Category: Fab Shop Tips

So, you’ve started up your very own metal fabrication business and are ready to take on the world. If you haven’t done so already, you will soon learn that setting up a fab shop is just the beginning of success in the industry. To be profitable and stand out in a competitive marketplace, it’s important […]

The introduction of fiber lasers into the world of metal fabrication brought a level of speed and accuracy to sheet and tube metal cutting that couldn’t be imagined a mere decade or two before. They are versatile enough to work with a wide range of materials and metals and can cut or engrave the most intricate of designs in seconds.

Those new to the art of metal fabrication are often surprised to learn that like a piece of wood, a piece of metal is also arranged in grains. And, as in woodworking, the grain structure in metals play a critical role in determining their properties and, consequently, their behavior while being shaped.

Metal grains are small, randomly oriented crystals that make up the polycrystalline structure of most metals. Understanding how grain structure affects metal fabrication is essential for everyone from senior engineers and materials scientists down to beginner press brake operators to be able to optimize fabrication processes and produce components with the right properties.