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Tube and Pipe Fabrication Tech Cell >
Tube and Pipe Fabrication Article List
Tube and pipe fabrication related articles
There are 138 articles related to tube and pipe fabrication.
Bending serpentine profiles—successive 180-degree bends, which typically are used in refrigeration systems—can be a challenge. By their nature, they tend to cause interference among the various bend dies, and they can be difficult to handle. Good planning in selecting a bender, planning the process,...
By: George Winton - www.thefabricator.com, 11/25/08
 This article has been viewed: 47 times.  Printed: 4 times
The best material for a tube bending tool is the most cost-effective in terms of the ratio of tool life to tool cost. A cost-effective tool tends to wear out rather than break at the end of its service life. This article addresses choosing the optimal material for a rotary die tube bending machine’s...
By: William Q. Tingley III - www.thefabricator.com, 9/30/08
This article has been viewed: 401 times. Printed: 44 times
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By: Eric Lundin, Editor, The Tube & Pipe Journal® - The FABRICATOR®, 9/16/08
This article has been viewed: 511 times. Printed: 46 times
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By: Eric Lundin, Editor - www.thefabricator.com, 8/26/08
This article has been viewed: 840 times. Printed: 32 times
Pointing, sometimes called tagging or swaging, is a process that reduces a tube’s end to permit it to pass through a draw die for a drawing operation. After the tube end goes through the draw die, gripper jaws converge on the point to begin the draw operation. Push pointing is accomplished by grippi...
By: George A. Mitchell and Paul Russo - The FABRICATOR®, 8/12/08
This article has been viewed: 766 times. Printed: 47 times
A pipe fabricator finds a new way to fabricate and assemble a bobsled run for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
By: Tim Heston, Senior Editor - www.thefabricator.com, 7/29/08
This article has been viewed: 736 times. Printed: 56 times
Dynamic Structures has fabricated huge structures across North America. But this project--two ski jumps for the Vancouver 2010 games--was different.
By: Tim Heston, Senior Editor - The FABRICATOR®, 7/29/08
This article has been viewed: 568 times. Printed: 56 times
Conventional tube bending data, regardless of format, is entered manually and therefore susceptible to errors. A modern approach involves using a CAD system to generate a STEP file, which the CAD program exports directly to the bending machine. This method is fast and eliminates errors. The drawback...
By: George Winton - The FABRICATOR®, 7/15/08
This article has been viewed: 484 times. Printed: 35 times
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By: Thomas Clark - www.thefabricator.com, 7/15/08
This article has been viewed: 639 times. Printed: 56 times
Fabricators have two broad choices in the bend tooling they select: standard or custom. Using standardized tooling provides cost-effective versatility. A well developed tooling inventory can accommodate nearly any bending job. On the other hand, custom tooling is designed for speed and efficiency. C...
By: Seth Cook - The FABRICATOR®, 5/13/08
This article has been viewed: 1,349 times. Printed: 61 times
In celebration of its 50th anniversary in April 2005, McDonald’s® opened a 24,000-sq.-ft. restaurant in Chicago. The restaurant’s most eye-catching feature is a pair of parabolic arches that stand 60 ft. high. Constructed from 20-in. by 12-in. tubes, the arches were curved by Chicago Metal Rolled Pr...
By: Michael Bishop, Assistant Editor - The FABRICATOR®, 4/15/08
This article has been viewed: 927 times. Printed: 40 times
Embracing technology has given Microflex a firm foothold in the turbulent automotive marketplace.The Tier 2 supplier has garnered a reputation for advanced sheet metal forming, developing parts for exhaust, steering, and fuel system components. It has ISO 9001 and other quality certifications and ha...
By: Tim Heston, Senior Editor - The FABRICATOR®, 4/15/08
This article has been viewed: 1,444 times. Printed: 105 times
MG Products Inc., Elkhart, Ind., successfully made the transition from a machine shop to a full-scale tube fabricator thanks to the investment in a laser tube cutter.
By: Dan Davis, Editor-in-Chief - The FABRICATOR®, 3/11/08
This article has been viewed: 830 times. Printed: 89 times
Setting up the tooling for a tube or pipe bending machine isn’t as simple as it seems. Many variables are involved, making this a difficult task. A further complication is the tendency for many operators to adjust various pressure settings to compensate for poor tooling setup. The bend might turn ou...
By: William Q. Tingley III - www.thefabricator.com, 3/11/08
This article has been viewed: 1,907 times. Printed: 85 times
With the gap between new projects and available welders only expected to widen, welding companies have to make up the difference by utilizing machines that can compensate for the labor shortage and maximize the productivity of available welders. New developments in orbital welding technology are hel...
By: Michael Bishop, Assistant Editor - The FABRICATOR®, 2/12/08
This article has been viewed: 1,179 times. Printed: 91 times
If you bend tube for a living, you have many choices when it comes to buying a new piece of bending equipment. Understanding how bending demands have changed over the decades and how bender manufacturers have responded are two key components in selecting the optimal bender for your particular applic...
