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Rapid Prototyping – Innovation in the Fabrication Industry

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How do companies stay relevant in the ultra-competitive fabrication and manufacturing industry. Fabrication firms are facing challenges as they need to maintain superior raw material quality, stay competitively priced, fulfil common lead schedules and keep up to date with the latest technological advancements – in short, companies need to maintain productivity and quality. An innovation which heavy steel fabrication companies are looking to provide as a service nowadays is rapid prototyping. Rapid prototyping is already in use in industries like product design, robotics, energy, consumer products etc.; however, a question may arise as to how this innovation can be applied to a labor-intensive industry like fabrication and what are the resulting impact? This blog will look to answer this question and more going forward.

What is Rapid Prototyping?

Rapid Prototyping is a rapid-fabricating or machining process that employs CAD experts in addition to high-tech Computer Numerical Control machining or structural steel fabrication equipment to create a physical part in a quicker timeframe. It can be used at any stage of the product development cycle for any components or sub-components. In an engineering product design context, a prototype is a preliminary version of the end-product used to evaluate the design, test the technology, analyze the working principle, and provide final product specifications. Prototypes are an integral part of engineering product design and, more importantly, in new product development.

Prototypes can be categorized depending on the degree of accuracy required, product development stage, and purpose. Rapid prototypes don’t necessarily need to look like final products and can vary depending on what the product designer is trying to achieve from the prototype. Rapid prototypes can be classified in terms of accuracy or “Fidelity”. The degree of prototype accuracy can vary from low-fidelity to high-fidelity in functionality, appearance, user interface, and size. For instance, low-fidelity prototypes are very simple and produced very quickly to test the broader concept. e.g., paper sketches to cardboard mock-ups. High-fidelity prototypes appear and function closer to the final product. They are used in industries where unmatched precision is required and the best use of 3D printing is of essence, e.g., in automotive, robotics, aerospace and defense industries since the production parts are cut precisely.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Some advantages of rapid prototyping are reduced design and development time, reduction in overall product development cost, incorporation of changes instantly, elimination or reduction of risk, minimization of design flaws, functionality testing being allowed at a fraction of the cost, improved and increased user involvement during design stages and an ability to evaluate human factors and ergonomics.

Conversely, some disadvantages of this process are potential lack of accuracy, added initial costs, rapid prototyping processes being expensive and uneconomical, reduced material properties like surface finish and strength, limited material range and possibility of overlooking some key features because they cannot be prototyped.

Finishing Touches

Multiple rapid prototyping technologies are being used across the fabrication industry, such as Stereolithography (SLA), Direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), Binder jetting, CNC Machining etc. Each of these techniques have their own pros and cons, and are used accordingly in different fabrication and manufacturing scenarios e.g. pipe spool fabrication, automated fabrication etc. While there are clear advantages in incorporating rapid prototyping in processes, production inefficiencies need to be tackled so that longer-running fabrication jobs are not put on hold to create prototypes as per urgent client requirements. Hence, prior experience in management and operations will be a necessity if prototyping is to be embedded properly in fabrication. It’s still early days, however prototyping looks to offer an exciting new dimension to the fabrication landscape and it’s up to firms to harness its potential in the days ahead!

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Fabrication and Manufacturing – what’s the difference?

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In the industrial sector, the phrases “manufacturing” and “fabrication” are sometimes used interchangeably to refer to a variety of methods for constructing a final product. However, manufacturing and fabrication are not same. From a layman’s perspective, “manufacturing” associates itself with a factory or a manufacturing line while “fabrication” is more associated with a workshop or workbench. The differences, though, go deeper than this and, despite the fact that both are associated with creating an end product, the two processes are often mistaken for one another. So, what exactly is the difference between fabrication and manufacturing, and how does each process influence our lives? This blog will look to answer some of these questions.

What do we understand by Manufacturing?

