 30 years of experience in industrial manufacturing. two new facilities were built and the company’s workforce grew by 800 employees. Adams received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Michigan State University. He is responsible for the planning. product sales. Award winners in several national categories. and applications. Gruenert previously served as executive vice president of TRUMPF GmbH + Co. technical training. as well as the National Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of e Year Overall Award winner. e result of this strategy was a sales increase of 816 percent over the three-year period from 2009 to 2012. has appointed Greg Adams to the position of CEO. Tenere Inc. and manager of the Financial Services Group at Ernst & Whinney. now Ernst & Young. He also worked as executive vice president at LDM Technologies. To support this tremendous growth rate. has announced that President and CEO Gary Schuster has been selected as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® 2013 Northeast Ohio in the distribution and manufacturing category. He has been with the company for more than eight years. Conn.. Mich. customer service. castings. Wickli e. coordination. Custom roll forming company OMCO. Biekert leaves to lead Maintecx. In this role he was responsible for the central departments’ IT and processes. Ohio. Lars GruenDr. he is responsible for all of the company’s subsidiaries and business operations in North America. following its recent purchase of prototyping and casting company Protogenic. vice president and general manager of Nypro North America. During that challenging time for the company. a designer and fabricator of complex metal and plastic components and assemblies in Dresser. research and development. director of marketing for Bundy Intl. KG and CFO of the Laser Technology/Electronics business division. Adams most recently served as CFO at Nypro. (continued on page 38) Pneumatic Flip Away* Productivity Software* External Brakes* Tube Gripper* . N. Fabricating machinery manufacturer TRUMPF Inc. and chair of Nypro Consumer & Electronics. engineering.. and control of the manufacturing production process. Wis. a manufacturer of surfacing and brazing products. Wall Colmonoy. has named Dr.. After 25 years with the organization. 2013. including manufacturing. He is responsible for driving growth for Tenere. which included the ability to respond quickly to market opportunities. Marin will focus on process standardization and manufacturing engineering improvement projects.. has hired Carlos Marin as manufacturing manager for the Alloy Products Group in Los Lunas. coatings. an independent fabricating equipment sales representative company and an exclusive distributor of TRUMPF fabricating equipment in the Midwest. Regional award winners go on to compete at the national level. he formulated the firm’s new growth strategy. e ective Oct. and engineered Carlos Marin components in Madison Heights. ensuring quality and ontime delivery of products. Lars Gruenert ert as president and CEO. and organizational development. Previous positions during his 15-year tenure there included CTO. rough the application of Six Sigma and lean methods. Farmington. In this position. telecommunication. To learn more about Manufacturing Day events.. Organizations that wish to become involved as official sponsors should call 888-394-4362 or e-mail info@mfgday. Weldcote Metals.-ft. and military industries. having served as a distributor.C. “Their grassroots advocacy program has helped to make ‘Made in America’ a viable part of the political conversation again and matches up perfectly with the mission of Manufacturing Day. Beloit.847. manufacturer. Manufacturing Day 2013 is a grassroots effort by U. the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). visit www.com 38 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . and other local community members at open houses designed to showcase modern manufacturing technology and careers. Wis. has received approval from the Beloit City Council to purchase 3. medical. addition. job seekers. “The Manufacturing Day co-producers are happy to welcome AAM as a Gold Sponsor. Gold Sponsor. (FMA). Alliance for American Manufacturing Joins Manufacturing Day as a Gold Sponsor The Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM). parents.6200 | fabricate.S. N.com. The company serves the automotive. manufacturers to improve public perception of manufacturing in America by coordinating awareness-raising activities at a variety of locations across the country on Oct. Gallagher has 30 years of experience in all aspects of gas and welding distribution. He is a lean expert and a Six Sigma Black Belt. and expanding the business. A panel of co-producers comprising FMA. He is responsible for sales. and vice president of sales and marketing at the IWDC. Ill. has joined Manufacturing Day™ 2013 as a Beloit Precision to expand in Wisconsin Metal fabricator Beloit Precision. teachers.motoman.. and guest producer Industrial Strength Marketing (ISM) provides the centralized support necessary to coordinate this nationwide array of simultaneous events. Rockford. D. supplying the national initiative with resources to support manufacturers participating in the program. 4. 2013..000-sq. president and CEO of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl. electronics. 937. We value their support.” Manufacturing Day is an annual national event that brings together hundreds of manufacturers to host students. Washington. Kings Mountain. com.3 acres of land for an 18.” said Ed Youdell. the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). has named Pete Gallagher as executive vice president. marketing.mfgday.Industry News People news (continued from page 37) Marin has a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Texas and a bachelor’s degree in industrial and chemical engineering from Instituto Technologico de Chihuahua.C. the Manufacturing Institute (MI). C. has announced that Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) has installed a second Jet Edge precision waterjet cutting system at its fabrication shop in Cornelius. He explains how competition and technology are driving the industry’s pace. discussing the current state of the manufacturing industry. and explains how trade schools expose students to new and exciting opportunities never before seen in manufacturing. a supplier of factory automation and safety design. It features Steve Frizinger. can cut beveled. and equipment demonstrations. MULTI USE PRODUCT TRIGGER P R OTM . Frizinger speaks about the future of manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Both events featured technical sessions. MWR uses the machines to cut more than 1. McLean. Minn. Java author. Jet Edge Inc. and economics writer. NetApp’s virtualization alliance manager. IMTSTV video discusses current state of manufacturing The Association For Manufacturing Technology. He also cites MTConnect as one of the leading factors for the pace change.Industry News Michael Waltrip Racing installs second Jet Edge waterjet cutting machine Applied Manufacturing Technologies hosts automation technology open house Applied Manufacturing Technologies (AMT). It builds about 56 cars per year.IMTS. St. With these trade schools. Va. which features IGEMS CAD/CAM/nesting software. and how it has allowed the entire industry to achieve and maintain a greater level of efficiency. CO M / T R I G G E R ©2013 WD-40 Company September 2013 The FABRICATOR 39 . taperfree parts from almost any material. THE SAME FORMULA YOU’VE ALWAYS U S E D TO G E T T H E J O B D O N E .. N OW I N A CO N V E N I E N T N O N A E R O S O L CA N. key industry speakers. and process consulting services. 22 at its corporate headquarters in Orion. The Edge X-5. students will be able to begin their manufacturing careers earlier and without having to repay thousands of dollars in student loans. Mich. N.. held its annual Automation Technology Open House Aug. MWR Chief Technical Officer Tom German with Michael Waltrip.. The machine. has released a new IMTSTV In Brief video at www. The event was held in conjunction with AMT’s technology partner ATI Industrial Automation’s 7th annual Technology Training Fair. a 5-axis waterjet cutting system. and why companies must adapt to this change if they want to survive. Michael. Topics presented and demonstrated included the release of R15. and the AMT Training Academy and approach. engineering.000 parts for each of its NASCAR Sprint Cup cars.06-2012 and what that means for safety compliance. • MORE CONTROL • L E SS M E SS • E A SY D I S P O S A L A L S O AVA I L A B L E I N : • 55 GA L LO N • 5 GA L LO N • 1 GA L LO N L E A R N M O R E AT W D 40. the process of advanced manufacturing engineering.com/IMTSTV. is powered by a 100-HP Jet Edge iP55100 hydraulic intensifier pump. machines can be rolled into containers for shipping. The building interior has been remodeled to increase the company’s manufacturing efficiency and capacity. Ill. We now have more software and hardware development engineers. The expanded metalworking machine shop includes a $470. The new building. The Buffalo Grove. U. A dedicated flow line for building machines is fitted with a gantry crane to help simplify handling and installation of large components.-ft. Formitt Processes’ focus is design and production of equipment for the manufacturing process for catalytic converters. a division of Hess Industries. managing director. building in Dunlap. It features an advanced beam. INTRODUCING FIBER LASER TECHNOLOGY FROM MITSUBISHI LASER After nearly four decades of industry-leading innovation.mitsubishi-world.Industry News Fontijne Grotnes Group acquires part of Hess Industries The Fontijne Grotnes Group. with application-specific tooling for each stage of the build cycle.com/laser. rotary sizing. The newly acquired product portfolio is positioned as Fontijne Formitt Inc. please visit our website: www.000 sq.000 CNC machining center to help speed fabrication of components and tooling. “The new facility has allowed us to expand every major department. ENDLESS EXPERTISE.-based manufacturer of all-electric tube bending machines. is expected to be completed in October. With this acquisition the Fontijne Grotnes Group maintains part of the Hess Industries production facility in Niles. and more manufacturing and sales staff. minus the Wheel IP. along with 2 acres of surrounding land. At the end of the line. has acquired the intellectual property (IP) of Hess Industries Inc. 40 The FABRICATOR September 2013 MITSUBISHI LASER: NOW WITH 100% MORE FIBER. high-speed controls and preset autofocus processing head for fast. The new NX-F fiber laser series is the latest expression of this drive. MC MACHINERY A SUBSIDIARY OF SYSTEMS. Calif.com or email: jobs@mcmachinery. Formitt Metal Labs concentrates on process development and prototyping for various metal forming applications.K. deep expertise and unparalleled support of Mitsubishi Laser. facilities continue to be responsible for all other products and services of the Fontijne Grotnes Group. For current open positions. Benton Steel expanding in Tennessee Metal assembly and preparation company Benton Steel Fabrication has announced plans to expand with a 400. Netherlands. Tenn.com ONE SOURCE. accurate production. a maker of manufacturing equipment in the Netherlands. Mich. MITSUBISHI CORPORATION EDM | LASER | WATERJET | MILLING | HIGH-SPEED VMC | PRESS BRAKE AUTOMATION | CONSUMABLES | PRE-OWNED | SERVICE | FINANCING Unison adds production capacity Unison... This includes canning assembly. Tube bending machines now progress through six sequential assembly cells. which includes Formitt Processes and Formitt Metal Labs.000-sq. and spinning equipment. It’s one more option for your fabrication needs—backed by the industry-leading technology. INC. To learn more visit Mitsubishi-World.. to be located behind the company’s current operations. has opened a new facility in Scarborough. the new facility adds 24. and Vlaardingen. ft.. EOE M/F/D/V . our focus on new technology is still laser sharp. renamed Fontijne Formitt Inc.” said Alan Pickering. a Madera. of manufacturing space. It also comprises specialized areas such as the patented AGC gauging system. The building more than doubles the production capacity of the company and accelerates machine building times by about 15 percent. Located close to the company’s previous building. fab-line.E-mail:
[email protected]. power plants.tr Laser Plasma Punching Waterjet Bending Shearing Vertical Machining Center .Fax: 630-587-5584 .www. IL 60174 Phone: 630-587-0505 . Baykal APHS Press Brakes meets the needs of all sectors engaged in the production of heavy machinery industry such as transportation.We will be at Fabtech 2013 located in Booth S967 www. Exclusively represented by Fab-Line: 1900 East Tyler Road.Fax: +90 224 243 12 86 .com Baykal: Phone: +90 224 294 77 00 .com.com. defense industry. Building 800. wind turbines. Saint Charles.tr The best bending solutions. Later in 2013. designed for quick setup and removal of welds and provides ease in blending grain finish. to help make equipment and supplies more affordable for the students. and to reach out to welding instructors with safety information and an opportunity to bring a company representative to the classroom for a guest lecture. Italy. one grand-prize winner will be randomly selected to win an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City. has introduced the new We Build campaign. (ITEC) of Rockford. and oil extraction. architectural. They will be shared on the website and on the company’s social media channels. Basking Ridge.” said Rich Thompson. Students are invited to the company’s stores. purification systems. ITEC has more than 15 years of experience servicing other European manufacturers of tube-related equipment in North America including CNC tube benders.J. the men and women who work hard every day to weld and build the tools. and will run through Dec. end forming machines. and the products that make our world a better place.. square tube. a provider of gases. Deburring machine for parts up to 60" wide and as small as a penny. Co. “We Build is about the operators.. At the end of the promotion. N. ferrous and non-ferrous materials. deburring and micro-finishing. the company plans to install an FL800 machine with a capacity of up to 32in. sweepstakes Miller Electric Mfg. round or 22-in. and on-site gas generation. Participants submit a photo at www. Every month the company randomly selects 10 winners from the submitted projects. TTM offers the FL600 3-D machine with a capacity of 24-in. Tube Tech Machinery partners with ITEC Tube Tech Machinery (TTM) of Brescia.. 42 The FABRICATOR September 2013 Long belt grinding machines. The program has three goals: to draw attention to the importance of developing the next generation of welders. Deburring • Finishing • Polishing Automatic and CNC machines for grinding. vice president of marketing. a manufacturer of arc welding products in Appleton. Autopulit NS Straight or bent tubes? No problem with this machine. 31. gas handling equipment. com/webuild of what they have built with Miller equipment.millerwelds. and national events. square tube. regional. The company offers a student discount program and specially priced starter kits of student essentials. polishing. The NS ML-100 is easy to set up and operate and can provide the finish you need. Matheson regularly participates at local. Dry operation machine for large and small parts. and Montreal for the sale. engineering and gas management services. Ill. and fully automated tube processing systems. chances are we have a solutions! . The promotion began July 1. 2013. Wis. the structures. The partnership is focused on the sale and support of TTM’s 3-D laser tube and profile cutting systems for industries such as agricultural and construction equipment. and support of its equipment in North America. KBM Stroke Sander Visit our website to see videos on these machines and specials on stock machines! Call us for any of your finishing needs. structural steel. Its employees serve as guest instructors at community colleges and technical schools and also as judges at a variety of welding competitions. has introduced a Youth Reach Program in support of welding education. production cold saw cutting machines. round or 16in.. service. has formed a partnership with Innovative Tube Equipment Corp. 2013.Industry News Matheson introduces Youth Reach Program Matheson. and its personnel actively visit the schools. Solutions for all of your deburring and finishing needs. Loewer Miller launches We Build campaign. Putting a finish on your tubes has never been so easy. Industry News Laser focus on an ever-changing market As an example.” said Al Bohlen. particularly with the larger power sources now more common on the latest generation of equipment. The days of a fabricating shop owner deciding he needs laser cutting capability and choosing the 1. But technology continues to develop in CO2 machines (continued on page 44) More than 200 attendees visited Mazak Optonics. national sales manager.. for U. Mazak Optonics Corp. including its Optiplex 3015 4-kW fiber and the Fabri Gear Mk II tube and pipe cutting system. The product mix showcased in the Mazak Optonics showroom reflected that reality. That’s only one area of cutting.” Bohlen said. and another model has a 4020 configuration. which can accommodate a 4. Mazak had 14 active laser cutting machines on display. using oxygen as an assist gas. The technology advancements are also evident in the sales of the machines. but it is representative of the strides made by fiber lasers. In all. Ill. Machine tool builders are continuing to discover on a regular basis just what the technology can deliver. Bohlen pointed to the developments that have occurred with the use of solid-state lasers in cutting thicker materials.. or the more familiar 6. The nature of laser cutting within the metal fabricating industry is likely to undergo further change. not the traditional CO2 resonator. One features a 6-kW laser for those fabricators that consistently cut materials about 1 in. Bohlen suggested that there is no real speed difference between fiber and CO2 lasers when cutting mild steel up to 0. equipment options. and material handling systems now need to be tailored to the fabricator’s job mix to ensure that the shop gets a rapid return on investment.875 in.S. “We don’t think one size fits all. with the continued acceptance of machines powered by a solid-state power source. during its Laser Days event in July. It depends on the application. The showroom also had automated material handling systems operating in conjunction with the laser cutting machines to give visitors an opportunity to see the impact that operator-free laser cutting can have. to a crowd of fabricators attending a seminar during the company’s Laser Technology Days event in late July.500-W model that is painted his favorite color are over.by 12-ft. The laser technology. The company unveiled two of the latest models of its Optiplex CO2 laser cutting machines. thick or greater. fabricators. Elgin.by 2-meter sheet. Bohlen said. according to Bohlen. “Fiber represents all of the growth in the laser industry [in North America] in 2012 and continues the momentum into 2013. September 2013 The FABRICATOR 43 . a fabricator can increase product throughput by 25 percent over a year’s time and see a dramatic reduction in gas consumption. “Manufacturing Day” and “MfgDay” are registered trademarks of FMA. thefabricator. knowing that the machine is set up specifically for the material being cut. This really separates this book from several others that I own. you are only halfway there.com. can have on a fabricator’s overall throughput. Kan. Editor-in-Chief Reading.com © 2012-2013 Fabricator & Manufacturers Association. “[The Metal Fabrication book] contains a is a book designed good balance of to give the reader a guide to the basics of information on sheet metal work as.com. Any unauthorized use of these marks. the operator can move quickly between jobs. he describes what can go wrong and how to fix it. and setting of the focal distance. Because the automated setup takes care of cutting torch and nozzle change. Aldridge said that too often fabricators won’t change over to a new lens or nozzle because they don’t want to spend the roughly 26 minutes needed to make the switch.com: When did you first become hooked on car restoration? What was your knowledge of sheet metal fabrication at the time? Barr: I first became interested in restoration as a preteenager. which can be really helpful. Aldridge said. In a lot of cases. There’s no doubt that metal fabricators have a lot more to consider when it comes to laser cutting technology.Industry News Laser focus on an ever-changing market (continued from page 43) as well. they sacrifice performance and end up using more assist gas. I fell in love with the style of the mid-’50s 44 The FABRICATOR September 2013 Learn how to host and register your event on the national calendar at mfgday. Additionally. “The thing that I like about all of the ‘how to’ sections is that they’re clearly written by someone who is an expert sheet metal worker instead of a writer describing what they’ve seen someone else do.” Aldridge reminded the fabricators that might have thought that “automation” applied only to material handling. The laser cutting options are almost as endless as the types of fabricating jobs that come through the front door. . which is found on the Optiplex family of CO2 lasers. —Dan Davis.” Barr. International (FMA). toration. who teaches sheet metal restoration and the history of automotive design at McPherson College. freeing him up for other shop floor activities. recently participated in a Q&A with thefabricator. One reProfessional Sheet viewer said. a Mazak Optonics regional sales manager. discussed the impact that automated setup.scratch and resmotive restoration. and restoration Published in April 2013. the equipment operator doesn’t have to intervene as much during cutting. All Rights Reserved. Troy Aldridge. Using this type of automated setup. Both hand shaping techniques and shaping with power tools are covered. calibration. “If you have material automation. Ed Barr’s Professional Sheet Metal Fabrication has received rave reviews on Amazon. McPherson..fabricating from sociated with auto. or variations of these marks are a violation of state and federal trademark laws. As a result. writing. but I can assure you it is huge. so I began educating myself through books and magazines. or decline? Barr: If you think about it. Fortunately. writing. conduct heat and electricity.com: What prompted you to write the book? Barr: An acquisitions editor from Motorbooks approached me about writing it because I was teaching automotive sheet metal restoration at McPherson College. demographics? Do you see interest in it growing? Barr: I can’t give you any statistics on the number of restoration enthusiasts in the U. thefabricator. sheet metal seems to have magical properties. we delivered. resist corrosion. resist corrosion.com Victor is a Victor Technologies Brand ©2013 Victor Technologies . but it whets the appetites of people who might not know about old cars otherwise. Chevy pickup trucks. and do a million other jobs that other materials can’t do as well.com: Can you tell us something about the car restoration community—size. It can be made to soar through the air. sheet metal seems to have magical properties. e information presented for purposes of entertainment isn’t always accurate. “If you think about it.Industry News Reading. I have heard that the aftermarket parts industry is a multibillion-dollar industry. of course.? Do you believe it will continue at the current pace. McPherson . and it cuts across just about every demographic class.com: What about the future of sheet metal fabricating in general in the U. with Patented Handles and the new G series regulators Visit Us At FABTECH Contact your local distributor or visit victorequip. thefabricator. and do a million other jobs that other materials can’t do as well. float on water.” —Ed Barr. I’m glad they asked me to do it. conduct heat and electricity. In the last decade. support heavy loads. I suspect such a project would have always seemed too daunting without a little prodding from someone.378 the new 400 series torches. and automotive-related hobbies have enjoyed on TV and in popular movSeptember 2013 The FABRICATOR 45 new Patente durabled High str e Alloy Ha ngth ndle Patent # d672.S. the increased exposure that restoration.. thefabricator. While I can foresee an ever-growing use of mechanization in how sheet metal is made into useful products. Kan. hot-rodding. (continued on page 46) Students work on the hood of a hot rod during one of their classes at McPherson College. resist torsional forces.S. grow. I knew absolutely nothing [about fabricating] except how to read. float on water. It can be made to soar through the air. and restoration (continued) ies has introduced younger generations to our field. support heavy loads. resist torsional forces. Professional Sheet Metal Fabrication author we listened. My parents bought me a 1959 Chevy truck when I was 13 to get me started. the interest in restoration seems to be growing. or a new ’67 Mustang® body suggests to me that there is a demand for vintage cars that has yet to be satisfied.edu. Sheet metal restoration is only one specialty area in the context of our bachelor’s degree in automotive restoration technology. Manufacturers and importers of products that can be used without a license—such as welding rods and gas lantern mantles that contain thorium and decorative glassware containing uranium—now will need to apply to the NRC for specific licenses to distribute these products. thefabricator. a new ’57 Chevy. Author Ed Barr can be reached at barre@mcpherson. is sheet metal fabricating a good career path in today’s world? Are the majority of your students finding good-paying jobs upon graduation? Barr: In the niche of automotive restoration. The metal will need to be folded. TX 75261 www. soft trim. also known as source material.com: What is the most difficult facet of sheet metal fabricating? Barr: The surface of the metal always looks the same. Router or Laser machine enables anyone to master steel and nonferrous metal part cutting.com: From your perspective. WaterJet Router Laser NRC finalizes rules on using and distributing uranium. Such licenses will impose new requirements for labeling. Web Content Manager Fast Track Your Productivity with a MultiCam ® The RIGHT CNC Cutting Solution for Your Application and Budget Plasma Choose an innovative and versatile MultiCam® CNC cutting platform to automate your productivity. The fact that a person can buy a new ’32 Ford. however. the students I have had who are passionate about metal have gotten some great jobs. WaterJet.multicam.com 972-929-4070 store. commercial-grade reliability • Cut material waste.Industry News Reading.com: Is there anything you would like to convey to the metal fabricating community about fabricating and car restoration? Barr: I would encourage people in industry to think about ways that the processes they are involved in might carry over into automotive restoration or parts manufacturing. and Restoration (continued) the inherent properties of metals are just too versatile and too valuable to live without. —Vicki Bell. 46 The FABRICATOR September 2013 Simply the Best Value • Heavy-duty. quality control. and recordkeeping. stretched out. thefabricator. The changes include new requirements for distributing source material and licensing its use.com DFW Airport.multicam. sheet metal is a good career because the kind of work we do is always in demand.com . training and support from over 70 Technology Centers with 20 across North America 1025 West Royal Lane sales@multicam. and mechanical work. An easy-to-use Plasma. Fortunately. reporting. Professional Sheet Metal Fabrication is available from Amazon. but only because they were the right people for those jobs. or gathered up. They might also do paint. It seems like every old car has corroded metal that needs to be addressed. Once you start thinking of the metal like Play-Doh®. decrease job times and increase profits • Over 9000 machines installed worldwide • Local service. so there is no obvious indicator of what needs to happen to the metal to make it assume the shape you want.com. Writing. thefabricator. so every student may not end up doing metal exclusively. thorium The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has amended its regulations for products and materials containing unenriched uranium and thorium. you are better able to visualize what has to happen to get results. More often students might end up doing some metalwork as part of a more comprehensive job in a restoration shop. indd 1 8/6/13 3:30 PM September 2013 The FABRICATOR 47 . Instructors also will develop and test hands-on demonstrations to assess students’ understanding and align with the new common core state standards. Sierra College takes applied approach to teaching critical thinking (continued) nology. The RAS UpDownCenter The solution to your folding problems. and mathematics (STEM) faculty development program focused on improving higher-order learning outcomes of STEM students. In June faculty from Northwestern Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching trained 12 Sierra College and high school faculty to develop curriculum that incorporates applied critical thinking. the Sierra College STEM Collaborative. has established a professional development program: Applied Critical inking for Advanced Technological Education (ACTivATE). Sierra College takes applied approach to teaching critical thinking In response to the growing demand for graduates with critical thinking skills. simple) • Imports DXF . Faculty will be able to use real examples from local businesses. Calif. ese new license requirements and possession limits are intended to ensure those who possess source material do so safely. • Setup time taking too long. See us at FABTECH Booth S2776 • Operator fatigue from flipping parts. Limits have not changed for anyone possessing source material in a solid. rough April 2014 the ACTivATE project will support participants as they develop new approaches to teach applied critical thinking in their classrooms. • Accuracy issues with operator holding parts.RAS-Systems. techFOLDS UP AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGER FOLDS DOWN The UpDownCenter Features: • Standard 10” tall segmented tooling (11 guage mild steel) • Point and click 3D programming (fast.. Rocklin. the new regulations expand the exemption from licensing for optical lenses containing thorium to include lenses and mirrors coated with or containing uranium or thorium. For source material being processed or in a dispersible form. ese products are typically used in lasers or other high-technology optical systems. and that the NRC has a better understanding of how much source material is being distributed annually. rough a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant— Enhancing Critical inking in STEM Disciplines: A Faculty Development Model—the Searle Center designed. possession. Finally. and studied a science.. Distributors of small quantities must now apply for specific licenses. piloted. or determining the concentration of uranium and thorium in a material at a laboratory. such as liquid or powder. director of the Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT) and manager of the Sierra College STEM Collaborative. STP and GEO files • Folds flanges up and down (no flipping) • Suction table holds and positions parts after loading ® 1135 DIVIDEND COURT.4 lbs. the annual limit drops from 150 to 15.3 lbs. engineering. non-dispersible form (such as display samples of depleted uranium metal). • Programming slowing down production. GA 30269 PH: 770-487-7300 FX:770-487-1007 THE ABSOLUTE IN METAL FOLDING www. • Large parts requiring two operators.com RAS-Up/Down Center Ad (7x10)4. and use requirements for small quantities of source material that can be used or transferred without a specific license.” said Carol Pepper-Kittredge. thorium (continued) e new regulations also modify distribution.Industry News NRC finalizes rules on using and distributing uranium. “ e strong ties that Sierra College has with employers will lead to the incorporation of current workplace applications into critical thinking lessons. PEACHTREE CITY. removing uranium from drinking water. the limit on the use or transfer at any one time without a license has decreased from 15 to 3. ONE TOUGH GOOSENECK An insulated full metal jacket protects the gooseneck from damage in the war zone that you call “the shop”. heavy industrial applications. e embedded Sensor Switch® controls can sense occupancy and daylight levels to reduce energy consumption during periods of inactivity or when natural light is present. www.com Induction light delivers a broad footprint e AGT HZ02 induction light fixture from American Green Technology delivers a broad and di used. detergents. It will stand up to all the abuse you can give it. a sister magazine to e FABRICATOR.holophane. we honor a Lifetime Warranty on handle and trigger switch. e luminaire is designed to achieve and maintain high light output at high ambient temperatures. Because metal fabricators are interested in controlling operating costs.com 48 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . If you would like to know more about Green Manufacturer and energy-saving production ideas. www. 269-340-9975. the luminaires are suitable for maximum spacing within a range of indoor applications.. According to the company. American Green Technology. visit www. footprint of crisp. ey can be used at mounting heights from 15 to 60 ft.5 in. e luminaire’s vented design helps maximize natural airflow over electrical components to produce thermal protection at ambient temperatures up to 149 degrees F. and dirt.org MIG GUN by American Torch Tip GOOD FOR A LIFETIME INDESTRUCTIBLE HANDLE High strength N-66 Handle is engineered with special impact additives. including heavy industrial or light manufacturing and warehouses. e FABRICATOR is sharing this information with its readers. mills. has introduced the Phuzion™ LED high-bay from Holophane®.agtus. GUARANTEED We’re so confident.greenmanufacturer. and petroleum and chemical processing plants. white light at low operating temperature.000-W high-intensity discharge fixtures. rather than pinpointed. 866-759-1577. mines. e housing. such as shipyards. high by 12. Its prismatic glass optical system helps ensure high-quality volumetric light distribution that will not degrade over time.to 1.5 in. Acuity Brands Inc.Spotlight on energy efficiency: Lighting Editor’s Note: Kate Bachman. LED high-bay ensures high light output in hot environments Acuity Brands® Inc. It is suitable for harsh. dust. wide. the unit saves 50 to 70 percent of energy consumption and nearly eliminates maintenance. Designed as an alternative to 250. e glass refractors resist chemicals. attended LIGHTFAIR® International in Philadelphia earlier this year and came back with the latest examples of cutting-edge lighting products. says the company. At the same time.mig-slam.net. which measures 16. the prismatic borosilicate glass optics helps improve vertical lighting levels while keeping horizontal lighting strong and uniform. editor of Green Manufacturer. is polyester powder-coated diecast aluminum. DESTRUCTIVE TESTING see the video at www. grain barns. diminishing maintenance needs in areas that are di cult to reach and where swapping bulbs often requires special equipment and trained personnel. It features precisiondesigned optics that are available in multiple distributions.000 hours. 18.000. extended system life.com 35 ONE years partner 2700 installed rollformers 7000 profiles Meet us at the Fabtech Show From November 18th to 21st MMT International Booth S3984 d a l l a n .500-W. claims the company.com Cooper Lighting o ers the Metalux LED high-bay series for industrial. hook. ere is no need to remove lamps or reflectors to disconnect the fixture’s power.000 K).000 and 23. e fixture’s life is rated for 100. and commercial applications. c o m If You. GE Lighting. 800-435-2677. and loop). e LED is on the DesignLights Consortium®-qualified product list and qualifies for energy rebates. According to the company. e LED is designed for multiple mounting heights—even some lowbay applications. laser cutting. industrial spaces. and two color temperatures (4. toggle. Options include an integral occupancy sensor..000).upmet. low-brightness LED module assembly o ers optical performance equivalent to or greater than fluorescent systems. www. with the benefits of LED lighting including energy savings. It features both general and aisle distributions and has a 55-degree-C ambient rating and 80+ CRI.com September 2013 The FABRICATOR 49 . e energy-e cient fixture can replace a range of legacy high-bay lighting systems—250. e very high-e ciency LED o ers 91+ lumens/W and provides savings as great as 43 percent when compared to traditional HID luminaires.000 hours at 70 percent lumen maintenance.cooperlighting.000 hours at L70.to 1. manufacturing. and a reduced carbon footprint. and other commercial settings with high ceilings. says the company. which often is needed to locate materials and pack boxes in storage and warehouse settings. which the company says burn out after 20. chain. highintensity discharge and four. slitting & edging • Experienced sales sta • Online ordering Stainless Steel: 17-4 302 17-7 303 301 304/304L 301¼ 316/316L 301½ 321 301FH 347 410 416 430 440 446 Nickel Alloys: A-286 263 625 718 X750 800 H/HT Alloy X Cobalt Alloys: 188 L605 Prodec® Plate: 304/L 316/L 888.com • www. e fixture is designed to last 50. In addition.282. www.000 K and 5..3292
