Material fabrication has long been an important part of human innovation and economies. Over the past several decades however, fabrication companies have undergone a significant transformation thanks to the rapid development of digital technologies. From the integration of computer-aided controls and design to automation technology, fabrication has come a long way in just a short time.
The benefit of computer technology in fabrication
Fabrication is an umbrella term for a wide range of forming and shaping processes used to create products from raw materials. Before the advent of computer numerical control (CNC), most of these operations were performed manually, with operators carefully guiding equipment through the process. CNC allowed for more consistent control of the equipment, a control that could be programmed and repeated without fail.
CNC machines are now widely used, and often the only equipment used by fabrication companies today. The development of computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software has allowed fabricators to obtain tight tolerances that were previously unheard of and manipulate materials to create highly complex part designs. Computer-aided design (CAD) lets fabrication companies create three dimensional models of a part that can be virtually examined and tested for any faults or areas of improvement.
The use of automation in fabrication companies
Automation technology is another relatively recent but incredibly important innovation in the fabrication industry. The use of automation has greatly increased not only the efficiency of various fabrication companies, but also the consistency of product quality across production batches. Automated fabrication is more popular in large factory environments, where big fabrication lines perform repetitive tasks and produce high volumes of simple parts to very complex or large items–like consumer vehicles or other products. The use of automation has greatly improved how much companies can scale up their production–for the largest companies, up to millions of parts per project, all produced with consistent quality by an automated factory line.
However, automation is just as important in shops that handle small to medium production volumes as well. Automation has been incorporated to perform basic, repetitive tasks, freeing up labor to monitor CNC equipment, while partial automation has been programmed into CNC machines to allow operators to oversee the production of large batches of products. From programming to robotics, there are many different ways that automation has improved the fabrication industry.
About Custom Precision Technologies
Custom Precision Technologies specializes in waterjet and laser cutting for a variety of industries, such as aerospace, original equipment manufacturing, and much more. Check out our website for more information.