Published by
FMA Communications Inc.
833 Featherstone Road | Rockford, IL 61107-6302
815-399-8700 | Fax 815-484-7700
www.thefabricator.com
March 2007
Vol. 37, No. 3
thefabricator CONTENTS
Staff
President & CEO, FMA Communications Inc.:
Gerald M. Shankel
Group Publisher: Ed Youdell
Executive Editor:
Dan Davis, dand@thefabricator.com
Senior Editor: Eric Lundin, ericl@thefabricator.com
The FABRICATOR Senior Associate Editor:
Kate Bachman, kateb@thefabricator.com
Senior Associate Editor:
Kathleen McLaughlin, katm@thefabricator.com
Associate Editor:
Amanda Carlson, amandac@thefabricator.com
Contributing Editor: Amy Nickel
Copy Editor: Teresa Chartos
Contributing Writers:
Dena Mattausch, Kim Pollard
Publisher’s Assistant: Patty D’Amico
Graphic Designers: Mary Mincemoyer,
Janell Drolsum, Margaret Clark, Jennifer Paulson
Graphic Designer/Marketing Support:
Bryan Garrett
Publishing Services Manager: Karen Peterson
Publishing Coordinator: Jean Thompson
Director of Circulation: Kim Clothier
Data Verification Specialist: Rhonda Fletcher
Senior Fulfillment Specialist: Anna Peacock
Fulfillment Clerk: Donna Carter
Web Content Manager: Vicki Bell
Web Development Manager: Laurie Harshbarger
Senior Web Designer: Sherry Young
Web Developer: Jason Bartholme
Advertising Sales
Publication Sales Manager:
Jim Gorzek, jimg@thefabricator.com
815-227-8269
Senior Account Representatives:
Michigan/Northeast:
Sean Smith, seans@thefabricator.com
815-227-8265
Ohio/Southeast/International:
Mike Lacny, mikel@thefabricator.com
815-227-8264
Midwest/South:
Shirley Petty, shirleyp@thefabricator.com
815-227-8268
West:
Tony Arnone, tony@thefabricator.com
815-227-8263
Minnesota/Iowa/Canada:
Francis Nguyen, francisn@thefabricator.com
815-227-8267
Classified Advertising:
Jessica Fruit, jessicaf@thefabricator.com
815-381-1309
Japan Representative:
Norio Ishikawa
Machinist Publishing Co., Ltd.
Phone 03 5483 8251
Fax 03 5483 8033
France Representative:
Arnaud Vacherand
Pressedition SA
Phone 33 1 41 74 69 69
Fax 33 1 41 74 89 91
www.metal-industries.com
The official publication of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl.®, Inc. www.fmanet.org
COVER STORY
36Flexible automation of
laser cutting, material
handling
Automated material handling is one way to keep
the laser cutting process running, but without
the proper nesting software and knowledge of
sorting, you could be asking for problems.
Cover photo courtesy of
Salvagnini America Inc., Hamilton, Ohio.
GTAW- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
38Get the hookup
These five tips may help to
alleviate some common problems
and ensure a successful GTAW torch
connection.
PRESS BRAKES ------------------------------------------------------------------------
40Bending the new
breeds of steel
Press brake operators need new
tools and new rules as they tackle
new high-strength steels.
FINISHING- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
54Easing the grind
of cost reduction
Automotive parts supplier SPX CON-
TECH finished 2005 with more
parts processed and better grinding
disk performance than earlier in the
year after making a switch to new
abrasive disks for flash removal.
METALFORM 2007 PREVIEW-------
56Metalform’s technology
explosion
Be sure to visit the leading stamp-
ing industry technology providers at
Metalform 2007, which returns to
Rosemont, Ill., March 25-28.
57Metalform
Product Preview
Get a glimpse of what exhibitors will
be showcasing at the tradeshow
before you actually go.
