Workers wearing industrial uniforms and Welded Iron Mask at Steel welding plants, industrial safety first concept.
By Dan Markham General Information • • 0 Comments

The Differences Between Metal Welding and Metal Fabrication

Metal is one of the most important parts of our everyday lives. If you need proof, just take a look at the objects around you in your current room. Many of them use metals that were specifically manipulated to serve a purpose! Even the computer or tablet you’re reading utilizes Earth’s most precious metals to function properly. Several processes can help a new metal become usable in the field, and two of the most popular ones are metal welding and metal fabrication. You may confuse them for being the same process, but they couldn’t be more different from each other. We explain exactly why that is below!

Metal Welding

Metal welding is known as the process by which two pieces of metal are joined together. Usually, this involves two pieces of the same material, but other metals can be used in this process if they have enough similarities. This process isn’t done by hand; rather, it uses various specialized tools and procedures to achieve the desired result. At the end of the process, the goal is to have two pieces of metal become permanently fused together. Most of the time, the main fuel source for metal welding is extreme levels of heat. However, electricity is also a usable fuel source for this process.

Metal Fabrication

As you can see from our definition of metal welding, it’s a very specific process. Metal fabrication doesn’t fall into this category. In fact, metal welding is considered to be a part of the metal fabrication process! However, it’s not the whole story. Metal fabrication itself involves a variety of steps to achieve the desired result:

  • Bidding: Before metal fabrication can officially begin, the price point for the work completed has to be determined. The bidding process encompasses this and gives a client an idea of how much they’ll be paying.
  • Planning: You can’t go into a metalworking job without preparing first! The planning portion can make or break the metal fabrication process. In this stage, the groundwork for how the metal gets shaped, cut, or warped is assembled and all members of the production team sync up on expectations and specifications about the project.
  • The Production: This is the step where the aforementioned plans get put into action. Using a variety of advanced tools, processes and techniques, metal is shaped into its desired application and becomes ready for use in the field.

Metal Fabrication with Markham Metals

If you’re looking to shape your metal for practical use, Markham Metals can employ many different techniques to help it get there! We specialize in metal welding, plasma cutting and a variety of other metalworking techniques that are cost-effective, safe, and efficient. If you’re looking to use your metal for a specific purpose, only the best metalworkers can suffice. Markham Metals will provide you with just that – contact us today to get your metal ready!

A man in a blue flannel and protective mask uses a tool to weld a piece of metal. Blue sparks fly from the metal's surface.
By Dan Markham General Information • • • 0 Comments

Which Metalworking Process Is Most Effective?

Metals are some of the most important materials to use across a variety of industries. They can be bent, shaped, and cut into numerous shapes that make them useful for the items and buildings we use in everyday life. There are plenty of metalworking processes that allow metals to take these shapes. However, that doesn’t mean that each one is equally effective! There are some processes that are far more beneficial than others depending on what you want to accomplish. But, how can you tell the difference? We discuss which metalworking process is most effective below!

Bending and Forming

Let’s say you need to assemble some copper pipes. You won’t be able to do that if your copper is in a sheet! Forming and bending metal is a common process that’s used to warp metal into shapes and sizes that other processes can’t do. However, just because it’s a unique process does not mean it’s an easy one! Because of how difficult it is to make metal bend and fold to your will, the process can only be done at facilities with advanced technological equipment. Even then, it’s almost easier to join two metal parts together to get the shape you want.

Cutting

Perhaps the most versatile metal fabrication process is metal cutting. We aren’t even talking about how efficient it is, either; there are plenty of different tools and methods that you can use to cut it! Some of the most common types of metal cutting include water jet cutting, plasma cutting, and saw cutting. It’s incredibly efficient at getting metals to be the size and shape you want, and depending on which method you use, it’s also fairly cheap! The one main draw for metal cutting is that it will likely be the first – and only – way you can form your metal sheet. If you can find the right application, it will pay off!

Welding

Metal welding is a unique metalworking process that carries a sizable amount of benefits. However, the benefits don’t come without their drawbacks! The main flaw of metal welding is the fact that it needs to be done by hand, not using a machine. While it certainly makes the process cheaper, it’s not as quick or efficient as some of the other processes are.

Metalworking at Markham Metals

While the metalworking processes differ in level of efficiency, all of them are vital for the applications we use today. They’re also the services that Markham Metals can offer you! For expert metalworking that can yield you the best results for your application, click here to contact us directly.

metal fabrication
By Dan Markham Uncategorized • 0 Comments

The Industry Of Metal Fabrication

When you think about metal fabrication, what comes to your mind? The fabrication of engineered structures from raw metal materials? Then, you’re not wrong! Metal fabrication covers everything around the process of building structures as well as machines from metal materials. In essence, everything that has to do with having to cut, burn, and weld metal materials is referred to as the metal fabrication process. It also involves the machining, forming, and assembly of metal in order to create a product or machinery.

The Metal Fabrication Industry

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that the metal fabrication industry has over 1.4 million employed workers in the US. There are different experts performing various distinctive roles to keep the production cycle spinning. Experts such as welders, brazzers, machinists, solder’s, and cutters are key parts of the entire metal fabrication process. Other top-roles such as the operators, supervisors, and managers are put in place to ensure that the entire process is seamless.

As an industry, metal fabrication has a vast range of application and consumer base. There are a plethora of products that can be used in various industries, homes, and sites. This is why professionals such as ironworkers, blacksmiths, welders, and other related workers are often in demand in various industries.

Applications of Metal Fabrication

Metal fabrication process is a major part of the manufacturing industry and the formation of essential equipment. From tiny teaspoons to heavy duty machineries, the application of metal fabrication cuts across diverse products. Other specific areas of metal fabrication include hardware manufacturing, wire manufacturing, and architectural structure construction. 

Other subtle areas such as cutlery making, forging, stamping, as well as the manufacturing bolts, nuts, and screws are also part of metal fabrication. One great thing about metal fabrication shops or centers is that many of the processes required to create a product are available under the same roof.

Economic Growth Rate & the Metal Fabrication Industry

For some time now, metal fabrication has remained one of the most lucrative industries. Every business strongly relies on economic stability to enjoy profitability. The same goes for the metal fabrication industry which has continued to thrive and flourish under the economic strength of the previous years.

It’s a no brainer that when the local economy blossoms, consumers would be financially buoyant enough to make more purchases such as cars, jets, boats, and other large items. What this means for the metal fabrication industry is more projects, more opportunities, and more need for the development of commercial machinery.  Although the metal fabrication industry  is still dependent on the growth of other sectors, it has been able to find strong footing as an inevitable contributor to the construction economy.

Interested in Metal Fabrication Services? Give Markham Metals a call for more information and a free quote.