[email protected] eight-lamp T5/T8 highintensity fluorescent lighting.Spotlight on energy efficiency: Lighting High-bay lighting offers 91+ lumens per watt LED lighting fixture can replace 250. A door frame and lens assembly option is available for demanding environments. It o ers precise illumination. three lumen packages (9.gelighting. BEND PUNCH FOLD FORM SPIN SAW WE’VE GOT STAMP WELD LASER DRAW ROLL CUT We’ve got what you need to get “IT” done! • Specialty Stainless & High Temperature Alloys • In-house leveling. the company’s F-bay modular power supply option allows external access for safe and easy servicing.500-W HIDs GE Lighting has introduced the Albeo™ ABHX series high-bay LED lighting fixture for warehouses. shearing. Cooper Lighting. and multiple lens choices.000 to 30. the proprietary low-power.to 1. 770-486-4800. multiple mounting options (pendant. Future Energy Solutions. and more compact for easier installation and serviceability. combined with intelligent. low THD replaceable ballast. e fixture uses the latest LED technology to provide 12. e product features a die-cast aluminum housing with a ½-in. lighter. pendant-. or chain-mount. Instant On™ flicker-free cold start and hot restart.com 50 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . integrated controls featuring instant restrike and occupancy sensors. Fixtures for wet and dry applications are available.000 hours and calculated L70 of 153.com LED lighting fixture provides 12.000-hour induction lighting is designed to reduce maintenance costs and o ers high lumen output combined with excellent color and reduced wattage to provide high-quality light with energy savings. Its optics distribute light evenly with a low maximum/minimum ratio to meet Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) light-level standards. e lighting is surface-. 954-6601552. Precision-Paragon [P2]. the company states. concealed continuous gasket seals against harmful dust.feslighting. vertical. says the company. high power factor. advanced phosphors for high lumen maintenance and high lumen output.483 lumens using 135 W. less than 30 percent of the electricity required for an equivalent traditional metal halide fixture.483 lumens using 135 W Precision-Paragon [P2] o ers the new QHC. e fixture is designed to maximize performance and reduce wattage in unconditioned areas where heat can be an issue. 714-386-5550. hub and gray finish. and insects. heat-sink structure with flow-through cooling reduces LED junction temperatures for enhanced reliability. ribbed prismatic polycarbonate refractor. and as many as 20 years’ maintenance-free operation.Spotlight on energy efficiency: Lighting Induction lighting lasts 100. Its modular design allows for multiple chassis configurations as well as a reported L70 of over 60. An integrated. dirt. e 100. moisture. 22-in. www. Low wattage. e fixture features configurable light distribution to accommodate a variety of industrial and commercial lighting applications.000 hours Future Energy Solutions o ers the HB1701 series of prismatic high-bay lighting.p-2. www. e two-piece cast aluminum housing is smaller. a high-bay LED lighting fixture. can reduce energy usage.000 hours per TM-21. edge prep and surface finishing LISSMAC Corporation · 356 Hudson River Road · Waterford. + OXIDE REMOVAL + EDGE ROUNDING C M Y + DEBURRING SBM . e lead-free lamps are TCLP and RoHS compliant. Solatube Intl. direct and indirect pendant..S... ey are available in color temperatures from 3.2013 09:22:53 impact on the building envelope and reducing installation costs. NY Phone +1 518 326 9094 ·
[email protected] sourced lumens (3.lissmac. Inc.000. Manufactured in the U. opening to the sky that lets more light to enter an area.. It is suitable for large-volume spaces with high ceilings. Inc.05..com LED light is an alternative to metal halide fixtures USAI o ers the BevLED® 5. www.05. e fixture also o ers 10. 888-765-2882.000K) within a streamlined 6-in. stairways. 845-565-8500. e system o ers maximum output while minimizing 01_lissmac_2013_final_27. Available in 28.pdf 1 27.. For increased energy savings.000 hours Tubular daylight device lets more light in Solatube Intl. it serves as an alternative to metal halide fixtures. e lamps provide up to 84. is large tubular daylighting device has a 29-in. curb-mounted roof assemblies that minimize heat gain and heat loss through the roof.processing both sides in one single pass CM MY CY CMY + DESLAGGING + FINISHING K STEELMASTER . and linear-recessed applications.000 hours on T8 ANSI-rated programmed rapid-start ballasts—up to 2.to 80-degree beam spreads and a 10-degree optic with a center beam candlepower (CBCP) of more than 40.sylvania.com GET THE LISSMAC EDGE.. according to the manufacturer. well-washing.000K to 5.com Osram Sylvania o ers OCTRON® 800 XP® XL (eXtended Life) SUPERSAVER® ECOLOGIC®3 T8 fluorescent lamps. www.indd 1 September 2013 The FABRICATOR 51 7/25/13 8:51:42 AM . o ers the SkyVault series M74 DS daylighting system.2013. USAI.-dia. and more daylight means higher daytime illumination and greater spacing between units with fewer roof penetrations.. It has temperature control with insulated and sealed.. 978-777-1900.solatube.800 lumens from 80 W (60 lumens/W) and 5.com Hou-714 Fab. Osram Sylvania Inc.usailighting. the lamps are suitable for a variety of industrial and commercial settings in recessed-tro er.and 25-W types and designed with lead-free glass.Spotlight on energy efficiency: Lighting Fluorescent lamps last up to 84. www. the lamps can be coupled with the highe ciency QUICKTRONIC® ballast and use POWERSENSE® dimming.com www. the lamps provide up to 96 percent mean lumens with a color rendering index of up to 85.000K.7 times longer life than standard T8 systems.0 LED fixture suitable for high-ceiling applications. Delivering 4. aperture. It o ers e cacies as high as 100 lumens per watt. 24. e LED petals are arranged in a circular fashion around the bottom of a driver box that holds the AC power supplies. Sensity Systems Inc.com August September October 52 The FABRICATOR September 2013 .hubbellindustrial. e products. which is the manufacturer’s implementation of the Light Sensory Network.sensity. Its cast construction and sealed design make it suitable for hazardous locations.com High-bay luminaires designed to reduce energy use up to 90 percent Don’t Miss Your Opportunity. Hubbell Lighting. a new class of digital sensor network that helps improve energy e ciencies.com Register Today for FREE! Use code WESTECAD to receive FREE exhibits-only admission! ($50 Value) westeconline.. e Kemlux line includes an LED tank with high-output LED counts of 18.Spotlight on energy efficiency: Lighting LED fixtures rated for hazardous environments Hubbell Lighting introduced two industrial LED fixtures classified for severe conditions: HBL LED Highbay and Kemlux III LED luminaire. www. and 36. 864-678-1000. 408-841-4120. and other facilities. Improve your manufacturing processes at • Explore over 400 exhibits • Experience the latest products. are available with 3 to 12 LED petals per luminaire. Division 2 rating. the company reports. www. e luminaire is part of the NetSense Platform. while improving light levels and safety in warehouses. processes and technologies • Get face-to-face with industry leaders and innovators e Sensity Systems LED high-bay luminaire is designed to help reduce energy use by up to 90 percent compared to conventional lighting. e hazardous-rated HBL high-bay lighting carries a Class I. factories. e tank is available for installation as a new fixture or as a retrofit to existing Kemlux III fixtures. which achieve up to 94 lumens/W of luminaire e cacy. 040 and 9.and 120-W lighting produces 7. and metal-halide lighting technologies. As the cornerstone of this new initiative. e company’s products are Buy American compliant.com V aisle lighting optical distribution suitable for factory or warehouse aisle lighting applications. and more energy e cient. controllable. Digital Lumens. e fixtures are used in industrial applications with mounting heights more than 15 ft. e systems feature intelligent sensor controllability for 0. lensed to distribute lumens where they are needed the most for aisle lighting. in a Type September 2013 The FABRICATOR 53 .. www. highpressure sodium. A key part of this strategy involves the creation of an open. mercury-vapor. www. the company will integrate its patented Digital Light Agent (DLA) technology into other manufacturers’ LED fixtures. digitallumens. respectively. 617-723-1200. LED Living Technology. e company has extended its LightRules™ web-based software platform for managing and controlling LED lighting fixtures to a range of industrial applications. e 80. making projects eligible for 179D tax incentives. With die-cast aluminum housings and LEDs mounted directly to the heat sink. standards-based control interface.Spotlight on energy efficiency: Lighting LED system can make every light intelligent Luminaire produces 9.to 10-V dimming and step dimming.649 lumens (continued) Digital Lumens launched a strategic partner program to bring integrated intelligence to industrial lighting applications. the company states. ledlivingtechnology.649 lumens LED Living Technology’s Helio highbay LED luminaires are designed to be an energy-e cient alternative to halogen. 215-633-1558.649 lumens.com Luminaire produces 9. DLA technology makes ordinary LED fixtures intelligent. the lighting is designed with thermal management to help maximize lifetime. and all for the same customer.” Hemings reported. Now. Workers would look up part locations and hunt through the pallet rack to find them. ME 04092. as well as machinery components for unwinding and rewinding packing materials and aerospace composites.radan. All part numbers. 248-869-4040. 800-639-5805. electronics. Resolution The company began using the Radnest project nesting function from Radan. and generally they punch only higher volumes and all aluminum components. www. Parts still are inventoried using an in-house system. to drive the laser and punch as soon as it was released. navigating the stacker truck through tight aisles and often reaching above their heads or stretching to reach the back of the rack to get the parts.” Resolution With no room to grow. adding a second unit roughly a year later. “We were using every inch of floor space for storage. Vero USA Inc. “Project nesting means we’re not producing extra parts that aren’t needed. part of the Vero Software Group. part nesting was beginning to detract from efficiency rather than enhance it. operators can mix components for all of the company’s customer sectors on a single nest. nest it. and storage locations are managed in the in-house inventory management system. 41 Eisenhower Drive. Occasionally he develops a component at a customer’s premises and nests it there too.. Suite 310.” said Denbow. Parts were stored on a standard pallet rack and drawer cabinets that occupied 20 ft. managing director. All parts are delivered to workers at waist level. just as they were when the pallet rack was in place. allowing a reorganization of the manufacturing flow to maximize efficiency. “Because we’re a small company. and agricultural—the approach wasn’t the most effective. the company’s 5. Westbrook. Small batches are cut on the laser. “I can nest three days’ work for the laser in an hour. by 30 ft. U. It’s more efficient and cost-effective to create new nests every time now rather than use old ones. manufacturing facility in Windham. 28345 Beck Road.” he explained. The worker goes to the correct unit and enters in the tray number where the part is stored.” Hemings said. They lift the parts one time from the storage module to the transfer cart—a horizontal transfer that reduces the risk of injury to the workers and damage to parts. workers look up the part location. Some parts are ordered from vendors.com Situation For Hemings Eng.-ft. of floor space..” With most jobs needing to be turned around in three days. Wixom. and that’s important for keeping up with the company’s growing work load. Hemings takes customer orders once or twice a week and puts them into a project.280-sq. and the tray is returned to storage. quantities. With the software. Using the VLMs the company was able to recover 474 sq. commercial vehicles. but most are manufactured in-house. even if they were not totally efficient for the particular job. “We might have five sheets comprising different nests of different parts for different customers. and the in-house system lists a unit and tray number. I’d have to employ a full-time designer/draftsman/ nester.” For a shop that manufactures parts for customers across a variety of industrial sectors at any one time—medical.” said Andrew Hemings. purely for speed. I put them in another nest and fill the rest of the sheet with different parts.K. and that was too time-consuming. The module moves to retrieve and deliver the requested tray to the worker in the access opening.kardexremstar. “We hardly Manufacturer expands internally with vertical storage Maine. com Situation Schlumpf USA produces roll and shaft handling products for the packaging industry. was bursting at the seams. MI 48393. so if I had to be in the office nesting slowly. leisure. The company plans to upgrade its DNC system shortly to enable him to e-mail the nest to its cloud so the nest can be run while he is still off-site. Each tray is fitted with dividers. I’m often on the shop floor.Applications High-mix fabricator increases efficiency with nesting used to mix and match. and if I’ve got parts left over. “We used to nest just one product or one kit of parts on a sheet. “I simply pick a part. of floor space. ating Celebr years over 30 ess in busin FAB 54 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . and fill the sheet. With business steadily growing. vice president. because operators had to log every part manually while creating new nests..” said Dana Denbow. ft. “Parts were hard to access and the process was very time-consuming. “The space we’ve saved with the VLM has bought us another two to three years in this building without a building expansion. The worker confirms the transaction. Kardex Remstar. Schlumpf installed one Element vertical lift module (VLM) from Kardex Remstar. www. The company’s turret punch was running saved nests. a precision sheet metal fabrication shop in Suffolk. The units store a variety of parts and components used in final assembly. and each cell location is labeled. Invented by Salvagnini. the Salvagnini L5 uses its patented carbon fiber Compass® drive to achieve a 5g acceleration with a level of accuracy. Seamless integration Salvagnini Experience With more fiber lasers in the field than all competitors combined. Salvagnini fiber lasers. smoothness and quiet never seen before on a laser of any type. like all products from Salvagnini.salvagnini. The first.com . the L5 fiber laser cutter can be equipped with the industry’s most innovative automation technology for loading. but also the application experience to get you up and running quickly and with cost per part reductions of up to 50%. unloading and part separation. The L5 Laser Cutter Able to cut through both plastic films and reflective materials at warp speed. And the best. Perfected by Salvagnini Continuous improvement and technological leadership have propelled and sustained Salvagnini’s dominance of the fiber laser cutting market – a product category it created in 2007. www. And of course. Salvagnini has not only the technological expertise. according to the EDA spokesman. expand. or establish a manufacturing facility in the U. a backwater agency with the main respon- sibility of funneling federal funds to disadvantaged areas for job-creating public works programs.net. However.Around Washington Stephen Barlas. e good news is that metalworking facilities no longer have to manifest—or keep detailed records—when disposal wipes are sent o -site. at would seem to indicate that the EDA has done a very poor job of publicizing what will be at least a $15 million program. en-\ Your message belongs here. is “eliminating free liquids” Slow Rollout of Manufacturing Program What is taking the U. Only a handful of comments were submitted. Other solvents will not be considered hazardous. at would make those wipes easier (and probably cheaper) to dispose of.” Environmental Protection Agency. e House fiscal 2014 Commerce Department appropriations bill exhibits some impatience with the EDA by directing the agency to “expedite implementation of the program and to report to the Committee no later than 60 days after the enactment of this Act on EDA’s progress in this regard. e Paint Filter Liquids Test (Method 9095B) is used for determining whether solvent-contaminated wipes contain no free liquids. Department of Commerce.S.. The goodnews is that metalworking facilities no longer have to manifest or keep detailed records—when disposal wipes are sent off-site.commerce. An EDA spokesman said there will not be any loan guarantees until at least 2015 because the agency needs time to develop regulations around the program.7 million and $27. Solvent-contaminated wipes—disposable or reusable—must not contain free liquids at the point of being sent for cleaning or disposal. e EPA estimates the exclusion from the hazardous waste definition will result in a net savings of between $21. and it is significantly di erent than the proposed rule the EPA issued in 2003. including an updated timeline of projected steps toward issuance of initial loan guarantees.gov en• gaged definition: involved in activity adj \in-'gājd. Department of Commerce (DOC) so long to bring a new manufacturing program online? at is what the House Appropriations Committee wants to know. which is not something the agency is used to running. can be reached at
[email protected] million per year to users of disposable wipes.” e wipes can be stored on-site no longer than 180 days.S. e EDA put o a notice earlier this year asking for comments on how this loan guarantee program should be structured. e fiscal 2014 Commerce Department appropriations bill that the House committee recently passed gave the “innovative manufacturing loan guarantees” program another $5 million but asked the EDA for a status update on the program. to be excluded from the definition of hazardous waste. ey now can be sent to nonhazardous waste handling facilities. which said the user had to make sure no disposable wipe had more than 5 grams of solvent per wipe. e DOC has already provided $5 million in fiscal 2012 and 2013—a total of $10 million—for a new loan guarantee program for small and medium-size manufacturers that re-equip.gov U. www. fter 10 years the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finally wiped up the messy Great Shop Towel debate. a freelance writer based in Arlington. and that use innovative technology or processes in manufacturing. used widely in metalworking and other industrial facilities.epa. 56 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . EPA wipes away “hazardous” designation for most industrial towels A Agency estimates the change will save industry more than $20 million per year provision is an improvement over the proposed rule. e EPA finally issued a final rule on July 23. and those wipes must be stored in closed containers that are labeled “Excluded Solvent-Contaminated Wipes. disposable towels contaminated by trichloroethylene will continue to be treated as hazardous waste. e program will be housed at the Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA).S. Va. which would have been a nightmare to comply with. is was started in 1985 when Kimberly-Clark submitted a petition to the EPA asking for disposable industrial wipes. www. forming. better. with less labor is the new mantra of the precision sheet metal industry these days. IL 60005 Tel. We are running parts faster. and laser cutting in an integrated machine tool for optimum quality and production speed. The LP has allowed us to reduce our costs and be more competitive in the marketplace. Algonquin Road.com .” Prima Power offers the industry’s widest selection of punch/shear and Shear Genius laser/punch combination machines. 555 W.A. The benefits of Shear Genius technology include: I I I I I I Flexible automated fabrication Raw material savings Higher productivity/manufacturing efficiency Reduced manufacturing costs Faster return on investment Reduction/elimination of none value-added tasks The Prima Power laser/punch combination provides punching. and we are using less labor to produce the parts. Shear Brilliance C. tapping.000 applications throughout the world. 847 952 6500 • www.“Faster. And that’s what we are doing with the Prima Power LP.primapower. Inc. Prima Power has more than 20 years experience in right angle shear technology combined with proven field performance in nearly 2. Theis General Manager Data-Matique Garland. Arlington Heights. marking. TX Laser Punch Prima Power North America. with more precision. “Sure was. and 7 percent industrial machinery. and some work ebbs and flows with the seasons. it’s just money changing hands. But the trend is significant all the same. they also make metal fabrication a bellwether of sorts. Since the recession.S. updating old machines. Remember me a few years ago?” You were a mess. e business outlook perhaps provides the most telling response: 43 percent said the outlook is positive. job shop or contract metal fabricator and are interested in participating. But now. e survey asked what fabrication technologies fabricators needed most. is may be why the hiring situation is changing. Fabricators touch virtually all areas of U. When asked what industry represented the largest percentage of a fabricator’s business. others are slow. many fabricators expect stable or growing business over the next quarter. employment at your company is: # 1 2 3 Answer Increasing Stable Decreasing Total Response 62 180 33 275 % 23% 65% 12% 100% According to FMA’s Forming & Fabricating Job Shop Consumption Report. and a good portion have been hiring.S. close behind is plasma cutting. he or she is probably pretty confident about the future. and policymakers view business activity from a galactic level. logistic costs are: # 1 2 3 Answer Increasing Stable Decreasing Total Response 114 159 5 278 % 41% 57% 2% 100% For the upcoming quarter.fmanet. most said their employment has remained stable.” If you manage a U. Some weeks are busy. other bending equipment. Still. di cult to perceive. and it’s pretty much the mood captured by the inaugural Forming & Fabricating Job Shop Consumption Report. You name something. in part by variables largely outside the fabricator’s control. ese investments in turn are driving purchases in press brakes. because hiring someone isn’t a casual a air. the need is there. where most business occurs in this country.” is dialogue pretty much sums up today’s business owner. Fabricators touch virtually all areas of of U. Nearly a quarter of respondents said they have grown their sta s in recent months. you know. and. Business isn’t horrible. that’s for sure. but a fair amount said the level of business has either increased or decreased from the previous quarter. some days are great. But patterns are evident. Produced by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International®. Although such diversity and variability make this business tough to pigeonhole. Buying the wrong machine certainly puts financial stress on a business. more are hiring.Biz Talk Tim Heston. of course. But overall. nearly three-quarters have fewer than 100. Answers from the report. 12 percent construction. welding. but I’ve been a lot worse too. Only 9 percent said the automotive sector. But when you get to the small firm. Upstream machine investments are pushing equipment investments for downstream processes. and chances are a metal fabricator has added value to it somehow. metal fabricators included. fabricators have been purchasing equipment at a steady clip. and the remaining said that planned spending has been pushed back at least a quarter.org/store. About a fifth of respondents said their greatest equipment need now is welding power supplies and consumables. After all. but a machine is an asset that can be bought and sold.org.” You guess? “Well. from the tiniest medical device to the largest mining buckets. To download a free copy of the Forming & Fabricating Job Shop Consumption Report. . contact FMA at 888-394-4362 or via e-mail at info@fmanet. but it’s not gangbusters either. 58 The FABRICATOR September 2013 e industry gets a quarterly physical Only 42 percent said their capital equipment spending is on track. many of which make current employees more productive. your company’s business outlook is: # 1 2 3 Answer Positive Stable Negative Total Response 118 117 42 277 % 43% 42% 15% 100% Compared to the previous quarter. Call it a quarterly physical for job shops and contract metal fabricators in the U. e fluctuation hints at just how competitive this business has become. visit the FMA web store at www. I’ve been better. Hiring sta isn’t so trivial. can be reached at timh@thefabricator. senior editor of e FABRICATOR. with their stable or positive outlook. from the tiniest medical device to the largest mining buckets. where the gravity of GDP. 42 percent said it is stable. and then search for “survey. Now. Answers spanned the gamut. is is fueled in part by dynamics of the sectors fabricators serve. especially in a very small job shop. analysts. economic activity.S. durable goods orders. particularly in a sector in which the CEO knows everybody’s name.S. More than half of all respondents have fewer than 20 employees. is trend isn’t dramatic. itself a category that touches many sectors. the world of general relativity. because technological needs depend on a shop’s product mix. Hot jobs come and go. how are you feeling today? “OK. respondents gave varying responses—from oil and gas to construction and automotive—and no one sector dominates. economic activity. especially. A good portion of respondents said their greatest need is in laser cutting. released in late July. the report gives a periodic snapshot of this nonmonolithic business. If a manager is adding personnel now. others aren’t so great. paint a beige economic picture. I guess. is includes shipping expenses and raw stock costs. the economy turns quantum—jumpy. Only 15 percent said they have a negative outlook. FMA releases its new Forming & Fabricating Job Shop Consumption Report So. Most said that operating capacity and new order activity are holding steady. Compared to the previous quarter. a hint at how busy plate fabricators are right now.com. I’m just fine. and perhaps everybody’s family. Investors. while only 12 percent said they had to reduce their head counts. Don’t want to go back to where I was. and the like pull this way and that. irregular. and many are seeing increases in both. . e machine can process mild steel and stainless steel up to 1 in.. For small to medium-sized parts. TRUMPF Inc.us.Product Highlights Laser cladding systems impart hardened. and cladding feed rates. Farmington. corrosive-resistant surfaces Rofin Universal Workstations o ers a family of systems for the laser cladding of highstrength alloy powders to metal surfaces. e company’s fiber or direct-diode lasers feature a UW platform that uses standard components integrated in a robust package for up to 6 axes of motion. producing hardened. oil and gas tooling. Farmington Industrial Park. For large parts. e optional CoolLine function uses water to remove excess heat created while cutting. CT 06032. www. e machine is suitable for companies processing very large parts or for job shops looking to expand their capacities and variety of services. and valves and pumps used in abrasive and corrosive applications. e user interface features self-explanatory. which can help improve cutting results on low-grade materials. e machines can be equipped for metal deposition on both internal and external surfaces.com Laser system handles oversized parts TRUMPF’s TruLaser 8000 2-D laser cuts sheet metal up to 52 ft. to 8 by 52 ft. the modular design of the UW cladding system allows for simplified installation and a small footprint. ey are suitable for use on tool and die components..rofin-inc. 40984 Concept Drive. powder usage. www. using a 6-kW laser.com 60 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . corrosive-resistant surfaces. Rofin-Sinar Inc. e single cutting head can cut all material thicknesses. e ergonomic control panel can be adjusted for the operator’s preferences and the lighting conditions in the production area. including parameters such as laser power.trumpf. Plymouth. 860-255-6104. e HMI o ers simplified operation of all system features. Two pallet concepts and six format sizes are available. MI 48170. the company reports. long. 734-455-5400. e optional AdjustLine function modifies the cutting process to help increase the tolerance for variations in material quality. from 8 by 20 ft. the company o ers custom gantry systems. dialog-based touch command. Laser cladding provides a low-distortion method of hard coating a metal surface with the least amount of dilution of the bonded coating. thick or when bending high. www. e basic principle involves the juxtaposition of two GTAW arcs. it produces uniform. as for all the variants of the GTAW technology. it has a series of top and bottom toolstations to store the punches and dies at the same level as the clamping and crowning systems or bottom toolholders.select-arc. It eliminates secondary operations usually performed on a press brake. modules. part marking and weld prep. flux-cored.com A New Star is Born See us at FABTECH Booth S1786 Welding technology juxtaposes two GTAW arcs Polysoude o ers TIGer technology.5800 “Innovative Solutions for All Size Fabricators” Fax 410. Valencia. Depending on the position of the two electrodes. seat. www. with CNC-deep-hardened working surfaces or 168 tons/ft. e line comprises hydraulic clamping and crowning systems. but with characteristics that are unusual for such intensities. 600 Enterprise Drive.0625-in.-wide bottom toolholders feature hydraulic clamping of single V-dies. and excellent slag peeling. enables the special profile of the weld pool to be used and to improve the e ciency of the procedure considerably. e control of the deposition rate remains. multi-function CNC plate processing system in the universe! This versatile fabrication center generates plate contour cutting with multiple oxy and plasma torches. e all-position SelectAlloy 182-AP wire is an ENiCrFe-3 class electrode.astroarc. automatic multi-tool changer. nickelbased electrode designed to tackle critical welding applications in demanding environments such as desalination plants. with either hydraulic or mechanical die clamping. reduce work in progress.com Heavy-duty line assists press brake plate bending Wila® USA has introduced the HD heavyduty product line to help maximize press brake productivity when bending plate from 0. eliminate material handling steps. 7380 Coca Cola Drive. concentrated loads. MN 55303.com September 2013 The FABRICATOR 61 . Programmed as a normal forming tool (regular forming or as an upforming tool). diameters. and temperature-critical conditions. e crowning systems are available in standard widths of 10 and 6 in. machining. with prehardened working surfaces. e punches and dies are available with patent-pending E2M “Easy-ToMove” roller bearings incorporated into the tool tangs. the company states. Our truly revolutionary bevel head. drilling. This generates exceptional part accuracy as the gantry does not have to move to accomplish multiple axis spindle positioning for drilling and machining operations! To learn more about how this innovative work cell can help you consolidate operations. com so we can review your application and determine your saving potential! 2301 Industry Court Forest Hill. 1295 Lund Blvd. 443-459-5496. power generation plants. e hydraulic clamping systems can pull up.Nickel-alloy electrode engineered for rigorous environments Select-Arc Inc.wilausa. the company states. 800-341-5215. www.com The launch of the Gemini by FICEP has created the world’s most technologically advanced. e 6-in.588.com Tooling performs 90-degree bends on a punch press Mate Precision Tooling’s new VariBend™ is a flexible.588. the upper forming tool meets the sheet metal surface as the lower die moves up to create the desired bend angle. helps to reduce material requirements.3125 to 1 in. floor space and more to dramatically reduce your production cost give us a call or e-mail info@ficepcorp. automatic material clamping and a secondary sub-axis for reduced chip to chip time. very low spatter. preheated using the Joule e ect via the control of a third current source. Anoka. e level of compactness is the same as that expected for the welding of high-strength assemblies.5900 info@ficepcorp. has introduced a gas-shielded. Made in 40-in. independent of the setting of the arc parameters. Astro Arc Polysoude. www.300 to 0. which also enables preliminary buttering carried out before heterogeneous welding operations to be envisaged without restriction along with surfacing applications.ficepcorp. multipurpose tool that bends sheet metal tabs at any angle up to 90 degrees in 1-degree increments. This unique multi-tasking system features a compact footprint. Wila USA. Select-Arc. and align a punch weighing as much as 700 lbs. OH 45845. Fort Loramie. 