Cover story
Story Article
Article of title
Welder Inez Escamilla, son Jace, and Diesel, at home on the shop floor.
Cover story
Story Article
Article of title
Welder Inez Escamilla, son Jace, and Diesel, at home on the shop floor.
April 2021
April 2021
trend publishing metals group  Volume 18 Number 04
April 2021
trend publishing metals group  Volume 18 Number 04
Logo
Next-gen metalworker
Welders join forces, spotlight the importance of the trades, attract high-profile work and give back to their community
Family portrait
Cover photo: Georges Schemagin
features
Fiber laser and intuitive controller
laser technology
Fiber laser and intuitive controller supports fabricator’s growth trajectory, small batch processing and need for part accuracy
Sheets of metal
plate & angle rolls
CNC control with patented software and 3-roll bending technology equip fabricators to take on the competition
Man welding
welding
Students maneuver difficult joints with easy repositioning
features
Fiber laser and intuitive controller
laser technology
Fiber laser and intuitive controller supports fabricator’s growth trajectory, small batch processing and need for part accuracy
Sheets of metal
plate & angle rolls
CNC control with patented software and 3-roll bending technology equip fabricators to take on the competition
Man welding
welding
Students maneuver difficult joints with easy repositioning
Servo technology
Metal fabricators fi nd value in PCI certifi ed powder coating
Custom auger manufacturer switches
Saw blade supplier
stamping/presses
Servo technology helps fabricator grow its business, invest in its team and attract new blood
finishing
Metal fabricators find value in PCI certified powder coating
material handling
Custom auger manufacturer switches to faster pallet wrapping
Sawing Technology
An unresponsive vendor forced one fabricator to find a new saw blade supplier
Servo technology
stamping/presses
Servo technology helps fabricator grow its business, invest in its team and attract new blood
Metal fabricators fi nd value in PCI certifi ed powder coating
finishing
Metal fabricators find value in PCI certified powder coating
Custom auger manufacturer switches
material handling
Custom auger manufacturer switches to faster pallet wrapping
Saw blade supplier
Sawing Technology
An unresponsive vendor forced one fabricator to find a new saw blade supplier
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steel sculpture
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bending abrasion-resistant steel
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large cutting installation
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Features
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customfabricator
Ullr, a steel sculpture of the Norse god of snow, stands at the base of Breckenridge’s Peak 8
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pressbrakes
Tooling technology helps company bend abrasion-resistant steel while avoiding pitfalls like cracking
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tube
Size matters when fabricator invests in its largest cutting installation yet
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CNC manufacturing
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CloudNC believes the future of CNC manufacturing is autonomous
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How AR can (actually) shape the future of manufacturing
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Portrait photo of Lynn Stanley

From the Editor

LYNN STANLEY, SENIOR EDITOR

Spotlight

M

arch kicked off Women’s History Month. The month is set aside every year by presidential proclamation. It serves to recognize and celebrate women with notable achievements. Most of us recognize names like Rosie the Riveter, Helen Keller or Katherine Johnson, who provided the calculations that helped sync Project Apollo’s Lunar Module with the lunar-orbiting Command and Service Module. Early this month, Mahalia Jackson Story premiered on cable television, showcasing the life and times of the American gospel singer. But there are millions of women whose stories remain untold. They come from all walks of life and ethnicities. Though unrecorded, their quiet contributions have left an equally indelible mark on the fabric of this country.

Guest Editorial
BY LOUIS COLUMBUS, PRINCIPAL OF DELMIAWORKS
A worker measures the “parallelism” of a shim or thrust washer and ensures the part is as flat as possible.

A worker measures the “parallelism” of a shim or thrust washer and ensures the part is as flat as possible.

Best practices
Seven ways to improve both manufacturing sustainability and quality
C

ustomers are voting with their dollars for manufacturers that make a positive impact on the environment while producing high-quality products, which proves sustainability and quality strengthen each other. In fact, Accenture found that sales increased anywhere from 4 percent to 10 percent when batch and discrete manufacturers achieved greater sustainability in their operations.

