Metal fabrication is the process of building, putting together, and creating objects and structures from metal. This process includes burning, cutting, machining, forming, welding, and assembling objects. If you’re interested in innovations in the metal fabrication industry, then this article will outline a few that might interest you:
Laser Cutting
Laser cutting has allowed metal fabrication companies to operate much more efficiently. Instead of laborious traditional cutting in steel fabrication, precision lasers are used to conserve time and for safety. These lasers also reduce waste.
Lasers produce objects with clean edges and smooth finishes. It doesn’t leave behind any odd tooling marks or dents. The only downside is that lasers can warp some materials.
Robots
Collaborative robots are used alongside lasers. They are perfect for tasks that are too dangerous for humans. They have been used much more since the pandemic began and have been credited with driving people out of work. Even so, they are very efficient and very useful to the metal fabrication industry.
Robots ultimately lead to an increased sense of customer satisfaction. Robots complete tasks quicker, which means that customers receive their products quicker. Robots can also work for longer than humans can. Because of how safe they are, they can also reduce insurance costs.
CNC Machines
CNC machines are a very important part of the metal fabrication industry. In the past, these machines required human intervention to operate. Now, many of them are automated. Automation being incorporated into CNC machines has made metal fabrication much more efficient, and much more productive.
Cybersecurity
Technology has been being introduced into metal fabrication for a very long time. With the use of new technology comes the need for cybersecurity. Cybersecurity ensures that networks and technology remain secure. Cyber threats include attacks, data theft, or data leaks. Without cybersecurity, client information is at risk of being exposed.
3D Printing
3D printing is no longer a tool just for hobbyists. It has many industrial applications. 3D printing has proven very useful to the metal fabrication industry. One of its benefits is that it allows for a greater degree of customization in terms of the objects that are produced. It can also streamline assembly.
3D printers can also make parts that cannot be made by any other pieces of technology and would have to be made by hand.
Metal Perforation
Metal perforation is an integral part of the metal fabrication industry. Innovations in metal perforation are changing the way that fabricators punch holes in metal. Rather than each hole being punched individually, perforation rollers allow fabricators to punch even, uniform holes.
Waste
One of our primary concerns at the moment is reducing our carbon footprint. In Brescia, Italy, the city is heated in the winter and powered in the summer by the waste heat generated at its local steel mill. This innovation is going to change the world. Converting waste heat into power is a fantastic way to conserve energy and look after the environment.
The metal fabrication industry is in a constant state of flux. We can expect to see many more innovations emerge in the industry over the next decade.