27334 Muirfield Lane. e electrode is available in 0. Mate Precision Tooling. e tool produces form heights of about 0. With each machine stroke. e quality of the deposition is similar to that which can be obtained with conventional GTAW. well-washed beads with minimal weaving.com www. e new toolstation locates on the left or right side of the press brake. e addition of the wire. a variant of the hot-wire GTAW principle. which in many cases can eliminate the need to generate external loops in corner to corner bevels. Maryland 21050 Phone 410. it is possible to reduce fusion of the base metal to arrive at dilution rates that allow the technology’s use in surfacing applications.045. such as hightensile-strength materials in dies with smaller than normal V-openings. it operates with CNC punch press accuracy. both of which have a maximum load rating of 269 tons/ft.700 in./ft. MD 21076. organized and controlled to combine into a single arc with the calorific value of the combination of both powders.mate. Load ratings are 269 tons/ft. CA 91355. 661-702-0141. Resistant to hot cracking.and 0.. Hanover. 800-328-4492. petrochemical facilities. throat. Plainwell.kalamazoometalmuncher. Hasengartenstraße 14. www. www. and the 70-. throat.Product Highlights Weld seam inspection system displays dimensions. adjustable work support roller. MI 49203 • 517. These systems can handle material .by 9-in. Germany. and oversized 28xx and special punches and dies.de Hydraulic punch press offers numerous accessory options e Kalamazoo Metal Muncher series GB gap-bed hydraulic punch press accepts a variety of standard and optional accessories. 3428 East B Ave. is allows component vendors and automotive suppliers to implement necessary reworking of weld seams continuously and automatically. e punch press is available in 40.com THE HOT RODS OF CUTOFF LATHES Follow us on Now with Tapping Capabilities! Type in MMTco FEATURES: • Two Axis Slide • High Torque Digital Drive • Menu Prompted Touch Screen • Digital Read Out or Servo Positioned • Heavy Duty Stock Stops Cut to the Finish Modern Machine Tool has been building cutoff lathe machines for almost a century. A 3-D display of seam dimensions or defects.to 135ton standard models. 2005 Losey Avenue • Jackson.by 14-in.25” to 8”. Options include a heavy-duty gauging table. It also can be fitted with special tooling to allow shearing or forming. Our compact cast iron slide unit offers rigidity with the speed and serviceability of linear technology. channel shear. pipe shear. Vitronic. standard 4-way brake set. 65189 Wiesbaden. An optional two axis servo slide is available for simple turning. such as pores and holes. and quick entry of production target values. Using cameras to inspect automated weld seams. can be documented automatically and archived along with a variety of other results.9120 • ModernMachineTool. 49-611-7152-0.788. Other accessories include a pipe notcher. rod shear. 100-. or 18. press production table. Parameters for the quality control and inspection of weld seams can be adjusted during the production process and adopted into the running production with the next system cycle. and a brake die holder. structural die block. and 135-ton machines come standard with a 9. Features include a visual user interface with an intuitive design. e 40-ton machine has a 7. defects in 3-D Vitronic o ers the VIROwsi weld seam inspection software and hardware with 3-D analysis capabilities.com 62 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . e compact analysis unit can be installed alongside the production cell.. Kalamazoo Metal Muncher. The precision ground. 269-492-0268.by 18-in.vitronic. MI 49080. Our lathes have evolved over the years into a completely automatic operation—from feeding to cutting to finishing. spear point (picket) tooling. fast access to information. mitering angle shear. the system employs a passive cooling process for reduced energy use. Call us today and find out how speed and precision have become one. boring and drilling operations. ball-screw driven slides with high torque digital drives provide easy set up and increased tool life. The atomizing nozzles mix air and liquid supplied at line pressures of up to 125 PSI. The self-contained air cylinder provides controlled on/off operation at any desired frequency up to 180 cycles/min. the company reports. the LS-FM is compatible with AMS Controls’ Pathfinder folding machine controls on both new and retrofit installations. and galvanized metal. The nozzles are affixed to the line with a set screw assembly and mounting slot. made from nickelplated brass or stainless steel. It employs a laser transmitter and receiver to guard the entire length of the clamping area so that an operator’s fingers and hands will be detected by the system. come in a choice of round. • Enables fast cutting speeds • No “blow-up” • No vaporization required • Clean. the universal mounting system allows individual nozzles to be removed for quick-disconnect maintenance or replacement. visit www. wide-angle round.com Air-actuated nozzle assemblies feature universal mounting Bex Inc.walter. the system also can monitor emergency-stop buttons.abitape. In addition to removing mill scale. and open diamond cut pattern help it remove mill scale quickly and easily. The system can force a safety stop in certain operating situations. The flexible grinding wheel is formulated to prevent glazing. The unit provides optical protection along the clamping area. or it can be selected for added protection. 810 Day Hill Road. AMS Controls. available in both T-tip and atomizing configurations. Created by Lazer Safe. safety mats. Windsor. The packings and gaskets in the nozzle withstand continuous use at temperatures up to 400 degrees F.com Optical safety system protects along folding machine’s clamping area AMS Controls has announced the availability of a new optical safety system for folding machines.com/LaserRite September 2013 The FABRICATOR 63 . Bex Inc. CT 06095. and other safety-related components of the machine. Walter Surface Technologies. Maryland Heights. bex. www. The air-atomizing nozzles use compressed air (or gas) to produce an accurately controlled liquid dispersion in applications in which a conventional spray nozzle would not be suitable. MI 48108. and speed to ensure safety. 314-344-3144. It is suitable for rust removal on heavily rusted plates. 800-522-0321. In addition to the clamp protection and monitoring functions. Ann Arbor. MO 63043. The disc’s wide surface contact area. www. light curtains. proven tough! Visit us at FABTECH Booth #S2341 in South Hall Member ISO 9001 FM 26197 For more information. 836 Phoenix Drive. and it self-dresses to prevent clogging. 12180 Prichard Farm Road. The nozzles. stopping performance. blend of highly refined abrasives. aluminum.com Better any way you cut it.amscontrols. and flat spray patterns. and the air cylinder packing is recommended for temperatures up to 150 degrees F. has introduced a new series of universal-mount nozzle assemblies.. In a multinozzle line. www. 734-389-0464. gate interlocks.Flexible grinding wheel designed to remove mill scale Walter Surface Technologies has announced the introduction of the Flexcut Mill Scale grinding wheel. the disc features an Fefree formulation that does not contaminate aluminum. plus automatically monitors the clamp motion. complex cuts • CO2-compatible • Consolidate inventory • Field tested. It reinforces the confidence of customer service to know that. Disclaimer: This Is Just a Suggestion While the estimator may not be the one delivering the message—that is to say the price quotation— to the customer. During prototyping and early production releases of a product line. Some projects have variable yield rates as well as variable production schedules. so the fudge factor goes to imaginary improvements in e ciency.com. 64 The FABRICATOR September 2013 How can an estimator help the marketing effort? e goal is for the customer to understand that their expectations will be met. A Sharp Story To illustrate. Time study 6. but most learn to appreciate their long-term value. the e ciency of my multitasking became an expensive bottleneck. e estimator can provide reports that show the costs associated with elements of the customer’s specification. Pricing 10. Some customers may not care much about EOQs. but that would be contrary to the original drawing specification. and specialists in customer service. Job shop estimating: Moving from cost to price T Step 9: Anticipating the needs of the marketing e ort his edition of Precision Matters continues our detailed examination of estimating as a business process. History retrieval 3. What actually appears on the price quotation is a matter of company policy. When our customer service team got the news that the purchase order went to the low bidder. Help Me to Help You While most oddities in the price quotation have their roots in the customer’s product specification. then the estimator might be able to reverseengineer a quote to spot what made the di erence. the customer’s request for quotation may specify an awkward quantity. Costing 9. business strategists. e need for speed and accuracy in customer service compelled me to add to the sta and separate the areas of responsibility. en the customer hired a new buyer. It is only with considerable hindsight that I report to you that it is perilous to allow customer service to set the costs. schedules. these tasks may overlap or evolve in di erent sequences. if needed. Review 12. e better you and your customer are at success. Allow me to digress to explain my fondness for substituting customer service for salesman. In reality. Profit is a vital thing. A few years passed with a blissful business relationship as we produced batch after batch of beautifully deburred parts. e customer requests a quote for eight. my customer developed a requirement for an exotic burr removal process that was unique to our shop. e natural trend in customer service is to lower prices. If they expect parts on time. Process identification 2. Our estimator is an element of a team that includes accountants. at price omitted the expensive burr removal process. ose reports will be the foundation of the contract negotiation with the customer. We found a way to let the buyer know that we too could omit the operation and lower the quoted price. we’ve dissected the estimator’s job into a dozen tasks. It puts the emphasis on the mission: Help the customer succeed. As the scale of the operation grew. they should realize that costs are associated with that performance. Customer service will let the estimator know what level of detail to provide. e point of the story is to be prepared to explain the value of your service. we pretty much figured that the sharp edge was the problem. In practice. as well. at returns us to the topic of separation between sales and estimating. e previous edition discussed the estimator’s review of production history to verify the current cost estimate. the estimator is able to bring attention to oddities and forewarn the team. We now turn our attention to the translation of costs into price quotations. It would be to their advantage to order 14 instead. and seemingly arbitrary prices are chafing no matter the source. One should learn from every bidding war. at is communication as in both parties sharing information. As a review. We plan to discuss presentation ideas in the next edition of this article. In other words. While the estimator is not the one doing the negotiating. the raw material blank might economically yield seven parts. If the customer will divulge what price won the contract. I shall regale you with a tale from long ago. properly packaged with inspection records. Work order prep 5. the more joy in the shop. If the customer’s production requirements will allow some tolerance in batch sizes received. the customer will let customer service know what they want to see in the price quotation.Precision Matters Gerald Davis is a job shop consultant and chairman of the board of DSM Manufacturing Co.. For example. Pricing is di erent from costing only in that profit is involved. Inflexible quantities. Naturally. is works both ways. Your competitor’s price can reveal a weakness in its strategy as well as an advantage in e ciency. e estimate has been verified in as many ways as is practical. In an extreme situation. Know What Worked Potentially valuable information can be gleaned from competitive bidding. at is an example of an “economic order quantity” (EOQ). At this point the estimator has a documented commitment to schedule and costs. Success requires a team e ort. Optimization My work experience in estimating started from day one with quoting prices directly to customers. here is a brief outline of how we’ve dissected an estimator’s job: 1. that could be mutually beneficial to the e ciency of the fabrication. e estimator is in a supporting role to prevent the prices from going so low as to harm your company. the customer will assure you that the best way to help them succeed is with lower prices. I was both the salesman and the estimator—and the buyer and production engineer. the estimate supports every element of the price quotation and allows all parties to understand the terms and expectations. For the sake of discussion. e new buyer found a source that quoted the parts at a lower price. more or less detail can be provided. Fixtures/special handling 8. the estimator should be prepared to report any level of detail. Open communication with the customer is important. “Take it or leave it” is not conducive to long-term business relationships. e metal fabricator can’t possibly lower the margin. . Compatibility check 4. gerald@glddesigns. Presentation 11. Material planning 7. The Estimator as Pathologist When trying to make sense of a rejected estimate. the rejected price quotation provides feedback to the marketing e ort. ey might be pleased to help refine your feedback system. but in the majority of cases. the estimator considers the customer feedback as a way to refine the processing and costs for future production. Call 800. at might not be shared information.com. Want the best performance from your TRUMPF® laser? Use the same Thales RS3021CJ and RS2048CJC RF tubes preferred by the OEM and laser users for more than 20 years. To help the customer succeed. the shop had more than 60 employees working multiple shifts. the estimator is going up against another competent professional.348. Rather than bother with that. e damaging situation I’m referring to is loss of profit. Know Thy Limits No. The Preferred RF Tube Replacement for TRUMPF® Lasers Richardson Electronics | w w w. And Richardson Electronics is your reliable Thales source. the price war is waged on many fronts. e estimator is providing the ammo to win. Not all work is perfectly suited to your production line. Nor is the estimator a business strategist. It is glorious when the customer participates in the check-o of such performance categories. Price Wars Guess what? Your prices are too high.com. e insights gained from that experience are reflected in this series of articles.5580 WATC H OUR VIDEO September 2013 The FABRICATOR 65 .5580. The use of the TRUMPF® names and trademarks are for identification and compatibility purposes only. So how might an estimator respond to the news? Some rejected bids might be discounted because of excessive price markup or inept competition. At least. Gerald Davis uses CAD software to design and develop products for his clients at www. you now have capacity to serve another. e customer is betting its money that your firm will satisfy its manufacturing needs. but what action was taken to improve. Demand factory-original Thales RF tubes. In addition. the estimator can only make recommendations. the estimator pays attention to the technology in the shop. the estimator is looking at predicted inventory. To that extent. labor.348. Beware the di erence between what the customer wants and what the customer asks for. r e l l a s e r. the estimator compares the predicted labor and material expense to the actual expense for completed projects.com | 800. longest life. KG. ( is is brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department. Do not be lulled into a damaging situation by numbers alone. TRUMPF® is a registered trademark of TRUMPF GmbH & Co. we’ll presume that the competitor’s costs are similar to our own. A lost bid is worthy of some attention. Take heart. In most of these areas. However. It is usually pretty easy to get the customer to tell you if the schedule was the problem. the estimator is a supporting actor in many areas of the business. what did it take to replace them with good parts? How does this involve the estimator? As part of recordkeeping and subsequent analysis. He is a former owner and operator of a job shop from 1984 to 2004. the easier the customer service job is. Exclusive Supplier of Thales brand RF Tubes VISIT US Booth S2018 Power to make the best choice. Be confident in your own arithmetic and reasoning. the estimator is adept at recordkeeping and data analysis. As such. If nuisance competitors become a trend. Focus on this other kind of opportunity instead. Some price quotes are properly rejected. Richardson Electronics. that’s what one of your competitors told your customer. Perhaps a change in supplier of raw material or subcontracted service would better serve the customer. If the customer places low value on expensive processes.com. A better way may already be sitting idle! e better way may require an upgrade to tooling or machinery. Thales offers the highest quality. ey might let you know who won the deal. but not to the point of distraction. Customer service can compare expectation to performance in categories such as dimensional precision.) Now comes some deep soul-searching that may lead to some estimator’s angst: Perhaps the estimator’s work plan for production is not as good as the competitor’s. and cosmetic inspection. If this customer can’t a ord your service. At its peak in 2000. Do You Shrug or Hug? e important result of a satisfaction survey is not to know that a mistake was made. subcontracted services. the estimator is not a salesman. Or email laser@rell. Visit www. it is important to understand what won the contract. and schedule. Estimator. What did that other set of eyes see that was missed? Guess what? eir prices are stupid. However. Ltd. Some projects are not worth soliciting.rellaser. As an example. then keep track of that lonesome factoid. Did the competitor actually satisfy the customer’s written specification? Some customers are happy with getting what they want instead of what they ask for. shipping precision.In addition to learning what prevailed when a bid is lost. When all that is known is that some competitor prevailed. Please send your questions and comments to dand@thefabricator. the competitor stamps countersunk holes whereas the estimator planned on machining them manually at a drill press. To close the loop in the customer service realm. and lowest cost of ownership.glddesigns.com. c o m laser@rell. the estimator might report that information to customer service for a discussion about changing the customer’s specification for future contracts. ese are the days of the Internet. make the e ort to examine the parts produced by those creeps. e higher the customer’s confidence. It would take some industrial espionage to discover the competitor’s planned work order and sources for inventory. a fabricator needs to verify that all expectations were met. If bad parts were shipped. We’ll be happy just to know what price they quoted. at information is useful for training the estimator as well as for improving the production engineering for future builds. is an unaffiliated distributor of replacement parts for use in TRUMPF® laser systems. Everyone notices something that’s not working as expected. e ort. e best way to augment and frame the root cause exercises is through simple observation. such as batch sizes and produce and move triggers. but simply because the wrong “what” was chosen. We can gather this data by job. these two techniques are a good place to start. and another month to convince management that their department-style organization. But is labor performance a root cause? Maybe. ey assume a commonality and rationality in people that are sometimes not realistic. basically. master scheduling. or we don’t get to the root causes. nothing. The Power of Observation In a prior column I referred to your “search radar. material availability and handling. Improvement initiatives often fail not because of a lack of will.. argumentative. this problem is one of the biggest impediments to continuous improvement I have encountered. We know it’s related to average process throughput. Where to Start? Why is this? ere are a number of reasons. If we choose the wrong possible cause. It’s also related to average work-in-process (WIP). ese causes can interact.” It’s not something you have to buy. But even those were not the root causes. and in my own companies. Or quality. there’s a way” is at least sometimes true. e extrusion mill crews were measured on pounds per hour—not good pounds per hour. where do we start? Most companies first look at labor performance because that is the most apparent result we see. 66 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . None got to the root causes. after having established a will. these techniques need augmentation and framing to be completely e ective. what I found was that the real causes were poor quality that required a lot of reruns and.com. metrics. Discovering the Root Causes So how do you uncover the root causes of the results you want to improve? Well.” We want to improve cycle times and on-time delivery. because they can really get o track. Looking at the previous list. sometimes they don’t. Or any number of things that we detected and decided needs improving. even worse. plant layout. but they are all related to the fact that most results—that’s what we want to improve—have multiple causes. e results were completely underwhelming. e people downstream got to worry about the consequences. As an individual. If you are looking to train your workforce on some powerful tools for improvement. But in the realm of continuous. Consider cycle time. and calculate some e ciency number. metrics. sometimes they note it or say something. and often more complex. or resources. e root causes were poor die maintenance (somebody had decided that there were too many high-priced folks in the toolroom) and metrics. Improvement initiatives often fail not because of a lack of will. and some are not root causes. It was at least as important as deciding how to improve. In consulting with fabricators and specialty manufacturers for years. which is related to labor availability and performance. e quality checks at the mills were cursory. which relates to some factors in the previous list as well as a few others. ey were discovered at packing. So … exactly what are you going to improve? T Finding the “what” is half the battle he old saw “Where there’s a will. as is the equally famous fishbone chart that helps detail the possible causes of something. e result was systemized poor performance that essentially was designed into the process. After the “will to improve means will to invest” hurdle I discussed last month. is measure drove the mill crews and their department supervisor to push out as much metal as possible. e results barely change. at best. But let’s say we need to improve cycle time. you notice and observe some things. We want to improve results. and the company had spent a lot of money on various initiatives to improve both. and shop functional organization. Yes. serious delays (two days) in detecting the quality problems.Improvement Insights Dick Kallage is principal of KDC & Associates Ltd. compare it to the standard or estimate. You just have to turn it on and use it. to say the least. Labor performance is driven by not just how hard and well someone works. rkallage@kdcconsultants. we can spend a lot of time and money and get. you can make these things become second nature. and other things just pass you by. prior decisions. e search radar mechanism is simply observation by you and virtually everyone else in the organization. Operators fill in time sheets. And it took just one week to fix the entire problem. and even political. turn into a 3-year-old and keep asking “Why?” e famous 5 Whys approach is always useful. It took a month to figure out the real problems. focused improvement. but simply because the wrong “what” was chosen. just before shipment. shop floor scheduling and expedite control. But more often it’s not. To make a long story short. training. the “what” was way more than half the battle. We want to improve throughput and e ciency. and metrics were totally killing them. there certainly must be a “what” before there’s a “way. is can be frustrating and expensive. but by machine capability and performance (including uptime). which caused unplanned schedule interruptions and more setups for the extrusion mills upstream. including some very subtle ones. In this case. or resources. And we want to improve responsiveness. But frankly. first. Two hugely apparent issues were poor labor performance and awful throughput. Hidden Causes A few years back I consulted with a large aluminum extruder facing serious competitive threats that were degrading margins significantly. It’s something you already have. and we think we need to do this by improving throughput. followed by measurement. material availability. effort. quality and “first-time good”. and other factors. I found that getting to the right “what” was the key to making real progress. scheduling. With a lot of practice and experience. machine availability and uptime. What gives us the biggest bang for the buck? What is the “what”? is is where many companies run into a lot of trouble and frustration. Remember that the causes can be interrelated. analysis. but also some possible solutions. Now the search radar is really working to its full capabilities. Suite UL-8. To make it work effectively. and economically. I am constantly setting up. so you can focus on the ones that bring the most benefit. the observations have to be recorded.com/waterjet. they can be mapped to the results that you are trying to improve. and helps lead FMA’s LeanFab.org or call 888-394-4362. the machine keeps shutting down. Jeff Brown’s enthusiasm for Mitsubishi Waterjet runs deep. they enabled the technology that helped Miro open the door to bigger opportunities. if we did things to September 2013 The FABRICATOR 67 improve machine uptime. cycle times. Dick Kallage is principal of KDC & Associates Ltd. which improves throughput and. Next you need to gauge the problems’ severity and impact. but employing them effectively takes practice and experience. To learn more about what waterjet can do for your business. It’s definitely not. They provide the augmentations and frames that make root cause analysis really effective. .com. but one that you and your company need in order to continuously. INC.. fmanet. I wish I could agree with some who say that finding the “what” is a simple. So there has to be a way to gather those observations. accuracy and control technology that comes from decades of diverse machining experience. Inc. www. There are too many job interruptions. MC MACHINERY A SUBSIDIARY OF MITSUBISHI CORPORATION SYSTEMS.kdcconsultants. possibly. interviews. I can’t find the tool when I need it.or postproduction all-hands meetings are useful. It sounds like clutter. cookbook affair.” From this list you need to get to the one “what” you will focus on to improve the end result. EDM | LASER | WATERJET | MILLING | HIGH-SPEED VMC | PRESS BRAKE AUTOMATION | CONSUMABLES | PRE-OWNED | SERVICE | FINANCING “ ” QUICK. improve. I’ve described some methods that work. new revenue streams and more cost-effective production. A related task is to find patterns and “densities” in these observations. mechanical. therefore. Observation works automatically. They help you record observations: The light’s out.. and then compare them to other issues that need improvement. So you need to look at how improving each of the candidate “whats” affects not just the result. For example. but usually drawn in a color-coded matrix arrangement for clarity. visit www.. -JEFF BROWN OWNER OF MIRO TOOL & MFG. sorting. Barrington. for sure. 522 S. other results. Northwest Highway. Primarily. he needs a partner who understands the big picture— and he knows that only Mitsubishi delivers the insight. Together. It is decidedly a serious skill. ACCURATE. ONE SOURCE. AWESOME. but they mean the same thing. This shows how improving one result can bring about improvements elsewhere too. but also other nominal causes and. You do this by constructing a cause-effect chart that is essentially interconnected fishbone diagrams. though. interviews and conversations provide not only detail. INC. Once patterns and densities are found. visit www. metal fabrication seminars dedicated to continuous improvement. For more information. Say you see this in your recorded observations: We keep changing the schedule. IL 60010. we also improve asset turns and labor performance.mitsubishi-world. By using root cause techniques augmented by search radar. It also shows if you are just pushing on a balloon: improving one and worsening another. Kallage serves on the Management Advisory Council of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl. Pre. 847-525-6109. As the owner of Miro Tool & Mfg.The point is that every problem in every operation is probably noticed by someone. ENDLESS EXPERTISE. and conversation—at all levels of the organization—you can uncover a very sound list of “whats. They may be stated differently in the observation recording. but radar has clutter— and critical facts. • Operations (materials): Optimize floor space! The material handlers want to lay out the space to make it easy for them to store and access materials. This causes them to do whatever it takes to reduce that unit cost. and other operational limitations. supervisors and managers earn the maximum number of standard hours and elevate efficiency metrics. ordering in bulk. Another angry customer. they don’t think about the efficiency numbers at the laser cutting machine or press brake. take actions to execute horizontally. but if quality parts aren’t delivered on time. Silos perpetuate inward thinking. managers. then call an emergency meeting that quickly breaks down into a shouting match. and those below execute it. bending. vice president of sales and marketing at Miller Welding and Machine Co. if he produces too much inventory. at least from their inside-the-silo perspective. at least according to the performance measures they’re given. Sales. or a purchaser may have landed an amazing deal on a batch of material. 68 The FABRICATOR September 2013 Their boss judges their performance by silo-specific metrics. Here’s a taste of what each person in the meeting is thinking about inside his or her silo.” Miller and many other companies like it offer a variety of processes: cutting. one kind of grain goes in the top and out the bottom. or accounting—one type of grain. But when they sell without considering the company’s ability to deliver. machining. Tempers are running hot at production meetings. cleaning. but it is disruptive to the people in operations who need to store all the material and deliver parts in the most effective way for operators and assemblers—the very people who are adding value. Pa. or the shipping and logistical considerations farther up the supply chain. Why the frustration? It’s because every one of them has performed impeccably. Does my business operate vertically within the functional silos. What happened? Life is challenging enough running a manufacturing company. and finance people—they’re all pointing fingers. they can reduce their work by moving large quantities in large containers. while if he has too much. With machines running almost continuously. turf protection. Soon you find costs are rising faster than revenue—not good. There’s a critical late order you’ve been firefighting all morning. How Meetings Become Shouting Matches You hang up the phone and put your head in your hands. Silos make it difficult to achieve satisfactory performance given your savvy customers’ demands (see Figure 1). It’s just a capacity issue. Moreover. agrees that silos are disruptive. These are not bad. untalented. You reduce miles driven by reducing the frequency of deliveries and increase the size of the loads. Eric Miller. This might appear reasonable to the people in finance. the customer really doesn’t care. This becomes problematic if it is inconsistent with the way material is consumed. right? So you run another shift. the operation stops. Really? In an actual silo. and coating. Silos begin to appear (or more likely. they run the risk of a dissatisfied customer or other functions expediting or performing heroic actions that cause disruptions and unexpected costs. operations. Take a look at your organization chart and ask yourself. They’re doing their jobs well. Additionally. The buyer may have gotten a great deal on material. he has poorly utilized space and underutilized working capital. Machines are running all the time. Traditionally. and welding. no one looks forward to the ringing-phone scenario. in Brookville. even if it means increasing other costs like logistics or tariffs. or causing operational problems by. direction comes from the top. and even front-line employees relate to one another across functions. run as much as possible to spread fewer setups over more pieces. and manage their business processes effectively can unlock organizational potential and better serve customers. What Are Silos. but the company may also be drowning in inventory and bleeding cash. Employees working in silos don’t see this. we have come to recognize the impact silos have on our business. and the troubles that can arise: • Sales: Get it sold! They need to get the order regardless of lead-times. What they want is a quality part. and subpar results for customers. opera- . and shop floor personnel are as busy as ever. the silos were there all along but not recognized) and dictate how leaders. The silo problem emerges when the cost-reduction metric is based on individual unit cost rather than total delivered cost. • Finance: Optimize the freight costs! The way to drive down logistics costs is to reduce the number of miles driven. many customers expect year-over-year cost reductions. When customers work with a contract manufacturer like this. capacities. They don’t think about what the material costs. and they will seek to fulfill the performance metric by driving down the purchased costs. • Operations (planner): Don’t run out! The planner takes lots more heat for running out of something than for having too much of something. Nevertheless. They operate within the silo wall and really don’t venture outside of it—for good reason. or does it operate horizontally and smoothly across functions? Thoughtful leaders who recognize the negative impact of silos. like machine efficiency for operations people or per-piece cost for purchasing personnel. the operation still can be short of parts that are actually needed. “Although our company is still in the early phase of our lean journey. You sigh. or product delivered on time for a competitive price. say. This matter is as relevant for the small job shop as it is for the large OEM. so to speak. • Operations (production): Run as much as possible! The operations people say once the job is set up. procurement. but many leaders make the challenges even more difficult from self-imposed processes and systems. • Procurement: Optimize the unit cost! The buyers have purchased-part cost-reduction goals. blasting. and you know who it is. If he runs out. A machine may have a stellar uptime metric. The silos build up over time and become ingrained. or disengaged peo- Blast the silos to unlock potential Customers want good parts delivered on time— and so should employees Y By Jeff Sipes ou look at the phone ringing on your desk.Chief Concerns tions. It is almost as if they are invisible forces that get in the way of progress. subassembly. The