Manufacturing is the process of making a thing from scratch using large-scale industrial processes. It entails the use of machinery, equipment, and/or chemicals to create finished products on a large scale. These finished products may be used in the assembly of more sophisticated items like cars, storage water tanks, ships, and airplanes. Production, or manufacturing, is the transformation of raw materials into a manufactured product. The manufacturing sector utilizes mechanized and manual methods of production, as well as chemical and biological processes, on a massive scale. It’s the process that raw materials have to go through before they can be sold to consumers. Manufacturers often have a lower mix and greater volume product composition, and the process may be extremely repeatable.

What is Metal Fabrication?

Metal Fabrication is any industrial process that involves the shaping of metal into components or finished goods. It has applications in many industries such as oil and gas, construction, mining etc. Sheet metal, which may be up to 0.25 inches thick, is often used by metal fabricators. Fabricators take the sheet metal and turn it into the final product by cutting, folding or shaping operations. Fabrication often involves lesser volumes or one-off projects. Metal fabrication and structural steel fabrication may be utilized for both mass production and the production of vast quantities of individually crafted metal and steel goods.

We can look at an example of fabrication and manufacturing in order to clarify the difference between fabrication and manufacturing. Imagine that a certain company is importing automobile parts for Volkswagen cars and assemble them, creating finished Volkswagen cars. However, the process carried out by this factory is a fabrication since they don’t actually manufacture the cars from the bottom-up. In contrast, the factories that construct the automobile parts from raw materials are engaged in a manufacturing process.

Where does Welding fall?

Welding often blurs the lines between production and fabrication. Welding in manufacturing is often done according to a standard print, and each item is made separately. Weld cells receive parts that are already cleaned and inspected, and they join together components from separate assembly lines to create a final product. In various areas of fabrication, welders must be able to handle a wide range of tasks, from setting up and bending metal to welding and grinding. This is because components may arrive in the fab shop’s weld cell in an unfinished state. The welding fixture is a vital component that separates fabrication from production. Most welds in manufacturing are performed using reusable fixturing. Fixturing, on the other hand, is not often used in the vast majority of fabrication applications.

Concluding Statement

Finally, from the above, we can understand that the degree to which work requires procedure distinguishes manufacturing from fabrication. Fabrication is the process of creating components for a product by assembling either generic or customized pieces e.g., pipe spool fabrication being leveraged to develop pipe spools. However, manufacturing is an end-to-end process, beginning with the design and development of individual components and ending with their assembly into a completed good, with fabrication playing a key role along the way. If we were to add a math angle to this, we can say that fabrication is the subset with manufacturing being the superset in this regard!

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Heavy vs. Light – Types of Metal Fabrication

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Fabricating metal is an intricate process which requires understanding of different techniques and products. Metals come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, and are used for a wide range of applications; machining methods vary depending on the metal type, with heavy metals like steel, aluminum and titanium requiring more intensive procedures than lighter metals like brass. This leads to two types of metal fabrication – heavy and light, which have different manufacturing styles, applications etc. So, what is the distinction between these two fabrication techniques and how are they adding value to the manufacturing industry? This blog will look to address some of these points.

Heavy Metal Fabrication – Factsheet

Heavy Metal Fabrication - Factsheet

  • Processes: Any engineering technique performed on metal components thicker than one inch is considered heavy metal fabrication. Special methods are required to cut and shape “heavy” structural materials as compared to methods used on lighter metals. An example is gas metal arc welding (GMAW) which is efficient on a metal sheet plate.
  • Materials: Ferrous metal (which has iron as a major component) are exceedingly hard and durable and make for good heavy metal fabrication applications. Steel and, in some cases, stainless steel are mentioned while discussing the necessity of strength involved in developing heavy metal fabrication products.
  • Products: Large-scale agricultural machinery and equipment, as well as access walkways, are other good examples, along with tanks and gantries. In fact, just about any produced structural element might be considered heavy fabrication.
Light Metal Fabrication – Factsheet

