If you are working with an experienced, knowledgeable, creative, and innovative metal fabricator, there are a lot of things that they can do to make your project successful. The best metal fabrication partner will be able to find ways to keep your project within or under budget. Here are just a few ways that they can save you money.
In-House Design Services
When in-house design services are offered, you will have access to experienced engineers that specialize in this type of manufacture. That means that they may have suggestions of how to modify your design to save on materials, labor, or failed prototypes.Continue reading 4 Ways Your Metal Fabricator Can Save You Money
There are many fabricators out there that can help you with your prototype, and some might seem to offer some great deals. But not every metal fabricator is equal. How do you know that you have found an exceptional metal fabrication partner for your prototype? Here are a few things to look for.
Collective Experience
The company you choose should be well established, and their employees should be well-trained. Supervisors and technicians should have several years of experience in the industry. The more experience the fabricator has, the more likely they will be able to offer objective advice on refining your design.Continue reading Choosing the Right Fabricator for Your Prototype
Next up in our lineup of high school interns, Idel is a senior that is getting his first work experience in our program. He is very excited to get experience in the field of engineering and manufacturing. Here’s more about Idel.
Interviewer:So first off, what is your name and what grade are you in?
Idel:I am Idel Meadows and I am in 12th grade.
Interviewer:Tell me a little bit about yourself, like your hobbies or interests.
Idel:We have a construction group and I like helping in the construction group at our church. I’m interested in engineering, like architectural where we could build, we can construct, we can work like in teamwork and like construct up or like schools, hospitals for the community. Stuff like that.Continue reading Interview with Idel Meadows, Intern
Amtex Precision has started a new high school internship program, and we are happy to introduce our interns. Dan is a senior in high school interested in welding and working with his hands. Here’s more about Dan.
Interviewer:So we’ll start off with your name and grade.
Daniel:My name’s Dan. I’m in 12th grade.
Interviewer:Can you tell me about yourself? Some hobbies or interests?
Finding a metal fabricator that can meet the basic needs of your metal fabrication project is not a difficult thing to do. But what sets companies apart from the rest? You don’t want to choose a metal fabricator strictly by price or location. There are many factors to consider when choosing a metal fabrication partner.
Experienced
You want to make sure that the metal fabrication company you are working with has the experience necessary to make your project go off without a hitch. We are experienced in a number of different types of metal fabrication projects. We have helped many companies across the globe make their metal fabrication not just a plan, but a reality.Continue reading What to Look for in a Metal Fabrication Partner
When you are designing your project or prototype, there are a lot of factors to consider. One of the most important and basic decisions you will make is the material selection. While there are a number of materials that could be selected for your project, the best materials for most projects are aluminum or stainless steel.
If you think that material selection doesn’t matter to your bottom line, you are sadly mistaken. Choosing aluminum or stainless steel for your project may seem like it will increase the costs; but when you use less of that material, it will actually decrease your material use and costs, especially with the right design.Continue reading Why Material Selection Matters to Your Fabrication Project
We have begun a high school internship program at Amtex Precision. We believe in giving young people an opportunity to see the industry first hand, and to learn whether or not this career might be right for them.
This is Adrian Garcia, a senior in high school enrolled in manufacturing classes. He has many hobbies, including an enjoyment of fixing things. To learn more about Adrian, read his interview below.
Interviewer:All right. So starting off, what is your name and grade?
We follow the industry standards and best practices to ensure that your projects are of the highest quality, while still maintaining your time schedule and meeting your deadlines. Here are some of the best practices that we use to ensure quality for your metal fabrication projects.
CADD
The best metal fabricators utilize CADD, or computer-assisted design and drafting, to design the blueprint for your project. This software can also be used to create assembly drawings to guide our fabricators in making your project.Continue reading How Our Best Practices Mean Quality for Your Projects
No matter your project, you want to know that your metal fabrication and finishing will meet your needs for quality and timeliness. We subscribe to the highest standards of metal fabrication so that your projects meet and exceed your expectations.
Planning Your Project
The best quality metal fabrication starts with a solid plan. Once you know exactly what you are looking for, it is important that detailed drawings are created so that everyone working on the project knows exactly how it needs to be fabricated. Having a solid plan will also help meet your timely deadlines.Continue reading The Highest Standards in Metal Fabrication and Finishing
Stainless steel is a popular material of choice for a variety of applications due to its inherent ability to resist corrosion. It’s found in medical devices, architectural and ornamental structures, food processing facilities, and many more, everyday items.
Amtex Precision specializes in working with this unique material and we recognize the nuances and challenges that welding stainless steel can pose.
During the welding process, due to stainless steel’s high nickel content, heat tends to concentrate at the arc and does not dissipate as easily compared to welding of carbon steel. This creates some welding pitfalls that include warping, burn-through, and oxidation.
Additionally, discoloration is a common side effect of welding stainless. This can be concerning if it affects the corrosion resistance properties of the material.
In order to combat these pitfalls, Amtex Precision works with each client to ensure the proper process and procedure is selected prior to welding. We offer three processes when it comes to welding stainless steel.
First, Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW or MIG), is an excellent choice for thicker materials, usually 3/16” – 1/4″ thick and over. This process is a more efficient and better for high volume production due to its fast travel speed and ease of nature to learn. Amtex Precision holds a D1.6 certification for this process.
Second, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW or TIG), is an excellent choice for thinner materials such as 24ga to 11ga thick. This process produces very little spatter and has the highest aesthetics and bead appearance. However, GTAW tends to be a much slower process and requires a highly skilled welder. Amtex Precision holds an ASME IX certification for this process.
Third, Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) is also an excellent choice for thicker materials like GMAW/MIG. The benefit of this process is that it can be faster and more efficient than GMAW/MIG without creating the spatter typical of the GMAW/MIG process. Therefore, it does not require as much clean up as GMAW/MIG. The downside to FCAW is weld aesthetics may not be as high compared to GMAW/MIG, but that does not affect the structural integrity of the weld. This process is ideal for projects where cosmetics are not a critical factor.
All these options are prone to the pitfalls of welding stainless. Throughout the many years of specializing in and welding stainless, Amtex Precision has developed processes and procedures on combating each difficulty. Some of these include how to stress relieve a warped weld assembly, how to minimize discoloration, and how to handle ornamental material as it travels through the shop to ensure it remains aesthetically unblemished.
Our expert staff is available to discuss your next stainless steel welding project. Call us at 281-489-7042 to setup a free consultation.
If you are working with an experienced, knowledgeable, creative, and innovative metal fabricator, there are a lot of things that they can do to make your project successful. The best metal fabrication partner will be able to find ways to keep your project within or under budget. Here are just a few ways that they can save you money.
