What Is Fabrication Technology?

Any process that manipulates metal by shaping, cutting, or moulding it is included here. Throughout history, advancements have been made in manufacturing technology and the metal fabrication industry. Metal fabrication is being revolutionised by new technologies, which are replacing hundreds of antiquated pieces of machinery, methods, and procedures.

While automation has helped construction steel fabricators improve their productivity, the history of construction automation is fascinating in its own right. In the past, most structural manufacturing processes involved extensive manual labour. Neither the planning nor the drilling, cutting, or welding were done by a machine. Almost every phase of the manufacturing process of structural components can be automated at present. It’s doubtful that any other sector of the economy, let alone the production of metals, could make the same claim.

The ’70s and ’80s

Beatty punches paved the way for beamline automation for structural fabricators, who later adopted three- and five-press beam punch lines. The modern punch line has its roots in the beam punch lines of the 1970s. They were able to save time and effort by punching holes in all surfaces of structural elements in a single pass. The same mechanism could be modified to include a saw for making precise length cuts.

This was followed by the “pop mark,” an early technique for punch lines to produce layout markings on a beam. The centre of gravity of a metal piece can be precisely marked with a punch for weldments, plate and angle connections.

When it came to mill tolerances, machines in the latter half of the 1970s and the early 1980s had their work cut out for them. Machines that could detect any flaw in the item being processed had to be developed. This class included webs that were off-center, twisted, or cambered.

Early in the 1980s, beam punch lines were quickly replaced by structural drilling and sawing lines, which had previously been used. Weight and thickness restrictions were loosened so that construction could continue.

In certain situations, however, the beam’s punch line was accelerated by using a lighter material. Historically, the slogan “punch for profit, drill for oil” was widely used. It’s true that drilling is more expensive than punching holes, but the benefits of drilling outweigh the extra expense. The punching mechanism wasn’t as flexible as the drill, and it couldn’t punch more than it could handle.

In the mid-1980s, automated copying machines relied on a trio of oxyfuel torches to craft the rudimentary end-connection details.

Some of the more complicated cuts that the next generation of copy machines may be able to make include copes, notches, rat holes, weld preparation, slots, web penetrations, split tees, and castellated beams.

Late in the 1980s, widespread access to 3D CAD downloads became possible. The DSTV file format was developed in Germany but is now widely used around the world. It includes crucial data such as cut-to-length, hole position, pop marks for component placement, piece number, and cope. Although this file type has been around for quite some time, modern files tend to be much larger in size.

The 1990s

As a result of the increased popularity of band sawing and other, more cost-effective alternatives, cold sawing was phased out of many factories in the 1990s. It took up less room, and only required one person to operate, when a band saw and a drill were used together. The CNC set the saw and drill in place before sending the beam to the copy machine.

The use of plate processing in the manufacturing sector established itself rapidly. The traditional burn table with multiple oxyfuel torches has been replaced by the pass-through method, where the material is moved while the machine itself remains in place. Such combination systems can be used to punch, drill, or even perform plasma cutting. For particularly thick materials, the oxyfuel torch was still in use.

Reduced waste in the conveyor systems was achieved through the use of nesting algorithms. They also dropped off the final item, eliminating the need for a human operator to retrieve it from a table or shake it from a skeleton. The concept of “stock material on, part of” revolutionised plate production, most noticeably in the realm of structural steel fabrication. The use of this method, along with the availability of downloadable CAD data, allowed structural fabricators to produce standard components. Standard connections were built using shared design principles, which cut down on plate stock. As a consequence of these factors, output rose.

In the 1990s, businesses began to see the material handling’s obvious limitations. This meant that they had to factor in the time and effort required to move steel from the foundry to the welding stations.

Different techniques were used to transport the components. The workers used a simple cart to transfer the beams between the stations. A motorised device that could place multiple beams at once was used for some stations.

An average fabricator touched a beam 15 times, at a cost of $25 each time. Therefore, the manufacturer placed a premium on efficient material handling to cut down on time and expenses.