Light Metal Fabrication

  • Processes: Any engineering technique performed on metal components thinner than one inch is considered light metal fabrication. Examples are turret punch used for generating sheet metal shapes and press for forming. Resistance welding and alloy processing are also applicable while working on light fabrication operations.
  • Materials: Steel, copper, aluminum, brass and bronze are considered to be “light” materials which are applicable for cutting, shaping and assembling various metal components. Very tensile materials are not suitable for light fabrication.
  • Products: Products like RV parts, brackets, toolboxes etc. are instances of end products of light fabrication. These are usually smaller architectural components, and hence are more manageable in size.
Steel in the “Heavy Metal” world

Heavy Metal

Steel fabrication is hugely popular with regard to heavy metal fabrication, e.g. steel fabrication has many applications in the mining industry. It is easy to see why, especially as we consider the following advantages it offers:

  1. Tensile strength: The material is an alloy, typically consisting of very strong materials that actively prevent dislocation on an atomic scale. Steel’s reliability as a building material is unmatched.
  2. High Resistance to Wear and Tear: Steel is a very tough material. It can withstand heat, flame, moisture, and wind, and it can be protected from rust and corrosion. Even termites and other wood-boring insects won’t damage it.
  3. Consistency and efficiency: These benefits have been realized as heavy steel manufacturing technology has advanced, allowing heavy steel fabrication companies greater consistency in steel construction. Steel is precisely made to specifications, which means it arrives at the construction site ready for installation.
  4. Environmental friendliness: Steel is widely recognized as one of the most eco-friendly building materials available. Over ninety percent of structural steel is recycled material, demonstrating the widespread nature of steel recycling. Furthermore, it may be remelted and reused indefinitely without degrading in quality.
Closing Remarks

It can thus be seen that heavy metal fabrication typically involves more complex machinery like lathes or mills, while products made from light metal stock can be molded using only hand tools. Welds and heat induction bending services are susceptible to severe strain when working with heavy metal fabrications and require regular testing to check durability. Steel, due to its malleability and widespread favor among architects and designers, is the material par excellence of contemporary building. Thus, while “heavy metal” may be the flavor for large scale manufacturing, “light metal” reigns supreme with regard to smaller and lighter products!

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Automation – Disruption in the Metal Fabrication Industry

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The manifold benefits of automation technologies on different industrial sectors have been well-documented. Robotics has helped to increase production and improve quality while working round the clock (robotics in oil and gas is an example) – thus providing an edge over work done by human personnel, especially for manual, repetitive and volume-based jobs. The same holds true for fabrication where automation is expected to increase its footprint in a big way over the next few years. So, what are the ways in which this disruptive technology enhances the metal and steel fabrication sector? This blog will look to explore this topic in more detail.

Enhanced Efficiency

Increasing productivity is one of the most important ways automated technologies improves structural steel fabrication results. This is due to the fact that fabricators have more time to work on other projects, resulting in faster project completion timeframes. In most cases, the amount of time required to accomplish work is reduced by up to two or three times. Also, automation allows fabricators to handle several projects at once, whether they’re for the same client or different ones. Beamline technology is an example, where rather than having fabrication specialists measure, cut and drill steel beams by hand, the technology automates this laborious and time-consuming procedure. In addition, beamlines also reduce the risk of injury to employees since the steel beam does not have to be moved as often.

Controlled Processes and Data Reporting

The metal fabrication industry is facing many challenges and, with the use of automated fabrication technologies and machines, it is possible to regulate the fabrication process and generate more predictable life cycles. Some heavy steel fabrication companies can deliver completed projects on time and correctly schedule fabrication personnel because of a more predictable life cycle. Some manufacturing processes that are regulated and automated include high-precision machining and fittings and cladding. Fabrication plant managers are able to better plan life cycles this way, which enhances the flow of projects, schedules, and precision.

