Shaping
the future

modern laser-cutting machine is not cheap. But many fabrication shops invest in them because they are well worth the price. With the ability to precisely cut everything from mild to stainless steel, titanium and more, the hefty investment is offset by a laser’s unmatched performance and reduced waste in the manufacturing process.

However, many fabrication shops are only using general-purpose, spring-loaded regulators to supply gas for this high-performance cutting, which is like putting snow tires on a sports car. They simply are not up to the task of providing the consistent, reliable gas pressure needed to provide optimal performance. Servo dome-loaded regulators are a better option.

n December 2021, Master Fluid Solutions celebrated its 70th anniversary. The Perrysburg, Ohio, company was the first metalworking fluid manufacturer to introduce an environmentally friendly coolant recycling system. XYBEX supported customers’ sustainability requirements and helped reduce fluid waste by up to 80 percent. Master Fluid Solutions’ recycling process has since become the industry standard. Today, Master Fluid Solutions continues to work closely with the global metalworking community to create solutions that add to its line of specialty cutting and grinding fluids, cutting oils, concentrated washing and cleaning compounds, and rust preventives under the TRIM and Master STAGES brands.

utting 3D objects is essential to the production of pressure vessels and boilers. For fabricators that support this industry, there are several challenges, including the ability to provide fast processing, easy setup and accurate results that won’t dictate secondary, sometimes manual operations.

Dome applications require cutting openings in a vessel’s dished end (or end cap) to prepare the area for welding inlet pipes. Dished end edges must also be sliced or trimmed for welding to the vessel’s body. It is critical that cross-sections of the cut edges meet the requirements of these welding processes. Depending on wall thickness, V, X or K cuts with constant or variable bevels must be produced with precise accuracy.

anufacturing elements are inextricably linked to each other, and low performance in one area negatively impacts all others. The “Great 8” essentials consist of the following:

• Move parts through the shop quickly and efficiently. Having access to real-time production data facilitates fast, efficient movement of jobs through the shop floor. Developing schedules based on true capacity allows jobs to get started and completed on time. Machinists know which jobs to work on now and next, and having the right inventory on hand avoids delays. Electronically importing CAD/CAM, nesting and customer data eliminates time-consuming double data entry. When bottlenecks occur, the data indicates why it’s happening, allowing managers to take prompt action.

printing is now a crucial part of the development process for many manufacturers. In the aerospace industry alone, the market for 3D printing is forecast to grow from $1.9 billion in 2021 to $4.7 billion by 2026, a compound annual growth rate of 19.4 percent, according to research firm MarketsandMarkets. Shorter production timelines, reduced extraneous use of materials, more control over designs and increased resilience in supply chains are just a few of the reasons why 3D printing of metal parts has become so popular.