With automation creeping into most industries, it is no wonder that automated processes will be present in pipe welding. Unlike most welding automation cells, automation for pipeline welding does not take the shape of a robotic arm moving around a pipe. Pipe welding automation consists of a frame...

Many of the press brakes that were installed 30 to 40 years ago are still in operation. Besides regular maintenance and replacing the tooling, there is not much that can go wrong with a good press brake. For long part runs the introduction of a robotic arm to load and unload a machine is the modern...

Welding is not just putting enough heat on some pieces of metal and having them fuse to each other. There are many elements to a proper weld. One of the essential requirements for a proper weld is to have a stable arc that shoots out of the wire and onto the part being welded. The better and more...

It is more than likely most of us heard of the term plasma while watching the original series of Star Trek. Yes, they had their handheld Phasers, set to stun, but the plasma cannons were more or less standard star ship armaments used by both the Starfleet Federation (Captain Kirk and company) and...

It is usually a good thing to pick up a ringing phone. Sure, it might be a salesman asking about your ducts, but it also can lead to a great opportunity. Such a call was answered in 1994 by Jeff Arnold, president of Mobile Welding Inc. It was a call from a concert promoter. The job was to...

There is no escaping it— solidly clamping parts that you need to weld will ensure that these parts will not move unintentionally and be properly welded. Having pieces of metal move while heat is being applied is a recipe for disaster. Proper hold down of parts to be welded means they can be...

While new technologies are regularly introduced in order to speed up manufacturing processes, making them simpler and more productive, punching remains the most efficient and least expensive method for putting holes into sheet metal. But making simple holes in sheet metal parts is only one of the...

Tucked into an industrial area in the east end of Toronto, Mecon Industries is a privately held Canadian firm that specializes in making coil handling equipment—the machinery that unrolls the coils and the straighteners that make the coiled steel flat so it can be worked by other machinery....

When it comes to deciding on the right type of laser cutting system, fiber lasers have been capturing recent headlines due to their speed advantages. However, CO2 lasers have been supplying much of the laser cutting capacity in North America. The fact of the matter is CO2 lasers have a stronghold...

The days of grimy smoke-filled manufacturing plants are long gone. There is an ongoing push to make the work place healthier, and to this end there are more regulations coming that will mandate the reduction of allowable exposure to the harmful fumes that are created during the welding process....

Driving through most industrial areas can be an unnerving experience. The areas are filled with parking lots and nondescript buildings. The buildings and areas rarely give a hint as to what is happening behind the silent walls. Tucked into a standard looking industrial mall in Concord, just north...

The promise of robotic automation has been around for several decades but this revolution has come at us more like evolution. There have been various reasons why adoption of automation has been slow in the North American manufacturing sector — but the time is nigh, and robots are definitely...

Starting a business is an exciting endeavour. Mixed feelings occasionally arise--hope for future success yet fear of the challenges ahead. Of course there is lots of work and pre-planning, and ideally there are customers waiting as you open your front door. When Nik Sharma and his partner, Sarbjit...

When investing in tooling, there is always the temptation to look for the least expensive option. A bargain is a great thing; however, not all bargains end up being cost-effective. Deciding on how much to spend on hand tools should depend on need rather than price. Getting a great deal on a tool...