By: Sabine Neff - www.thefabricator.com, 12/11/07
This article has been viewed: 871 times. Printed: 77 times
Successful end-forming requires much more than designing the tooling and selecting a machine. Fabricators have many choices in tooling (substrate, temper, and coating) and in the end forming machine design. Investigating all the options is necessary for creating an efficient setup.
By: Herb Friedrich - The FABRICATOR®, 11/6/07
This article has been viewed: 906 times. Printed: 76 times
Designing for the laser cutting process optimizes what tube fabricators can achieve.
By: Jeff Arendas - www.thefabricator.com, 10/23/07
This article has been viewed: 990 times. Printed: 90 times
In an effort to reduce the need for cleaning bent tube, fabricator R & B Wagner analyzed its operations and decided to change from manual lubricant application to an automated system. The result was that its lubricant consumption dropped 70 percent. So little lubricant was left on the bent parts tha...
By: Steven Rainwater - www.thefabricator.com, 9/11/07
This article has been viewed: 1,412 times. Printed: 91 times
Mechanized pipe GTAW was first introduced about 50 years ago for nuclear power plants, and then for steam-generation components and process piping. Orbital FCAW was developed to overcome the limitations of orbital GTAW for large-diameter, heavy-wall pipe. With orbital FCAW, deposition rates of 8 lbs...
By: John Emmerson - The FABRICATOR®, 8/8/07
This article has been viewed: 2,298 times. Printed: 123 times
While rotary draw bending is the mainstay of the tube bending industry, variable-radius bending is making some headway. Variable-radius bending offers many advantages, primarily more sophisticated bends and faster cycle times. However, it has limitations, too. A main one is that an initial bend must...
By: Sabine Neff - The FABRICATOR®, 7/10/07
This article has been viewed: 2,895 times. Printed: 141 times
Successful end-forming requires much more than designing the tooling and selecting a machine. Fabricators have many choices in tooling (substrate, temper, and coating) and in the end forming machine design. Investigating all the options is necessary for creating an efficient setup.
By: Herb Friedrich - www.thefabricator.com, 7/10/07
This article has been viewed: 887 times. Printed: 114 times
Anodizing combines with nature to create one of the world’s best metal finishes. It is the process of electrochemically controlling, accelerating, and enhancing oxidation of an aluminum tube, creating a durable, scratch-resistant coating on the surface comparable to a sapphire. Architectural anodize...
By: Tammy Schroeder - www.thefabricator.com, 7/10/07
This article has been viewed: 2,414 times. Printed: 115 times
As customers look for ways to add to their bottom-line performance, Harco Metal Products, Tempe, Ariz., has stepped forward with services that make the tube fabricator more valuable to its customer--and harder to replace.
By: Dan Davis, Editor-in-Chief - The FABRICATOR®, 6/12/07
This article has been viewed: 2,104 times. Printed: 133 times
Stealth Manufacturing Inc., Savage, Minn., is a tube fabricator, and machine tool builder that automated its tube punching, laser cutting, and material handling to improve the efficiency of manufacturing its gas heater tubes and other tubular products.
By: Dan Davis, Editor-in-Chief - www.thefabricator.com, 6/12/07
This article has been viewed: 8,488 times. Printed: 169 times
Following four specific guidelines for operating the rotary cutoff machine can help you avoid making simple mistakes in setup and operation that can cause downtime.
By: Susan DeJesus - www.thefabricator.com, 6/12/07
This article has been viewed: 7,573 times. Printed: 164 times
All-electric tube bending machines use electric, closed-loop servomotor axes to control the motion and speed of the bend tooling, providing programmable control over the range of each axis. Otherwise, all-electric tube bending machines are basically rotary draw benders—the design of which have not c...
By: Terry Pickering - www.thefabricator.com, 5/8/07
This article has been viewed: 1,940 times. Printed: 152 times
Leading Edge Hydraulics improves tube cutting efficiencies with a high-speed cutter, plus integrated end forming for its fluid power tube manufacturing.
By: Kate Bachman, STAMPING Journal® Editor - www.thefabricator.com, 4/10/07
This article has been viewed: 1,829 times. Printed: 156 times
Senior Editor Eric Lundin traces the history of a machine shop-turned-fabricator. Founded in 1984 as Target Boring, the company changed from a machining shop to a fabrication shop when, in 1994, it purchased its first sheet and plate laser cutting system. Now named Target Laser & Machining Inc., it ...
By: Eric Lundin, Editor, TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal® - The FABRICATOR®, 4/10/07
This article has been viewed: 3,473 times. Printed: 207 times
Tube benders require safeguarding around the perimeter of the machine and area in front of the machine, where the tube is bent, and in the back where the tube is fed. Laser scanning devices offers several advantageous features. Because laser scanning is a noncontact method, it minimizes inte...
By: Steve Aamodt - The FABRICATOR®, 2/13/07
This article has been viewed: 2,055 times. Printed: 169 times
Production Cutting Services was founded in 1985 as a machine shop to supply parts to agricultural equipment manufacturers in and around East Moline, Ill. It used saws and CNC machining centers to provide tubular parts, but later realized it needed to add more value. It purchased two lasers from Maza...
