We had a quick Q&A session with Bobby Rutherford, Fabrication Foreman, at New Age Industrial. We picked his brain about Aluminum Fabrication to learn more about what their department does!
What is fabrication?
The making of parts for assembly.
What kind of work does the fabrication department do?
We bend tubing for frames and bend or work sheet metal. We also chop different sizes and lengths of angle and use machines to drill and/or tap.
Is it all done manually or using machines? How has that changed over time?
We still do some parts manually, but mostly we use machines. We load the material onto a machine. Then it runs a program, and we unload the machine and start over. This can be done several times and makes things a lot more accurate. Now we can produce a lot more product even faster.
Why is the fabrication department such an important piece of the overall manufacturing process?
The number of different things that are fabricated can be just a couple or into the thousands. From sheets to angle and tubing: starts flat, may have holes or notches, needs bent, etc.
What’s your favorite machine to run and why?
The deburring machine that was built in-house. We used to have to brush or sand the sharp edges off of a lot of pieces. Now we can slide the material into the machine, and it deburrs the parts.
Why do you think New Age Industrial quality is different than our competitors? What makes us better?
Our ability to customize, produce, and make a great product that will last.
At New Age Industrial, manual cutting is performed for some components. High volume repetitive cuts are sent to precision computer controlled auto-cut saws designed by our own engineers. This helps us achieve the highest standard of quality possible. We fabricate components for stock and custom products. Computer controlled bending machines allow us to bend aluminum components. After the bend, proper measurements are manually checked. Visit our website to learn more about our Flexible Manufacturing Process.
New Age Industrial is the leading aluminum extruder and fabricator of storage and transportation equipment in the United States. We use a Flexible Manufacturing Process to design and build heavy-duty yet lightweight aluminum products that can be customized to fit your exact needs, completely stress-free. Our unmatched versatility in product design and in-house team of experts make New Age Industrial the Top Choice for material handling and food service equipment. Our products are Proudly Made in the USA!