metaphorical silo in a manufacturing company contains a function like engineering. After all.. the department head. Most work cuts across functions at some point. consider employee performance. If an operations employee’s performance is judged primarily on machine efficiency and avoiding downtime. and leverage the strengths of the suppliers. Such change requires executive horsepower. His efficiency number will shine. But the practice also floods the floor with work-inprocess. but is a medium-term solution Sales Procurement Finance Operations Buyer Supplier Quality Cost Estimating Logistics Materials Production Planner Material Handling Sell. for example. This will help to foster the breakdown of silos. Procurement personnel evaluate the procurement transactions relative to total landed cost. • Operations (materials): Optimize floor space. Strike a balance between driving freight costs down and getting material in a way that optimizes your space utilization and throughput capabilities. • Procurement: Determine unit cost and negotiate operational requirements.Functional Organization Chart and Vertical Perspective Senior Executive Sales Procurement Finance Operations Vertical Perspective: Buyer Supplier Quality Cost Estimating Logistics Materials Production • Functions in conflict • People don’t understand upstream and downstream impacts • Focus on “silo” optimization Planner Material Handling Optimize Unit Cost Get It Sold Optimize Freight Cost Don’t Run Out Optimize Floorspace Run as Much As Possible Figure 1 This organization has four functions: sales. more frequent deliveries using milk routes to strike the balance. Consider the same scenario. Consider smaller. it’s about us. or in groups or kits. Do our performance metrics drive the right behavior? Linking front-line metrics to executive metrics will help create a sense of purpose and reduce the “me” focus. Planners can influence the loads on workcells. orientation. not just the efficiency of a certain machine or process. no turf protection. How to Blast the Silo Horizontal thinking is not an easy concept for most people to grasp. But when the silos rule. they are people working in processes and systems that deteriorate over time. Leaders can set the stage for alignment among all departments. instead. The important takeaway is that manufacturers must manage processes—both widget-making production processes and information-based business processes—in a way that’s consistent with horizontal thinking: no silos. Ways to sustain include creating relevant metrics that cross boundaries. By level loading. Yet it is a powerful concept that enables you to be less reliant on vertical structures and more reliant on cross-functional relationships focused on serving the customer. All look inward and make life easiest for themselves and other people within the silo. • Finance: Determine freight costs. be they the front office or shop floor. The question is. Would these actions have preempted the problems illustrated in the ringing-phone scenario? Perhaps. Everyone should understand who their internal customers and suppliers are and be accountable to them. but consider our ability to produce. Note the solid vertical arrows for each function. he may keep machines running. September 2013 The FABRICATOR 69 . the plant can achieve better utilization of resources and avoid a chaotic whipsaw of peaks and valleys. Performance metrics should focus on fulfilling customer needs and company profitability. • Operations (planning): Level load as much as possible. tailoring the way parts are presented. both external and internal. the plant will have a tighter grip on product and process variation. so they can react quickly to customer demands. Each is a silo running to optimize a specific function without regard to overall company goals. no optimizing a certain process at the expense of the whole. finance. but now without the silos (see Figure 2): • Sales: Sell. and he’ll look good. Functional Objectives May Conflict With One Another ple who don’t care about frustrated customers calling about late orders. design shared accountabilities. but Consider Our Ability to Produce Determine Unit Cost And Negotiate Operational Rqmts Level Load As Possible Determine Freight Cost Optimize Floorspace Run to Schedule Or Pull Signal Optimize Entire Supply Chain Based on What is Best for Overall Company Business Figure 2 In this scenario. quality. That’s why his performance measures need to change. and be able to respond quickly to customer needs. and communicating a common set of operating principles around which the company can rally. negotiate based on your operation’s needs (parts delivered and presented in a way most favorable to your value-added workers’ needs). it cannot be started and sustained from the bottom up. it’s not about me or my department (that is. but the operations person feels he’s just doing his job. Every action in a company somehow ties to serving the customer. Horizontally Focused Organization In a horizontal organization. and cost). people from different departments interact continually. procurement. The goal is to shift everyone’s perspective away from the silo and toward the customer. the ringing-phone scenario ensues. Customers complain about late orders. increases overall inventory. the silo). • Operations (production): Run to a schedule or pull signal. Performance metrics will drive behavior. Production produces to replenish to customer needs instead of running machines to maximize for internal performance measures. publicly recognizing and reinforcing initiatives that support alignment. and ultimately hinders throughput. try developing value-stream maps for products or product families so that employees understand the operation’s sequence and Functional Organization Chart and Horizontal Perspective—Optimize Supply Chain Senior Executive Horizontal Perspective: • Optimize for company results • Requires constructive dialogue between and among functions • Not a short-term fix. To illustrate this. First. Rather. and reinforce cross-functional actions at every opportunity. The materials personnel can make life easier for those in production by. They can communicate a consistent message with periodic all-hands meetings. The salesperson or order-taker should think about the company’s ability to fulfill the customer’s needs before committing to unrealistic expectations. Gaining a new order commitment includes understanding its effect on operations and the ability to fulfill customer expectations (schedule. By running smaller quantities based on customer replenishment. be it in a certain quantity. and operations. After lunch there’s another meeting. and the company’s internal processes within the value streams. Why? The silos have been blasted. People come prepared to answer questions and address issues. The executives are cordial and open with one another. There are no turf games. They develop a plan. Midmorning the phone rings—but this time. Organizational boundaries. the response is different. Instead. they develop an objective assessment and identify potential solutions. and welded. bent.com. The Phone Rings. They focus on how the shop performed yesterday. a cross-functional kaizen team—including staff from operations. The plant manager conducts the daily production meeting.back2basics-lean. not in reaction to a customer complaint. Still. The customer service person serves as a focal point to coordinate an initial response between engineers and operations to assess the validity and magnitude of the fit-up issue. People are working to anticipate issues and resolve problems in a positive way. Emotions are in check. a high-product-mix. Using current-state analysis and data. Say the engineering and programming departments review a job. You may be able to decrease waste by. programming. what they need to do today. for instance. Indianapolis. then send the job to purchasing. Everybody comes to the event with a customer focus and “what is best for the company” mindset. As you begin to blast the silos. This will be eye-opening for many people. Involve people working in those processes to document and analyze the way they work. A customer conveys his concern about a problem with product fit-up. which involves employees from operations. This sends the company into action. materials. suppliers. www. and accounting—works on a process flow issue. 317-439-7960. and what issues they anticipate for the next couple of days. Where there is deviation from expectations. The customer’s engineering or supplier development personnel are brought into the loop to confirm the findings and agree to corrective action. A map can help define the details of the processes to show interactions. Processes are executed with smoothness and precision. and increase velocity by fostering collaboration among departments.Chief Concerns how support functions affect it. a traditional value-stream map may not be practical in. low-volume job shop. and improvement opportunities. whether functional or hierarchical. That’s because a culture of a silo-based company is substantially different than that of a company that operates horizontally. Serving the customer is the common denominator for all. and engineering. and purchasing worked as a team. Most of the metrics are shared by at least three of the functional leaders. New accountabilities will make some people uncomfortable. The boundaries fade as all parties seek out root causes and appropriate countermeasures. IN 46234. You may need to change job descriptions and reporting relationships. many will resist change. do not get in the way of solving the problem. and No Problem The day starts with your executive staff meeting where all the functions are represented. maintenance. The tone of the meeting is all about getting the job done for the customer. Look at processes that span functional and departmental boundaries. every part probably is cut. 9250 Eagle Meadow Drive. and they implement what they can and seek approvals from leadership as necessary for funding or potential conflict resolutions. hand-offs. say. 70 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . The group reviews the company’s executive-level performance metrics. eliminating duplication. engineering. as necessary. Everyone goes into the investigation with an open mind and with problem-solving intent. the group goes through a problem-solving method in which all are vested in successful outcomes. because they will begin to see the bigger picture as it relates to customers. Jeff Sipes is principal of Back2Basics LLC. Job titles and organizational affiliations are checked at the door. and many parts deburred. There are no major disruptions or firefights. Admittedly. There is no finger-pointing. scheduling. That job might be processed faster if engineering. . in what capacity? What do owners expect in terms of valuation? How do owners want to be compensated for the sale? These are just a few of the questions that should be asked as part of a much longer discussion before engaging in a sales process. this would include creating a product line for which the company owns the intellectual property. typically will have an audience of potential buyers. 1. or patented processes or designs—can increase the company’s valuation and attractiveness to prospective buyers significantly. and if so. However. taxes. With this money-saving idea. and amortization) multiples. A few months prior. Having but a few products is as problematic as having very few customers. if not entirely rectified. EBITDA indicates the profitability of a company and is considered when assessing its valuation during the sales process. Document. Over time the business may grow. Grow Revenue and Profitability. Do the owners want to retire or reduce personally guaranteed debt? Do assets need to be 72 The FABRICATOR September 2013 diversified? Is there a need for growth capital or talent? No matter the reason. completed a recapitalization provided by a private equity firm. particularly a financial one. a fabricator will have to provide the seller with three to five years of monthly financial statements. this also can be a red flag.Chief Concerns So you want to sell? How metal fabricators can increase their business valuations E By Christopher Geier arlier this year Kopetz Manufacturing. 3. acquired Westermeyer Industries. having a unique offering—such as a protected niche. The buyer market is broader and will reward those companies that are larger in scale with a size premium. Although uncommon. so will the value of the company. Determine the Reason for Selling. It is equally important for owners to determine their collective and individual goals. Company data. Fabricators should do everything possible to grow revenue and profitability in the two or three years prior to engaging in a sales process. depreciation. Unfortunately. 5. Build a Strong Management Team. the fabricator becomes the go-to source for this part. Mueller Industries. fabricators that truly are profitable. Would you buy a business that has only one customer? Imagine the scenario where that single customer terminates its relationship with the company. These are just two recent examples of fabricators that were able to successfully sell or recapitalize their companies. fabricators should take the same action to address product dependency as they would with customer dependency—refrain from going to market until the company can add multiple products to its mix. Consider a fabricator who makes a part for an OEM. intellectual property. a fact that makes selling or restructuring a challenge. statements. A fabricator should evaluate its management team and make adjustments if necessary. investment banks typically will not represent these sellers. the multiple on a $3 million EBITDA company will not be as high as the multiple on a growing $10 million EBITDA company. high growth potential is attractive. Document. if something happens to the owner. what percentages are they comfortable owning? If they do not plan on retaining ownership. allowing the company to develop a track record with the management team and mold the members into a cohesive unit. If a buyer can see opportunities to sell into additional or tangential markets. a company may operate in an industry that does not have a significant number of customers. Ideally. a specialty fabricator in the HVAC space. Overcome Customer and Product Concentration Problems. or create a strong team where none currently exists. To a buyer. Without quickly replacing that customer with a new one. First Steps Before even contemplating a sales process or EBITDA multiples. The fabricator then protects that design with patents. do any of the owners plan on remaining involved at all. and eventually that one product may provide a majority of shop revenue. Currently investment bankers are seeing renewed interest from large corporate buyers with strong balance sheets seeking growth and improved margins by acquiring specialty manufacturers. Dependency on only a few customers will weigh negatively on the company’s valuation. Document. Additionally. a fabricator should take steps to help ensure a smooth process while maximizing value. So if a com- pany is dependent on only a few customers. and refrain from going to market until such time as the dependency issue is mitigated. must be well-documented. many generate less than $10 million in revenue. These days many buyers will not consider companies that lack reviewed. 4. Fabricators need to conduct a thorough analysis to identify customer concentration problems and ways to mitigate them. Regardless of the type of buyer. . Preferably. a pressure vessel and heat exchanger fabricator. the value placed on that business can move significantly higher. but a strong management team is a key consideration from a buyer’s perspective. Clean financial statements are of utmost importance. many fabricators are too small to afford complete management teams. Many contract fabrication shop owners also may want to develop their own product line. As a company’s EBITDA consistently moves higher. then proposes a new part design that ends up saving that OEM millions. the team will form well before the sales process begins. and if so. With that said. Think about it through a buyer’s eyes. 2. including an income statement. or the owner or key senior leaders plan to exit the company after the sale. A seller wants to improve the business to drive higher EBITDA (earnings before interest. In general. even small ones. top-quality successors to fill those positions. Specialty manufacturing is very fragmented with many small players. it will also adversely affect the universe of potential buyers. including financial statements and customer information. a high-volume manufacturer and distributor of flow control and industrial products. though. Not only will customer dependency issues decrease a company’s valuation. the business would likely fail. A broad audience and greater scale both help to drive a higher valuation. Although fabricators may be extremely profitable. similarly. identifying the underlying motivation will help guide the sales process. it is important to have identified potential. In most cases. What is the ideal timing for a sale? Will the owners retain any ownership post-transaction. A fabricator should determine its reasoning and motivation for selling. merely adding one or two new customers may be enough to allay concerns about customer dependency. or even audited. it should determine its best course of action in obtaining as many new customers as possible. In that case. For example. are seeing encouraging M&A signs due to a couple of factors.si kich. While buyers often understand that some non-business-related expenses may be on the income statement. it may make an investment in a new platform business. To truly ensure that its financial statements are up to par. Each of these individuals should have at least one characteristic in common: proven experience in mergers and acquisitions. 6. Di erent types of buyers have their own wants and needs. it demonstrates that the company is in touch with its customers’ needs and can properly plan for demand. reducing the number of M&A transactions in the industry.balance sheet. is ultimately means that the sales price could end up being lower than expected.com September 2013 The FABRICATOR 73 . 123 N. Ideally. including fabricators. A platform company is the first company in a specific industry that a financial buyer acquires. Keeping detailed records on customers and their purchasing habits is a competitive advantage. 312-648-6666. but a realtor has the expertise to promote your home. An organized company that can provide a potential buyer with access to these records will be much more attractive than one that cannot.8226)
[email protected]. a company must generate in excess of $2 million of EBITDA. and then sell it within five to seven years. Westermeyer’s specialty is fabricating components for air conditioning and refrigeration customers. fabricators and other specialty manufacturers were less in danger of losing core customers than manufacturers producing higher-volume work. the income statement will include only revenue and expenses related to the fabricator’s operations. they can be very attractive to certain buyers. The M&A Landscape Although the M&A climate has heated up—anecdotally. Would you receive the best deal from the first person who makes an o er on your home? Possibly. Since purely strategic buyers are more inclined to purchase a company and hold it indefinitely. an experienced transaction team will drive the highest possible value by creating a competitive dynamic among potential buyers. a focus that was strategic to Mueller’s business of manufacturing plumbing and industrial products for customers in the same space. Financial buyers. At the peak of the recession. Wacker Drive. Chicago. e good news is that manufacturing companies. subassemblies. they may only require the company to maintain stability. IL 60606. while the climate is not ideal at the moment. at least—many recent reports have shown that it has been up and down in the last few quarters. are typically private equity groups that may own similar companies within their portfolio. creating a competitive dynamic is essential. so a company and its transaction team must play to each of those by promoting the most positive attributes relevant to the individual prospects. Financial buyers may be willing to acquire small companies. on the other hand. a registered broker dealer with the Securities Exchange Commission and a member of FINRA/SIPC. and two. legal counsel. Realistically. which is a mistake. obtain and manage multiple o ers. a company should assemble a transaction team that has proven experience in driving an auction process. or parts that go into other products—and they remain an im- portant part of America’s culture. Buyers generally are classified in one of two categories: strategic and financial. e same goes for a sales transaction team. the forecast is promising. For this reason. Consider the Westermeyer/Mueller transaction described previously. and cash flow statement. and wealth manager. Suite 1500. and they must demonstrate steep growth opportunities. contact potential buyers. but only after they have acquired a platform. Overall. manufacturers are able to begin rebuilding inventory to pre-recession levels. including fabricators. the number of strong-performing manufacturing companies was minimal. typically comprising an investment banker. at the very least—for multiple years in advance of a sales process. less flight to foreign countries—particularly China because of its rising labor costs—is beginning to help draw work back to the U. tax adviser. Assemble a Transaction Team. in and of itself. We hold it down with the 5000 series heavy duty toggle clamps • • • • Large Opening Angle Adjustable Handle Stop Low Profile Design Reverse Action Series 5105 | 5110 Series 5905 | 5910 | 5915 Series 5305 | 5310 Series 5130 | 5131 | 5133 | 5150 888-DESTACO (337. Finally. Good customer information also will be quite helpful to guide efforts in attracting new customers. The Competitive Dynamic Once a company properly prepares to enter the sales process. Strategic buyers look to purchase a company for a specific reason. www.com destaco. is is why the company’s balance sheet should also contain only business items.S. they may not make allowances for these items by “adding back” these expenses in an adjusted EBITDA calculation. Not every potential buyer will look at a fabricator for the same reasons. Christopher Geier is partner-in-charge at Sikich Investment Banking. If a private equity group does not already own a similar company. One. and they often proactively seek out companies interested in selling in order to add to their alreadyestablished operations. a company should enlist a public accounting firm to conduct an audit—or a review. Custom fabricators build things— complete assemblies. In order to be an attractive platform. helps fabricators of any size stand out among many other companies. A company also should have documented customer information and sales data. ink about this in terms of selling a home. is. and guide the final negotiation. grow it. Securities are o ered through Sikich Corporate Finance LLC. rather than demonstrate huge growth potential. Although this may be di cult if the company has limited funds dedicated to the sales process. though. e best way to negotiate the highest value is by having multiple potential buyers that all want the same thing or see di erent things in the company that others may not. fabricators must appeal to financial buyers di erently than strategic buyers. Many owners tend to live out of their business checkbooks. e bottom line is that while many fabricators are small companies. A key di erence between strategic and financial buyers is that financial buyers will likely want to buy a company. aspheric and asymmetric doublet lenses became more common. Focusing lens geometries were recalculated to better match the laser’s focusability attributes. Although mode and beam quality both tend to degrade at higher powers. fiber and disk lasers produce what is essentially a di raction-limited beam. has presented some challenges in materials processing. maintenance-free operation.As the technology progresses. So the industry switched substrate materials to optical-grade fused silica with better thermal characteristics and higher damage thresholds. In single-mode operation. highest-energy-density. and cover slides disastrously damaged or destroyed from the intense energy density of the small-diameter. aircooled. Although simple plano-convex lenses worked for a number of applications (and are still preferred due to their low cost. simple design. beam parameter product (BPP). eoretically. is led to many mirrors. tightly focused. which is flat on one side and rounded on the other. this once disruptive technology has become mainstream. and ready availability). these lens alternatives incorporate alternative shapes that help achieve truer collimation and precise focusing (see Figure 2). One feature. and lowest-diverging beams ever applied to material processing applications. processing head design has become one key for success. Collimating takes the beam energy from the delivery fiber and changes it into a beam size— anywhere from 5 to 45 mm in diameter—that can be directed and focused with lenses and mirrors (see Figure 1). and low operating cost—have demonstrated themselves to be 74 The FABRICATOR September 2013 exception. and here. the lasers’ inherent advantages—high e ciency. exceptional beam quality. high-quality mode of the beam. and the high-powered 1-micron laser is no A By Mike DelBusso little more than 10 years ago. Although claims at the time that these lasers would completely replace all other lasers did not bear out. the ideal beam quality with ultimate focusability (the ability to produce the smallest possible focus spot size) is called di raction limited and has an M2 value equal to 1. e high-powered 1-micron laser’s earliest processing heads had the same optics that worked with pulsed Nd:YAG lasers because the wavelengths were similar and they were readily available. lenses. with high-powered solid-state fiber and disk lasers now accounting for 20 to 25 percent of the industrial laser market. Because of their design and construction. the laser’s energy is most highly concentrated in the beam’s center. forming what is known as a Gaussian profile. Finally. Unlike plano-convex. Developments in Beam Delivery Beam quality—specified as an M-squared (M2) value. commercially available 1-micron lasers crossed the kilowatt-level power threshold and became viable tools for industrial processes. exceptional beam quality. the antireflective . multikilowatt 1-micron lasers provide the most intense. Fiber-delivered lasers have always required collimating. Over the decade. beam delivery has played a central role real and sustaining. and sometimes referred to as brightness—essentially measures how well a beam can be focused. Investigations are being made with supersonic assist gas nozzles in small-kerf-width conditions and. nozzle orifice. . e short wavelength of the fiber and disk laser (around 1 micron) is better absorbed at low angles of incidence. beam quality. spot size. Overtaking the thick metal cutting (or plate cutting) market obviously is a holy grail for 1-micron laser manufacturers. two or three lenses put together). Gaining a Cutting Edge Anyone who has set up a successful laser cutting process knows that it is a balancing act of at least 15 in-play parameters: wavelength. but rather than expelling molten material through the kerf with assist gas pressure. Beam absorption determines weld temperature. In 3 mm thickness. have helped achieve truer collimation and precise focusing. such as spot welds with relatively low power. drastically reducing the price per part. robust industrial application. spot location. again in part because of the wavelength and exceptional beam quality. depth of field. and production cutting in thinner materials. motion accuracy. and deep penetration. In the next range of material thickness. In thicker materials. so the scales are tipped in favor of the longer wavelength (around 10 microns) of the CO2 laser (see Figure 3). the cut quality is still fairly comparable between the two wavelengths. and the CO2 currently o ers better cut quality and faster cutting speed. Figure 2 Alternative lens designs. Keyhole welding is very similar to laser cutting. the real test is the setup’s stability for a repeatable. With thicker materials. Progress in Welding Welding with high-power 1-micron lasers has been a challenge. ere are basically two types of laser welding: conduction welding. Processing head mechanisms also required additional attention and refinement. and automation of this feature were enhanced. precision. the angle of incidence of the burn front increases. robust production solution with speeds comparable to CO2. up to about 8 mm. but with power increases also comes a corresponding decrease in the beam quality. 1-micron lasers equipped with noncontact height-sensing cutting heads have gained large acceptance and are beginning to dominate the market. Here. basic physics begin to work against the 1-micron laser. the results were Collimator Focal Length As material thickness increases. Isolated instances of good results in thicknesses 25 mm and higher are coming out of some of the labs. nozzle stando . assist gas type. e cover slide location was brought closer to the bottom of the lens to capture the largest beam diameter with the lowest energy density possible. the laser cuts 25 to 50 percent faster than a CO2 laser with half the power. cutting speed. and keyhole welding with high power. in custom optics that could alter the angle of incidence of the beam along the cutting front. coatings (or reflective coatings in the case of mirrors) were tailored to handle the laser’s 1-micron wavelength. forming the weld. and the resolution. a rewarding validation of the laser’s potential. but the lower speed and higher cutting gas consumption the 1-micron laser requires begin to negate the price-per-part advantage. the 1-micron laser is three times faster (power levels considered equal). material thickness. a narrow bead. When the 1-micron laser was combined with a processing head designed to maximize the output of its unique beam characteristics. processing head developments may again be key. Increasing 1-micron laser power levels may be a factor (the latest reported being an astonishing 100 kW). and low penetration. but the trick is in finding a stable. A key factor in laser cutting is a material’s energy absorption rate.Laser processing heads. Even after a technician finds a successful combination. so does the angle of incidence. For precision cutting. material. Fiber Diameter Feed A laser beam cuts thin sheet at a low angle of incidence. Many have studied the dynamics within the keyhole. Feed e operating cost of a CO2 laser is significantly higher than for a 1-micron laser. which is based primarily on two things: wavelength and angle of incidence. and vapor (plasma) pressure keeps September 2013 The FABRICATOR 75 Focus Focal Length Spot Diameter Figure 1 Collimating takes the beam energy from the delivery fiber and changes it into a beam size. including doublet and even triplet designs (that is. and contaminant control. One-micron lasers also outperform CO2 lasers in cutting highly reflective materials such as copper and aluminum. icker yet. assist gas pressure. have been optimized for the unique characteristics of high-powered 1-micron lasers. and there is plenty of activity toward this goal. In metals less than 4 mm thick. wide bead. more exotically. such as this robotic automatic height-sensing cutting head. It has been long known that the focus spot position is one of the critical parameters for cutting di erent materials. and maintaining it requires a delicate equilibrium. beam alignment. cut at slower speeds. the molten material is allowed to resolidify. Intl. or molten material ejecting from the weld pool. Because of the 1-micron laser’s exceptional focusing. the 1-micron lasers’ inherent advantages—high efficiency. Unstable keyholes often produce weld spatter. 1-micron lasers produced significantly more spatter than previously seen with CO2 lasers. the keyhole it produces has a very high aspect ratio (very deep with a narrow opening) with a relatively straight front wall and very little distance to the back wall. focal-position shifting. e lower absorption at these high angles also results in a narrower top to the keyhole. and low operating cost—have demonstrated themselves to be real and sustaining. and custom optics—to reduce the beam’s angle of incidence in thicker material. Remedies such as inclining the beam angle. As material thickness increases. its index of refraction and radius of curvature change or distort. elongating the keyhole. or thermal lensing. www. and the focus position shifts.org • 888-394-4362 . air-cooled. maintenance-free operation. Feed Over the decade.fmanet. education networking Interact with us @ membership 76 The FABRICATOR September 2013 Booth N1400 Fabricators & Manufacturers Association. the industry is developing various methods—including beam tilting. increasing its instability. Figure 3 e short wavelength of the fiber and disk laser (around 1 micron) is better absorbed at low angles of incidence. However. But as material thickness increases. During initial trials of deeper keyhole welding. so does the angle of incidence. but these didn’t address the fundamental problem: keyhole instability from changes in the focused spot size and location due to focal shift and beam scattering. and providing assist gas directly into the weld helped mitigate spatter. Focal shift. is caused by the absorption of energy into the focusing lens.Feed A laser beam cuts thin sheet at a low angle of incidence. As the lens increases in temperature. exceptional beam quality. the keyhole open while allowing molten material to reflow smoothly. so does the laser’s angle of incidence during the cut. and easier to clean than a transmissive lens. and with more impact. which uses a mirror (typically a parabola machined from copper) that focuses the beam as it reflects it. but there remained the one issue that plagues all welding applications: managing the debris. 25325 Regency Drive. debris on the optical elements or even floating within the beam path. so the machine design of a laser welding system should incorporate effective fume removal and. than any other development in the history of industrial lasers.tial. The concurrent development of laser processing heads designed to maximize laser performance has enabled their ability and acceptance for an ever-increasing range of industrial applications. and enhanced coatings increase reflectivity even more—all beneficial for the 1-micron wavelength of fiber and disk lasers. Visual inspection is not completely adequate because submicron contamination. Keeping the optics clean and protected is essenSeptember 2013 The FABRICATOR 77 . creating a bad weld condition that creates even more debris and more focal shift. and far less forgiving of. in some cases. And with contaminants or debris on the lens. cleaning. Polished. Eliminating focal shift with reflective optics provided stability to develop viable laser welding. less susceptible to damage and debris.lasermech. that welding generates. such as cross-flow air knives. Various methods can protect optics. The energy absorption into the lens can increase if the lens material and coating are inadequately rated for the laser power directed onto them. like smoke and soot. Mike DelBusso is senior sales engineer. Novi. invisible to the naked eye. An alternative is to use a reflective focus. processing head advancements have helped. Reflective parabolic mirrors have long been used in high-power CO2 applications because they are more robust. uncoated copper can provide excellent results. Dramatic Impact The emergence and increasing power levels of 1-micron lasers have happened faster. 