The FABRICATOR®, 11/7/06
This article has been viewed: 3,099 times. Printed: 222 times
CMI Enterprise is a 107-person fabricating shop located in the scenic region of Saint Sylvain D’Anjou, France, serving the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and chemical industries. CMI began experiencing growing pains. For the process equipment and heat exchanger projects, CMI selected orbital welding equi...
By: Richard Herzfeld - www.thefabricator.com, 10/10/06
This article has been viewed: 3,295 times. Printed: 169 times
Laser technology has a new, larger role in cutting tube and pipe. It's suitable not only for niche applications, but also for broader tube cutting applications such as cutoff.
By: Peter Beck - www.thefabricator.com, 10/10/06
This article has been viewed: 2,323 times. Printed: 199 times
Hapco Aluminum Pole Products, Abingdon, Va., fabricates aluminum light posts that must be beautiful while standing up to wind, and the forces of nature.
By: Kate Bachman, STAMPING Journal® Editor - www.thefabricator.com, 10/10/06
This article has been viewed: 3,697 times. Printed: 163 times
A good design doesn't guarantee challenge-free fabrication in the bridge industry, as one fabricator found out. Despite material availability obstacles, stringent welding requirements, and massive pipe cutting needs, Stinger Welding and the design team it worked with pulled off a winning pip...
By: Stephanie Vaughan, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 9/12/06
This article has been viewed: 6,421 times. Printed: 307 times
Fabricators that need to do end forming have many choices. Even after narrowing the process down to using a ram or segmented tooling, choices abound-the tooling can form the ID, the OD, or both; and operation can be manual or CNC. Understanding the processes and their capabilities are the keys to ch...
By: Rob Dean, Aristo Machines - www.thefabricator.com, 9/12/06
This article has been viewed: 4,967 times. Printed: 201 times
This article answers 10 important questions that a tube bending company should consider before starting rotary draw bending for the first time. Topics covered include the material to be bent, the bending machine, degree of bend, CLR, etc.
By: Scott Tunis - www.thefabricator.com, 9/12/06
This article has been viewed: 4,536 times. Printed: 236 times
CMI Enterprise is a 107-person fabricating shop located in the scenic region of Saint Sylvain D’Anjou, France, serving the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and chemical industries. CMI began experiencing growing pains. For the process equipment and heat exchanger projects, CMI selected orbital welding equi...
By: Dick Herzfeld - The FABRICATOR®, 8/8/06
This article has been viewed: 2,740 times. Printed: 172 times
Medalist Laserfab Inc., Oshkosh, Wis., is building a custom motorcycle for the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl.® (FMA) Foundation’s charitable auction, which will help the Foundation encourage young people to pursue careers in manufacturing. This article explains how you can view the pr...
By: Terrence Egan, CFRE - The FABRICATOR®, 8/8/06
This article has been viewed: 2,883 times. Printed: 200 times
Today metal tube sawing technology is light-years ahead of where it was just five years ago. Sawing machine and saw blade advancements—Special-purpose CNC tube-sawing machines, Dynamic ball-screw feed systems, Automatic Blade-changing, Carbide-tipped blades, blade coatings, Thin-kerf Blades, segment...
www.thefabricator.com, 7/11/06
This article has been viewed: 5,025 times. Printed: 259 times
Interviews with several tube-bending equipment-makers reveal that tube bending is becoming more complex every day, for a number of reasons. Manufacturers try to decrease material usage and go to stronger, difficult-to-bend materials with thinner walls; many manufactured items are smaller than ever b...
By: Eric Lundin, Senior Editor, and Amanda Carlson, News Editor - The FABRICATOR®, 7/11/06
This article has been viewed: 5,309 times. Printed: 237 times
The mechanical aspects of rotary draw tube bending haven't changed since modern tooling was developed 50 years ago. Likewise, the role of the tooling (mandrel, pressure die, bend die, and wiper die) hasn't changed. However, tube fabricators these days have many choices in regard to the tooling, espe...
By: William Tingley - www.thefabricator.com, 6/13/06
This article has been viewed: 2,751 times. Printed: 295 times
After years of working in fabricating and machining, Shawn McFadden struck out on his own to start a fabrication shop, which later evolved into a custom motorcycle shop. He doesn’t use the latest CNC machines with digital readouts and other state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. He uses man...
By: Eric Lundin, Senior Editor, and Amanda Carlson, News Editor - www.thefabricator.com, 6/13/06
This article has been viewed: 5,271 times. Printed: 185 times
Rust, wear, and dirt cost tube fabricators and producers millions of dollars annually, and they can be the bane of tube processes. Analyzing the criteria for selecting the lubricant, cleaner, and rust preventative can help provide maximum protection.
By: Mike Pelham - www.thefabricator.com, 6/13/06
This article has been viewed: 2,228 times. Printed: 195 times
Fabricating and repairing pipe in the oil-rich tar sands of Alberta, Canada, is an enormous, ongoing project that requires specialized equipment to meet a variety of challenges. John Page is a consultant in Canada who has been working on several of these projects and has learned what's needed to get...