In 1998, automated material handling technology was used for the first time to load and unload a small drill-saw tandem system. In the 1990s, rollers and transfer systems driven by hydraulics began to appear in industrial metalwork facilities across North America. So, the cost of labour for these hydraulic systems was high. Even though hydraulic machinery is being phased out, it is still widely used today.

Enter the MSI

Workpiece positioning in modern automated systems is accomplished by electric motors, inverters, and encoders-all elements of the so-called multisystem integration (MSI). The MSI tracks the whereabouts of each component across multiple machines, effectively creating a single production line. After manufacturing requirements have been established and the material has been loaded, an MSI may operate with little to no human intervention.

For instance, following the use of shot blasting equipment comes the use of drill machines, layout marking machines, saws, and finally a plasma and oxyfuel robotic structure cutting system. Roller conveyors and other forms of cross transport mechanically connect all apparatus.

The manufacturing procedure begins with the detailing office creating the project in a 3-D CAD system. Then, the software on the machine is updated with a DSTV file for each product. Next, nested files in the DSTV+ format are generated and transferred to the central command PC. Following this, the master distributes the product to each machine in the assembly line. When equipment is networked to a central hub, the most recent records of output are always available for review.

The operator simply selects a profile from a list of options on the control panel and the process begins immediately. Afterward, information is automatically revised in both the production office and on every machine. Beams on the assembly line are directed through the appropriate processes in the correct order thanks to the buffers built into the material handling system.

Using cross transporters with photocells to identify the profiles and position the components at the precise distance apart, it is possible to simultaneously shot blast a number of parts. Beam processing is followed immediately by a transfer mechanism that shifts the beams. Encoders and sensors on the roller conveyor monitor where in the process each batch currently is. When the infeed control sensor is activated, new beams are loaded onto the infeed conveyor. Each subsequent batch waits until the first one has passed the outfeed sensor before moving. Beam height is monitored to ensure dimensions are in accordance with programmed data, and the brush and blowoff unit’s height is adjusted to remove any blast media from the web area before the beam moves on to the next operation.

Cross transports between machines act as a buffer between their respective output rates. Beams are automatically relocated using a cross transport for each grouping. In order to ensure that all processes are linked together smoothly, the software keeps track of the beam placements and dimensions, and the production office can see this in real time.

Beams can be transported rapidly across the cross transporter by mechanical drag-dogs. Before crossing the infeed roller conveyor, the beam slows down as it approaches the datum line.

A servo-driven feeder truck is advancing the beam as the roller conveyor approaches it. Along with cutting down on transfer times, this has other benefits. The beam is then processed as the next beam is brought into close proximity to the infeed roller conveyor.

Removes items that are less than 47 inches in length and deposits them in a container at an angle. Trimmings from the leading and trailing edges are automatically removed and discarded. Next, the long pieces are moved to the outfeed cross transporters before being taken away.

Enter Welding Automation

The next step in the development of structural manufacturing facilities is the incorporation of robots. Unlike robotic welding and thermal cutting, automated welding is a relatively new concept for structural fabricators. This includes the programming of material transfers into and out of rotating fixtures.

Two recent innovations have made fully automated robotic welding a reality. First of all, these innovations have made automatic weld programming possible. The conventional method of automating the welding process has been for a structural fabricator to convert a welder into a programmer for robotic welding systems. The goal is to increase efficiency and decrease expenses, not to increase work loads.

To begin, the end of a welding wire is used as a touch probe to detect and account for changes in the material being worked. Now, intelligent systems can check for things like toed-in or -out flanges, off-center webs, and whether or not the material is within mill tolerances.

Intelligent welding systems may make use of the CAD model’s welding information to import data. Programmers have the option of taking a database’s recommendation to add welding data to a model, or coming up with the data themselves.

The welding system at the beamline’s end is automated, so beams can be fed into it without human intervention. Before the robot can weld the detail onto the beam, it must first be transported, deburred, scanned, and placed in the correct location. Using a wire tip touch probe, the welding robot finds the precise beam placement. The part is affixed afterwards. After the parts have been tacked into place, the robot arm will weld them together.