248-4749480. durable solution for deep-penetration welding with 1-micron lasers. where the beam passes through a lens to achieve focus.com All optics absorb some energy from the laser. Here again. The 1-micron wavelength is far more susceptible to. and reduced apertures. This starts a self-perpetuating process whereby lens debris causes a focal shift. purge chambers. and replacing the optics as necessary. energy absorption can increase dramatically. still can influence the laser beam. Most laser processing heads use a transmissive focus. They also do not exhibit thermal lensing and have virtually no focus shift (see Figure 4). Figure 4 Reflective parabolic welding heads eliminate focal shift and offer a robust. This requires frequent inspection by microscope. Laser Mechanisms. MI 48375. additional air knives close to the process. Airborne debris in the beam path also can cause scatter of the 1-micron beam. www. it also might mean that the operator can do the job without any assistance. In some instances.or four-person job. For example. 6 ways B By Dan Davis. more fabricators are showing an interest in large-sheet bending. Often cranes are a very cost-effective means to move the material to the press brake window for bending. “At a minimum. 3: Bring on the Crane A more familiar sight in metal fabricating settings is the use of a crane (see Figure 3) for these awkward bending jobs in the press brake. but sheet followers can free up this labor (see Figure 2). 4: Push It The world of utility pole manufacturing does not involve light-gauge steel. nylon inserts can be used for general-purpose bending and brush inserts for stainless steel work. Having said that. There aren’t a lot of extra people hanging around for the sole purpose of assisting with awkward bending jobs. vice president and director of product technology. and the operator moves it forward with a joystick in increments. . The press brake operator and potentially someone else helping with the material movement need to place the workpiece in the right position against the backgauge for the proper bend to take place. material handling tools and advanced control technology can help make it a more efficient process. In some instances. The parts are big and awkward. open height. 1: Get out in Front It sounds like a no-brainer. Editor-in-Chief ending a large sheet in a press brake is never a one-person job (see Figure 1). and having some kind of little. However. they might rely on a nearby table or some other ad-hoc material handling assist. meaning the material bends in the opposite direction of the bend the press brake tooling is performing.Figure 1 Bending large panels in a press brake is not a one-man operation. Those metal fabricators involved in panel bending on a press brake or thinking about adding the capability should realize that material handling tools and advanced control technology have emerged over the years to assist with this big job.S. Some see the potential to diversify their customer base. and when they are done. and window width—to do the job correctly. They support it during the bending and bringing it back down.” said Paul LeTang. Instead. Shops have emerged as specialists in this area.1875 in. This type of fabricating operation doesn’t have to overwhelm a bending department. wide. that might translate to “all hands on deck.” said John Kemp. turn it around. At that thickness. Bystronic Inc. It should be noted that typically cranes are not integrated into the control software. move the workpiece according to directions from the press brake operator. manager of applications and training. The pushers “bring the plate in from the front. These positioners. No. they take it out with a crane and bring in the next one. That’s why not too many shops can take on largepanel bending. thick. but it does involve a material handling option that is noteworthy: automatic positioners.” Of course. and it takes the right press brake—with the appropriate tonnage. but you don’t see front sheet supports on all press brakes in the U. the material back-bends.” LeTang said. or manipulate it more easily. that fabricating scenario flies in the face of today’s manufacturing reality. These supports can have different surfaces for specific jobs. also called pushers. it can be a three. The jobs aren’t huge in volume. easier Figure 2 Sheet followers can be used to prevent back-bending of thin-gauge metal during the bending process and can help to free up labor when working with large panels. the press brake operator probably doesn’t have to worry about using a sheet follower. Many fabricators that work with large panels might think they can get away without having such a permanent attachment on the press brake because volumes don’t warrant the investment. For some bending departments. If left unsupported. both front and back. “The sheet lifters do a good job with the thin material. bending product sales manager. Workforces at fabricating shops have been trimmed down to essential personnel. Photo courtesy of LVD Strippit. Pacific Press Technologies. front sheet supports allow you to rest the part. If a fabricator is working with material nearing 0. Photo courtesy of Bystronic Inc. No. “One of the things that I would recommend are cranes near the machine or on it. the material is strong enough to support itself. LVD Strippit. Others simply want to get away from the welding required to join several smaller pieces together to create large forms. a large section of material protruding from the press brake window during a small flange bend can pose a problem. 2: Follow the Sheet On thin-gauge panels. No. This positioning aid introduces an element of exact movement in the press brake bed so that precise bump bends can be made to create poles out of sheets that might be 60 ft. They bend the plate. 78 The FABRICATOR September 2013 to make large-sheet bending Material handling and advanced controls help to make an awkward job more manageable No. Most fabricators rely on multiple sets of hands to support these jobs. portable crane makes them quite easier to handle. long and 10 ft.” said Gordan Baker. Kemp added that without a doubt front sheet supports can make the job easier for the press brake operator. “So rather than fully releasing the part and having it drop. or mechanical probes to check that the appropriate angle was made before the ram fully retreats to its starting position and the material is moved out of the press brake. As the press brake’s ram is driven down on both sides. www. however. many manufacturers focused on automatic crowning. and put it back in. or the operator would have to adapt by making corrections. Every time you bring down the ram.. Luckily. but it would require an upper beam that is about 2 ft. Camera technology can be used to check for proper positioning of a large workpiece before bending commences. “The biggest advantage of this adaptive system is that you don’t have to rehit the part. the press brake determines where the bending location is by measuring the pressure on each side of the bed.pacific-press. 618-262-8666.” Kemp said. IL 60123. These modern press brakes even make off-center bending an easy task.. 200 Airport Road. Even with the automated movement of the large workpiece across the die. That’s an unacceptable result. Photo courtesy of LVD Strippit. Akron. The same thinking applies to programming the speed of the ram in the up direction. most modern press brakes have programmable ram speeds. IL 62863.bystronic. allowing the job to be done by one person. This feature relies on lasers.” he said. September 2013 The FABRICATOR 79 . according to Baker. “When those variables change.” No. The slower pace means that the longer part will not so much whip up as slowly rise up. thick. 847-214-0300. however. you can program it to go up at whatever rate you want. 6: Control the Crowning Any time a part is bent in a press brake. still can’t match the productivity of machines that can adjust crowning on-the-fly. which prevents fabricators from following up on that type of quality check. 5: Control the Bending Speed As parts get longer. www. Elgin. the machine is subject to deflection. these press brakes. Baker said. you also run the risk of an error of maybe overbending the part or damaging it. the workpiece material acts as an impediment to the ram achieving its full downward cycle when compared to the sections of the ram unencumbered with material interference. but who may not be totally engaged in the activity.” Kemp said. make another hit. Such a quick whipping action can startle and possibly injure someone responsible for handling the material. Because the sheet is so wide.com No. a press brake operator and anyone assisting him have to worry about possible whip-up.us LVD Strippit. put it back in.Figure 3 Cranes are almost a necessity in certain large bending jobs. large parts run the risk of becoming canoe-shaped in the center. in which the material outside of the press brake window quickly whips up as the material inside the press brake is bent in the die. As a result. which employ a hydraulic system in the bed and precise control of the ram stroke to counter the deflection that results from any bend. this type of job usually involves two people anyway. It can either set down the heavy part slowly or you can position yourself or the part manipulator to help with larger thinner sheets so they are not going to flex back when you release the brake.” LeTang said. have been the logical machine of choice for fabricators that had to deliver high-tolerance parts but didn’t have the highly experienced operators to guarantee good results on a consistent basis. When this occurs and the press brake operator does not address it. the press brake operator is going to want to have someone at the end opposite of the control panel to ensure that the sheet is centered prior to the ram coming down. and hardness. That’s not a machine that would interest a fabricator. Since the 1990s. Every time you take the part in and out of the machine. 12975 Clarence Center Road. no fabricator is interested in scrapping a large panel of sheet metal that was bent incorrectly on a press brake. the machine has to adapt to those. So.com Pacific Press Technologies. Shops that do have that expertise. That’s what the person is there for. take it out of the machine. measure. measure the angle. Bystronic Inc. “It’s just a mitigation of risk.com. Editor-in-Chief Dan Davis can be reached at dand@thefabricator. you have material handling issues. This advanced feature helps inexperienced operators deal with material factors such as tensile strength.lvdgroup. 714 Walnut St. take it out. and the multiple crowning cylinders adjust accordingly to ensure a consistent bend angle. Now press brake manufacturers could build a machine that doesn’t flex at all. www. Mount Carmel. sensors. grain direction. Those operators who can be relied on—and are experienced enough—to adjust the crowning on older press brakes with the use of shims and knowledge found in a little black book are an extremely rare breed. 716-542-4511. which means the large sheets can be bent at a much slower pace than small parts. Automatic crowning adjustments are made on-the-fly as the bend is taking place. machine operators must maintain a heightened sense of awareness when using them to ensure worker safety and protect the material and machine from damage. NY 14001. This causes the ram to deflect in the vertical plane. In the end. Newer press brakes also have angle correction to ensure that the first bend meets the original specifications for the job. That adds a lot of capital expense. “Often on a press brake you make a trial hit. Then. saving time in your purchasing. you can be lean. nesting too late also can be a problem. This can cost a tremendous amount of manual labor and rework. That’s why businesses that nest late usually buffer against a shortage with minimum stock. Nesting finds itself at the crux of these two critical business practices. nests reprogrammed. or being the first mouse. you know precise raw material requirements in advance. or inventory management. A key lean philosophy is just-in-time (JIT). extensive warehouse space. The geometry of any part in a nest might change. does it pay to be the early bird? Not always—especially in the job shop C By Adria Iles ountry music legend Willie Nelson is credited with saying. Of course. though. his quote still summarizes perfectly one of the greatest challenges sheet metal fabricators face: When nesting. so they are placed into inventory. but this also might delay a material purchase. that buffer can become an expensive disaster. That customer’s part is cut on time. creating physical part inventory to manage. Demand stability is possible for an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or an upper-tier supplier whose primary business is making consistent products with only minor variation. So in essence. Design changes to a part already cut leads to outof-process rework. and the material yield may be acceptable. Your operation can consume these raw materials right away and eliminate the costs associated with warehousing raw material inventory. Say you nest several jobs together. Waiting to nest all the parts together certainly would have reduced programming time and the time required to load and unload machines. waiting. one customer needs his part sooner than expected. but with a tight deadline. You have no choice but to buy another batch of the same material. as your cut parts sit in inventory. though. creating a shortage. increasing your yield. So you send that entire nest to the laser or punch. parts nested too soon can cause substantial waste as nests must be recalled. Then you get a call from the salesperson. accounting. and have it delivered on the right day. being on time is likely the most crucial component of any manufacturing business. When to Nest? Nesting early does not necessarily mean that parts will be cut early. In this manner. But early-bird nesting isn’t for everyone. By getting a head start on this job. but the second mouse gets the cheese. In other words. you probably will alter that nest to accommodate changes. Existing orders can change regularly as well. those parts become scrap. and manufacturing companies win loyal customers with their ability to deliver quickly and reliably ahead of their competition. Lean businesses reduce waste and thereby cost to win orders with competitive prices. your operation can have the right material at the right time. Stakes are high. ultimately. Demand Stability Many manufacturing businesses aspire to be early birds to ensure on-time delivery. You also would have made just one raw material purchase. but also your receivers’ time. Had you not nested those parts the previous day. With these optimized requirements. parts scrapped or reworked. the material yield may be very poor. So you cut the job early. and CNC files remade. This would have saved not only freight costs. In fact. and. Nesting too early in this environment is the same as being the first mouse and getting caught in the trap. because the shop workload seems to be a bit light. even with blanket orders. purchased based on historic estimates or gross part weight. demand can fluctuate dramatically. demand stability is not possible. Regardless. you keep the people and machines on the floor busy. Being the early bird (nesting early). and the parts sit in WIP as they wait several days to be formed in the press brake department. If you nest early in this environment. expediting fees. can be lethal. But this requires a certain level of demand certainty for specific parts and material types. where parts ordered are known and the flow of orders for parts is consistent. Being lean is likely the next most critical aspect. buy the right material. all with a due date three weeks away. To nest early and still be lean requires demand stability. Waiting for materials to arrive is wasteful and certainly not lean. You might decide to nest parts early on a certain day. You may nest at the last minute to avoid problems from last-minute changes. Money is then not tied up in stock materials. “The early bird gets the worm. and be selective in shopping for a supplier. . one customer calls with a design change. If you don’t manage your stock carefully and ensure your operation consumes the buffer stock steadily. you could have nested both jobs on the same sheet. and excess inventory all while meeting delivery deadlines.When nesting. The next day a small order comes in that requires the same material. you know the optimized material requirements. Moreover. You also may have gotten a discount for purchasing material in bulk. and administration departments. You can store CNC programs of nests for later use. In fact. Nesting too early can also waste material. The same thing can happen if the due date is postponed. is it better to be early. If rework isn’t possible. The demand stability allows the manufacturer to determine the right number of days to hold demand to nest efficiently. or just in time? We have all been taught that to be early is to be on time. For job shops. Once you nest parts. a full scrap bin or large variety of small-quantity raw materials stagnating in stock.” It’s unlikely that Willie was reflecting on manufacturing. you can buy material needed in time for the work to be done. as could the due date. It leads to many small material purchases (sometimes several in the same day for the same material). whereby businesses reduce cost by avoiding the waste associated with overproduction. but all those other jobs aren’t needed for several weeks. 80 The FABRICATOR September 2013 Nesting too early. If you checked more boxes from If most of the boxes you the second column. 2013 This webcast will include the following topics: • Different types of deburring and nishing machine machines • Different types of abrasives technologies • Coated vs. or the ability to receive required raw materials on time readily. you must know if you’re a bird or a mouse. and includes part geometry for those orders. 903-258-9422. We also have leftover quantities of various materials. or the ability to see exactly what’s occurring on the factory floor. To know when to nest. September 2013 The FABRICATOR 81 Presented in partnership by Timesavers Inc. without effective software tools that present real-time information. With demand stability. Supply Stability and Demand Visibility As the second mouse. your business has stability. Quoting and estimating the cost Or of a part or job is critical in our competitive market. and plan accordingly. costly inventory. without leaving their desks in search of new sales orders and associated part geometry. in real time. nesting later becomes practical and offers a tremendous savings. No doubt. This saves time and helps build good business relationships. consistently. your job shop can be the second mouse. You need to nest at just the right moment to combine orders and optimize a range of raw materials. To build a good supplier relationship.lanteksms. Nesting a great supplier relationship for early will allow you to pursupply stability. W Deburring Edge Radius Finishing Register Today! Visit www. visualization is nearly impossible.Bird 1 My company typically designs the products we manufacture. and to nest as late chase and allocate the right as possible to optimize material material in time to reduce utilization. And you must place raw material orders at the last safe moment to receive material in time to meet deadlines. You can nest late and still get the cheese. Mason Technical Center. My customers are similar.com “Automated Grinding” Register NOW 3 4 5 6 7 My company stocks some standard grades and sizes of materials that we Or hope to use. My company typically has several weeks to meet a manufacturing deadline. Is your company a bird or a mouse? Check the statement from each row that most applies to your company. An enterprise-level system that shows orders as they are received. requiring fewer raw material purchases. dry • Impact of conveyor speed. your business checked are in the first colprobably doesn’t have demand umn. Demand visibility allows your business to plan accurately. nesting early can have great benefits. Adria Iles is vice president at Lantek Systems Inc.. To be lean and on time. OH 45040. Good to Be the Mouse A job shop’s highly variable demand makes demand visibility all the more important. For this. Mason.com/webcast . try reducing the number of vendors you work with and trusting their costs. and cost-effectively. demand visibility can be challenging.thefabricator. My company sells multiple quantities of our products (sometimes customized) to multiple customers. Quick turnaround is crucial for Or winning an order: the sooner the better at my company. your job shop has to be the second mouse. Job shops don’t have the luxury of demand stability. Instead of always shopping around for a closeout from an unknown and potentially unreliable vendor. www. Having visibility of more demand allows programmers to incorporate more parts and achieve better yield. If you can visualize both demand and WIP. and many are from the same industry. My company cuts sheets from a coil. 2 for this FREE webcast on thefabricator. My company stocks multiple grades and sizes of materials that we are sure to use.com. non-woven abrasives • Processing wet vs. But with demand visibility and supply stability. you can accurately predict the next available delivery date. and 3M Abrasives September 25. you also need supply stability. allows programmers to consider all required production. you also need demand visibility. With supply stability. you need a great relationship with a reliable vendor. 5155 Financial Way. My company sells small to medium quantities of different parts to each Or customer. Mouse My company typically receives Or parts designed by a customer. The prices of parts my company manufactures are generally fixed. It is important to establish demand stability. My customers are diverse and Or represent a variety of industries. Or My company orders all raw materials from a variety of suppliers. In fact. coolant and pressure. 375-in.’” he added.” he said. They were going down. who celebrated her 20th anniversary along with Star Precision this year. P yarali “P. so some customers knew us.. “The company we had worked for was having trouble getting materials and parts out on time. and 0. The latter is the one business that Umatiya and his partner never really envisioned in their “skinny” business plan 20 years ago. a 5-ft.000-W Amada FO 3015 laser cutting machines served by a 10-shelf automated material storage and retrieval tower.5-in. aluminum. and electronics and electrical assemblies.’ “About a month later. It now has seven automated CNC lathes and seven CNC milling machines for basic machining operations. An operator can’t insert the next round of hardware on a workpiece until the first round of hardware insertion is complete. Some of these products have panels with as many as 20 to 40 pieces of hardware inserted into them. were actually telling Maria to “look here. then you have to put in 12 before you go to the second. He forgot one key ingredient. Since then Star Precision has added five more presses. “If it’s 12. and a shear. Editor-in-Chief That led to the hiring of Maria “Mira” Mendez. It acquired a 14-ft. In 1993 he and his partner came face-to-face with the need to consider a change in employment. we were opening up. Today they fabricate parts and assemble products as complex as computers and audio systems. We couldn’t keep working six days a week. Umatiya said that the machine’s placement of hardware helps to make the hardware insertion process mistake-proof. The Haeger 824 OneTouch 4e can accommodate four different hardware types at one time.Figure 1 On most hardware insertion presses.5 to M10 with a maximum length of 40 mm. mild steel. and a 1966 Cincinnati shear. the most recent being a Vipros 358 King with automatic material loader. Everybody did everything they could to help get jobs out.” Umatiya said. He first noticed the four automated hardware feeders attached to the insertion press. Star Precision had to boost its forming capacity. it’s easy to miss a piece here or there. The unit’s four bowls (see Figure 1) can accommodate fasteners from M1. Also during this time. however: motivation. 100-ton Amada press brake to go with its five lighter-tonnage brakes. It built a 19. He made a deal for the machine right there.” he added.” The early days of Star Precision were like any other new business. The fabricator expanded its punching capabilities to the point where it added two Amada Vipros.” Umatiya said. which also typically means an expansion in floor space as well. “We have four different businesses under one roof: a machine shop. ‘If you’re planning to work Saturdays and Sundays. one bowl feeds only one type of hardware piece at a time.000 sq.75-in.-ft. he said. the Mira name had stuck. who were hired in ensuing years. 0. These types of jobs have kept Mira and her colleagues very busy at the hardware insertion presses over the years. don’t count on me because I’m not coming. respectively. he knew that it would be difficult to find a similar position in the Houston area. ‘Yeah. 242-ton and a 10ft. It was just the right time to take a plunge into the sea of entrepreneurship. building in 1997 and eventually pushed out until it had 50.” not calling her name. ft. The latest addition. however. (Umatiya called her “Mira” for the longest time because he didn’t realize that other Spanishspeaking employees. a press brake. and one other employee tackled light-gauge fabricating projects with its Amada punching machine and press brake. his partner. facility. 82 The FABRICATOR September 2013 As a result. we had to buy another machine. With laser cutting power. a Haeger hardware insertion machine. Star Precision Fabricating was born 20 years ago in a small. “Well. but not quite like it does now By Dan Davis. By the time he realized the mistake. Lasers have replaced the shears as the main tool for cutting. “A couple of years after we started. has given the shop a new level of efficiency that it hasn’t enjoyed before. medium. I think you’re right [about the need for a new hardware insertion machine].. had new owners who were experiencing cash flow problems. I can’t deburr forever. it also needs to grow its capabilities. Automation meets hardware insertion Star Precision Fabricating has always performed hardware insertion. spending a lot of time finishing parts. The Next Level of Hardware Insertion Umatiya saw the Haeger 824 OneTouch® 4e at the 2012 FABTECH® in Las Vegas. and as an employee nearing 40 years old. “We were in the industry for 14 years. under one roof. During that time the equipment mix changed dramatically as well. Star Precision was no different. my partner said he’d come in on weekends to make sure we’d keep up with the hardware. the metal fabricator found itself with the ability to cut thicker materials. Umatiya. the metal fabricator took on more machining jobs. ‘I need to hire someone to help me. I told him. Star Precision purchased an Amada Apelio laser/punch combination machine about eight years ago and has since added two 4. The shop they worked for as the production manager and vice president of manufacturing.-tall bundle of fabricating energy. The machine’s software dictates the sequence in which the hardware is fed and then inserted into the workpiece.000-sq. in some cases you just can’t fix it. large fabrication.-ft. 12 hours a day.” Umatiya said.” Umatiya said.000-sq. .) The hiring also marked the first of many other steps taken to keep up with expanding business opportunities. “I got so tired one day I said. “When you have so much hardware installed on anything.” Umatiya is quite direct when asked what a fabricator needs to start up a shop: a punch press. Umatiya had worked his way up from shear operator at the shop. “So it cuts down on missing hardware. to go along with its original Amada Pega. Umatiya was working in the shop most of the day. 5. With Expansion Comes New Equipment If a company is to grow its business. stainless.R. Once parts are finished and you find out there is hardware missing for that part. Today it actively pursues jobs that involve 0. a hardware insertion machine.to heavy-gauge fabrication. Meanwhile. “Now these machines are so complex and sophisticated. and the company’s 85 employees are working to surpass the $20 million mark in annual sales. If the operator needs to change out the tooling. “My old boss. To improve on that figure in future years. Editor-in-Chief Dan Davis can be reached at dand@thefabricator. www.. 811 Wakefield Drive. the low wages in China couldn’t compete with Star Precision’s automation and proximity to the North American end user. When a different type of hardware is needed. www. 5410 Brystone Drive. “If you have an au“When I’m walking the shop. he or she has easy access to the thumb screws that hold the bowls in place. Houston. she can almost keep up with it. send them out. and get them trained. 209-848-4000.compared to previous models. came to my shop. she can take her hardware insertion press and place it in her living room to remind her of her career at Star Precision.If an operator needs to replace a bowl with new fasteners. 713-983-8883. I started in ’79. tomated machine next to her.com September 2013 The FABRICATOR 83 .” Umatiya said. CA 95361.R. The manufacturer of the equipment said the cycle time for delivery of a full-load insertion is about 2. Taking that into account and features like the automated tool changeover.” said Star Precision Fabricat. Before that there were duplicators and kick presses. you need automation. and air pressure for feeding the hardware to the tooling prior to actual insertion. Umatiya estimated that the company purchases at least one piece of new equipment a year. In the end. The company requesting the quote was a broker in China. Oakdale. No Allen wrenches are needed. “I believe to compete with low-cost regions.star-precision.” Umatiya said. The Chinese broker went with the Houston metal fabricator.. they will rely increasingly on the latest technology.I shake my head.” Umatiya. ‘I don’t run them. and the hardware insertion press that can accommodate multiple fasteners without stopping the job until it’s complete—all are examples of how automation is keeping Star Precision competitive not just domestically but internationally as well. Umatiya told Mira (see Figure 2) that when she retires.” he added. Changeover is aided by ease of access to the tooling and a quick-release mounting system.com Haeger Inc. The company was contacted recently to produce a small. 10-gauge stainless steel fabrication that called for laser cutting and bending. Today Star Precision’s management team.haeger. not minutes. and he can’t believe it. say a nut instead of a standoff. and that plan is unlikely to change in the coming years.’” Automation Makes a Difference The bar feeders on the lathes. the shop has enough hardware insertion capacity to accommodate the current workload. Star Precision Fabricating Ltd. this hardware insertion press is designed to reduce overall process Figure 2 Maria “Mira” Mendez has worked the same time by 20 to 30 percent when hardware insertion press at Star Precision Fab. Changeover can be performed in 10 seconds. which includes Vice President Barkat Umatiya and Plant Manager Vic Manoukian. We have good employees. The machine software also controls and adjusts the feed rate. “‘How do you run these?’ he asked. the machine’s bottom anvil and top tooling change automatically to accommodate the new piece of hardware. the material storage and delivery system for the laser cutting machines. I used to run the machines. he or she can access a built-in tool storage cabinet contained within the equipment. TX 77041. but there certainly will be an opportunity to add another state-of-the-art machine in the coming years. presses.com. I said. when they came out with turret ing’s Pyarali “P. ricating for the last 20 years. air eject time. retired 22-plus years.5 seconds. viewing the data “after the fact” is usually sufficient. The machine’s quality rate percentage—that is. A high-product-mix Figure 1 This interface connects to one or two commonly available machine control signals. consider the following version. It isn’t a perfect metric. OEE incorporates machine availability. and often put off for as long as possible. Every job can have its own ideal cycle time. This makes it straightforward to measure machine cycle times. easy-to-understand percentage. you enter production data manually at predetermined times. allowing it to count parts or machine cycles for OEE data collection. What about the performance rate? For this. one of the areas that can benefit the most from tracking OEE—short-run. as in: OEE = Availability × Performance rate × Quality rate operation. and retrieving this data manually in a job shop environment can be arduous. Unfortunately. Specifically: Availability = Running time / (Total time – Planned downtime) × 100 Performance rate = Total parts/ (Ideal performance rate × Running time) × 100 84 The FABRICATOR September 2013 Multiply these three percentages together. Now consider applying these factors in a highmix. All this makes the OEE calculation simple. OEE and High Product Mixes Low-product-mix manufacturers dedicate machines and processes to one product or product family. and once errors become part of the data set. and the like. because some parts are harder to manufacture. Figure 2 At this shop. The operator selects the reason for the downtime from a drop-down menu. performance (actual production rate versus maximum production rate). Your OEE effort is only as good as the data you have. Different iterations of OEE formulas exist. Manual Data Collection All this presents a dichotomy. the number of defects compared to the total number of parts run—remains straightforward. This makes all the resulting production reports suspect. also presents the greatest challenge for implementation. low-volume operation. The data is then made available in the form of reports and used for analysis. though is still available if needed. But how about availability? This involves more than just tracking machine uptime. Manually collected data also can be inaccurate. you need a standard “ideal” performance or cycle time. Typographical and transcription errors can abound. many best-in-class fabricators have been able to maintain extremely low defect rates across their entire product mix. because the actual data entry task falls to someone with many other responsibilities. some more expensive. and quality. If a machine is down a long time because an operator can’t find the right tools to set up the machine. boring. back-ofa-napkin method to objectively track the factors that contribute to productivity loss. but others do not. In a typical scenario. and quality (good parts versus total parts) into one simple. but just to illustrate a point. and knowing only what happened after the fact can be a detriment to productivity. regardless of the part mix. It was intended to be a paper system. For long-term analysis. this may not have a negative impact on OEE. A few scrapped titanium parts can cost more than dozens of small mild steel brackets. But in a job shop. Let’s be honest: Data entry is tedious. the injection molding system and shear are experiencing downtime. nothing is standard. but especially in job jobs. data is often incomplete when you need it. In all manufacturing environments. The practice combines measurements of machine availability (running time versus available time). But with modern machine tools and design-for-manufacturability efforts. some causes of downtime negatively affect OEE.Automating OEE for the job shop How automated data collection enhances overall equipment effectiveness O By Jim Finnerty Quality rate = Good parts / Total parts × 100 verall equipment effectiveness (OEE) has emerged as perhaps the most reliable and accurate way to track the effectiveness of production machinery. allotted breaks during a shift. such as at the end of a shift or job. and this again makes a true OEE calculation extremely challenging. since the operations don’t change significantly from day to day. which can benefit most from improvements gained with OEE. However. high-mix contract manufacturing—is also where it is most difficult to implement in its traditional manual form. hence. negatively affects OEE. An operator may first write data down by hand. or running time. OEE can be tracked automatically in a way that can be used by shops with frequent product changeovers. performance. OEE originally was conceived as a quick. Reams of data may lie around for hours if not days before being entered into the system. that prolongs setup time and. In a short-run environment. The planned downtime factor in the formula refers to schedule lapses. with operator-entered part counts and manual time tracking. the factory floor is a dynamic environment. But say a machine is idle simply because it has no more work on the schedule. they become difficult to detect and eradicate. Fortunately. and you get the OEE. Again. He or another person then may enter the information into a database. . Depending on the situation. Contact IT International Technologies Exclusive North American Importer INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES. Calculating the Performance Rate Even with the availability portion of OEE automatically collected. you can identify the downtime as a lapse in the schedule. setup is classified as non-value-added time. IL 60193 P: 847-301-9005 Continuous Improvement for Lean Manufacturing Booth S2989 FabTech See us at September 2013 The FABRICATOR 85 . While you may prefer to get this information directly from an existing machine controller. is minimizes the amount of time attributed to an “unknown reason.youtube. In actuality. depends more on the parts being fabricated than on the machine itself. If You Need to… Fold IT Schröder Group Folding Equipment Technically Advanced. it can be installed on any machine by tapping into one or two commonly available machine control signals. and creates reports from the information. Schaumburg. but not producing a product—which is why. INC www. you must enter the data frequently.com/LeanMetalForming Email: info@international-technologies. Brake IT Energy Efficient. some operator involvement is necessary to identify the reasons for downtime. isn’t very useful. Weld IT The My Spot Welding System The Coolest Welds You Will NEVER See. Whenever the machine stops. the operator selects the appropriate reason from the list (see Figure 2). the machine was running If an OEE report lacks the latest data. Fast and Powerful. Each reason can a ect the OEE calculation in di erent ways. the lower your OEE. is causes the manual data entry task itself to become a measurable source of production loss. e system itself consists of centralized software that collects. Highly Accurate. Lean Metal Fabricating. ink of the machine interface as a data collection “appliance” with built-in network capability and communication drivers that talk to the data collection software. when a job is finished and there is nothing left on the schedule. low-volume manufacturing applications. Automatic data collection refers to a system that tracks the actual running time.” which. it is often impractical or impossible to modify proprietary electronics to communicate with generic data collection software. where the true. of a machine and records production counts without any operator input. or cycle time. However. After a job change the same machine produces Part B at a rate of 12 parts per hour. the longer your setup time. Since standard OEE compares a machine’s actual performance to a single ideal rate. In general. To properly track a highproduct-mix. and detects whether or not the machine is running.” e machine may be idle. Consider the following example: A machine making Part A produces 6 parts per hour. e easiest way to obtain this information is to place a menu of downtime reason choices on the machine interface. stores. Grind. the machine interface can inhibit further machine operation until the operator selects a reason for the downtime. the machine actually is capable of producing Part A at 7 parts per hour.Figure 3 Real-time data collection allows the system to immediately recognize machine stoppages and to constantly recalculate and update key performance indicators (KPIs) for your machines. that is. Getting the “Why” While automated OEE data collection can detect when a machine is down. most OEE systems employ a dedicated machine interface (see Figure 1). Your company may classify a lapse in the schedule as “planned downtime. and how certain categories are classified can depend on company practice. CoastOne Servo-Electric Press Brakes Punch IT The Rainer Servo-Electric Turret Punch Press The Ultimate in Flexibility. short-run environment. it cannot always determine why it is down. and the much simpler Part B at 30 parts per hour.com www. ideal production rate. it would indicate that Part B is running at twice the e ciency of Part A. Manually collected data also is biased. Accuracy and Economy. is again goes back to determining the “performance rate” factor. Form IT The ACF Advanced Corner Former Never Weld. To ensure that the operator specifies a reason for each significant downtime event.com 634 Pratt Avenue North. To use the collected information in a downtime reduction program. time spent on machine setup means it is tied up for a specific job (and hence unavailable for anything else). traditional OEE comes up short in high-product-mix. or Finish a Corner Again. Automatic Data Collection e key to getting timely. and then make it easy for the operator to provide any missing required information. Since the machine interface only needs to count parts (or machine cycles) and detect whether or not the machine is running. or uptime. but it can still jump into action if needed. it’s inaccurate. For instance. On the other hand. accurate. It is unrealistic to expect a machine operator—whose livelihood may depend on the very numbers he’s reporting—to be unbiased when recording uptime and production counts.international-technologies. Instead. let’s say that under ideal circumstances. it won’t negatively a ect availability in your OEE calculation. in lean parlance. as well as machine-mounted electronic hardware that counts parts or machine cycles. and unbiased data is to collect as much information as possible without any human involvement. of course. Diminishing Importance of OEE Over Time Your goal is to improve the efficiency of your equipment. With any OEE program. you identify the leading causes of availability losses. but few look at optimization. This immediately improves efficiency and can run in parallel with a standard setup time reduction program. three things happen: You increase profitability. Automation can help here too. This is one of the reasons that OEE was originally conceived as an informal paper system: Once OEE had served its usefulness. Once the reasons are identified and quantified. and then use your OEE tracking system to measure the efficacy of your improvements. That’s right. To do this. also includes the sequence of the jobs themselves. the more important this type of optimization becomes. further improvements become more complicated and expensive. and a robust OEE tracking system enables you to identify underperforming equipment quickly. By tracking OEE along with the reasons for downtime. you simply 86 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . finally. which takes a broader perspective. As you make your processes more efficient. The calculations required to “weight” jobs of varying length also become very complex.at 86 percent efficiency while making Part A. Automated OEE systems can interpret setup times and tools necessary for each job. and you make your OEE tracking system less important. the tool changeover. and only 40 percent efficiency for Part B. along with an ideal rate for each machine/part combination. you get the most bang for your buck at the beginning. The more frequently you change jobs. OEE software stores a table of parts that each machine is capable of producing. To calculate OEE. the beginning of the next job. you decrease lead-times. the tool changeover. Setup time reduction involves the procedures between the two jobs— that is. and group similar jobs together so an operator can transition from one job to the next quickly. At its foundation. Are tools labeled correctly and staged for the next job near the machine? Are standard work instructions complete? Is material for the next job staged? How much time is spent running test pieces? Setup optimization. the less important it is to track OEE—at least this has been the traditional thinking with manual data collection. the software applies the appropriate ideal rate for each part being produced by the machine. but this becomes extremely difficult when you’re trying to summarize OEE over a long period. however. a unique ideal performance rating can be applied to each machine/ part combination. Instead of trying to apply a single ideal performance by machine only. Setup Optimization Every manufacturer wants to reduce setup time. This allows the system to calculate the number of parts that could have been run under ideal circumstances. and. Once you’ve picked the lowhanging fruit. You theoretically could factor out these errors manually for each job. when you identify and eliminate the most serious and easily correctable issues. The more improvements you make. machine changeover entails the end of one job. you can begin to address the root causes of your downtime. while properly weighting disparate jobs with different cycle times. even if you’ve made all the lowhanging-fruit improvements. we offer something no one else can: access to GE tools. With $20 billion in commitments and over 20 years of experience in the metals industry. GE Capital Corporate Finance Flexible Financing and operational expertise to help keep your business rolling. because every day presents a different challenge. Software and automated data collection change the situation. all to help you meet your biggest challenges. This allows the system to immediately recognize machine stoppages and to recalculate constantly and update key performance indicators (KPIs) for your machines. manufacturers that display KPIs in real time as they begin their improvement program see an average increase in OEE of 9 percent without making any hard improvements to their equipment or processes. MA 01720. What’s the uptime? What’s occurring during the downtime? How long does setup really take? All this can be extremely time-consuming to measure. At GE Capital. so much so that you might question why you’re measuring for OEE at all. an automatic collection system records events as they happen. Corporate Finance. in real time (see Figure 3). we understand the opportunities and challenges your metals company faces. Automated data collection changes the situation. which is why process measurement like OEE can be such an essential tool. Jim Finnerty is product manager for ShopFloorConnect® at Wintriss Controls Group LLC. Why OEE Matters Managers of job shops and contract manufacturers work with forever changing product mixes. GECapital. and it’s more than offset by even small. Like with manual systems. the most rapid and dramatic improvements occur early on. a bottleneck operation for many metal fabricators. The reason for this is human nature. 100 Discovery Way.stopped measuring for it. Stop just banking. But it’s also an environment that can go out of control quickly. www. The savings from process improvements just weren’t enough to offset all the time it took to collect the data manually. incremental improvements gained in a mature OEE program. When operators see their performance displayed on a scoreboard for all to see. automated data collection doesn’t demand much time from the operator. This is powerful information for any manufacturer to have—and especially the job shop. Once all of your improvements are in place. and efficiency improves because nobody wants to be at the bottom of the list. asset-based and structured loans and leases. By calculating the ideal rate and actual running uptime for each job. Some operator input remains. and over time the improvement becomes incremental. 800-586-8324. like selecting the reason that a machine is down. And keep rolling forward. And start building. We’re builders.shopfloor connect. It makes the job fulfilling. The realtime data allows you to continue to benefit from your data collection system.com.com/metals September 2013 The FABRICATOR 87 . Consider the press brake department. Moreover. their natural competitive instincts kick in. Also. we’re not just bankers. The product mix in the morning could be completely different from the one in the afternoon. but this doesn’t take long. and can then calculate the performance percentage by comparing this to the number of parts that were actually made. Acton. But unlike manual systems. the software can track how many parts could have been made. In addition to being one of the largest providers of cash flow. A real-time system can notify the appropriate people quickly—through text/e-mail messages and large-format displays around the factory—whenever a machine stops. the efficiency of any given job on any given day will depend in large part on how quickly operators or maintenance personnel can respond to normal machine stoppages. resources and insights. Unit 110. If we could be more in control of our own destiny and not have to worry about what regulation is coming next.What Keeps You up at Night? What Keeps You up at Night? 2013 36% Economy Availability of skilled workers 2009 Economy 48% 19% Availability of credit 14% Availability of credit Growth of federal government debt 10% Availability of skilled workers Meeting increased customer expectations 6% Other 6% 9% 9% 26% Meeting increased customer expectations Other (Editor’s Note: “Cost of raw material” was not provided as a choice in the 2009 survey. More fabricators appear to be concerned about the availability of skilled workers as the economy has improved over the last several years. Would you recommend metal fabricating as a career choice to someone in your family? Yes No 2013 73% 27% Yes No 2011 77% 23% 2009 Yes No 64% 35% In all likelihood. that opinion was one of many. invest in new capabilities. It’s ridiculous!” Of course. With all that time to bring back workers. they aren’t ready to talk about any future golden days. subscribers were asked to rank a series of concerns from 1 to 13 according to what was the most important issue that kept them up at night. To give you a better idea of the general mood and outlook of the metal fabricating industry. it boils down to an ineffective federal government. we have decided to share some of the results of this year’s biannual survey. and attract new business. For many metal fabricators. . then we could spend money on equipment.800 subscribers of The FABRICATOR and generated a response from slightly more than 1 percent of them.C. we have to sit on money. In which of these areas do you expect to devote major resources in the next 3 to 5 years? By Dan Davis. and waste time planning for ‘what if’ scenarios. but the concerns about the economy have yet to subside. the support of metal fabricating as a career choice decreased when compared to the 2011 survey because of the uncertainty that surrounds the economic and regulatory environment in the U. D. minimum wage.S. they don’t know what to expect. which was sent to more than 6. In general. re-establish relationships with customers. Everyone recognizes that business is pretty good. The results of The FABRICATOR’s “What Keeps You up at Night?” survey reveals that very cautious optimism. and grow our brand.? Yes No 2013 15% 85% Yes No 2011 13% 87% Not too much has changed from the 2011 to the 2013 survey. Not quite. although few survey respondents listed “cost of raw materials” as their main concern. taxes. 88 The FABRICATOR September 2013 Automation 29% Capital equipment acquisition 22% Cost reduction 16% Safety 12% Quality control 6% R&D/Engineering and design 6% Other 8% Survey participants were asked to rank 11 areas of organizational improvement over the next several years according to importance.S. They need to stay out of small business and let capitalism work. Despite two or three terrific sales years for many metal fabricators. and they responded in such a way that suggested few companies are interested in adding labor right now. worry about regulations. metal fabricators must be incredibly optimistic about the near future. Also.) 17% 2011 Economy 34% Availability of credit 19% 8% Availability of skilled workers 12% Cost of raw materials Meeting increased customer expectations 5% Other 22% With this question. but they have no idea how long that can continue. “Lead-times throughput” and “industry standards/codes” ranked high for a handful of FABRICATOR readers. hire more workers. One metal fabricator didn’t mince words when asked what the biggest problem facing the metal fabricating industry is: “Government. Instead. at least according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Many believe that any future prosperity is held hostage by the unknowns that might be lurking around the next corner. the folks in charge of determining such things. but it does provide valuable insight into today’s metal fabricating community. manufacturing is being heard in Washington. It’s not a scientific survey by any means. Editor-in-Chief It’s been more than four years since the end of the Great Recession. They are taking a conservative approach to their businesses. Do you think the message that the government needs to implement policies that support U. like health care. 20 percent did cite it as their second major concern in this year’s survey. hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. but were deemed less important by a majority of respondents. etc. but somebody looking for a start in a new industry has the chance to make a decent wage if they look for it. Metal fabricators may not be the profession to pursue in search of riches.S.99 25% $13-$14.What areas do you expect to devote major resources to in the next 3 to 5 years? Finding new customers 39% Capital equipment 37% Process improvement (lean manufacturing. What end-use markets is your company targeting in an effort to diversify business? Construction Aerospace 41% Oil & gas industry/OCTG 29% 33% 28% 24% 25% Bus. Obviously. and theory of constraints applied to state and federal governments. readers focused heavily on getting new blood in their operations. Six Sigma. but these scored the highest after survey respondents were asked to choose all that were applicable.) Employee development 5% Other 5% How would you sum up your current attitude about working in metal fabricating? 14% 2013 Satisfied Dissatisfied 63% 6% 2009 Satisfied Somewhat satisfied 31% 57% 26% 17% Somewhat satisfied Dissatisfied When asked to rank several activities from 1 to 7 according to what they considered to be the most important area of resources deployment in the near future.99 15% $17+ 24% Many experienced manufacturing workers and labor pundits believe the skilled-worker shortage is more of a cheap-skilled-worker shortage.” In the areas of human resources/workforce development. One respondent had a more targeted idea when asked for general comments.99 31% $15-$16. Six Sigma. readers revealed that entry-level wages for welders run the gamut. but it appears to be a good choice for job satisfaction. Right? What actions should the government take to support U. Also. Differences in the starting wages probably differ greatly according to industry and geographic location. heavy truck & trailer/RV Food processing & food service/Beverage Military equipment & munitions Do you see your business … Growing 54% Staying the same Shrinking 4% Ending 42% Of course. Choose APC’s Next Generation High Speed Lens. manufacturing? Reform the tax code 40% Reduce regulations 18% Support industrial tech programs 17% Impose more import tariffs 14% Negotiate more trade agreements 6% Formulate national energy policy 5% Survey participants were asked to rank these six actions according to importance. 0% In a glass-half-empty world. “Lean. In ranking these areas of human resources/workforce development according to importance. these results have to be pretty encouraging for the rest of 2013. what areas do you expect to devote major resources to in the next 3 to 5 years? Finding and retaining skilled labor 51% Establishing/offering apprenticeships/internships 26% Technology training for shop floor employees 13% Sales training 8% Other 2% Join the revolution. metal fabricators focused on the bottom line: They need a diversified customer base to survive. Focus on areas such as green initiatives and information technology didn’t rank as important to a large majority of the survey respondents. many fabricators still see the defense industry as a possible place to expand. September 2013 The FABRICATOR 89 . even with the constant threat of further government cutbacks. etc. many companies are waiting for the structural steel market to climb back to the levels prior to the Great Recession. metal fabricators are targeting many more industries. In this survey. 2011 Satisfied 63% 8% Somewhat satisfied Dissatisfied 29% How much does your company pay entry-level welders per hour? Less than $10 4% $10-$12. On the fireside of waterwalls. Over time it can erode and corrode those surfaces. 90 The FABRICATOR September 2013 Figure 3 e electric arc wire thermal spray process is an alternative to traditional weld overlay. superheaters. particularly in superheaters. a localized galvanic corrosion. and 80 percent of those have resulted in forced plant shutdowns. Replacing a large boiler system can cost millions for material and installation. and flue gas desulfurization systems (see Figure 1). erosion is caused by circulating gaseous media at high velocity. resulting in tube wall thinning. can occur as a result of chemical attack from the boiler atmosphere. are charged electrically with opposing polarity and are fed into the arc gun at matched. How Can Boiler Surfaces Be Protected? Protecting the surfaces of boiler components can extend their useful service life. usually of the same composition. When the wires are brought together at the contact point. plant downtime can cost an operating utility or company millions of dollars a day in lost revenue. the opposing charges on the wires create enough heat to melt the tips of the wires continuously. though. Stresses result from thermal cycling and uneven thermal gradients in the components. e industry has recorded more than 30. Pitting can be aggravated when cleaners are not rinsed away quickly or thoroughly enough. such as with the use of sulfurcontaining fuels or from coal ash constituents. Even more significantly. Electric arc wire thermal spray process can defeat failure mechanisms C By Chad Wagner oal-fired and waste-to-energy boilers are exposed to complex corrosive and erosive forces that can damage their waterwalls. Waterwall fireside corrosion typically occurs in the lower part of the boiler and sometimes is associated with the combustion process.and long-term overheating generally cause longitudinal stress fracturing or splitting of the tube walls. What’s Attacking the Boiler Waterwalls? Boiler tubes are subjected to a great number of failure mechanisms. Compressed air is generally Figure 2 e “elephant hide” appearance of the middle boiler tube may be the result of fireside corrosion fatigue. Falling slag erosion causes impact damage as large chunks of slag impact waterwalls in the lower sections of the boiler. e result is thinning of the tube wall. e electric arc wire thermal spray process (see Figure 3) is an alternative to the traditional weld overlay approach for protecting boiler components and systems. ese attacking mechanisms can lead to reduced operational e ciency and failures that result in unscheduled outages for component replacement. eventually resulting in cracking that can propagate to failure. thereby reducing replacement costs and outage times. . Following are some of the more common mechanisms that can combine to cause complex failure of the boiler components. causing damage that can lead to eventual failure. Fly ash erosion is caused by fly ash impingement on tube walls.000 boiler tube failures. Fireside corrosion fatigue usually is seen in coalfired boilers as a series of circumferential cracks on tube ODs that appear as crazing or have an “elephant hide” appearance resulting from corrosion intensified by thermal stresses (see Figure 2). Short. e result generally is pitting or ongoing erosion of the metal that simultaneously is undergoing corrosive attack. Pitting corrosion. leading to eventual failure. ermal fatigue most often is seen in the superheaters of coal-fired boilers. Soot blower erosion occurs when high-velocity compressed air or steam is used to blow soot o the superheater or waterwall surfaces. Chemical cleaning damage occurs when corrosive caustic or acidic cleaning chemicals aggressively attack the metal. Distortion in the components can set up a series of opposing compressive and tensile stresses. Two metallic wires. which carries the corroding media to the components.Figure 1 Waterwall tubes operated without surface protection become severely corroded. thinning the component walls. controlled speeds. Erosion corrosion is metal corrosion accelerated by erosive fluid conditions. the same materials used for weld overlay. areas coated. www. the coatings provide full coverage and are well-bonded to the substrate. The compressed air should be purified by means of oil and water separators. this means surface protection application can be completed two to four days faster. Service Life. thermal spray—wires. Typically. Process Flexibility.spray gun in on-site aplation. which can lead to premature tube failure. Electric arc wire coatings do not cause dilution and heat-affected-zone (HAZ) changes to the base material grain structure. As thermal spray coatings bond to the substrate materials with an intrinsic mechanical bond. there is no possibility of base-metal dilution or detrimental changes to the substrate grain structure. at a quick pace. requiring only electrical service and clean. compressed air to operate. Long-length hose and wire stands can be used to allow for convenient placement of the power Figure 5 supply unit remotely The thermal spray-coated boiler tubes on the bottom have the same appearance after one year in service as from the wire feed and the tubes on the top. Spray units are compact and portable. Although hand spraying can be used for large areas with even coating thickness. Westbury. Thermal spray coatings are compatible with weld repairs and can be applied over the welded area.sulzer. Sulzer Metco Inc. elimiFigure 4 A worker manually applies electric arc wire spraying to a nating concerns about waterwall distortion. Because the adhesion of the coating to the substrate predominantly consists of mechanical bonding. the use of X-Y traverse units is recommended for spray gun manipulation. The total time required to apply electric arc wire coatings can be 30 to 40 percent less than that required for traditional welded overlay coatings. the surface is usually roughened using a blasting procedure. In addition.. surface preparation and how the material is applied are critical elements. This activates the surface by increasing the free surface energy and also offers the benefit of increased surface area for bonding of the sprayed particles. September 2013 The FABRICATOR 91 . For a large utility boiler. Electric arc wire spray is a relatively cool application process. careful cleaning and pretreatment of the surface to be coated are extremely important. Chad Wagner is product manager. and the plant operating conditions (see Figure 5). Costs. Application Time. Since no welding is involved in the process. coal-fired boiler waterwall on-site.com/en/ products-and-services/coating-services. When properly applied.. The process can be used in the shop or on-site. wire material usage for thermal spray is about 60 percent that of weld overlay. NY 11590. jobs can be turned around more quickly. fewer labor hours are needed to complete a job when compared to the more traditional wire overlay process. Also. 516-334-1300. The process applies nickel-chromium alloys. but it varies significantly depending on the boiler type. with an abrasive such as aluminum oxide. After the removal of surface impurities by chemical or mechanical methods. plications (see Figure 4). Service life for the protective coatings can be very long. 1101 Prospect Ave.used to atomize the now molten material and accelerate it onto the workpiece surface to form the coating. Coatings. With quicker application time. They provide lasting corrosion protection and can be reapplied as needed. How to Ensure the Process Works? As with any technology that involves changing the surface characteristics of a metal workpiece. it’s important to use a clean source of compressed air. Oil or water in the thermal spray may result in poor coating quality or reduced adhesion. it doesn’t initiate sites for cracking and microcorrosion or cause through-hole pores that can lead to premature attack of the base metal. freshly coated and ready for instal. reduces hard zones next to the weld area. is accuracy is achieved because the stick. nothing a ects it. ionized air. However. which are painted on the workpiece. Phasechange temperature indicators are not influenced by external factors such as static electricity. Temperature-sensitive labels are coated with temperature-indicating material and a xed to a component to measure temperature exposure. When the dry. Maintenance of minimum and maximum interpass temperatures promotes ductility. Temperature-indicating sticks now are available for measuring exact temperatures. and other smooth or shiny. manufacturing F By Claude Bedingfield or measuring surface temperatures. WY 82718. . interpass. Figure 2 Temperature-indicating liquids. e melting point never needs calibration. but they typically are employed in higher-temperature and more prolonged heat-treating applications. sealed on the label under a transparent window. rotating. And they are used to determine temperatures for diagnostic work and warranty information. higherstrength alloys. every time the exact temperature is reached. Since preheat is an inexact science. Melting point—the temperature at which phase change occurs—is a physical property. a workpiece might need to be stress-relieved to an appropriate ductile condition by annealing—a process of controlled reheating that returns the overhardened metal to the approximate hardness of the rest of the material. volatile. It also increases di usion of hydrogen from the metal to limit weld contamination and tends to vaporize moisture that might be present. or it may be stroked on the piece as heating proceeds. Preheat almost always is required or recommended for welding. the color has nothing to do with the temperature-indicating process. phase-change material is an accurate. which are painted on the workpiece. Accuracy e accuracy of phase-change materials for surface temperature indication is usually within 1 percent—for example. of course. While they come in a variety of identifying colors. resistors. particularly for surface welding and joining of thick or hardenable. A phase-change indicator does not. Temperature-indicating products are useful tools for the entire welding process. For checking one or a few limit points. or wherever other recording instruments are impractical. opaque mark of a temperature-indicating stick changes to a melted appearance. within 3. change from dry to wet (melted) when they reach their temperature rating. the temperature indicators are used to ensure the recommended level of preheat has been achieved and maintained. turns per92 The FABRICATOR September 2013 manently from white to black at the temperature rating. Sinclair St. are composed of phase-change materials suspended in an inert. opaque mark changes to a distinct. label. reduces brittleness. Pellets are another option. 307-686-0254. with metal thickness and other factors a ecting the necessary duration before the desired temperature is reached. ey may be used to mark polished metals. such as in an annealing furnace. Following machine welding. in applications varying from racing car engines to electronic components—particularly where the surface may be moving. humidity. Monitoring surface temperatures with phase-change materials Melting point standards simplify measurement in welding. A phase-change indicator of a desired calibrated temperature can be used to mark the workpiece before heating begins. postweld heat treatment. Correct temperature is extremely important. or liquid is in direct contact with the workpiece and thus in thermal equilibrium with the surface to be tested. cbeningfield@sheridan. from 100 to 2. the temperature rating of the stick has been reached.edu. and annealing. and annealing. cool-down. one of the simplest and most e ective methods is the use of temperature-indicating products based on the absolute. Types of Phase-Change Indicators The first phase-change temperature indicator was a stick used to mark the workpiece in welding applications. Gillette. or inaccessible. glass. or impact. transformers. Applications Phase-change materials are used to measure temperatures in welding preheat. Labels provide rapid data acquisition without any wires or readout boxes. simply and reliably. improves weld controllability. well-defined melted appearance (see Figure 1). Liquids. 300 W. Applications include monitoring the operating conditions of electronic parts. postweld heat treatment. Both pellets and liquids change from dry to wet (melted) when they reach their temperature rating (see Figure 2). Claude Bedingfield is a welding instructor at Gillette College. di cult-to-mark surfaces or those not readily accessible for application of a crayon mark during the heating process. too much heat will decrease weld strength. and it occurs. it does determine exactly when a preset minimum or maximum temperature has been reached. ey are suitable for measuring temperatures in isolated systems. nonflammable vehicle. Bringing the base metal up to heat before welding reduces the danger of crack formation. ey also are used to measure the temperature of equipment used on a job. and circuit-board components. tell the exact temperature as a thermometer would. interpass. predictable phase change (solid to liquid) of a pure chemical compound. and reduces distortion of surrounding surfaces. Phase-change materials are used to measure temperatures in welding preheat. Pellets occasionally are placed on the surface of the workpiece for preheat indication.5 degrees at 350 degrees F. while insu cient heat will prevent annealing and leave the weld overhardened and brittle. time. on moving or rotating assemblies. cost-e ective method.. ey are placed on or inside the workpiece. increases toughness. cool-down.Figure 1 When the dry. e center of a heat-sensitive indicator.000 degrees F. Northern Wyoming Community College District. its temperature rating has been reached. IL AT THE FABTECH SHOW BOOTH #C5125 PHONE: 410-933-8500 FAX: 410-933-1600 WE HAVE DEMO TRUCKS TRAVELING THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.