To discover weldment errors and collect vital data for future reporting, automated fabrication equipment and software must be coupled with each other. As a result of the use of this data, metal fabrication businesses will be able to provide more accurate scheduling bids to their customers. To avoid costly rework and longer project completion times, this data may help detect quality control concerns ahead of time and reduce them before an inspection arrives.

Increased Safety

Automated manufacturing processes are not susceptible to human mistake, which may slow down output due to rework, since they are machine-run. The fabrication techniques and robotic technology have the potential to improve worker safety. Since big constructed modules don’t have to be moved by hand as often, there are less opportunities for human mistake to cause safety issues. With the aid of automated technology, the necessity for experienced fabricators is not decreasing. When it comes to specialized, repetitive activities such as heat inducted bending and cutting using robotic welding equipment, welders and fitters are still in demand. At a rate of roughly 6% each year, there is an increasing need for welding expertise in the industrial fabrication business.

Welding efficiency in the industrial fabrication sector is being improved by the use of automated welding technologies and skilled welders. After years of hand fabrication, the sector has now moved on to full-scale automation. Big labor savings and a massive boost in production have been achieved, and technology will keep the sector moving ahead.

The Final Word

While the applications of robotics and automation in fabrication are increasing, the importance of having people able to properly manage the technology and correctly interpret data is increasing. Quality is paramount when automation is involved and When fabrication projects are completed to the highest standards, the risk of having to conduct rework is reduced, which is both expensive and time-consuming. At the end of the day, streamlining is the way to go – and automation is there to lend a helping hand!

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Sheet Metal Fabrication Techniques and Products

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Metal working is considered to be a combination of science and art as it involves precision as well as imagination to meet desired objectives. Commonly used metals in this regard are aluminum, bronze, copper, steel (used in steel fabrication) etc. Sheet metal fabrication involves bending (using heat inducted bending services) or cutting metal to meet design requirements – and it is an integral part of the manufacturing industry. There are multiple procedures which require large-scale equipment and necessitates talent and expertise to be maintained at each step. This blog will discuss details of some commonly used sheet metal fabrication operations and resultant household products developed.

Types of fabrication processes

  1. Cutting: Cutting metal sheets into halves, thirds, or smaller parts is one of the most popular metal manufacturing operations. Because it hasn’t been formed into anything yet, the metal used in many applications is brand new when it’s cut. It is also possible to use pre-formed metals such as bars and measured panels, which are then sent to be cut. Lasers and plasma torches, as well as more complex, high-tech apparatus, are used to make the cuts.
  2. Folding: Folding is one of the most difficult metal manufacturing methods, in which a metal surface is manipulated to form at a certain angle. To get a more or less blunt folding effect, the metal surface must fold at a 90-degree angle in certain cases. For this reason, only facilities with specialized high-tech equipment are permitted to undertake the folding procedure.
  3. Welding: Welding is a common metal manufacturing procedure, alongside cutting. Welding is the joining of two metal pieces together. In a welding application, it doesn’t matter whether the components are formed of metal sheets, panels, bars, or forms. Welding may be done using a variety of techniques and tools. The most common way to create a weld is to apply heat to both the joining places of the two materials.
  4. Machining: Machining is the process of using a machine to remove material from a piece of metal. On a lathe, the metal is rotated against cutting tools that shave corners and edges to get the required shape or dimension. In some machining applications, however, a hole or series of holes will be produced right through the metal surface. As a result, the metal drill might be categorized as a machining tool.
Items Manufactured Using Sheet Fabrication

  1. Chairs: It is common for a desk chair’s legs and the supporting framework to be built of cast metal. Folding chairs, which have bars and panels constructed of cut and folded metals, show off the metal manufacturing processes more clearly.
  2. Hinges: Doors and cabinets’ hinges are made of sheet metal that’s been cut to size and pierced with holes for fastening. The barrel is where the folding process takes place, resulting in the hinge’s fixed axis of rotation
  3. Silverware: At metal fabricating plants, the majority of utensils for eating are made from sterling or nickel silver, which is cast or pressed into form. Kitchen implements like whips, graters and openers are also subjected to the same technique.
  4. Sinks: Cast iron and steel sinks, unlike the vitreous china ones seen in bathrooms, go through a casting and folding process before being inserted into the countertop.
Concluding Comments