Let’s Have a Look at the Most Disruptive Technologies That Can Have a Huge Impact on the Metal Fabrication Industry:

Automation

Products are now created and handled entirely differently as a result of technological advancements made possible by automation. Advanced robotic and automation technologies are rapidly being used throughout industrial sectors to speed up production and increase productivity. When it comes to manufacturing, humans can’t operate around the clock and maintain quality. However, in terms of speed, accuracy, and the ease with which they do repeated jobs, robots absolutely outperform human personnel. Eventually, all fabrication facilities will be managed entirely by machines, with no need for human supervision.

3D printing

In the industrial business, 3D printing is a relatively new technology that has had a significant influence. Plastic, concrete, steel, and even masonry may be redesigned using this technology. Due to the huge demand for new items, 3D printers are becoming larger and more powerful. 3D printing has made it feasible to manufacture and assemble a whole building. Manufacturing has been disrupted by 3D printing’s potential to modify the development, maintenance, and ordering of components. It may also assist manufacturers in reducing waste and improving energy efficiency.

Lower Dependency on Steel

The majority of today’s machining methods were created for materials that are notoriously tough to work with. Several current manufacturing techniques are geared to manufacture complicated forms and voids. Ultrasonic machining may be used to produce a wide variety of materials, including silicon, ferrite, ceramics, glass, and germanium. New production methods will make it possible to use a wider range of materials.

Advanced manufacturing techniques allow manufacturers to use new materials and reduce their reliance on steel. Materials formerly considered impossible to manufacture may now be created because to additive manufacturing and material science advances.

Definition Of Fabrication Technology

As a distinct branch of engineering, it deals with the combining of several smaller parts in the creation of large structures such as machines and buildings. Forging, riveting, and welding procedures must be used to permanently attach this component, whereas bolts and screws may be used for temporary fastening.

Importance Of Fabrication Technology

Manufacturing technology is used to build a wide range of important structures such as boilers and pressure vessels; ships; offshore constructions; bridges; storage tanks; rocket components; and spheres; among others.

• Shipbuilding
• Plants that use both thermal and nuclear energy
• The building of an oil pipeline
• The manufacturing factory
• Industry of the automobile
• Industry in the aerospace field
• Construction of bridges

Ways Automation Is Enhancing Industrial Steel Fabrication

Greater Precision in Steel Products

Precision and accuracy in welding, bending, and cutting are all benefits of automated fabrication technology over hand fabrication.

This is due to the fact that robots are able to execute jobs more consistently than humans.

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.

Automated fabrication gear conducts all jobs exactly and consistently according to exact measurement criteria, therefore it improves the quality of the project as a whole.

Enhanced Efficiency

Increasing productivity is one of the most important ways automated fabrication technology improves steel production results.

Because of:

• 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.
• Fabricators may now handle several projects at once, whether they’re for the same client or different ones.

In addition to other types of automated manufacturing machines, beamline technology is one such example.

Rather of having fabrication specialists measure, cut, and drill steel beams by hand, Beamline technology automates this laborious and time-consuming procedure.

In addition to speeding up the procedure, beamlines also reduce the risk of injury to employees since the steel beam does not have to be moved as often.

To accomplish more sophisticated heavy manufacturing tasks, a single component may be required to be transported many times, typically necessitating usage of overhead cranes.

The nature of heavy manufacturing projects necessitates that the structure be transported at a huge scale, which increases the risk of failure.

More Controlled Processes and Predictable Life Cycles

With the use of automated fabrication technologies and machines, it is possible to regulate the fabrication process and generate more predictable life cycles.

Fabrication firms can deliver completed projects on time and correctly schedule fabrication personnel because of a more predictable life cycle.

Manufacturing processes that are regulated and automated include:

• high-precision machining
• Fittings and Cladding Milling Welded Cladding Milled

Automated manufacturing processes are not susceptible to human mistake, which may slow down output due to rework, since they are machine-run.

Fabrication Plant Managers are able to better plan life cycles this way, which enhances the flow of projects, schedules, and precision.