By: Stephanie Vaughan, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 5/9/06
This article has been viewed: 7,588 times. Printed: 267 times
Rust, wear, and dirt cost tube fabricators and producers millions of dollars annually, and they can be the bane of tube processes. Analyzing the criteria for selecting the lubricant, cleaner, and rust preventative can help provide maximum protection.
By: Mike Pelham - www.thefabricator.com, 4/11/06
This article has been viewed: 2,836 times. Printed: 239 times
Have you ever started with what you thought was a good tube, ended with a bad bend, and wondered where you took a wrong turn? Correcting for defects requires some detective work, and an understanding of the bending process. This article examines tube defects and offers fixes.
By: Tony Granelli - www.thefabricator.com, 4/11/06
This article has been viewed: 6,942 times. Printed: 343 times
Have you ever started with what you thought was a good tube, ended with a bad bend, and wondered where you took a wrong turn? Correcting for defects requires some detective work, and an understanding of the bending process. This article examines tube defects and offers fixes.
By: Tony Granelli - www.thefabricator.com, 3/7/06
This article has been viewed: 3,338 times. Printed: 315 times
The global economic upswing that started in 2002 was still going strong in 2005 and most indicators suggest it will continue. Manufacturing output in Germany in November 2005 was 5.8 percent higher than 12 months before, and the business climate, which is based on surveys, was nearly 100 at the en...
www.thefabricator.com, 3/7/06
This article has been viewed: 2,901 times. Printed: 227 times
Innovations and new developments in rotary tube and pipe cutting, such as high-speed cutting, minimal heat generation, special holding collets, and automatic loading, trim and sorting have reduced or eliminated time required for secondary operation, improved efficiency, and reduced costs.
By: Joe Mashione - www.thefabricator.com, 3/7/06
This article has been viewed: 5,271 times. Printed: 257 times
Although capillary action basically is the magic behind ensuring proper filler metal distribution into a joint, six basic steps also are necessary to make sure that the design and engineering of the joint helps lead to a good brazed joint.
By: Gary DeVries and Creed Darling - www.thefabricator.com, 3/7/06
This article has been viewed: 4,318 times. Printed: 331 times
BCI Burke, Fond du Lac, Wis., is the oldest playground and park and recreation equipment manufacturer in the country. As the company grew and its product offerings and colors multiplied, it found it needed to address problems with long leadtimes. Burke looked at every possibility for improvement, in...
By: Kate Bachman, STAMPING Journal® Editor - The FABRICATOR®, 2/7/06
This article has been viewed: 3,783 times. Printed: 283 times
Planning an offline band sawing system can be complicated because it can affect, and is affected by, many interrelated factors. Breaking it down to infeed, sawing, and outfeed helps to frame the planning by breaking it down to three subprocesses. Furthermore, answering 15 pertinent questions can h...
By: Doug Harris - www.thefabricator.com, 12/13/05
This article has been viewed: 3,722 times. Printed: 241 times
Today's architects develop designs and concepts that push past the boundaries of yesterday. Fabricators are faced with a sometimes daunting challenge to make unusual components to assist architects in completing unusual buildings, to the extent that they sometimes have to rely on themselves to devel...
By: Mark King - www.thefabricator.com, 12/13/05
This article has been viewed: 4,933 times. Printed: 246 times
Wiper dies are a fundamental requirement in modern tube bending applications in which tubes are bent at increasingly tight bend radii with increasingly thinner wall thicknesses. The design of the wiper die plays a key role in its performance and durability, as does its manufacturing method and the m...
By: Barry Rooney - The FABRICATOR®, 11/8/05
This article has been viewed: 5,604 times. Printed: 277 times
The welding process and ambient temperature affect the structure and mechanical properties of welded joints in large-diameter (1,420 mm) pipes of manganese low-alloy steels, which are used commonly in oil and gas pipelines. Pulsed welding can improve the homogeneity of the structure and reduce the g...
By: Yu.N. Saraev, V.P. Bezborodov, I.M. Poletika, A.V. Tyutev,
I.V. Nikonova, N.V. Kirilova, and S.P. Sevastianov - www.thefabricator.com, 10/12/05
This article has been viewed: 4,150 times. Printed: 258 times
One way to avoid dimpling and deburring while making holes in tube and pipe is use annular cutters. Because annular cutters are hollow, there is no dead-zone resistance to overcome. Knowing how to use an annular cutter and what to watch for can help avoid problems and extend tool wear.
By: Darwyn Jones - www.thefabricator.com, 9/13/05
This article has been viewed: 5,267 times. Printed: 705 times
Evidence that stainless steel has potential as a material for automotive components—for its high strength-to-weight ratio for overall weight reduction, good dent performance, corrosion resistance, and formability—was presented by ISSF members at the SAE International™ 2004 SAE World Congress, in Det...
