Fabrication
Welding, CNC machining, metal additive manufacturing, tooling, and materials science. Sparks and precision.
FabricationQuick-Change Tooling Cuts Setup Time in Half
A new generation of modular tooling systems is slashing changeover time from hours to minutes on fabrication lines, with shops reporting 15-20% gains in throughput without touching cycle time. The catch: getting the fixturing strategy...
FabricationVIP6 New Alloys That Are Changing Fabrication Economics Right Now
Nickel-cobalt superalloys are hitting 1,200°C without losing tensile strength, and shops that switch are cutting cycle times by 18%. Here's...
FabricationThe Metal 3D Printing Breakthrough Nobody Needed: Why Additive Is Still Losing to the Punch Press
Additive manufacturing hit record production speeds in 2025. Factories are still buying fewer machines. The math on metal 3D printing...
FabricationFive-Axis CNC Machines Finally Get Practical
Five-axis mills are shedding their reputation as temperamental, expensive toys. New control systems and faster spindles are cutting program time...
Fabrication9 CNC Advances That Are Eroding Your Competitor's Lead Time
Five-axis mills that finish parts in one clamp, spindles spinning at 24,000 RPM, and adaptive tooling that cuts cycle time...
Fabrication7 Predictions for Welding Automation: Where the Arc Meets AI in 2026-2027
Robotic welding throughput is climbing 12-15% annually, but the real money is moving to adaptive systems that fix bad joints...
FabricationFive-Axis CNC Is a Trap. Most Shops Can't Feed It.
Five-axis machines are selling faster than ever. But shops installing them are watching throughput collapse and tooling costs explode. The...
The 4.1 Briefing
Industrial AI intelligence, distilled weekly for operators and decision-makers.
