The use of automation technology to enhance outcomes in industrial steel fabrication has greatly risen in popularity as a solution to providing customers with high-quality, cost-friendly steel fabrication products delivered on time.
Automated fabrication technology can include beam lines, laser cutting technology, and machinery for stamping, assembly, leading and unloading, handling, fitting and painting of steel modules and components.
Some of the many benefits of automated fabrication technology include enhancing project efficiency, safety, reporting and speeding up project timelines.
Here’s five ways that automation is enhancing the industrial steel fabrication industry:
Greater precision in steel products
One of the many advantages that automated fabrication technology has over manual fabrication is that weldments, bends and cuts can all be completed with greater precision and accuracy.
This is because machines complete work with less variability than human labour.
Completing fabrication projects with greater precision means that the likelihood of having to do re-work is eliminated, which is not only costly, but can slow down project completion timelines.
This greater precision also enhances the quality of the project as automated fabrication machinery performs all tasks precisely and consistently to exact measurement specifications.
Enhanced efficiency
One of the biggest ways in which automated fabrication technology creates better steel fabrication outcomes is by enhancing efficiency.
This is due to:
- Less time needed to complete work (up to 2 or 3
times less in most case studies), leaving fabricators time to spend time
completing adjacent work, which leads to sped-up project timelines - Shorter lead times, which allows fabricators to
complete multiple projects on-site, whether for the same or multiple
stakeholders
One of many examples of automated fabrication machinery which greatly enhances project efficiency is beam line technology.
Beam line technology works to speed up the cutting and drilling of steel beams, instead of fabrication professionals manually measuring, cutting, and drilling steel beams – a time consuming process.
Not only do beam lines enhance efficiency by speeding up the process, but they also increase safety for workers as it requires the steel beam to be moved less by workers.
For more complex heavy fabrication projects, a single component may need to be moved multiple times for all the necessary work to be completed, often requiring the use of overhead cranes.
Since the nature of heavy fabrication projects means they are large-scale, there is risk each time the structure is moved.
More controlled processes and predictable life cycles
Automated fabrication technology and machinery helps to control fabrication processes and create more predictable life cycle times.
A more predictable life cycle allows fabrication companies to deliver finished projects on time and schedule fabrication professionals more accurately.
Examples of controlled automated fabrication processes include
- Precision machining
- Automated cutting
- Welding
- Cladding
- Milling
- Fitting
Since automated fabrication processes are machine-run, they aren’t prone to human error which can slow down production due to re-work.
This allows Fabrication Plant Managers to more accurately plan life cycles, improving project flow, scheduling and accuracy.
Enhanced data and reporting
When automated fabrication technology is paired and connected with software, it becomes a wealthy resource to identify mistakes in weldments and log valuable data for future reporting.
This data can give metal fabrication companies better insight and accuracy into processing times, which in turn can be passed over to the customer in the form of more accurate scheduling quotes.
This data is also useful in quickly identifying quality control issues so they can be mitigated before a project’s inspection date, where re-work may be identified and project completion timelines are extended.
Increased safety
One of the greatest benefits of automated fabrication systems and robotic technology is that it can increase safety for workers.
This is due to the reduced need for large fabricated modules to be moved manually, leaving less chance for human error leading to safety incidents.
While automated machinery is helping enhance safety for shop workers, the need for skilled fabrication workers isn’t dwindling.
While robotic welding machines are used for specific, repetitive tasks, such as bending and cutting, the need for versatile welders and fitters isn’t fading anytime soon. There is still a growing need for welding professionals in the industrial fabrication industry, growing at a rate of about six per cent per year.
Automated welding technology, together with experienced welding professionals are enhancing and increasing efficiency in the industrial fabrication industry for better outcomes as we know it.
“Automated equipment is a successful way of reducing production costs significantly as well as lead times, which enables fabricators to deliver projects quickly, for less cost,” said Paul Margarit, Manufacturing Engineer at Saskarc. “Competitiveness is a key to our future and opens new markets and capabilities.”
Saskarc analyzes every project to define the critical requirements that will maximize success. We continuously invest in our people, equipment, and facilities to provide our customer with the best service, support, and innovative solutions to meet their requirements.
Our strict attention to material selection, joining specifications and inspection procedures ensures that we deliver on the highest quality projects.
Saskarc is entirely committed to quality, customer service and on-time delivery, however NEVER at the expense of our commitment to safety.
Due to the versatility of Saskarc’s custom steel fabrication capabilities and project management expertise, we are equipped to fabricate and assemble oversized modules limited only by transportation regulations. When it comes to large projects, Saskarc is your turnkey professional fabrication solution. Read what our customers have to say about working with us.