3 Uses for CAD/CAM Software in Fabrication

3 Uses for CAD/CAM Software in Fabrication

3 Uses for CAD/CAM Software in Fabrication

CAD/CAM software is an essential tool for modern metal fabrication, providing industry professionals with powerful and efficient design capabilities. With CAD/CAM software, designers can draw up complex plans and programs that can be accurately implemented in the manufacturing process. Let’s explore three uses of CAD/CAM software in fabrication: product design and development, production planning and optimization, and machine control. Product Design & Development CAD/CAM software provides designers with powerful tools to create detailed models of components and assemblies. By combining 3D [...]

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Reasons You Should Invest in Laser-Cutting Technology

Reasons You Should Invest in Laser-Cutting Technology

The 21st century brought with it a range of revolutionary technologies that are having a significant impact on the manufacturing industry. One of these innovations is laser-cutting technology, which offers substantial advantages over traditional methods of cutting and machining materials. Laser cutting has become an essential tool for many businesses, allowing them to cut materials quickly and accurately into any shape or size. If you are considering expanding your shop’s suite of machinery, here are a few reasons you should [...]

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What You Should Know About CNC Machining

What You Should Know About CNC Machining

CNC machining, or Computer Numerical Control machining, is a manufacturing process that uses computer-programmed instructions to produce precision parts and components from various materials. The CNC machine takes these instructions and transforms them into motion, cutting, drilling, stamping, or bending material to shape the desired part or component. The high precision and repeatability of CNC machining make it suitable for a wide range of applications, from medical devices and aerospace components to automotive parts and tools. Here’s what you [...]

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The Benefits of Using a CNC Tube Bending Machine

The Benefits of Using a CNC Tube Bending Machine

Computer numeric control, or CNC, has driven advances in metalworking machinery. Manufacturers can now use powerful machines to fold, bend, cut, and roll sheet metal with exceptional accuracy and precision. Consider the benefits of Using a CNC tube bending machine. Production Consistency A CNC tube bending machine can produce consistent products that maintain the same shape, even with long and complex bends. The CNC tube bender can be programmed to bend the material several times in a single cycle. This helps [...]

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Laser vs. Arc Welding: What You Need To Know

Laser vs. Arc Welding: What You Need To Know

Welding is one of the most widely used joining processes in manufacturing. It has been used for decades to join metal components together, and it’s an essential skill for many trade professionals. But with so many different welding techniques available, it can be hard to choose the right one for your project. Consider laser versus arc welding. You need to know that both have specific advantages and are useful in different circumstances. What Is Arc Welding? Arc welding is a popular [...]

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Essential Tools You Need To Manufacture Sheet Metal Parts

Essential Tools You Need To Manufacture Sheet Metal Parts

Investing in high-quality machinery with innovative features helps your shop produce quality parts efficiently. From shears and folders to brakes and rollers, there are many different machines that will help you create precision products. Knowing which tools work best for your application can make a big difference in the performance of your end product. Learn more about the essential tools you need to manufacture sheet metal parts. Getting Started A small metal fabrication business may start with just one or two [...]

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Why Metal Fabrication Is an Important Industry

Why Metal Fabrication Is an Important Industry

When you travel on an airplane or repair a loose doorknob with a screw, you’re benefiting from metal fabrication. According to Statista, the 2022 gross output of the US metal fabrication industry was $353 billion. Metal fabrication is an important industry for many reasons beyond the dollar value of fabricated products. When you buy a new car, a can of soup, or a set of stainless steel utensils, think about how the metal became the vehicle, container, or tool you [...]

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Where Does the Press Brake Get Its Name?

Where Does the Press Brake Get Its Name?

Modern metal fabricators use machines called press brakes all the time. But, if you don’t work in the industry, you probably couldn’t guess all the things the machine does by name alone. So where does the press brake get its name? The term “press brake” is a combination of two words that describe the basic action of this machine. But the history of how the meaning of those words developed helps us understand why these modern machines are called press [...]

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The Most Common Press Brake Mistakes To Avoid

The Most Common Press Brake Mistakes To Avoid

Press brake machine operators must be highly trained, vigilant, and capable of making accurate calculations and observations about the press brake machine and the work it produces. Yet even the most experienced metal fabrication workers can make mistakes. The most common press brake mistakes to avoid can happen when a shop is under pressure to meet a deadline, when operators are fatigued, or when shop managers allow complacency to set in. Press brakes are complex and expensive machines that require [...]

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The Differences Between Aluminum vs. Steel Fabrication

The Differences Between Aluminum vs. Steel Fabrication

Neither steel nor aluminum exists as useable metals in nature. Aluminum—element 13 on the periodic table—is the most abundant metal on the planet, but extracting it and turning it into metal is an energy-intensive process. Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon formed by heating iron with coke and limestone, burning off oxygen and excess carbon. The two metals look similar: they’re both silver-grey and shiny. The differences between aluminum and steel fabrication illustrate how manufacturers used these metals [...]

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