subject: New Methods Of Sheet Metal Fabrication Speed Throughput [print this page] In hard economic times the competition gets fiercer for the same manufacturing contracts and most companies are looking for a way to gain a competitive edge. This can be either by cutting costs or improving the quality of output or even by providing speedier services and quick turn around times on orders. For metal working companies there are a number of new innovations and industrial processes that have been made in the last few years. Companies looking for advantages need to adopt these processes or risk being put out of business by their competitors who do.
Sheet metal fabricators now use technologies that make their employees safer by reducing the amount of human interaction with the heavy equipment that is needed to shape metals. They have also replaced a lot of older machinery with modern machines and techniques that are safer and quicker. Heavy metal presses to shape blanks have been replaced by modern hydro-forming processes that use water to bend metal while keeping its strength intact. Grinders, circular saws and other dangerous cutting equipment have been replaced with laser cutting machines that are contact-less so there are no expensive cutting edges to constantly maintain and replace. This cuts costs and reduces equally expensive downtime for performing maintenance. Workers are safer because they are not handling these objects any longer.
These new sheet metal fabrication processes are not only safer but much quicker as well and can speed up delivery times. The cost reductions from quicker turn around times and less maintenance are augmented by the performance benefits. The new manufacturing processes put out much better finished products that require less finishing and are stronger than their counterparts that were manufactured using older technologies.
Sheet metal fabricators using these new technologies are also able to better execute clients designs as most of these technologies are completely computerised so that the guesswork is taken out of turning three dimensional models into real objects. In most cases the source files for the software models can be fed into the steel fabrication machines that then execute perfect real life versions of the virtual objects. This reduces the need for costly redesigns and repeats of prototype manufacturing that are expensive in terms of time and money.
By combining these new high-tech solutions with traditional metal working expertise of human beings, sheet metal fabricators can achieve an edge in their business over competitors.