The Hot Sheet
close front view of electric car being charged
stamping
Automotive manufacturers will need to consider charging station availability.
Power on
Electric vehicles and the charging stations they will need offer stampers growth opportunities
Edmunds Inc., a car shopping and automotive research and information expert, predicts 2021 will be a pivotal year for the mainstream adoption of electric vehicles in the U.S. The EV market hit 1.9 percent of retail sales in 2020 and is expected to reach 2.5 percent this year. In a February 2021 earnings call, Ford said it will increase its investment in electric and autonomous vehicles to $29 billion. GM has pledged to spend $27 billion on EV and autonomous vehicles through 2025. Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts that 500 different EV models will be available in 2022.
Loose Cannon owners Inez Escamilla and her husband, Nic Joslyn, building a legacy for son, Jace.
Next-gen metalworker
By Lynn Stanley, Senior Editor
Match Made
in Metal
Welders join forces, spotlight the importance of the trades, attract high-profile work and give back to their community
L

ike most professions, welders have their own lingo. Take the word fizzle. It is the vernacular for arc sparks but sounds like an oxymoron when used to describe the incandescent droplets expelled by metal being fused together. Sparks of a similar sort flew when welders Inez Escamilla and Nic Joslyn met. The Austin, Texas, residents married in 2018. The bridal party donned safety eyewear while the bride and groom put on welding helmets to join two halves of a stainless steel heart.

“I had to add the wedding venue to our commercial insurance policy before we could TIG weld the heart,” says Escamilla, who also crafted her bouquet of roses from brass and copper.

Next-gen metalworker
By Lynn Stanley, Senior Editor
Loose Cannon owners Inez Escamilla and her husband, Nic Joslyn, building a legacy for son, Jace.
Photos: Georges Schemagin
Match Made
in Metal
Welders join forces, spotlight the importance of the trades, attract high-profile work and give back to their community
L

ike most professions, welders have their own lingo. Take the word fizzle. It is the vernacular for arc sparks but sounds like an oxymoron when used to describe the incandescent droplets expelled by metal being fused together. Sparks of a similar sort flew when welders Inez Escamilla and Nic Joslyn met. The Austin, Texas, residents married in 2018. The bridal party donned safety eyewear while the bride and groom put on welding helmets to join two halves of a stainless steel heart.

“I had to add the wedding venue to our commercial insurance policy before we could TIG weld the heart,” says Escamilla, who also crafted her bouquet of roses from brass and copper.

laser technology
By Lynn Stanley, Senior Editor
Stair
steps
Prefabrication makes Viewrail’s proprietary floating staircase system easy to assemble and install.
Fiber laser and intuitive controller supports fabricator’s growth trajectory, small batch processing and need for part accuracy
V

iewrail has built its business on eliminating installation steps for customers. That’s because the contemporary staircase and railing systems supplier predrills stair treads and prefabricates posts so no drilling, welding or assembly is required.

“Customers know exactly where each part goes at the job site with our turnkey solutions and detailed layout drawings,” says Viewrail Manufacturing Engineer Manager Tyler Garber.”

Len Morris started the Goshen, Indiana, business in 2001 with a few pieces of equipment, a code of integrity-based values and a vision. The company took off when Morris created and introduced Flight, his proprietary Floating Staircase system. Stair treads appear to float in midair without any structural support. Unlike traditional stairs, Flight staircases use a steel mono stringer that can be attached to a wall or hidden beneath the stair treads. Simple to assemble and install, the company can tailor the stringer, treads and railing to complement a customer’s surroundings.

“We’ve grown tremendously,” says Garber, noting that he was the 80th employee hired in 2018. “Today we have 300 personnel.” Morris has since differentiated the company’s product lines by creating two businesses. Viewrail features modern, elegant staircase solutions supported by advanced metalworking. Stair Supplies focuses on products that are handcrafted from wood.

Stair
steps
Prefabrication makes Viewrail’s proprietary floating staircase system easy to assemble and install.
Fiber laser and intuitive controller supports fabricator’s growth trajectory, small batch processing and need for part accuracy
V

iewrail has built its business on eliminating installation steps for customers. That’s because the contemporary staircase and railing systems supplier predrills stair treads and prefabricates posts so no drilling, welding or assembly is required.

“Customers know exactly where each part goes at the job site with our turnkey solutions and detailed layout drawings,” says Viewrail Manufacturing Engineer Manager Tyler Garber.”