By: Kate Bachman, STAMPING Journal® Editor - www.thefabricator.com, 9/13/05
This article has been viewed: 6,358 times. Printed: 405 times
In the 1990s, Polaris Industries Inc. realized it needed to rethink the way tube fabricating was done at its Osceola, Wis., facility. Laser tube cutting proved to be the answer.
By: Dan Davis, Editor-in-Chief - The FABRICATOR®, 8/9/05
This article has been viewed: 6,314 times. Printed: 370 times
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By: Richard Sutherlin - www.thefabricator.com, 4/11/05
This article has been viewed: 4,027 times. Printed: 454 times
Editor's Note: This article is adapted from a conference presentation made by the author at a previous TPJ Symposium.
By: Tony Granelli - www.thefabricator.com, 3/8/05
This article has been viewed: 4,530 times. Printed: 683 times
Zirconium can be welded successfully to other refractory and reactive metals such as titanium, vanadium, niobium, hafnuim, tantalum, and other zirconium alloys. Understanding the characteristics of these metals provides some guidance as to proper welding technique and the need for stress relieving.
By: Richard Sutherlin - www.thefabricator.com, 1/10/05
This article has been viewed: 3,724 times. Printed: 253 times
Tube fabricators use a variety of methods—sawing, lathe cutting, rotary cutting, supported shear cutting, dual-blade shear cutting, and laser cutting—to cut tubing from mill lengths into shorter pieces for use in final fabrication. No single method is optimal for cutting the broad range of tubular m...
By: Alec Banish, Contributing Writer - The FABRICATOR®, 11/9/04
This article has been viewed: 8,690 times. Printed: 733 times
Editor’s Note: This is the first installment of a three-part series on welding zirconium. Part I addresses metallurgy, weld preparation, and shielding techniques. Part II, which will appear in the October/November issue, will cover welding technique. Part III, which will appear in the December issue...
By: Richard Sutherlin, Contributing Writer - The FABRICATOR®, 10/12/04
This article has been viewed: 6,674 times. Printed: 754 times
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By: James P. Rutt, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 9/14/04
This article has been viewed: 3,512 times. Printed: 514 times
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By: Ronald R. Stange, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 9/14/04
This article has been viewed: 6,221 times. Printed: 601 times
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By: Bill Sandford and Bill Atkinson, Conributing Writers - www.thefabricator.com, 8/10/04
This article has been viewed: 7,757 times. Printed: 584 times
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By: Eric Lundin, Editor, TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal® - The FABRICATOR®, 7/13/04
This article has been viewed: 13,791 times. Printed: 686 times
Welding technology has changed dramatically over the last few decades. Although skilled welders always will be needed in manufacturing, mechanical welding devices can provide improvements over manual welding in terms of repeatability and throughput.
By: Helmut Hahn, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 3/11/04
This article has been viewed: 7,079 times. Printed: 546 times
Orbital welding first was developed in the late 1960s by a group of engineers from McDonnell Douglas to join aerospace tubes. These engineers were aware of the problems associated with producing repeatable welds for their critical applications.
By: Steve Purnell, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 3/11/04
This article has been viewed: 5,112 times. Printed: 492 times
Weld inspection, weld logging, and weld recordkeeping always have been a part of quality assurance (QA) procedures for certain industries, particularly aerospace, nuclear power, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical.
By: Barbara K. Henon, Ph.D., Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 2/12/04
This article has been viewed: 4,220 times. Printed: 959 times
Your company’s first robot may cause more trouble than expected. This doesn’t mean that the robot will not work, but it is a piece of
By: Michael Passmore, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 1/29/04
This article has been viewed: 2,690 times. Printed: 461 times
You can achieve nearly trouble-free bending by being aware of the causes of typical compression bending problems and by correctly operating and maintaining the compression bender.
By: Marsha Blasengame, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 1/13/04
This article has been viewed: 5,256 times. Printed: 501 times
Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash., is known for its strong science programs. “Flying Bridge,” a structure designed by artist and sculptor Ed Carpenter, physically and metaphorically spans the biology and chemistry departments in the university’s new Dean Science Bu...
www.thefabricator.com, 1/13/04
This article has been viewed: 4,955 times. Printed: 804 times
For the company that broke the world record for building the tallest freestanding structure with a 320-foot scaffolding (the Statue of Liberty restoration project in 1984, see Sidebar at bottom of page)designing and constructing the scaffolding for the Washington Monument restoration project was jus...
By: Kate Bachman, STAMPING Journal® Editor - www.thefabricator.com, 12/11/03
This article has been viewed: 7,316 times. Printed: 510 times
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By: Paul Scott, Ph.D., Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 12/11/03
This article has been viewed: 4,437 times. Printed: 478 times
The engine roars to life, and Bruce Van Sant inches the motorcycle forward, stopping about 25 feet from the starting line. Alan Geetings, crew member of the Van Sant racing team, sprays the asphalt with water. Bruce revs up the engine. The engine’s torque breaks the rear tire’s grip on the asphalt a...
