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What Is Custom Metal Fabrication?

Custom metal fabrication refers to the process of creating metal structures, components, or products that are tailored to specific requirements or designs. It involves the manipulation and shaping of various types of metal, such as steel, aluminum, stainless steel, or copper, to create a finished product based on the client’s specifications.

Custom metal fabrication typically involves several steps, which may vary depending on the complexity of the project. These steps can include:

  1. Design and Engineering: The process begins with understanding the client’s requirements and creating a design that meets their needs. This may involve CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software to create precise drawings and models.
  2. Material Selection: The appropriate type and grade of metal are chosen based on factors like strength, durability, corrosion resistance, and aesthetic appeal. The material is selected to match the specific application and requirements of the project.
  3. Metal Cutting: Once the design is finalized, the metal sheets or bars are cut into the required sizes and shapes. This can be done using various techniques such as sawing, shearing, or laser cutting.
  4. Metal Forming: The cut metal pieces are then shaped and formed according to the design specifications. This can involve processes like bending, rolling, stamping, or welding to create the desired shapes and structures.
  5. Joining and Welding: Different metal components may need to be joined together using welding techniques such as MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding, TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding, or spot welding. This ensures the structural integrity and strength of the fabricated metal product.
  6. Surface Finishing: The fabricated metal product may undergo surface finishing processes like grinding, sanding, polishing, or painting to enhance its appearance and protect it from corrosion.
  7. Quality Control: Throughout the fabrication process, quality control measures are implemented to ensure that the final product meets the required standards and specifications. This may include inspections, testing, and verification of dimensions and tolerances.

Custom metal fabrication can be utilized in various industries, including construction, automotive, aerospace, furniture, architecture, and many others. The process allows for the creation of unique and specialized metal products that cater to specific customer needs and design requirements.

Custom metal fabrication is a complicated process. When you have a project that requires it, look for a fabricator that has as many capabilities as possible under one roof. This approach will keep costs, time and hassle down to a minimum.

Ulrich Fabrication has you covered. Under their roof, their capabilities exceeds your requirements. View the details of our in-house facility at the Equipment page of our website. Contact us or get an instant quote today.

3 Common Mistakes to Avoid when Designing for Manufacturing

When it comes to designing products for manufacturing, it requires a mentality that is to be careful for designing parts with requirements in mind. Consideration actions early is a great practice. Its less likely that you will have to return to designing for major changes later on. This will save you on time and money.

Here are some common mistakes when designing for manufacturing that are easily avoidable. Saving time and money will greatly help in the end over the lifecycle of a product.

Machine Capabilities

Knowing your machines will help out greatly in the long run. A great practice when working with a customer is to offer a tour of the business. This will show the customer what kind of equipment they will be working with. Another great practice is to have an equipment list provided on your website. This will give them a jump start for the knowledge of your equipment, even if they are not available for a tour of your shop. This shows how the company likes to work, their specialties, and the materials they (you) can process.

Having a cheat sheet for what your machines capabilities are like:

  • Bend Tolerance
  • Sheet Metal Max Thicknesses
  • Sheet Metal Max Sizes
  • etc.

These examples and more are always beneficial to the customer so they know how big or small of a project they can work with you on.

Lack of Detail in Part Specifications

The more the information is always better than less the information. If you receive a part that shows a drawing with no dimensions, you probably won’t be able to do the job. Unless its something like a job for painting the part. Then the information that’s in the drawing just might be enough.

Another example if a customer requests to have a part made of “aluminum”. Just saying “aluminum” is not enough, as it doesn’t offer enough information. There are different types of aluminum like 3003, 1001, and 6061. Be sure to have as much information you can get from the customer when working on a job for them. It will benefit you in the long run.

Material and Sizes

This follows under what was mentioned earlier. There are so many different types of metals out there. Be sure to communicate with the customer to getting the precise type of material needed for the job. This will help greatly, so you know what to work with for the equipment you are supplying. Same goes for size. Let’s say the customer gives you a part and, in their request, they would like to have a sheet metal thickness of 2 inches. They did not relay this information to you, but your equipment will handle a max of 1 inch. This would result in a job that you would not be able to work on. Communicate with the customer and be sure you have the information you need to perform the job.