Len Morris started the Goshen, Indiana, business in 2001 with a few pieces of equipment, a code of integrity-based values and a vision. The company took off when Morris created and introduced Flight, his proprietary Floating Staircase system. Stair treads appear to float in midair without any structural support. Unlike traditional stairs, Flight staircases use a steel mono stringer that can be attached to a wall or hidden beneath the stair treads. Simple to assemble and install, the company can tailor the stringer, treads and railing to complement a customer’s surroundings.

“We’ve grown tremendously,” says Garber, noting that he was the 80th employee hired in 2018. “Today we have 300 personnel.” Morris has since differentiated the company’s product lines by creating two businesses. Viewrail features modern, elegant staircase solutions supported by advanced metalworking. Stair Supplies focuses on products that are handcrafted from wood.

PLATE & ANGLE ROLLS
BY LYNN STANLEY, SENIOR EDITOR
Boschert Precision Machinery Sales Director Tim Hoesly and President Greg Hoesly program the Picot 3-roll bending machine with the EasyRoll CNC control.
Boschert Precision Machinery Sales Director Tim Hoesly and President Greg Hoesly program the Picot 3-roll bending machine with the EasyRoll CNC control
Boschert Precision Machinery Sales Director Tim Hoesly and President Greg Hoesly program the Picot 3-roll bending machine with the EasyRoll CNC control.
Contender
CNC control with patented software and 3-roll bending technology equip fabricators
to take on the competition
W

hen newcomer Muhammad Ali [Cassius Clay] took on world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston in 1964, he told fans he would “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” He danced, shuffled and jabbed his way to a seventh-round knockout to claim the title. The iconic phrase was Ali’s self-described fighting style in the ring, but it is also an apt description of Boschert USA’s plate roll bending machines produced by French equipment builder AMB Picot.

Welding
BY GRETCHEN SALOIS, SENIOR EDITOR
The Manipulator from BuildPRO gives welders the ability to quickly rotate and tilt their fixtured workpiece to an ideal position for welding.
The Manipulator from BuildPRO gives welders the ability to quickly rotate and tilt their fixtured workpiece to an ideal position for welding.
The Manipulator from BuildPRO gives welders the ability to quickly rotate and tilt their fixtured workpiece to an ideal position for welding.
Within reach
Students maneuver difficult joints with easy repositioning
A

seasoned welder, artist and welding educator, Sean Flottmann volunteered at the American Welding Academy to reach out to students about a possible career in welding. “I volunteered at open houses and held demonstrations at different schools and other locations,” Flottmann says. After months of volunteering, Flottmann officially joined the American Welding Academy full-time.

stamping/presses
By Lynn Stanley, Senior Editor
The DSF-C1-A series standard AIDA/Allen Bradley control helps optimize productivity and part quality.
DSF-C1-A series standard AIDA/Allen Bradley
The DSF-C1-A series standard AIDA/Allen Bradley control helps optimize productivity and part quality.
A perfect fit
Servo technology helps fabricator grow its business, invest in its team and attract new blood
“A

merican manufacturing is in our blood,” says Stephen Serling. The Quality Metal Stamping vice-president is fourth generation in a family-owned business that is grounded in a family-oriented work culture. For nearly a century, the ability to embrace change and think outside the box has helped the company reinvent itself and take its business from shoes to that of a custom metal solutions provider.

“My great-grandfather Lou Serling started Serling Last Corporation in 1932,” says Stephen Serling. “He made wooden shoe lasts for shoemakers in Long Island, New York. When my grandfather David Serling took over, he expanded the company globally. He designed and introduced the first plastic shoe last, which had a metal heel plate that was stamped on a small press.”

finishing
By Gretchen Salois, senior editor
finishing
By Gretchen Salois, senior editor
Fully covered
The ornamental aluminum arch for Town Center at Firestone Farms was media blasted, primed and coated with a custom-made super durable polyester powder.
Metal fabricators find value in PCI certified powder coating
T

he balance between aesthetics and functionality is weighed carefully by A Plus Powder Coaters. Fabricators turn to the coating company for long-term results. “The last thing a customer wants is their materials rusting months after the job,” says Terry Watson, sales manager at the Columbiana, Ohio-based custom coating company.