By: Eric Lundin, Editor, TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal® - www.thefabricator.com, 11/20/03
This article has been viewed: 7,574 times. Printed: 748 times
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By: Keith M. Karbum, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 10/23/03
This article has been viewed: 5,134 times. Printed: 552 times
Roll forming is a common method for producing steel tubes. It is a continuous process in which a strip is guided through several sets of rolls that form the strip into the desired shape. After the final shape is achieved, tube edges are welded together to form a closed section. After the welding ope...
By: Karan Shah, Yingyot Aue-u-lan, and Taylan Altan, Contributing Writers - www.thefabricator.com, 10/9/03
This article has been viewed: 3,803 times. Printed: 565 times
To reduce weight and cost for all types of products, design engineers often specify tubes and pipes with thinner walls instead of the previously used heavier-walled tubes and pipes. Shorter tube or pipe lengths also achieve the same objectives, but usually they require sharper or more complex bends....
By: Charles C. Gaver Jr., Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 9/25/03
This article has been viewed: 5,370 times. Printed: 569 times
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By: Teresa Fisher, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 9/25/03
This article has been viewed: 4,865 times. Printed: 905 times
The hand is one of the most complex parts of your body. It enables you to execute simple or complex jobs that cannot be performed by any other part of the body. Without your hands, it would be extremely difficult to do even those routine tasks that we take for granted every day.
By: Ashok Shah, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 9/25/03
This article has been viewed: 5,534 times. Printed: 448 times
The main component in any off-road sport vehicle is the frame. Frames for mass-produced vehicles usually are stamped and welded. These are suitable for most drivers' needs, but for intense off-road driving and competitions, a sturdier frame is necessary.
By: Eric Lundin, Editor, TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal® - www.thefabricator.com, 8/28/03
This article has been viewed: 12,694 times. Printed: 730 times
Tube and pipe can be notched with a variety of tools and machines, from saws to plasma cutters. For the hobbyist, the job shop, and the manufacturer, the most common machine tools used for making weld joints are the hole saw, the abrasive-belt notcher, and the end mill notcher.
By: Chris Rusch and Ed Holmes, Contributing Writers - www.thefabricator.com, 8/14/03
This article has been viewed: 12,065 times. Printed: 569 times
Who cares about scarfing tools? There are more important things in life. When the beauty pageant contestant is asked what problem she would like to solve, she’s more likely to answer “I’d like to establish world peace” than “I wish I could find ways to help scarfing too...
By: W.B. "Bud" Graham, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 6/26/03
This article has been viewed: 3,936 times. Printed: 2,101 times
The phrase obstructed view is probably most connected with older sports stadiums. For example, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, depending on where your seat is, watching Sammy Sosa in action in right field might be replaced by a view of a rusting steel girder.
By: Dan Davis, Editor-in-Chief - www.thefabricator.com, 6/26/03
This article has been viewed: 6,883 times. Printed: 1,529 times
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By: Dave Petrack, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 6/12/03
This article has been viewed: 2,338 times. Printed: 441 times
The roar of the crowd, the shouts of the umpire, the crack of the bat hitting the ball—these are the unmistakable sounds of a baseball game. Over the last few decades, however, one of those sounds has changed; now the bat tends to make a ping that resonates when it hits the ball. It’s the sound of a...
By: Kevin Cole and Eric Lundin, Editor, TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal® - The FABRICATOR®, 5/29/03
This article has been viewed: 36,296 times. Printed: 1,044 times
Torch brazing copper tubing is one of the most common–but widely misunderstood–joining processes. It's possible to make sound joints that are just as strong as the copper tube, easier to braze, and less expensive to produce. But first you have to know basic brazing concepts, including joint design, ...
By: Walter J. Sperko, Contributing Writer - The FABRICATOR®, 5/15/03
This article has been viewed: 27,973 times. Printed: 1,309 times
Many manufacturers are familiar with using eddy current systems to inspect their sheet and tubular products. Eddy current testing (ECT) is a nondestructive electromagnetic test that offers a rapid examination to detect surface-breaking flaws or cracks. It can be applied easily to straight sections o...
By: Dan DeVries and Jim Cox, Contributing Writers - www.thefabricator.com, 5/15/03
This article has been viewed: 3,279 times. Printed: 485 times
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By: Todd Bryson, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 5/15/03
This article has been viewed: 8,869 times. Printed: 606 times
It drives right over nearly every obstacle in its path and splits nearly every eardrum in its vicinity. It's supercharged, oversized, and extraordinary. It stands more than 10 feet tall, develops more than 1,500 horsepower, and can leap over a 727 jet airliner in a single bound.
By: Eric Lundin, Editor, TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal® - www.thefabricator.com, 4/24/03
This article has been viewed: 32,458 times. Printed: 684 times
Tube fabricators all over the country are starting to see some major benefits from new coating technology. Many coatings-both those that are time-proven and new ones just hitting the market-can provide many benefits for many tube fabrication processes, including extended tooling life, better finishe...
By: Dave Petrack, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 4/24/03
This article has been viewed: 2,263 times. Printed: 470 times
Hundreds of types of machined end connectors are used to transmit fluid in fabricated tube and hose assemblies. In recent years manufacturers and end users of these connectors have been developing new methods and processes that eliminate machined connectors and the associated joining operation. Elim...
