April 2025 Newsletter
How much does finishing cost your business? A fundamental principle of lean manufacturing is that anything that doesn't add value is waste. This is a gray area when it comes to cosmetic finishing activities like grinding, sanding, and polishing. Many fabricators regard finishing as an essential step to their production, but is it necessary? Parts formed on older machines with outdated processes often require extensive finishing work. This is especially important where cosmetic appearance is critical, but it also represents a considerable cost to your business depending on how much time goes into making parts presentable that could go into
The business of welding is all about heat
If your business is welding, Joule's Law is worth remembering: Joule's Law decides if the welds on your customer's parts look this: Or this: Instead of this: And this: Why? Heat. Resistance to current creates heat. Heat burns and deforms your parts. The longer the parts are exposed to high temperatures and the longer it takes for them to cool, the worse your results. Too much heat for too long means burnt parts, sheet separation, bad welds, and time wasted on finishing to make your product presentable. This costs you money and maybe even customers, but it doesn't have to.
How old is too old to risk your business?
We've all been there. The car repair bills keep coming. The air conditioner won't keep things cool in the summer. The water heater just dumped its contents through the floor. We know when it's time. No machine lasts forever either, so why do fabricators take a chance with their business? Your production depends on reliable machines. When that 20-year-old press brake you depend on every day goes down in the middle of a critical order and the lead time on your obsolete repair parts is many weeks, your livelihood is at risk. It's a credit to our industry just how
March 2025 Newsletter
Keep your shop cool this summer with these five tips Here in Illinois we just saw the first mid-70s day and it’s only March. Summer is coming, but there is still time to get your shop ready. Here are five suggestions to help keep your cool though the long, hot months to come. 1. Maintain, maintain, maintain Get a PM visit for your mission critical equipment before the temperatures start to rise so you can stay cool when it’s time to kick out that big order your business (and maybe your job) depends on. 2. Don't blow a gasket High
FMA Annual Meeting
The Fabricators and Manufacturers Association Annual Meeting was held last week in sunny Chandler, Arizona. On the docket were topics ranging from business growth strategies to managing a shop’s critical electronic data to tax policy and legislation. A recap of the meeting is available on the FMA’s YouTube site: For more industry insights, check out the FMA's Flagship Intelligence Brief. The FMA is the premier advocate for North American metal fabricators, formers, and processors. The organization sponsors the annual Fabtech machine tool show and is heavily involved in educational activities for our next generation of industry leaders. IT president Al
February 2025 Newsletter
February 2025 Newsletter Smarter Than Ever Koyo Giken recently unveiled their new line of advanced MySpot welders. The NK-23 series features a new, advanced "EZK" Easy Setting CNC control with features we commonly see on press brakes, lasers, and other machine tools but rarely on production welders. The original Easy Setting control is a Koyo Giken exclusive. Operators enter the material type and thickness and the control sets the parameters for a perfect weld. The EZK control takes smart welding to the next level by reducing operator error and managing production. 5 reasons the new EZK CNC control is the
COASTONE C9S Press Brake
CoastOne C9S servo electric press brake 24 ton x 31" 100% electric press brake Heavy duty ball screw and servo drives Highest class linear guides and heaviest duty gibbing Advanced TC15 control with user friendly programming system for fast setups Perfect for short runs and hot production requirements Ergonomically designed for the operator 100% green: no hydraulic oil, valves, fittings, hoses, or leaks to repair Minimal energy use: up to 50% savings compared to hydraulic Fast cycle times, ram, and backguage speed with precise repeatability Portable & compact No anchoring or leveling Affordably priced: contact us for details
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Just Arrived! Heavy-Duty Metal Folders
Available Now
Looking for a pre-owned heavy duty sheet metal folder? We just unloaded two 127" 9 gauge machines.
Looking for a hydraulic press? We have great news.
We are pleased to announce that we are working with Macrodyne, North America's largest hydraulic press manufacturer, to bring the company's high tonnage, custom machine tools to our customers.
Fabricators who keep America’s economy strong: Scandic Springs, Inc.
San Leandro, California spring and stamping company Scandic Springs, Inc. uses CoastOne C9S all-electric press brakes to fabricate custom parts.
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