Statement of Policy
As the official publication of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International, The FABRICATOR recognizes the need and importance of disseminating information about modern metal forming and fabricating techniques, machinery, tooling and management concepts for
the metal fabricator. The policy of the publisher and this journal is to be
nonpartisan, favoring no one product or company. The representations
of fact and opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author and
are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher and this journal. By including information on new products, new literature, news of the industry,
articles, etc., this impartiality is strived for and extends to the mention of
trade names. Unless product identification makes the reference unavoidable, the generic name is used. We acknowledge that on occasion there
may be oversights and errors; the editors regret such oversights and reemphasize their policy to be impartial at all times. The publisher reserves
the right to refuse advertising deemed inappropriate for publication in
The FABRICATOR, including ads for classes of products and services not
considered of significant interest to the readership. “The FABRICATOR”
is a service mark and a trademark of the Fabricators & Manufacturers
Association, International, and is used, under license, by FMA
Communications Inc. Standard Rate & Data Service lists our advertising rates in Section 88. Consult SRDS or our current rate card for full
rates and data. Publications of FMA Communications Inc. maintain a
policy of keeping editorial and advertising separate to ensure editorial
integrity that most benefits our readership. Editorial content, including
feature articles and press releases, is determined solely by the publisher.
Editorial content cannot be purchased, nor can it be used as a benefit of
advertising dollars spent. Editorial is free-of-charge, subject to space
availability, and open to all interested parties that submit items meeting
our editorial style and format as determined by the publisher.
NOTE: Some photographs printed in this publication may be taken with safety
equipment removed for photographic purposes. However, in actual operation, it
is recommended that correct safety procedures and equipment be utilized.
PRODUCTION SOFTWARE-------------------------------
44Automotive blanker
presses on
Executive Editor Dan Davis introduces
us to Kasle Metal Processing, Jeffer-
sonville, Ind., an automotive blanker
that has weathered the recent slow-
down thanks to production software
that has helped it become a more
efficient operation.
COIL PROCESSING---------------------------------------------------------
62Make no mistake
about straightening
and leveling coil
A long-time industry observer offers
up his views on 12 common mis-
conceptions that he has heard from
coil processors over the years.
departments
8 Editor’s Corner
Not all manufacturing’s fault
Manufacturers need to stop
beating themselves up because
today’s kids don’t consider manufacturing as a career choice. It’s
not their fault. It’s just a fact of
modern life.
10 Readers’ Forum
12 Calendar of Events
13 Industry News
24 Blog Bullets
Check out what The FABRICATOR
editorial staff has been writing
about on thefabricator.com blog.
25 Online@thefabricator.com
To stay nimble, a company needs
a healthy work force. Web Content
Manager Vicki Bell says it’s time
for workers to get fit and offers up
some Web resources to get everyone on the right track.
26 Product Highlights
28 Applications
32 Precision Matters
A little FEA
Columnist Gerald Davis tells the
tale of how a guy who needed a
bracket turned to finite element
analysis to fabricate one.
34 Around Washington
Tax expensing put on
the shelf for now
Fabricators looking for the Section
179 expensing incentive to be extended to 2010 have to wait until
Congress finds common ground.
64 Business Sense
Selling your business
Part II in this series looks at 11
steps to finalize the deal.
68 FMA: In the Know
LASER CUTTING-------------------------------------------------------------------------
48Air cutting revisited
This is an update to an article
that appeared in August 2006 about
laser cutting with shop air. Recent
research reveals that fabricators
now can use compressed air as an
assist gas on a wider variety of
materials, even for parts on which
the edge quality will be visible.
70 The FABRICATOR
Metal Market
70 Product News
BUYERS’ GUIDE
66Forming & Fabricating™
2007 Manual Powder Spray
System Buyers’ Guide©
PLASMA CUTTING---------------------------------------------------------------
50How to set up your plasma
cutter to improve plate
cutting quality
Following some best practices to set
up a plasma cutter can lead to more
precise cuts, longer consumable life,
and optimal performance.
COMING IN APRIL 2007:
• Designing a fabricated part for
waterjet cutting can result in saved
time in downstream processes.
• Find out how Universal Pipe and
Steel Supply Inc. is using its four-roll
bender to make pipes of all sizes.
73 SME Speaks
96 Product Literature
110 Classified Ads
113 Advertisers’ Index
114 The Back Page
Thoughts on Elvis, satellites,
and poverty
“Aloha From Hawaii,” $449.5 billion
in fabricating opportunities, and
satellite radio—Senior Editor Eric
Lundin says we shouldn’t forget
how fortunate we are.