Enhanced Data and Reporting

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 date arrives.

Increased safety

Automated fabrication techniques and robotic technology have the potential to improve worker safety.

Because 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 specialised, repetitive activities such as 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 labour savings and a massive boost in production have been achieved, and technology will keep the sector moving ahead.

To be clear, this does not mean that every contemporary structural fabricator is completely automated. There has always been a broad range in the adoption of new technologies in the sector. Many people may be astonished to learn how old some of the technology mentioned here are.

Some structural fabricators are moving closer to complete automation, while others are still mostly manual. Technology exists to help with automation, but skilled workers are also becoming more common.

Conclusion

A large number of older pieces of equipment, methods, and procedures in the metal fabrication industry have been rendered obsolete thanks to the widespread adoption of construction automation. Time and energy were saved by punching holes in all surfaces of structural elements with beam punch lines in the 1970s, which were the forerunners to the modern punch line. In the 1980s, structural drilling and sawing lines were prefered over beam punch lines. The punch line of the beam could be hastened by using a less dense material; the catchphrase “punch for profit, drill for oil” was commonly used in these situations. The mid-1980s saw the widespread use of oxyfuel torches in the construction of the rudimentary end-connection details for automated copying machines.

Since their availability in the late 1980s, 3D CAD downloads have made it possible for structural fabricators to mass-produce standard components. Many manufacturing facilities abandoned band sawing in favour of more efficient methods in the 1990s. Soon after its introduction, plate processing became widely used in manufacturing, displacing the older burn table technique. Plate production was significantly altered by the introduction of the concept of “stock material on, part of,” which was especially noticeable in the field of structural steel fabrication. Companies, however, started to notice the glaring shortcomings of material handling, such as the lengthy and laborious process of transporting steel from the foundry to the welding stations.

For the first time ever, in 1998, a small drill-saw tandem system was loaded and unloaded using automated material handling technology. Electric motors, inverters, and encoders, all parts of the so-called multisystem integration, are used to position workpieces in today’s automated systems (MSI). An MSI can run with minimal to no human involvement once manufacturing requirements have been established and the material has been loaded. After the detailing office creates the project in a 3-D CAD system, a DSTV file is uploaded to the machine’s software, nested files are created and transferred to the command PC, and finally, the master distributes the product to each machine on the assembly line. To get started, the operator need only choose a desired profile from a drop-down menu and press the appropriate button on the control panel. The material handling system’s buffers ensure that beams are routed through their intended processes in the correct order.

It is possible to shot blast multiple parts at once using cross transporters equipped with photocells to recognise profiles and position components at the optimal distance apart. Beams are continuously added to the infeed conveyor while the roller conveyor’s encoders and sensors track the progress of each batch. The height of the brush and blowoff unit is adjusted to clear the web area of any traces of blast media, and the beam’s height is constantly monitored to ensure that its dimensions are in accordance with the predetermined data. Mechanical drag-dogs help beams move quickly across the cross transporter, and a servo-driven feeder truck brings the beam to the datum line. When one beam is finished being worked on, the next is brought into close proximity to the infeed roller conveyor so that it can be worked on.

Programming material transfers into and out of rotating fixtures is an integral part of automated welding, which is a novel concept for structural fabricators. There have been two developments recently that have allowed robotic welding to be done entirely automatically. A structural fabricator’s traditional approach to welding automation has been to train a welder to operate robotic welding equipment. At the outset, alterations in the material being worked are detected and accounted for by touching the end of the welding wire with a touch probe. Toed-in or -out flanges, off-center webs, and mill tolerances are just some of the things that intelligent welding systems can check for.

Beams can be automatically fed into the automated welding system at the end of the beamline. Transporting, deburring, scanning, and positioning the beam in the correct location are all required before the robot can weld the detail onto the beam. The industrial sector has been profoundly impacted by the relatively new technology of 3D printing. Because of this innovation, it is now possible to produce and assemble an entire structure, which has benefits in terms of both resource conservation and environmental friendliness. Boilers, pressure vessels, ships, offshore constructions, bridges, storage tanks, rocket components, and spherical objects are just some of the many useful structures that rely on fabrication technology.

