Working in metal manufacturing uses a lot of machinery and metal shearing is one of them. Shearing, in fact, is often the first step in the process. Sizing your material into easy to handle and workable pieces. Metal shearing machines have been around in some form or another, for many years, and bel

When you have a variety of materials you need to cut, or want to cut, you know how valuable a machine can be that can handle them all. Waterjet cutting technology is becoming more and more popular for that reason and because material types or thicknesses do not pose a problem, it is quickly becoming

If you work in a manufacturing shop, chances are you have a vertical machining center. They are very versatile, easy to use, and compared to many other types of machining equipment, relatively low in cost. VMCs have been around for many years, but thanks to technology, they are easier and more versa

If you do any type of woodworking or metal fabrication, you likely have a bandsaw. Many people have a bandsaw in their garage or tool shed however if you are looking to purchase a bandsaw for professional use, they become a bit more detailed. There are plenty of choices when it comes to bandsaws but

What could be better than reducing your job setup time and increasing your work efficiency? Advancing technology as well as customer demands creates the needs for fabrication shops to do more, work faster and produce more accurate parts the first time and every time. Press brakes are a vital fabrica

One of the major parts of fabrication is shearing the sheet metal or other materials you are using. Shearing machines are the equipment used to get the material down to a workable size whether it’s for a later punching operation or directly to a press brake for forming. There are different types of

Mechanical and hydraulic shears are heavy-duty pieces of fabricating equipment used by many machine shops to, well, shear through sheet metal and other tough materials. As with any fabricating machinery, it is extremely important to exercise proper shear safety when using these machines. Failure to

There is a wide variety of milling machines available. Some are very flexible and are used for a lot of different machining operations, others are very specialized to work with certain materials or types of parts. The two machines we will look at are the Vertical and Horizontal CNC milling machines

If you don’t know the difference between a CNC turning center and a CNC lathe, you’re not alone. It’s a common mistake, even for people who work with them. They look very much like the same machine tool and they perform pretty much the same type of task. And although Lathes are one of the earliest t

Manufacturers the world over use all kinds of machinery and equipment to manufacture their products. From automatic assembly to cam operated screw machines, automation is the key to producing parts better and cheaper. In the machining and fabrication world the choice is manual or CNC operated machin

Press brake bending requires different methods of approach to achieve the desired results needed. From forming wind tower poles to intricate electrical cabinet components, press brakes are a vital tool for the fabricator and knowing that not all bending is the same is a key to the successful operati

From large ships to the smallest of engine parts, metal fabrication requires a wide range of skills and equipment. It has been used for centuries, but now, with technology, so much more is possible but even with these new sophisticated technologies some of the basic processes are still so viable. On

Laser cutting is nothing new. It is, however, greatly improved with technology, especially that of Fiber Lasers and Direct Diode resonators which have removed much of the maintenance and operating costs of the CO2 systems of the past. Laser cutting is also one of the most interesting methods of meta

‘Angle’ or ‘Profile’ Rolls may have several different names, but they all do the same thing. Shape lengths of metal into arched products. However, what you need in that machine for your particular application may vary and because of that, machines come in a variety of shapes and sizes. What Are Angl

Milling is one of the most widely used processes in metal processing. It offers the advantage to skilled tradesmen a better way to expertly cut, mill, drill, tap and shape steel for many different applications and needs.The advancement of technology, including CNC controllers, makes manufacturing ea

Turning centers began life as lathes. Then CNC was added and precision contouring was available as well as repeatable and automated cycles. Lathes have been used for 100’s of years as shaping tools. And while initially it required skilled craftsmen to utilize these precision machines now, although t

3D printing is a modern phenomenon that people are still wrapping their heads around. Don’t worry about the technical aspects of a 3D printing machine, all you should be focusing on are the amazing 3D printing applications out there! Here is an introduction to some of the many valuable use cases for

Cutting is one of the basic processes in the metalworking industry. A few decades ago, the cutting process involved some simple tools since the designs were relatively easy. Today however, there are new advancements in plate processing technology, designs have become  more complicated, demandin

Forklifts have become an integral piece of machinery in any modern industry. Any place that requires regular movement of bulk materials will often have this essential piece of equipment. However, finding the right forklift for your unique needs can be overwhelming, considering the many industrial fo

Plate rolling is an incredibly essential aspect of metal fabrication. It involves the rolling of flat sheet metal to create cylindrical items such as pipes, tanker trailers, buckets, and pressure vessels. Since most of the products delivered during plate rolling are sophisticated, cutting-edge and u