[email protected] PUNCH FORM BRAKE SHEAR ROLL NOTCH BEAD MARK AND MORE .com www.SEE THEM IN CHICAGO. CALL NOW TO SCHEDULE A GEKA CNC AUTOMATED IRONWORKER DEMONSTRATION AT YOUR FACILITY. 4 360 360 360 360 180 180 135 135 3 3 4 4 . Buyers’ guides are a part of the Forming & Fabricating Industry Directory.50 .150 3.001 Enter reader service code 841889 at www.com.750 1. Novi.0002 .625 .250 .200 198 12 Inf.575 1.375 .) Without With Repositioning Repositioning © Maximum Positioning Speed (IPM) Workpiece Specifications Max.180 .001 Enter reader service code 621910 at www.net 2.5 .950 1.0004/ .6 dia.378 1.180 .5 2 .43 49.625 .00059 .312 . Elgin.378 1.0 .375 .4 33.5 .0002 .001 .) Y Axis (in. For more information.750 .375 .575 1.27 .400 4.000 1.000 3.001 .6 59.50 .0004 .ffid. ©Copyright 2013 by FMA Communications Inc.0002 .0004 20 .0002 .5 DC035 3.net 1.001 .950 .6 33.400 .937 1. 45 6 .400 4.400 4 4 MC MACHINERY SYSTEMS—MITSUBISHI LASER.575 1.5 .000 1.375 .38 .) Laser Head Tilt (±Degrees) Stainless Steel Traverse Flow Simultaneous Repeatability Repeatability X Axis (in. IL SG-U442D/3D/ 3D-Rotary Space Gear Mark II 48 2D/3D/ 3D-Rotary Space Gear Mark II 510 2D/3D/ 3D-Rotary FG-220 MkII 3D FG-400 MkII 3D FG-400 MkII L 3D 4 6 50 50 16.004 Enter reader service code 884317 at www.375 1.5 . SC Alpharex AXD 4 5 1.5 DC035 3.53 360 135 4 945 945 1 .375 2.543 4.25 .ffid.378 1.000 98.378 1.750 .375 . 94 The FABRICATOR September 2013 Max.160 .8 86.) Z Axis (in.772 2.21 19.375 695 4 6 109 50 16.181 945 1. Wood Dale.375 728 1.0004 20 Enter reader service code 136506 at www.4 3.312 .001 .0 Fiber DC020 2.505 1.69 3.312 1.400 4.937 3.378 1.378 1.004 .) Y Axis (in.125 .125 300 215 300 300 700 1.0002 .0004/ . MI LT Fiber Lasertube LT120 Lasertube LT722 Lasertube LT823 Lasertube LT8 Lasertube Jumbo 14.543 4.772 1.8 122 59.00059 . Jumbo 20 LT5 Fiber 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 6 5 6 9 13 15+ 6 334 256 335 335 335 700 255 6 6 6 6 8 6 6 6 6 8 360 360 360 360 360 360 360 45 45 45 IPG 2. 360 135 135 135 4 4 4 3.) Without Repositioning Laser Head Rotation (Degrees) With Repositioning Machine Configuration Resonator Type and Maximum Power (kW) Diffusion-cooled Accuracy and Repeatability (±in.08 .0002 20 .ffid.06 .004 .001 .181 1.400 NTC AMERICA CORP.0002 20 .4 33.2 300 100 400 150 1.180 .25 .50 .) Axial Flow Mild Steel Aluminum Cantilever Accuracy Accuracy Robotic Gantry Rotary Bridge Hybrid X Axis Y Axis Other .008 3.002 kW .150 4.00059 .625 .001 x 80 Enter reader service code 128605 at www.000 1 .ffid.004 .38 .0015 3.-Power Resonator Model ALTAMAR LASER AND CONTROL.250 . Lombard.4 33.004 ESAB WELDING & CUTTING PRODUCTS.000 1.505 1.625 .0004/ .002 .000 1.ffid.004 .53 360 135 4 945 945 1 .724 1.) X Axis (in.937 This information is provided by the manufacturers.ffid.625 .625 .002 IPG Fiber 6 .0004/ . use the corresponding advertising code at www.160 .300 .625 . Reproduction in full or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited.455 .575 1.187 .001 Enter reader service code 187833 at www.net 945 945 1 .00059 Enter reader service code 199945 at www.004 .5 4.25 . MN LT2400 LTH2024 LT2410 LT2012 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 6 24 6 288 6 24 6 4 4 4 6 4 360 288 144 312 4 4 3 .375 .181 945 1 1 1 .160 .772 2.160 .004 .—NTC LASER.20 .750 .5 .000 1.181 1..375 .375 .375 .) With Max.001 .5 .5 16.ffid. Weight (lbs.006/80 .003 .750 .75 .312 .250 2.378 1.001 .5 .net 3.25 . CA LC3015C2 (Theta) 4 6 120 60 20 370 135 4 Enter reader service code 122726 at www.002 .004 .625 .0008 . Florence.002 .625 .0004/ .002 .000 HAN-KWANG USA.net 4.400 1.181 787 787 787 .ffid.0002 20 .001 .625 .net 1.5 IPG 1 .001 .125 . 360 16 dia.000 1.937 3.417 1.625 .000 800 800 .772 1. Wixom.000 1.625 .0004 20 .net .001 .16 300 MAZAK OPTONICS CORP.000 BLM GROUP USA CORP. IL TL6015 4 4 4 303 6 6 360 2.ffid.400 4.0004/ .000 AMADA AMERICA INC. 360 16 dia.375 ..8 86.53 360 135 4 .25 .) Work Area Travel (Max.050 4 11 11 11 352 333 576 8.5 .375 .Forming & Fabricating® 2013 3-D Laser Cutting Machine Buyers’ Guide Number of Controlled Axes (Max. IL 1515VZ10 3122VZ10 1515VZ20 3122VZ20 4 4 4 4 6 6 5 5 59.574 . Buena Park.50 .575 1.375 .0 DC025 2.net 1.25 .000 300 14/20 14/20 6 6 DC035 .160 .001 .312 ..400 3.575 1. Thickness (in.thefabricator. MI TLM 404 TLM 408 TLM 610 TLM 614 TLM 914 TLH 408 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 8 8 8 8 8 6 51 98 122 169 169 51 51 75 75 110 24 28 35 35 35 200 200 200 200 200 720 180 180 180 180 180 135 6 6 6 6 6 .8 122 59.388 4 6 131 61 16.net or the links in the online buyers’ guide at www.000 1.036 2.50 . Fridley. 0005 3.930 6.5 29. 1. Thickness (in. Inf.500 Enter reader service code 156731 at www.200 770 4 5 160.4 TRUMPF INC.net 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 79 158 79 158 118 59 or 78.75 .355 . 8 opt.6 4 .75 .47 . Ecological.5 59 or 78.0015 .000 Enter reader service code 100798 at www.25 30 360 135 5 . 5 3..930 3. 8 opt. Weight (lbs.930 6.6 6. 8 opt. San Martino.35 .4 .6 Inf.968 3.0005 3.001 Ps Enter reader service code 1749940 at www. 5.) Without With Repositioning Repositioning Maximum Positioning Speed (IPM) Workpiece Specifications Max.35 .810 .810 .ffid. Inf.5 .200 2.ffid.) Z Axis (in.5 59 or 78.200 2.ffid.4 40 40 900 360 150 135 6 5 20 . 1.5 .4 . 135 135 135 135 135 8 8 6.) Without Repositioning Laser Head Rotation (Degrees) With Repositioning Machine Configuration Resonator Type and Maximum Power (kW) Diffusion-cooled Accuracy and Repeatability (±in.ffid. 5 40 177 40 98.001 Pa ..Number of Controlled Axes (Max.0015 .0015 .200 2.5 .) With Max.5 29.810 .75 .810 .75 . Miamisburg.1 . Cazzago.930 6.930 3. dalcos.0015 .0005 . Inf.net YASKAWA AMERICA INC.930 6.001 Ps 3. Italy TL 312 Speed 3D 4 480 120 6 Enter reader service code 972206 at www.5 4 4 4 4 5.net 5.) Y Axis (in. Inf.937 3.930 3. Coil fed.0015 .0015 .5 29.47 .07 750 750 750 .968 1.5 2.6 .930 6.) Work Area Travel (Max. 360 360 150 150 150 150 6 6 20 20 .0015 . CT TruLaser Cell 7020 TruLaser Cell 7040 TruLaser Cell 7020 w/ TruDisk SSL TruLaser Cell 7040 w/ TruDisk TruLaser Cell 8030 w/ TruDisk SSL 4 4 4 4 4 TUBE TECH MACHINERY.) X Axis (in.001 Pa .com September 2013 The FABRICATOR 95 Meet us at the Fabtech Show From November 18th to 21st MMT International Booth S3984 Max.0005 .25 . Efficient.4 .625 .0015 .4 6 .25 .0005 3.0005 .5 .5 880 part/ fixture for turntable Inf.0005 3. OH HP20D MC2000 4 4 4 4 6 6 50 120 105 175 360 360 140 140 50 120 .0005 3. Champlin.002 .0015 . Farmington.) Laser Head Tilt (±Degrees) Stainless Steel Traverse Flow Simultaneous Repeatability Repeatability X Axis (in.930 3.0015 .889 .937 6. 8 opt.net Inf.5 23.0005 . 80 80 14 23 40 40 14 16 40 54 14 20 900 cont. 900 cont.1 DALCOS® punching machine Electric. MN Laserdyne 795XS Optimo Evoluzione Rapido Evoluzione 2 Laserdyne 795XL Laserdyne 795XLZ Laserdyne 450 Laserdyne 430 4 4 5.) Y Axis (in.5 .5 51 29.6 60.6 . Inf.-Power Resonator Model PRIMA POWER LASERDYNE.75 .930 3.) Axial Flow Mild Steel Aluminum Cantilever Accuracy Accuracy Robotic Gantry Rotary Bridge Hybrid X Axis Y Axis Other .0005 .35 .5 59 or 78.000 1.810 . president of A&E Custom Manufacturing Technologies Inc. visit fmanet. one company representative and one guest will receive complimentary registration.fmanet. 15. Plus. Registration Now Open for 2nd Annual RUN4MFG at FABTECH The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association’s Young Professionals Council is collaborating again this year to plan the 2nd Annual RUN4MFG 5K. new products/services. travel. FEATURES INCLUDE: • Searchable exhibitor list that makes it easy to find companies and products • Interactive maps so you can visually browse the exhibit floor • Agenda planner you can use to create a list of must-see exhibits • A full schedule of sessions and events and the ability to add to your planner • Real-time alerts that remind you of what’s happening at the show • Easy access to the events social media channels • Chicago information with dining options and things to do And much more! n Mobile App Sponsored By: Download the FABTECH 2013 App Now at fabtechexpo. customer satisfaction. navigate the show floor. 26-28. The run will raise funds to support manufacturing education and the educational foundations of the FABTECH show partners. Create a team and challenge your friends and co-workers to help a great cause! Participants have the opportunity to collect pledges on behalf of Nuts. The winner will be recognized on the cover of the February 2014 issue of The FABRICATOR® and will be featured in a high-profile article in the issue. and hotel accommodations to accept the award at The FABRICATOR®’s Leadership Summit taking place Feb. Call 888394-4362 for more information.com/run4mfg or by calling 815-227-8232. Android. The deadline is Oct. attained business growth. in Chicago. The program is open to individuals or companies in the metal forming and fabricating industry that have successfully improved operations. business success. 2013. anywhere. a charity race set to kick off FABTECH week on Sunday. n FMA Communications Inc. Texas. Steve Hasty.org/industryawards. trade school and college scholarships to students planning to pursue careers in manufacturing. Applications will be evaluated on the basis of the following: shop floor improvements. International ® Award Program to Honor Industry Success Stories Call for nominations ends Oct. Bolts & Thingamajigs. 2013. and philanthropic activities. NBT donations raised from the RUN4MFG will fund grants for manufacturing camps for middle school and high school students and help to provide Nov. at 5 p.Your leading educational resource • www. 2014. Dan Davis with recipient of The FABRICATOR®’s 2013 Industry Award. and contributed to both the local and industry communities. view and build your schedule. To make a nomination. The route proceeds through Lincoln Park along the beautiful Chicago lakefront. and other web browser-enabled devices. More information is available at fabtechexpo. at the Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Austin. and stay connected via social media. iPad. training. Editor-in-Chief.com/mobile 96 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . n FABTECH 2013 Mobile App Now Available The official FABTECH mobile app is available for download and designed to enhance your show experience. ® the Foundation of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association. The app is available for iPhone. 17. 15 FMA seeks applicants for The FABRICATOR®’s Industry Award 2014. support of manufacturing as future career choice. The app puts important show information in the palm of your hand so you can access it anytime. safety.org IN THE KNOW News and information from the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association. Search exhibitors.m. 2013 Schaumburg. access to industry-leading providers. CT or call 888-394-4362 September 2013 The FABRICATOR 97 details at fmanet. 2013 | Lenexa. robotic welders. 30-Oct. 24. 1-2. Electronic Sensors for Error-Proof Metalforming.org/ training . You will see shears. Optimize Efficiency With Two Upcoming FMA Programs LeanFab Workshop & Tour Oct. FMA and TPA Welcome New Members That Joined in July: Du Fresne Mfg Co. 22-23. will be toured on day two. THE SPEED OF SUCCESS e FABRICATOR®. Louis./ Playcore Wisconsin Inc. Lithonia. 2013 1-2:30 p. Ill. 2013 | Wood Dale.Summer Mfg. Ga. NASA Pier Farinetti. It has been proven that lean manufacturing can help decrease downtime...m. but how to sustain it. 19. finishing processes. and improve overall quality. Ill. 2013 Schaumburg. Sept. welding. Mich. Dave Lechleitner.org or 815-227-8207. 29.Com Jim Bice. 1. 2013 PRODUCTION VELOCITY Roll Forming Certificate Program Sept. LeanFab Workshop & Tours Oct. 22-23. 23-24. phases of their lean journey. KDC & Associates Ltd. Metcam in Alpharetta. Ill. Sites will share how they have utilized their software to streamline operations.org/ training to learn more and register. 2013. Kitmondo. Kan. 3-4. 2013 | South Bend. Wells Fargo. extending your nesting and machine controls software investment and helping you to acquire the right system. Schaumburg. 30-31. ese workshops are co-located. 17-18. SoftwareFab Workshop & Tour Oct. 23-24. Attending this workshop will show you not only how to begin a lean initiative. 2013 Amada America Inc.■ Environmental Footprint Reduction Workshop for Finishing Operations Sept. Ill. You’ll observe and hear from companies in di erent SoftwareFab Workshop & Tour Oct. Transportation will be provided to and from all tours. Atlanta. Impulse Manufacturing in Dawsonville. Stahlmak LLC / TECMUT Jack Holliday.. Versa – Fab Inc. Observe an ERP system in action during a di erent plant tour each day. providing valuable insight to take your own unique operation to the next level. Panel discussions and vendor sessions encourage exploration of best practices and current ERP issues. cut inventory. Material Sciences Corporation Richards Sheet Metal Sterling Process Engineering Union Corrugating Company Richard Barker. painting. 2013 Amada America Inc. reduce scrap. press brakes. lasers. TRAINING ALERT Conferences & Workshops VELOCITY Valuable networking opportunities will be available during the roundtable sessions. Tim Heston. Dan Davis. and more. Precision Press Brake Certificate Courses Sept. 1-2. 2013 Grand Haven. Each tour will be followed by a debrief roundtable discussion. 23-24. Ill. will moderate popular roundtable sessions during the summit.org/training or contact Jen Christian at jen@fmanet. Ill. Holliday Sheet Metal R. turret punches. Mo. 2013 Park Ridge. Green Online Class: Continuous Commissioning Sept. editor-in-chief of October 1-2. e FABRICATOR®. visit fmanet. New this year! SoftwareFab was developed to give you the opportunity to explore your options for ERP software systems with direct Designing Parts for Metal Stamping Oct. press brakes. 2013 Cumming. e event features plant tours of fabrication shops and OEMs that will share their success stories. Southern Metalcraft (SMI). in Atlanta Production Velocity Is the Speed of Success! is 4th annual summit features the unique opportunity to tour six fabricating shops in a day and a half that will showcase their lasers. or call 888-394-4362 with questions. ■ The FABRICATOR®’s Technology Summit Oct. 2013 | St. Hughes. and Tie Down Engineering/Industries. where attendees will have the chance to discuss topics of interest within the group. Mich. FMA and TPA members are eligible to attend both events for one discounted rate! Visit fmanet. Day one includes tours of MNdustries in Suwanee. J. Gametime Inc. Oct. Ill. Exact JobBOSS. 26-27. 2013 Grand Rapids. turrets. Ind. Schaumburg. and Laura Glick. 2013 Park Ridge. and assembly in action. For more information. Fabricating & Assembly Oct. in Gainesville. Network with peers and discover what ERP systems can do for your business. Sept. and Kubota Manufacturing of America Corp. Camps FABTECH trade show Continuing Education Networking Events Don’t miss The FABRICATOR ®’s Technology Summit & Tours Oct. You will also have the opportunity to share your challenges and find solutions from peers and facilitators Dick Kallage. while exports have surged again.S.. OS 98 The FABRICATOR September 2013 8 METAL FORMING | FABRICATING | WELDING | FINISHING FABTECH represents every step of the metal manufacturing process from start to finish. The U. exporter will hang on to its share of the market long after the dollar regains strength. IL | fabtechexpo. the U. There has been relatively little in the way of import expansion. REGISTER NOW for the show with a degree of difference. FABTECH 2013.org.org IN THE KNOW crude. The trade gap narrowed by more than 22 percent — the best News and information from the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association.S. Second. products and technology are highlighted through interactive exhibits. has been limited. but they are returning to those numbers — a good sign. send it to Fabrinomics@fmanet. which has convinced more than a few producers to shift some of their operations to the U. International ® (ZR [OL+Y The U. The U. producer is that the weak dollar is making imports more expensive. Join as an individual Dr. and the U.com Would you like more economic insights twice a month. just registered the best trade deficit numbers since 2009. the U.Your leading educational resource • www.S. Exports are not quite what they were a few years ago. First is the oil situation noted above. The draw for the foreign buyer has been based on the value proposition. North America’s Largest Metal Forming. education and networking. which has more staying power than a weak currency.S. delivered straight to your e-mail? FMA members get Dr.S. Compare solutions from 1. export sector is coming back to life even without substantial assistance from the weak dollar. It’s where new ideas.S. 2013 | Chicago. used to run a huge trade deficit because it imported nearly 60 percent of its performance in years.500+ exhibitors. manufacturer is at the forefront of this resurgence — moving products like aircraft and aircraft engines as well as heavy machinery and farm products. Import levels are much lower now. An even better piece of news for the U. The most ( ^ P [ O + Y * O PZ 2\ L It Really Matters Where the Oil Comes From startling numbers are those regarding oil. Kuehl’s Fabrinomics® e-news as one of their benefits. but this reduction in oil imports is taking place at the same time that there has been some nominal economic growth. Finally. consumers to steer away from imported goods in favor of domestic. n Y A 360º VIEW OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY AND PROCESSES. actually exports a great deal of refined product to the rest of the world. Fabricating. which has changed the dynamics of the import business dramatically. Welding and Finishing Event Scan code to watch video. Cosponsors: Follow us: . mostly from the Dakotas and Texas.S. At around 20 million barrels a day. This would not be a big deal if the overall economy were in sad shape. Three factors stand out.S. Chris Kuehl or a company member FMA Economic Analyst at fmanet. is consuming nearly the same amount of oil it did prerecession. find machine tools to improve quality and productivity.S. the U. and has convinced many U. and learn ways to increase profit. and so the advantage for the U.org/join or call 888-394-4362. is selling more abroad. The U. imported much less oil than it has in decades.fmanet. November 18–21.S.S. The difference now is the domestic production. If you want to ask a question to be answered in this column. The sense is that the U.S.S. All the other major currencies are just as weak. e punches come standard with the company’s Ultima® premium tool steel. e overbending creates counterstresses that o set the compressive and tensile stresses caused by the punching process. It features a standard holder with universal punches. the press o ers energy e ciency. e convex die presses the sheet metal against the stripper from underneath. 651-286-6150 www. Wilson Tool Intl. 309L. Opposing stresses are introduced to keep the sheet metal panels flat. and the maximum number of index tools has been increased to 128.trick-tools. 2209.7642 is an official Web site of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association. e turret can hold up to 384 tools.trumpf. Prima Power North America 847-952-6500 www. e process allows punching of a large number of holes in thin sheet metal without distorting the panel. 316L.cor-met. according to the manufacturer.com 800.433. o ers EXP™ punch technology for Fab/thin turret-style tooling. Special chemistries are available by request. High repeatability facilitates forming.com TRUMPF® has introduced a new integrated flattening concept. Intl.com September 2013 The FABRICATOR 99 PROTECT FROM ARC FLASH OFF BUTTON Safely breaks load UL Switch-Rated SAFETY PLUGS Rated up to 200A 600V (on receptacle) SAFETY SHUTTER Protects from live parts Avoid cumbersome PPE! Keeps NFPA 70E HRC=0 meltric. thereby eliminating an additional step to even out the material. c o m See us at FABTECH Booth #N955 Punch technology Wilson Tool Intl. versatility. roll forming. which overbends the material. e servo mechanically actuated punching stroke is numerically controlled for accurate forming capacity.primapower. To help the sheet metal maintain its flatness.us. 308L. and 90SB9. TRUMPF Inc. allowing fabricators to replace only the punch to speed punch switching times.com • Leak Detectors • Cold Galvanized Zinc Spray • Dye Penetrant Inspection • Anti-Spatter Solvent • Nozzle Tip Dip • Lube Pads • Cooling Fluid w w w. It forms a slag on the backside of a pipe. 625. e outside of the glove features a highvisibility color with red palm for hand signaling. 80SB2 /B6/ B8. ey feature the company’s Ucomfort finger construction to help reduce fatigue and have reverse inside seams to help increase comfort. e fully lined interior o ers thermal protection for welding jobs. available on the TruPunch 5000 punching machine and the TruMatic 7000 punch/laser combination machine. accuracy. Cor-Met Inc. the sheet metal is flat when it leaves the machine.® .com The FABRICATOR’s Metal Market Your Single Source for WELDING CHEMICAL PRODUCTS GTAW rod Cor-Met Inc. c a n t e s c o .wilsontool.com Integrated flattening technology Servo-electric turret punch press Prima Power has introduced the third generation of the servo-electric E series turret punch press. 860-255-6104 www. 800-848-2719 www. o ers QWP flux-coated GTAW rod for pipe welding. According to the company. protecting the weld from oxidation and eliminating the need for gas purging and backing. 347. the convex die works in tandem with a stripper featuring a recess and special coating. and marking. and low maintenance costs.Product News GMAW gloves Trick-Tools carries the Ringers welding gloves for GMAW. Available grades are 308H. Trick-Tools 877-826-7268 www. resulting in twice as much life as most standard punches. A redesigned turret is available that can be customized for any requirement. e concave stripper counteracts by pressing the material raised by the convex die back downward at the edge of the die. In this way. and containers made of or containing steel are held firmly. The 1. and many more applications where parts need to be round If you roll parts sporadically or in small quantities. or horizontal material handling situations. parts. Standard safety features include dual-hand operation and a safety interlock that will prevent the saw from operating if the safety hood is not closed.com Upcut circular cold saw Scotchman Industries® has introduced the SUP-500 NF upcut circular cold saw designed for cutting nonferrous material.. and highpressure applications. 120-tooth carbide blade that can produce round cuts up to 7 in. highspeed. allowing them to slice through the substrate.Product News Flap discs 3M Abrasive Systems has introduced 3M™ Cubitron™ II flap discs for weld grinding. and integrated debris collection. a permanent magnetic material with a circuit designed and energized by the company. The backing enables controlled. medium-. The discs work in low-. even wear. It features a 20-in.eriez.com 100 The FABRICATOR September 2013 . They continuously fracture during use to form sharp points and edges. contact one of our machine engineers at: www.com Permanent magnetic belt conveyors from Eriez® provide a quiet. Scotchman Industries 800-843-8844 www. Sharp scrap and small pieces are kept from beneath the belt.. Eriez 888-300-3743 www.75 by 5 in. low-profile system for moving and elevating ferrous materials in vertical. and rectangular cuts up to 11.625-in. inclined. depth fits under dies and at the discharge of many production machines.3M. three off-the-shelf standard lengths and four widths are available.. four pneumatic clamps to secure material being cut. The discs use the company’s proprietary precisionshaped grain technology. nearly eliminating jamming and manual handling. In addition to custom designs. rust removal. This technology requires less pressure from the operator to help reduce fatigue. 3M 888-364-3577 www.acrotechinc. allowing full use of the disc with no premature dulling or glazing. Standard features include an adjustable feed rate.scotchman. edge grinding. Acrotech will custom roll them for you! For a quote. The uniformly sized triangular grains are evenly distributed onto the backing. Stampings.com See us at FABTECH Booth S1923 800-345-0583 651-345-3362 www. dia.com/cubitron2 Permanent magnetic belt conveyors Machines manufactured for: Hole Saw Blades • Exhaust Systems • Water Heaters • Electrical Motor Casings • Chimney Flues . The strong magnetic field eliminates the need for side rails or side wipers. deburring. and weld seam blending. The conveyors use Erium® 25.acrotechinc. e 10-oz. e 18-oz. has introduced the J-series and L-series waterjet cutting machines. dust. and grime. Authorized for use under NSF Category C1. e frame is made of thick-walled steel tubing to accommodate multiple 5-axis cutting heads.wd40specialist.weldwidesolutions. It is suitable for companies cutting high part volumes with low margins and less demanding tolerances. and metal tools.000 IPM with an acceleration and deceleration rate of 1m/ s2. All of the products are VOCcompliant in all 50 states. the twin-dam system can be used for welding around bends. e dam and other components collapse so that the access point can be considerably smaller than the final inflated dam size. and oil. cleaner spray WD-40 Co. It helps release molded parts and can be used to lubricate slides. o ers a twin-dam purging system. Dirt & Dust Resistant Dry Lube is formulated for reducing friction and wear. oil. Machine & Engine Degreaser delivers a stream that sprays up to 5 ft.com Waterjet machines WardJet Inc. 330-677-9100. e J-series is an economically priced.2 m/s2. e system is suitable for use with multiple welds and in spaces where access is restricted. as well as optical sensors to control chain feed tables or pinch feed rollers. water-only waterjet. has added three new products to its WD-40® Specialist® line. e modular system can accommodate the addition of loading and o oading tables.Product News Dry lube. an inflation system that inflates both the dams and exhausts the atmospheric gas from the weld space. dirt. It features two inflation dams connected by a single tube. degreaser. e NSF Category H2 product dries quickly and resists dirt. Electrical Contact Cleaner Spray is an NSF K2-registered product for use on plastics. e L-series uses a linear-motion drive system to cut at speeds of 7. 