By: Eric Patty, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 4/10/03
This article has been viewed: 3,983 times. Printed: 838 times
You can successfully roll-form a profile more than one way. In fact, many roll form designers take different approaches to design and development. Also, because the roll forming process has a seeming limitless capacity to produce complex profiles with just as many variables, many roll form designs a...
By: Chuck Summerhill, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 3/27/03
This article has been viewed: 8,003 times. Printed: 556 times
The widespread use of autogenous (fusion) orbital gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) in the high-purity semiconductor and biopharmaceutical industries, combined with modern steel refining technology, has made it both desirable and practical to supply type 316L stainless steel with a restricted range of...
By: Barbara K. Henon, Ph.D., Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 3/27/03
This article has been viewed: 9,537 times. Printed: 632 times
Precision abrasive wheel cutting is a small but important niche in the abrasive cutting field. It can be used to cut many types of parts, including metal rods, tubes, extruded shapes, and even wire. It is most useful in operations characterized by small parts, hard-to-cut materials, and tight tolera...
By: Jordon Jablons, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 3/13/03
This article has been viewed: 3,005 times. Printed: 531 times
In the power piping industry, turnaround time on a boiler pipe project typically is from 20 to 36 weeks. But J.F. Ahern Co. (JFA), Fond du Lac, Wis., a company ranked as one of the Midwest's top 10 mechanical contractors according to the May 2002 Contractor magazine, isn't typical. Neither were the ...
By: Mike Roth, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 3/13/03
This article has been viewed: 11,987 times. Printed: 711 times
In the 1980s, when CNC machinery evolved, tube fabricators made the transition from manually forming each part to allowing a machine to form the parts unassisted. Now in the age of Windows®-based computers and brushless electric servo drives, these machines can seem like relics. But don't take them ...
By: Kent Horn, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 2/27/03
This article has been viewed: 5,627 times. Printed: 593 times
The level of technology used these days in the tube and pipe fabrication industry varies quite a bit in terms of age. Some of it is a bit antiquated, to put it kindly. Many tube fabrication shops use equipment that is more than 50 years old.
By: Dave Petrack, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 2/27/03
This article has been viewed: 3,182 times. Printed: 504 times
Of all the materials used for high-temperature steam piping, X20 (12 percent chromium, 1 percent molybdenum, 1/4 percent vanadium) and P91 (9 percent chromium, 1 percent molybdenum, 1/4 percent vanadium) stand out because of their very high creep rupture properties, even at elevated temperatures.
By: P.K. Saha, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 1/16/03
This article has been viewed: 14,942 times. Printed: 1,831 times
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By: Steve Purnell, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 12/12/02
This article has been viewed: 3,068 times. Printed: 657 times
Bending tube and pipe has become increasingly popular throughout the metal fabrication industry. Bending inherently saves money over other fabrication methods, such as the cutting and welding of standard fittings or the use of cast elbows. However, fabricators can reduce costs further by following s...
By: Brad Frank, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 11/21/02
This article has been viewed: 5,162 times. Printed: 905 times
Changes taking place in tube and pipe producing and fabricating may require you to review your lubrication strategies. One of these changes is the increased use of aluminum, aluminized steel, and stainless steel tubing.
By: Joseph Ivaska Jr., Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 11/7/02
This article has been viewed: 3,972 times. Printed: 568 times
State-of-the-art laser technology for cutting metal tubes includes capabilities for cutoff, beveling, and cutting an infinite variety of shapes such as holes, slots, and notches. In this article, manufacturers of laser cutting equipment discuss the state of advancements such as automated loading and...
By: Eric Lundin, Editor, TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal® - www.thefabricator.com, 11/7/02
This article has been viewed: 7,343 times. Printed: 997 times
Digging into reports that publicly held companies must produce for the government allows a glimpse of their perspective on their own situation and how they see the economy's recovery pattern.
By: Michael McConnell, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 10/10/02
This article has been viewed: 4,374 times. Printed: 782 times
Switching from an oil-based lubricant to a water-based gel lubricant helped an exhaust-system components manufacturer, Zeuna Starker, reduce costs and cycle time. After studying several types of lubricants, the company chose a water-based gel that was less prone to spilling onto the floor and did no...
By: Brad Jeffery, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 9/12/02
This article has been viewed: 3,261 times. Printed: 553 times
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By: Steve Purnell, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 9/12/02
This article has been viewed: 3,141 times. Printed: 845 times
If you need to cut production time, you might glean a few tips from a little job shop in Ohio that has made the most of its software.
By: Jack Thornton, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 8/29/02
This article has been viewed: 5,970 times. Printed: 561 times
Coatings for tube and pipe can serve as a primer for subsequent paiinting or they can provide corrosion protection…
By: Mark Diaz and William R. Skowronek, Contributing Writers - www.thefabricator.com, 8/15/02
This article has been viewed: 3,603 times. Printed: 556 times
New power plants are in high demand and several hundred can be expected to be built over the next decade. Chromium-molybdenum steel pipe (P91) is a major construction material in these plants and there are particular methods for welding it properly to insure it will hold up. Preheat and postweld hea...