Engineers that specialize in metal fabrication may build anything from a bicycle all the way up to a full-fledged airplane. Specially tailored fabrications may be performed by heavy steel fabrication companies, depending on the application’s requirements. Fabrication is leveraged for many related industries, e.g., building of pipelines using pipe fabrication for oil transportation. Thus, sheet fabrication is the heartbeat of manufacturing and this heartbeat is expected to rise steadily in industries like mining and oil and gas in the post COVID-19 world!

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Challenges Facing Metal Fabrication Industry

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At any point in time, metal and steel fabrication work is ongoing with raw metal materials being cut, burned, welded, machined, formed or assembled by companies to meet industry requirements. Whether it is hardware, structural metal, or manufacturing products like hand tools or even handrails, companies in this industry play a significant role. That’s partially why the industry is steadily growing at about three percent annually. To know more about the applications of fabrication in the mining and oil and gas industries click here and here respectively. But even with steady growth, the metal fabrication industry is not without its challenges. This blog will discuss some of the major challenges facing this industry today.

Increasing customer demands

customer demands

Customers are living in a world where things happen on demand. Increasingly, they expect an expedited experience in an industrial setting as well. Customers want their products with best quality as soon as possible, at an affordable price, with insight into where things stand and when they’ll be delivered. Heavy steel fabrication companies would need to be competitive and meet quality expectations. Customers expect shorter lead times and more accurate job costing and estimating. Customers are also increasingly looking for product-as-a-service options.

Supply chain management

Supply chain management

As operations grow in complexity, the supply chain becomes more complex, too. Like many other industries, metal fabrication is becoming increasingly outsourced which gives rise in the number of channels to bring a product to market. To save money and to meet increasing demand for a variety of products with shorter delivery times, many companies send some processes or components out to other plants or locations around the world. While this gets products (e.g. pressure vessels) to the end-stage faster and at a lower price, it also means businesses must work harder to synchronize their demand forecasts, supply capacity, and their inventory quantities.

Increased costs

Increased costs

A common challenge pertaining to metal fabrication is the rising costs of materials and capital projects, alongside inefficiency in operational standards and silo-like decision-making. With the increase in labor costs in the US, moving production offshore hasn’t always increased profits as transportation and quality assurance costs have also been on the rise. Global inflation is also presenting new difficulties to the manufacturing world. Tariffs and trade wars, as well as the intricacies of various economies, contribute to increased costs and diminished profits for the metal fabrication industry. Another major factor was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which disrupted the steel industry leading to rising raw material prices and decreased demand due to construction halts and high transportation costs of mining plant and equipment.

Demand for New and Specialized Skills

Demand for New and Specialized Skills

Manufacturing companies rely on a workforce that is declining. There tend to be misconceptions within the younger workforce that most manufacturing jobs lack competitiveness, higher wages, or clean and safe work environments. There are also many jobs available that require a specific skill set, such as that of a highly specialized civil engineer, which can lead to recruiting challenges. To attract new labor, companies need to communicate opportunities well, use intuitive, innovative, and enjoyable systems, and ensure that skillsets are a good fit for the company.

Final Remarks

In an increasingly competitive market, it is anticipated that the right Operations Technology and Information Technology set-ups would help metal fabricators stay ahead. Metal fabrication projects are also beginning to pick up in Asian countries like India, Vietnam, Thailand etc. and resolving the above challenges will be beneficial for the metal fabrication industry in the long run. At the end of the day, metal fabrication is held in high regard – however slight course corrections are required to ensure that headwinds are converted to tailwinds!

© K999 Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. 2023