251. chains.wardjet. it is suitable for use on engines.0948 September 2013 The FABRICATOR 101 . from 1" to 10" • In-house tooling for fast delivery Consistent Performance comes from the Most Dependable Components Angle Rolls Find us at FABTECH! Booth S3101 www. Its penetrating foaming action removes grease. WardJet.com True Quality & Real Value are always in our Details. www. rubbers. e 11-oz. It has a luminous strip for positioning under the root gap to help ensure the system is centralized.com Twin-dam purging system Booth S3984 Weldwide Solutions Ltd.937. it can cut at speeds of 2.com • 3 & 4 Rolls • CNC Models • Auto Load & Eject Plate Rolls Providing Superior Rolls for Over 20 Years • 30 Models. and hinges. power equipment. and metals. 44-1554-700-350 www. available in sizes from 2 to 72 in. With its flexible hose system. Weldwide Solutions Ltd. rollers. industrial machinery. 619-275-1400 www. and exhaust ports to vent out atmospheric gas.500 IPM with an acceleration and deceleration rate of 0. WD-40 Co. gears. Using belt drive technology.carellcorp. Made with a full-grain leather upper. The user inserts the fastener into a properly sized. Just-In-Time With millions of pounds of material inventory and a wide array of cutting equipment for tube and flat laser processing. National Coverage New PEM® type SFN™ spinning flare nuts from PennEngineering® are designed to rotate freely when permanently captivated in thin metal sheets for quick attachment to mating hardware and reduced need for loose fasteners such as flange nuts. externally threaded hardware. all loose hardware can be eliminated from an application. Pure power High-performance drives with flexible shafts from SUHNER .laservision-usa.the life of the boot.com 102 The FABRICATOR September 2013 .pemnet. the nut will appear identical to a standard flanged hex nut above the sheet and will remain flush on the other side. no-slip fit. When they are paired with a self-clinching stud or other fixed. asymhydrophobic/hydrophilic two-zone comfort lining that metrical steel toes delivering lightweight protection. Laservision USA 800-393-5565 www. and embossed mounting hole and then applies sufficient squeezing force to flare the shank.Product News Work boot Keen Utility offers the Milwaukee WP waterproof work while reducing the chance of outsole delamination over boot. The hypoallergenic. soft nosepads are flexible and adjustable for pressure-free. including Trumpf® flat and tube laser cutting machines. strong frame provides comfort and durability for all-day wear. Keen Utility The boot features a patent-pending construction that 866-676-5336 blends the flexibility of a welted product with the du.com rability of a rubber outsole and signature toe-bumper OLfmaAd2_OL 1/4Page 7/29/13 1:26 PM Page 1 Spinning flare nuts Precision Parts & Assemblies. allows moisture out but not in. Call: 1-614-873-7030 Visit Us: ohiolaser.for high torque applications. The one-piece flanged steel hex nuts install in steel. PennEngineering 800-237-4736 www. GA 30162 Phone 706 235 8046 · www. the company reports. The lightweight. Flexible and easy to use. and value-added welding and fabrication capabilites including press brake forming and robotics.www. breathable membrane and nonmarking rubber outsole and patent-pending. stainless steel. · Rome. It also features oil.com Regional Name.suhnerabrasivesusa. the boot fea. prepunched. The white frames come in a variety of laser protective filters.Dry waterproof. When installed.com Protective eyewear Laservision has introduced the new Ice protective eyewear.04 in.com ISO 9001: 2008 Certified SUHNER Industrial Products Corp. count on Ohio Laser for all your parts and assembly needs–just-in-time.and slip-resistant tures a Keen. Upon installation. and aluminum sheets of any hardness and as thin as 0.keenfootwear. the nut becomes permanently captive and will spin freely in the sheet to accommodate mating hardware for final component attachment. Product News Downdraft tables Extreme Air downdraft tables from Micro Air® Clean Air Systems are selfcontained, powered downdraft tables that do not require external exhaust hoses, offering flexibility and portability without the need for ducting. The tables are designed for welding, grinding, soldering, sanding, painting, and pouring applications. They draw contaminants away from worker vision and breathing zones and reduce hazards to workers in surrounding areas. The downdraft table features 99.99 percent efficiency with HEPA afterfilters. It comes with a built-in tool tray, an energy-efficient EPACT motor, the Roto-Pulse™ cartridge cleaning system, and quiet operation. An optional backdraft hood is available. Micro Air Clean Air Systems 866-566-4276 www.microaironline.com Steel-base leveling mounts J.W. Winco Inc. offers series GN 343.1 tapped-type, steel-base leveling mounts, with or without a plastic or rubber base cup, in metric sizes. The RoHS-compliant leveling mounts can bear high static loads, but for high loads, they should be used in conjunction with screws of high tensile strength. The base and tapped socket are zinc-plated, blue-passivated steel. The hex nut is zinc-plated, blue-passivated steel, ISO 4032. The mounts are available without a base cap, with a white technopolymer plastic (DELRIN®) base cap, with an electrically conductive plastic base cap, with a black thermoplastic TPE rubber base cap, or with an electrically conductive rubber base cap. J.W. Winco 800-877-8351 www.jwwinco.com September 2013 The FABRICATOR 103 Classified Advertising USED MACHINERY FOR SALE PRODUCTS FOR SALE Classified Advertising Integrate your efforts to maximize your effectiveness by combining print ads with online classifieds for added visibility and reduced costs. Reach thousands of fabricating professionals with the strongest print and online publications in the market. Use classified ads in the industry’s leading magazines to build exposure for your: • Used equipment or rebuilt machinery • Financing services and business opportunities • Auctions, open positions, machine time, and more Standard Classified Rate: $120 per column inch (8 lines of copy at approximately 30 characters per line, including spacing). One inch minimum. No border, background and limited bold faced type. Display Classified Rate: $140 per column inch. May include border, background, shading, reverse type and/ or company logo. No photographs, drawings, clip-art or color will be allowed. Column Width: The FABRICATOR: 1.73" Practical Welding Today: 2.13" TPJThe Tube & Pipe Journal: 2.14" STAMPING Journal: 1.97". Box Numbers: “c/o FMA Communications Inc.” may be used in place of your company name and address. Add $15 to cover the cost of handling and postage. Frequency Discount: The same copy used in 3 or more consecutive issues in a calendar year earns a 10% discount per ad. All such ads payable in advance. Classified advertising is not subject to commission. Payment must accompany order. Major credit cards accepted. Send Copy To: Classified Advertising, FMA Communications Inc. 833 Featherstone Road Rockford, IL 61107-6302. Specialists in Fabricating Equipment www.PrestigeEquipment.com Use 36% Less Argon! go to: www.uselessargon.com JORDAN CRAIG MACHINERY Intl. AMADA PUNCHES Huge Inventory of Fabricating Machinery! VIPROS 368 King, 18P, 1999 VIPROS 367Q, 18P, 1999 APELIO III 357V, 2kW, 1998 PEGA 367, 04PC, 1993 VIPROS 3510NT, 2004 VIPROS 358 King II, 18P, 1999 VIPROS 358 King, 04PC, 1995 VIPROS 357Q, 04PC, 18P, 1996 PEGA 357, 04PC, 1996, 2000 (2) PEGA 345Q, 04PC, 2000 PEGA 345K, 04PC, 1990 APELIO III2510V, 2004 EM2510NT, 2004 VIPROS 255, 18P, 1997, 1999 FC1250H20, 50" x 100", Thin, 1999 FC1250S, 0P, 1991, 1994 (2) FC1000S, 0P, 1995 TRUMPF PUNCHES STRIPPIT PUNCHES LASERS, PRESS BRAKES, TURRET PUNCHES, TUBE BENDERS, WATER JETS, FLAME CUTTERS email : WANTED TO BUY Fabricator Wanted A leading global manufacturer and supplier of steel bridge components, with considerable experience overseas, seeks facility in the New York City Metro Area for the fabrication of its products. We are prepared to enter either into a lease for a facility that suits our needs, or into some sort of agreement with a compatible existing operation. Ideally, we need 10-20,000 ft2 with a 20' ceiling height, an entrance door through which a 65 ft. truck can enter, adjacent storage yard, ability to incorporate sand blasting and painting capability, and possible o ce space for up to 10 people. Access to water (some of our products can be huge & heavy) a plus.
[email protected] • phone : 631.249.5566 • fax : 631.249.9494 PRE-OWNED METAL FABRICATING EQUIPMENT 2002 TRUMPF TC 2020, with Load/Unload Durma 110 Ton Press Brake, New 2009 TRUMPF TC 200 Punch, 50" x 80", New 1998 (2) Haeger Insertion HP6 Presses Hydmech S-20P BandSaw, New 2008 Peddinghaus Peddimaster 44/66H Ironworker Strippit 1250XP CNC Turret Punch Steelmaster 2 Head Wet Deburring Machine, New 2004 Techni Techjet i35 Waterjet, New 2006 Bema Tube Bender, New 2002 6332 Flank Drive | Harrisburg | PA | 17112 Email:
[email protected] Phone: 717-541-1633 Visit Our Website for a Complete Listing of Equipment www.midatlanticmachinery.com TC 500R, 1999 TC 200R, 1998 TC 3000, 2011 TC 2020R, 2003 LASERS Contact:
[email protected] TANAKA LMX V30, 6kW, 2003 TRUMPF L6030, 4kW, 2000 TRUMPF L4030, 4kW, 2002 TRUMPF L2530, 3kW, 2000 TRUMPF L2530PLUS, 3.2kW, 2003 TRUMPF L3050, 5kW, 2003 TRUMPF L3030, 4kW, 2009 BYSTRONIC BYSTAR 3015, 2001 MAZAK STX510, 4kW, 2005 AMADA LC3015 F1NT, 4kW, 2008 AMADA F04020NT, 4kW, 2005 AMADA PULSAR 2415NT, 2kW, 2005 AMADA GEMINI F03015NT, 2007 MAZAK NTX510, 1.5kW, 1999 CNC PRESS BRAKES BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN ALL REGIONS Metal fabricating companies, $1-$40 million sales. Also, companies in metal stamping, powdered metal, foundries.
[email protected] Ph: 781-259-0614 SERVICES ATTN: BACKGAUGE USERS DRC Dynabend/DB-1/DB-3/D-Ann/ Unicorn/Unicorn II/Select A Flange • Buy/Sell Reconditioned Units • Parts & Technical Advice • System Repairs & Overhauls PACIFIC, 500 Ton x 20', 1974 AMADA HFE2204, 2000 AMADA HFB2204/8, 1993 ACCURPRESS 725012, 1997 TRUMPF 5170S, 2008 ACCURPRESS 515012, 2004 AMADA FBD1253NT, 2004 AMADA HDS1303NT, 2004 AMADA RG100, NC9EXII, 1997 PACIFIC J90-8, CNC 1000 TRUMPF TRUMABEND V85S, 2005 AMADA FBD8025, EXII (2) AMADA FBDIII8025NT, 2001 AMADA RG80, NC9EXII, 1989 CINCINNATI 60CBII4, 1997 AMADA RG50, EXII, 1997 AMADA RG35S, EXII, 1990 Check our website for a complete listing of equipment. Ph: 845-398-0073 Fax: 845-398-0074
[email protected] www.jordancraigmachinery.com USED EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Used Equipment For Sale Control Automation Beamline Model #: B.F.C.530 update w/2013 controls BUSINESS FOR SALE HATCH COMPANY FOR SALE Owner retiring. Best for someone in aluminum welding and forming. (33% profit with outsourcing.) Great potential for growth! Visit www.versahatch.com ATS West (714) 532-6267 Contact: 225-275-7040 or 225-335-4955 Contact Bernie Mares at 503-287-9822 For more information, contact Patricia D’Amico at 815-227-8278 or e-mail at
[email protected]. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE American Machine Tools Corp. Nationwide distributor of machinery Shearing • Metal Bending Line Boring • Lathes Mills • Ironworkers • Saws Surface Grinder • Plate Rolls • Drills HELP WANTED MACHINE TOOL SALES ENGINEER A leading distributor of sheet metal & plate fabricating equipment is currently seeking qualified candidates for the position of Sales Engineer in Central and Northern Indiana. The individuals must have a strong knowledge of the fabricating industry, management skills, PC skills and a desire to be well compensated. Be a part of an established sales team that represents the top manufacturers in precision, plate and structural fabrication machinery. Benefits package and expenses included. Phone 773-334-5000 • Fax 773-442-0314 www.AmericanMachineTools.com Qualified Candidates only should e-mail their confidential resume to:
[email protected] 104 The FABRICATOR September 2013 Advertisers’ Index Please visit our advertisers’ showrooms by entering their reader service codes at www.ffid.net RS Code* 469242 115377 www.us.abb.com Page ABB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Acrotech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 www.acrotechinc.com www.ajancnc.com RS Code* www.fabtechexpo.com 866-322-8665 Toll Free www.faccin.com Page FABTECH® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 RS Code* 199945 www.mitsubishi-world.com Page Mitsubishi Laser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40,67 197912 898815 Fab Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Faccin USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 1180012 MMT Intl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49,95,101 112282 156731 857706 100154 880614 119051 435039 186757 125962 Modern Machine Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 www.modernmachinetool.com www.motoman.com www.multicam.com 1137920 Ajan Elektronik Servis San Ve Tic . . . . . . . . . . . 71 140085 122726 A M Machinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 www.ammachinerysales.com www.amada.com 1640333 Fedtech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 www.fedtech.com 410-588-5800 Motoman Robotics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Multicam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Multicyl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 www.multicyl.com Amada America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,18,19 886625 FICEP Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 1279772 American Biltrite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 1637227 American Photonics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 592867 131641 100292 256955 111528 100420 575001 575001 548658 American Punch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 www.americanpunchco.com www.americantorchtip.com www.anver.com www.ati-ia.com 2286278 GE Capital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 www.gecapital.com/metals www.goffscurtainwall.com 647307 558379 621910 111862 564906 461901 100646 129915 Goff’s Curtain Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 Greiner Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 www.greinerindustries.com Ohio Laser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 www.ohiolaser.com Peddinghaus Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 www.peddinghaus.com www.plasmacam.com American Torch Tip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Anver Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 ATI Industrial Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Atlas Welding Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 www.atlasweld.com www.automec.com Han Kwang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 www.hankwang.com www.heckind.net Plasma Cam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Porth Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 www.porthproducts.com www.primapower.com Heck Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Hodgson Custom Rolling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . INSERT www.hodgsoncustomrolling.com www.hougen.com Prima Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Hougen Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Hypertherm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 www.hypertherm.com 1480926 ProVent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 www.proventilation.com Automec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 BandSawBlades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 www.bandsawblades.com www.bandsawparts.com www.fab-line.com 1123930 Radan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
[email protected] www.RAS-Systems.com www.rell.com II - VI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 888-558-1504 177512 147707 101042 271000 166545 138453 842265 RAS Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Richardson Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Salvagnini America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 www.salvagnini.com www.sigmanest.com BandSawParts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Baykal Makina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 112922 929559 473487 459021 112061 112084 188963 279971 108189 1508716 Imperial Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 www.isystemsweb.com www.magnetics.com 847-301-9005 Industrial Magnetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 International Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 JMT USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 www.jmtusa.com 1105556 Beckhoff Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 www.beckhoffautomation.com www.bluco.com SigmaTEK Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Striker Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 www.striker-systems.com www.suhner.com 200844 123762 855986 546800 578883 200835 104523 Bluco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Brake Mill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 www.brakemill.com JW Winco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 www.jwwinco.com Suhner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 Tigerstop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36,37 www.tigerstop.com Camfil Air Pollution Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 www.camfilapc.com www.cantesco.com Kalamazoo Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 www.kalamazooindustries.com Cantesco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Carell Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 www.carellcorp.com Kalamazoo Metal Muncher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 www.kalamazoometalmuncher.com 269-944-1552 1144983 Trilogy Machinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 www.trilogymachinery.com
[email protected] www.upmet.com K.I.W.O.T.O., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Laser Mechanisms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 www.lasermech.com 100798 155951 900017 141269 TRUMPF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59,108 United Performance Metals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Ursviken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 www.ursvikengroup.com victortechnologies.com www.voortman.net COLE-TUVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 877-989-0700 Toll Free www.comeq.com www.cy-laser.us COMEQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Lincoln Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 www.lincolnelectric.com 1142815 Cy Laser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 435282 308304 179241 465486 548629 DAVI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,27,32,33 www.davi.com/us 1104633 LISSMAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51,99 www.lissmac-corporation.com Victor Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 102149 118714 115588 136506 119298 560657 LVD Strippit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 716-542-4511 / 1-800-828-1527 www.sawing.com www.mate.com 1003168 Voortman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 145521 Wayne Trail - A Lincoln Electric Company . . 14 www.waynetrail.com De - Sta - Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 www.destaco.com Marvel Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Mate Precision Tooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Mazak Optonics Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 www.mazakoptonics.com www.wawhitney.com www.meltric.com Diamond Ground Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 www.diamondground.com www.eriez.com 1261592 WD-40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 www.wd40company.com www.wilausa.com Eriez Magnetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 Ermak USA Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 www.ermakusa.com 856173 462891 100443 Wila USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Wilson Tool International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 www.wilsontool.com Megafab-Piranha-Whitney-Bertsch . . . . . . 16,34 Meltric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn., Intl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44,52,70 .76,81,83,103 www.fmanet.org Wintriss Controls Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 www.shopfloorconnect.com September 2013 The FABRICATOR 105 at the heart of it all. If it were up to him. so I’ll have to start over. and a few welding power sources and made larger-than-life bird feathers that were anywhere from 2 to 9 ft.” The Making of 3-D Metal Pop Art Derrick revisited skills he acquired in Photoshop. It was the challenge that drew me back. Ala. he also captures the likenesses of political and historical figures and events. In 2008.” A metal stando —threaded cylinders—provides the ½-in. so I had to let them go and re-evaluate what I was doing and where I was going to go next. International subscription is $140. the middle layer. POSTMASTER: Send address change to e FABRICATOR. e truth is. In college he learned how to create a silhouette image from a photograph. If you look in the background—and it’s a lot more evident in person— there’s a big 27 sitting behind the text. e FABRICATOR® (ISSN 0888-0301) is published 12 times yearly by FMA Communications Inc. e FABRICATOR is circulated free upon request to those who qualify and who are involved in metal fabricating.pb. e 20-year veteran of the construction industry has always been drawn to the artistic side of things and even found his knack for creativity useful on the job. A vast majority of the time I can draw these things. “I learned about how he spent 27 years in prison objecting to apartheid. 833 Featherstone Road.” He researches everyone he features.” And as far as portrait subjects go.com . and I got good feedback.00 per year. subscription to all others is $75. which can be di cult at times.” Derrick got the itch to “putter around his garage” in 2001. e color enhances the illusion of the perceived light source. At that point I knew I had to do something about how I cut them out. ©Copyright 2013 by FMA Communications Inc. and put them up for sale on e-Bay. while he has his own political and social beliefs that he prefers to keep to himself. quirky. “ ere’s this tug of war that occurs between creating the art that I want to make and creating art that people want to buy. can be reached at amandac@thefabricator. Illinois. At that time he purchased a lathe. or a grinder. loads them into CAD.” After some research. and got to work. he is. 11PO Box 54.com. as was the case with his Nelson Mandela piece. familiarized himself with a few new CAD programs.The Back Page Amanda Carlson. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. Windsor ON N9A 6J5. just a guy who enjoys people and likes learning about what makes them tick. tall. Rockford. Illinois 61107-6302. and that led to the idea of creating 3-D portraits with multiple layers of steel. just as his feathers gained traction in the fine art community. 12345678 (41467014) RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: Pitney Bowes Intl Mail Svcs. Sometimes I get myself a headache trying to get these things to work out. a milling machine. 833 Featherstone Rd. He made koi fish.. and nearly every one of his portraits is met with criticism. typically starting with the darker colors in the back layers and saving the lighter colors for the front. Even though art that generates so much passion in viewers is essentially a good thing. and fascinating. contributing editor.S. Metal portraits that pop People and metal serve as three-dimensional artist’s muse Metal artist Alan Derrick doesn’t confine his 3-D metal pop art portraits to celebrities. Email: returnsIL@imex. He draws each layer. CorelDRAW. which gives him ideas on how to make the portrait unique to that individual. an automotive paint spray gun. Even though he enjoyed his construction job. “I have to be able to visualize the top layer. I had a couple of people working for me at the time. a nibbler. He hand cut each one and sold them through art galleries.. So he drew a design and cut each layer by hand using a pneumatic shear. so I made some more. for example. especially since each layer is designed to give the illusion of a light source. and cuts them separately. www. Periodical postage paid at Rockford. I’ll bet I’ve never sold two copies of one of the better pieces I’ve made. “Fabricating with metal is much more challenging than fabricating with wood. metalworking never left his blood. Station A. and additional mailing o ces.alanderrick. has had the urge to work with metal ever since he was a young man tinkering in his parents’ garage. separation between each layer. “ ey sold quickly. Derrick purchased a CNC plasma cutting table. and then the back layer all working together in color to create the illusion that I want. tweak them in the computer. sometimes it comes out in a way that I don’t like. Tug of War Derrick now receives requests faster than he can accommodate. “Galleries started going out of business and things stopped selling.00 per year. If he portrays anyone remotely polarizing or political. Once each layer is secure.. like on “Seize the Day”. M etal artist Alan Derrick of Gurley. the economy collapsed. And a file folder at least an inch thick full of requests from customers and fans of his work means he’s got plenty to do. the sky is the limit. I never would have done that if I hadn’t done my research. his motivations are questioned and criticized immediately. Printed in the U. and see onscreen how the layers interact with one another. trees. he’d capture the images of everyday people who are unique. From there he takes the portrait into the spray booth and adds color. Derrick carefully locates each stando and welds it in place with gas metal arc welding (GMAW).A. and architectural CAD. Even with all of the technology out there. and a dog and graduated to portraits 106 The FABRICATOR September 2013 of Michael Jackson and Madonna. Illinois 61107-6302. that’s really not Derrick’s end game. Rockford. Alan Derrick. he might give one of the layers a once over with a grinder to give it a textured appearance. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited.com Derrick used gas metal arc welding (GMAW) to secure the metal stando s to the top layer of Nelson Mandela to create the 3-D pop that makes his portraits so unique and intricate. President Barack Obama. mazakoptonics. 1. 3. copper. No need for additional surface cleaning when painting mild steel cut with nitrogen. aluminum. inconel.4500 for more information. 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