Industrial steel fabrication is benefiting from automation because it allows for more precise welding, bending, and cutting, lessens the likelihood of mistakes, and produces higher-quality finished goods. Faster project completion times, more tightly managed processes, and more predictable life cycles are all possible thanks to automated fabrication technologies and machines. By eliminating the need for dangerous overhead cranes and speeding up the time-consuming process of measuring, cutting, and drilling steel beams, beamline technology has greatly improved workplace safety. High-precision machining and precision machining are examples of regulated and automated manufacturing processes. Fabrication Plant Managers can improve life cycle planning and data and reporting with the help of automated manufacturing processes because they eliminate the possibility of human error.

Using this information, problems with quality control can be found and fixed well before an inspection is scheduled. Although robotics and automated fabrication methods might make factories safer places to work, skilled fabricators are still required. Automated welding technologies and trained welders are helping to boost welding productivity. There is technology available to aid in the automation process, but there is also an increasing availability of workers with specialised skills.

Content Summary

• Almost every phase of the manufacturing process of structural components can be automated at present.
• The ’70s and ’80sBeatty punches paved the way for beamline automation for structural fabricators, who later adopted three- and five-press beam punch lines.
• The modern punch line has its roots in the beam punch lines of the 1970s.
• Different techniques were used to transport the components.
• Therefore, the manufacturer placed a premium on efficient material handling to cut down on time and expenses.
• The MSI tracks the whereabouts of each component across multiple machines, effectively creating a single production line.
• Using cross transporters with photocells to identify the profiles and position the components at the precise distance apart, it is possible to simultaneously shot blast a number of parts.
• Beams are automatically relocated using a cross transport for each grouping.
• Beams can be transported rapidly across the cross transporter by mechanical drag-dogs.
• The next step in the development of structural manufacturing facilities is the incorporation of robots.
• Unlike robotic welding and thermal cutting, automated welding is a relatively new concept for structural fabricators.
• Two recent innovations have made fully automated robotic welding a reality.
• First of all, these innovations have made automatic weld programming possible.
• The conventional method of automating the welding process has been for a structural fabricator to convert a welder into a programmer for robotic welding systems.
• Advanced robotic and automation technologies are rapidly being used throughout industrial sectors to speed up production and increase productivity.
• Manufacturing has been disrupted by 3D printing’s potential to modify the development, maintenance, and ordering of components.
• Fabricators have more time to work on other projects, resulting in faster project completion timeframes.
• In addition to other types of automated manufacturing machines, beamline technology is one such example.
• With the use of automated fabrication technologies and machines, it is possible to regulate the fabrication process and generate more predictable life cycles.
• Manufacturing processes that are regulated and automated include:high-precision machining
• Automated fabrication techniques and robotic technology have the potential to improve worker safety.
• Welding efficiency in the industrial fabrication sector is being improved by the use of automated welding technologies and skilled welders.

FAQs About Metal

What Are Different Fabrication Technologies?

Cutting, punching, forming, shearing, stamping, welding are common fabrication techniques used to shape, cut, or mold raw metal material into a final product. Fabrication is distinct from other manufacturing processes.

What Does Fabrication Mean in Technology?

Fabrication involves the manufacture of individual components that make up larger assemblies or end products. This activity encompasses the working of metals and the incorporation of electrical and electronic devices into processors, circuit boards, and subassemblies for the components of navigation.

What Are the 3 Main Fabrication Techniques?

And while different metal fabrication companies use different techniques, most rely on three basic processes: cutting, bending and assembling.

Where Is Fabrication Process Used?

Fabrication is the process of constructing products by combining typically standardised parts using one or more individual processes. For example, steel fabrication is the production of metal structures using a range of processes such as cutting, bending and assembling.

What Type of Work Is Fabrication?

Metal fabrication is a broad term referring to any process that cuts, shapes, or molds metal material into a final product. Instead of an end product being assembled from ready-made components, fabrication creates an end product from raw or semi-finished materials.