6 Machine Types That Every Fabrication Shop Needs

Your fabrication shop bids on a job. The customer looks for several key factors to decide which bid to go with. You are more likely to win the bid if you have what it takes to get the job done on time and on budget. When they award the contract to your shop, the value provided will be a major part of that decision.

There’s no need to outsource to multiple vendors because the whole job is happening at your shop. You’re going to take their requirements they provide from engineering drawings and make something they can sell without them having to micro-manage the details. This will be extremely quick and easy for you if you have all the necessary machine tools to complete each part of the job.

Having the necessary types of machine tools at your fab shop is essential to winning these big jobs.

6 Essential Machine Tools Every Fabrication Shop Needs

Hydraulic Press Brakes

Hydraulic press brakes are essential machine tools for any fabrication shop. They are used to bend and shape metal into the desired shape and size. With the help of hydraulic press brakes, fabricators can create complex shapes with precision and accuracy. The use of hydraulic press brakes also helps to reduce labor costs as they can be operated by a single person. Moreover, they are easy to maintain and require minimal setup time. Investing in a quality hydraulic press brake is an important decision for any fabrication shop as it will help them produce high-quality products in a timely manner.

Hydraulic press brakes offer accuracy and versatility for bending simple or complex metal parts. KAAST press brakes have multiple axes and come in a wide range of lengths and tonnages.

If you have a small shop and are looking to improve the efficiency of your bending processes while on a budget, the KAAST hydraulic press brake might just be what you are looking for. The fully welded all steel construction is designed for maximum rigidity and minimum deformation during the bending process. A heavy duty torque tube connects a pair of hydraulic cylinders so that they are synchronized and stay parallel to the bending table at all times.

CNC press brakes are used to bend, form, and shape metal into a variety of shapes and sizes. With the help of CNC technology, these machines can be programmed to produce precise bends with minimal effort. This makes them ideal for producing complex parts with high accuracy and repeatability. CNC press brakes are also capable of producing parts with intricate details that would otherwise be impossible to achieve manually.

Manual press brakes provide a cost-effective and efficient way to bend, shape, and form metal into the desired shape. Manual press brakes offer a number of advantages over other types of bending machines, including greater accuracy, flexibility, and control. With manual press brakes, operators can easily adjust the angle of the bend to achieve precise results with minimal effort. Additionally, manual press brakes are more affordable than their automated counterparts and require less maintenance. As such, they are ideal for small-scale production runs or one-off projects where precision is key.

Swing-beam Shears

Shears are a cost-effective cutting solution because they are fast to set-up and easy-to-use. KAAST offers several types of shears with different metal cutting capabilities.
Shears are essential machine tools for any fabrication shop. They are used to cut metal sheets and plates into desired shapes and sizes. With the help of a shear, fabricators can easily cut through thick materials with precision and accuracy. The shear is also capable of producing complex shapes with ease, making it an invaluable tool for any fabrication shop. It is also a cost-effective solution as it requires minimal maintenance and can be operated by one person. Investing in a quality shear will ensure that your fabrication shop has the right tools to get the job done quickly and efficiently.

A swing beam shear is a hydraulic machine. The upper beam hinges on a pivot point in the middle of the side frames. This is a heavy duty, robust machine designed for cutting thicker material. Shears can be found as manual, NC, or CNC machines. At KAAST, for example, we offer this machine in our HGS series with touchscreen. The HGS is available in cutting capacities of ¼” up to ¾” and in lengths of 10′ up to 13′. The KAAST HGS shear boasts the world’s heaviest and most robust swing beam shear construction.
Is There Still A Need For A Shear In A Fabrication Shop?

Yes. A shear is a staple in many shops for their day-to-day business operations. A shear is a highly utilized and productive piece of equipment because of its ease of use, quick set up time and low operating cost. For example, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to use a plasma machine to cut 4″ off of a piece of ¼” material that is four feet wide when you can simply put it on a shear and within a couple minutes make the cut and be done.

Swing beam shear and mechanical shear are two of the most popular types of shearing machines used in metalworking. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to understand the differences between them before making a decision on which one to use. Swing beam shears are more efficient than mechanical shears, as they can cut thicker materials with less effort. However, they require more maintenance and are more expensive than mechanical shears. On the other hand, mechanical shears are cheaper and easier to maintain but cannot cut as thick materials as swing beam shears can. Ultimately, it is up to the user to decide which type of machine best suits their needs.

Ironworkers

Ironworker machines are an essential tool for any metal fabrication shop. They are used to cut, punch, and shear metal into various shapes and sizes. With the help of an ironworker machine, fabricators can quickly and accurately create parts for a variety of projects. The versatility of these machines makes them a great choice for any shop that needs to produce high-quality parts in a short amount of time. Ironworker machines are also incredibly durable and reliable, making them a great long-term investment for any shop. An ironworker can be the “Swiss Army Knife” of your machine shop.

The heavy-duty Ironworker from KAAST, the PS line, has many features that are fully integrated to improve productivity:

• Punch Work Table: Includes back gauge and adjustable stops.
• Adjustable See-Through Punch Stripper: For fast and easy setup.
• Die Holder: Adjustable in machined T-slots for quick punch and die alignment.
• Support Table: Includes guides for accurate positioning and indicator lines at 30 and 45 degrees left and right.
• Adjustable Hold-Down: Holds work piece securely in position when shearing.
• Upper Shear Blade: Provides for minimum distortion. Two (2) usable edges. Shearing with no material loss and minimum deformity.
• Shear Blades: Four (4) usable edges.

Plate Rolls

Plate rolls are designed to quickly and efficiently transform flat sheet metal into cylindrical or radius parts. KAAST offers both mechanical and hydraulic plate rolls in a variety of roll diameters and lengths to meet your manufacturing needs.KAAST offers both mechanical and hydraulic plate rolls in a variety of roll diameters and lengths to meet your manufacturing needs.

They are suitable for medium and thick plate bending. Unlike the usual cylinder machines, the lower rolls move horizontally to right and left and the upper roll moves up and down. Similar to a 4-roll machine, the material loads parallel to the floor and not at an angle, like other three rolls.

The side rolls approach the upper roll and the upper roll applies pressure to the plate from the top. This allows pre-bending both sides of the plate without removing it from the machine. The variable geometry 3-roll has a greater pre-bending capacity than other 3-roll bending machines.

The gap on the side rolls are adjustable to maximum levels, allowing thick plates to bend to smaller diameters or wider angles. While most machines in the market can perform a conical bending to three times the top roll diameter, the KAAST RBD rolls can easily create a conical bending to 1.5 times the diameter.

Profile Rolls

Bending metal tubes, pipes, channels, or beams has never been easier or faster than with an angle roll. By using an angle roll machine to bend the metal into intricate shapes, an operator can quickly and easily craft unique pieces of metalwork for their projects. With an angle roll machine, the possibilities are endless and the time and effort saved is invaluable.

The machine frame is designed to withstand the toughest industrial applications. It is constructed of rugged steel, welded and machined for superior rigidity. Stress relieving is applied to all welds prior to machining, and precision bearings and large shaft diameters guarantee a smooth operation with minimal vibration. This robust frame ensures maximum performance and longevity in any environment.