Those who work in manufacturing likely use engineering drawings when machining and fabricating parts or components; however, there are also other types of drawings, such as shop drawings, that are often used in manufacturing as well as in construction and when performing metalworking at home. But wh

Imagine a newly constructed marine ship in which several pieces of equipment are installed over the roof using bolts; for example, a soundboard has been installed on a steel structure using hot aluminum rivets. Now, fast forward a couple of months when the board suddenly falls onto the ground. A tho

Just because CNC machining is an automated process doesn’t mean you can just press a button and make a perfect part. There are a lot of inputs to a machining operation: the workpiece material, tool type, fixture, cutting fluids, toolpath, and speeds and feeds are all variables that affect the qualit

There are countless different types of welding processes, from electrode-based arc welding to complex laser and plasma processes. However, there are four common types of welding that most fabricators should be aware of. The four main types of welding are: Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW/MIG) Gas Tungst

Orbital Welding Training: Tools for the Emerging Welding Workforce Jason Miller, Welding Finding skilled welders is becoming difficult and will only become more difficult in the near future. According to the American Welding Society (AWS), more than half of the existing welder workforce is nearing r

Eagle Scouts Participate in Swagelok’s Immersive Engineer for a Day Program Chuck Hayes Earning the Eagle Scout rank is counted among a scout’s most treasured achievements. It is the highest advancement in scouting, and a significant milestone for youth that only 4% of scouts obtain afte

Innovation for the Next Generation of Semiconductor Manufacturing Masroor Malik The rapid progression of smart technologies has accelerated the transition of semiconductors from microelectronics to atomic-scale dimensions. As highlighted at this year’s SEMICON West Expo in California, the ind

One New Valve. Three Reasons It Could Change Semiconductor Manufacturing. Matt Ferraro, Product Manager, Semiconductor The semiconductor market is not an easy one to navigate. Semiconductor wafer fabricators are under constant pressure to maintain maximum precision in highly complex processes tha

Improving Semiconductor Fabrication Yields with Optimized Materials Masroor Malik, Semiconductor Market Manager, Swagelok, and Shelly Tang, Lead Principal Metallurgical Engineer, Swagelok Rapid innovation is a necessity in the highly competitive semiconductor landscape. Much of the modern world de

Why Vacuum Face Seal Fittings are Ideal for High Purity Semiconductor Applications Masroor Malik, Semiconductor Market Manager, Swagelok Given the semiconductor industry’s never-ending pursuit of the smaller and smaller process nodes necessary to produce more powerful chips, maintaining

How to Solve Top ALD and ALE Semiconductor Processing Challenges In the highly precise world of semiconductor fabrication, some essential fluid system component qualities are the cost of entry. In atomic layer deposition (ALD) and atomic layer etching (ALE) processes, for example, extreme cleanlines

How Engineering Assistance Can Help Keep Semiconductor Production Humming: A Q&A With Global Field Engineer Manager Greg Mlynar With the need for shorter supply chains and material sourcing, availability and shipping resolutions, and the rapid rate at which new fabs are being constructed, chip m

How to Manage Vaporization in Sampling Systems Jon Kestner It is not easy to vaporize a sample, nor is it always possible. However, if the analyzer in your analytical sampling system requires gas, but the sample is liquid, the only option is to convert the liquid to gas. This process is called vap

Avoiding Classic Liquid and Gas Sampling System Mistakes Karim Mahraz, Swagelok Product Manager, Analytical Instrumentation Sampling system design is a delicate process; any small misstep can lead to unreliable system operation. Many errors that occur today also plagued designers in the past. Now is

Using a Phase Diagram for Vapor Pressure Curves Karim Mahraz, Swagelok Product Manager, Analytical Instrumentation While phase diagrams are primarily used by chemists in laboratory environments, these tools can be astonishingly useful for mechanical engineers and plant managers tasked with sample an

How to Select the Right Sample Preconditioning Module Randy Rieken When performing sample analysis in an analytical sampling system, an operator may need to precondition the sample first, before it reaches the sample conditioning system near the analyzer. When this step is necessary for sample analy

The Three T’s to Achieve an Intricate System of Tubing Andrew Hitchcock, Associate Product Manager, Swagelok and Rob Nyhuis, Training Manager, Swagelok Eastern Australia | New Zealand  Consider this scenario: You have been asked to fabricate a new fluid system at your facility and you kno

Tube Fitting Installation: Everything You Need to Know Ziad Bedran, Product Manager, Swagelok Reliable industrial fluid systems are essential for safety, efficiency, and profitability in your plant—and their ability to operate dependably relies on many factors. Some of the most important inc

Everything You Need to Know About Industrial Hoses  How well do you know your industrial hoses? Knowing how to choose a hose that best suits the needs of your application can lead to safer, more efficient system operation. Your ability to distinguish between material types, cores, end connecti

Tube Cutting Tools and More: Five Essential Fluid System Tools Every Professional Needs Roger Bott, Technical Service Engineer and Certified Welding Inspector, Swagelok Fluid systems range from simple to complex in plants worldwide, and many factors go into their safe, profitable operation. For each