By: Mike Roth, Contributing Writer - The FABRICATOR®, 7/11/02
This article has been viewed: 12,733 times. Printed: 988 times
As tube mill speeds increase, tube end cut quality suffers. Meanwhile, customer requirements for end cut quality continually increase. Tube producers are turning to dedimpling and deburring machines to enhance tube cut quality and improve worker safety.
By: Rick Costello, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 7/11/02
This article has been viewed: 5,883 times. Printed: 569 times
This article describes different ways to contain tube and pipe welding fabrication costs, focusing on the option of using particular weld prep equipment. It outlines specific applications in thin-wall tube and pipe fabrication and installation and pipe with a heavier wall thickness.
By: Darrell Whittenberg, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 6/27/02
This article has been viewed: 5,820 times. Printed: 822 times
Expandable-casing pipe is being used by some aggressive OCTG players, causing oil companies to look at deep water and land based wells in a whole new light.
By: Lincoln Brunner, Contributing Writer - The FABRICATOR®, 6/27/02
This article has been viewed: 7,312 times. Printed: 482 times
This article discusses several aspects of rotary draw tube bending…
By: Jim Regan, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 6/13/02
This article has been viewed: 6,553 times. Printed: 856 times
This article discusses titanium—how it is processed; the types and grades of pure titanium and alloys that are available; and applications for titanium tube and pipe. Discusses manufacturing and testing titanium tube and pipe to ASTM standards for specific applications.
By: R.L. Porter and C.P. Clancy, Contributing Writers - www.thefabricator.com, 5/16/02
This article has been viewed: 20,848 times. Printed: 841 times
This article discusses some of the similarities and differences between bending round tube versus square and rectangular tube. Explores the characteristics of square and rectangular sections and the bending challenges associated with these characteristics.
By: Bill Smith and Mark King, Contributing Writers - www.thefabricator.com, 5/16/02
This article has been viewed: 41,224 times. Printed: 1,682 times
This article discusses using punching and forming plates within a stamping press as an alternative to tube bending and end forming machinery.
By: Keith Chappell, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 5/16/02
This article has been viewed: 3,115 times. Printed: 590 times
End formed tubes are used increasingly in industries as diverse as automotive, furniture, appliance, sporting goods, construction equipment, and temporary buildings. With recent developments in new forming techniques to produce accurate, finished parts at high volumes without scrap, end formed parts...
By: Joe Dean, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 4/15/02
This article has been viewed: 5,531 times. Printed: 503 times
This article describes the flash-butt welding process as used to weld pipes externally and internally. The authors describe the process, how it's used, how its technology is employed, advances in the process, materials that can be welded, and equipment used.
By: Sergei Kuchuk-Yotsenko, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 4/15/02
This article has been viewed: 10,048 times. Printed: 687 times
The two most common methods of applying zinc metal to steel handrail tubing are batch hot-dip galvanizing and inline, continuous galvanizing. The batch hot-dip method provides a coating thickness approximately 3 times that of the inline method, and a coating that lasts approximately 3 times as long....
By: Philip G. Rahrig, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 4/11/02
This article has been viewed: 8,511 times. Printed: 558 times
Tube Specialties of Tempe, Ariz., wanted to get off the paper trail to streamline its production, accounting and inventory processes. This article looks at the reasons for the change, obstacles to the change and its benefits.
By: Andrew Pratico, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 3/14/02
This article has been viewed: 3,333 times. Printed: 447 times
This discussion explains the basic differences between the flash and butt welding processes and discusses their use of AC or DC secondary currents with single-phase or three-phase primary input power.
By: Larry E. Moss, Contributing Writer - The FABRICATOR®, 2/28/02
This article has been viewed: 10,578 times. Printed: 1,077 times
The pitfalls of building a beverage processing facility can be many. Poor welds involving tubing, fittings, and valves provide opportunities for bacteria to grow, creating health concerns and the potential for ruined product. Orbital welding -- which provides higher-quality, consistent welds compare...
By: Ken Grossman and Todd Barnum, Contributing Writers - www.thefabricator.com, 2/28/02
This article has been viewed: 3,087 times. Printed: 503 times
This article discusses bending with mandrels. It illustrates six major types of mandrel and the most appropriate use for each. It also describes common bending problems and the most likely solutions.
By: Teresa Fisher, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 1/31/02
This article has been viewed: 11,170 times. Printed: 782 times
Many factors are involved in choosing a particular method or technology for cutting tube or pipe.
By: Leonard Eaton, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 1/24/02
This article has been viewed: 8,504 times. Printed: 544 times
This article discusses the ins and outs of all-electric tube bending machines, discussing the challenges, performance characteristics, and typical options of all-electric benders.
By: Jeff Tapper, Contributing Writer - www.thefabricator.com, 12/13/01
This article has been viewed: 6,431 times. Printed: 536 </ |
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