Material Handling
By ANDY BRIZEK, TAB INDUSTRIES
Safer,
stronger,
faster
Custom auger machinery

Stainless steel fl ights wrapped on the TAB Wrapper Tornado are ready for delivery without boxes, banding or strapping.

Custom auger manufacturer switches to faster pallet wrapping
I

t is challenging to fabricate thousands of custom metal augers each year while adhering to exact specifications. Each auger must be able to withstand heavy wear-and-tear in the mining, concrete and construction industries. But the bigger problem stems from wrapping and transporting oddly shaped augers and screws for packaging and delivery.

sawing technology
BY GRETCHEN SALOIS, SENIOR EDITOR

The Marathon M42 bi-metal bandsaw blade is an all-purpose blade used for cutting medium and large cross-sections.

Silver linings
An unresponsive vendor forced one fabricator to find a new saw blade supplier
A

saw blade is useless if it never arrives. After its saw blade vendor left one too many calls unanswered, K&B Industries decided to look for a new one. “We needed to get the blades on time and have someone return our calls,” recalls Randy Duarte, process and finish supervisor at the Houston-based provider of OCTG tubular threading, machining, manufacturing and assembly services.

Toolbox
Tooling
Robotic tool changer offers configuration options
The QC-7 Robotic Tool Changer is a lightweight yet durable tool changer offering a variety of configuration options with ATI’s Pass-Through Utility Modules and Tool Stand systems. An optional ML12 Electrical Module attaches easily to the QC-7 Tool Changer body, which also includes five pass-through air ports and lock/unlock air fittings. The QC-7 Robotic Tool Changer features a low stack height and mounts directly to ISO 9409-1-31.5-4-M5 robot wrists. This tool changer is compatible with ATI’s modular Tool Stands and has an optional tool storage hook to make robot programming easy. The pneumatically actuated QC-7 features No-Touch locking technology and a patented Fail-Safe locking mechanism for a secure connection between the master and tool. The design integrates lock/unlock sensors without the need for an additional interface plate. This tool changer handles payloads up to 35 lbs. (16 kg) and is compatible with variety of industrial and collaborative robot models.
Custom Fabricator
Learn more about this and other Custom Fabricators at www.ffjournal.net/customfabricator.
Not Whole Fence

Not Whole Fence, designed by Ball-Nogues Studio, pays homage to the simpler days of baseball, riffing on the mythic image of kids trying to catch a glimpse of the ballgame through a knothole in a wooden fence. Located on a major intersection in El Paso, Texas, the work links the ballgame, a playground and the street. It provides the security of a partition, while facilitating coincidental encounters with the game from the sidewalk. The shape suggests one colossal wood picket turned on its side and wrapped around the stadium, with “knotholes” that are big enough for groups of people to view the game from the sidewalk. It was fabricated from custom aluminum extrusions. Individual extrusions were CNC milled with a wood grain pattern and anodized a warm copper hue. The grain pattern allows light to pass through the fence while the ribs diffuse the light.

Photo: Ball-Nogues Studio
Learn more about this and other Custom Fabricators at www.ffjournal.net/customfabricator.
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Lynn Stanley

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Lauren Duensing

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FFJOURNAL® (ISSN 1551-1006) APRIL 2021 (Vol. 18, No. 4) is a registered trademark of Trend Publishing Inc. FFJOURNAL® is published 11 times by Trend Publishing Inc., with its publishing office located at 123 W. Madison St., Suite 950, Chicago, Illinois 60602, 312/654-2300; fax 312/654-2323. Michael D’Alexander, President, Trend Publishing Inc. Copyright 2021 Trend Publishing Inc. All rights reserved under the United States, International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—mechanical, photocopying, electronic recording or otherwise—without the prior written permission of Trend Publishing Inc. Opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Trend Publishing Inc. Published free of charge for those who qualify. It is mailed at no cost to these qualified readers in the U.S., Canada and U.S. possessions. Single copies $14. Paid subscriptions in the U.S., $120/year. Canada, $140/year. Foreign subscriptions, $175/year surface mail and $255/year air mail. For subscription information, go to www.ffjournal.net or call 312-654-2300. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to FFJOURNAL® c/o Creative Data Services, Inc., 440 Quadrangle Drive Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Printed in the USA.
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