These types of tips will barely scratch the surface but are a great awareness approach to making sure you have a job that is successful and a relationship with the customer. And remember, like any good working relationship, communication is key.

Have any questions? Contact Us

Laser Cutting and How Does It Work?

A focused, high powered laser beam cuts into the material of plates, sheets, or slabs is the process of laser cutting.  It generally uses non-contact optics to control the shape of the laser output. Its mostly used in industrial applications where the quality of the cut is important. Different types of materials may be used in the fabrication process, including plastics, glass, gemstones, paper, mostly in a combination with metals.

There are different types of cutting with a laser. Oxidation, Fusion, and scribing are different processes that have their own benefits and drawbacks as well depending on the circumstances of what the job involves with the laser.

How Does Laser Cutting Work?

Laser cutting is the process in which a high-powered laser beam is used to cut or even engrave into different types of products. The laser is beamed through high-fidelity optics. Depending on the material types of the projects, cutting systems vary.

A laser beam is created when pulses of electromagnetic radiation are organized laterally inside a closed container bouncing off mirrors. The energy of a medium produces these pulses through electrical lamps or discharges. The light is amplified as it passes back and forth between two mirrors until the threshold of energy needs to exit the laser in a single, well-focused pulse from one end of the tube. Resulting in a guided path where the lens requires it.

3 Popular Types of Laser Cutting

There are a variety of laser generator types.

  • Fiber Lasers
  • CO2 Laser
  • Neodymium Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet Laser

CO2 Laser

CO2 lasers have become popular and for reason. They are affordable and allow one to cut non-metallic materials, thin sheets of aluminum or non-ferrous metals. In order to get the laser inside of a tube, it passes electricity through a mixture of Carbon Dioxide, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Helium gas.

The mirrors are placed at both ends of the tube that allow one to see all the sides of whatever is being cut by letting any light escape behind it while concentrating the beam in a specific direction. The generated lights wavelength is not visible to us, so don’t worry too much about your safety.

A laser beam is then passed through a handful of mirrors similar to the sun going through a magnify glass to burn a piece of paper. The laser will then pass through the material. The system regulates the laser by focusing it on the material before generating out the heat intensity and length according to what is needed.

Back then before the material would be cut, the G-code, which is a set of digital instructions given by computers. Would have to be programmed by engineers. Today, the software can now convert 3D models into the G-code for us.

How to Make the Most of Laser Cutting

Determining the size of the machine is up to what kind of jobs you will be working on. They all have their different sizes with different price points. This is all on your preference.

Focal Spot

A specialized mirror or a lens is used to help the beam focus to a small spot of high intensity. The location or spot where the beam’s diameter is smallest is called the focal spot. Getting your laser cutter’s focal spot just right depends on sever factors, thickness, beam shape, material properties, mode, etc.

Power

If you are going to be cutting a lot, then you will want to look for a machine with a more powerful laser. But on the other hand, if your jobs do not require much cutting, then you can get away with using a machine with a less powerful laser. The higher the intensity levels will always burn faster and cost more per cut. Flexibility is key because it will determine on how much work there will be to do.

Beam Intensity

The distribution of a laser beam determines the size of the focal point it creates. Not to mention the extension and the quality of the cut across the material. A beam typically is regarded as most effective when its output is Gaussian.

Wavelength

The laser beams wavelength determines how the material absorbs the light, so if the wavelength is correct, there will be sufficient heating to melt or cut through an object.

The Benefits of Laser Cutting

Laser cutting machines are great to have for those types of jobs. Especially when it comes to certain aspects. They come with a customized machine that cuts the material efficiently. Allowing the manufacturer to spend less time in production and focus more on developing other aspects of their business for growing in the future.

Have any questions? Want to learn more? Contact our Team.