Author Archives: wpengine

About wpengine

This is the "wpengine" admin user that our staff uses to gain access to your admin area to provide support and troubleshooting. It can only be accessed by a button in our secure log that auto generates a password and dumps that password after the staff member has logged in. We have taken extreme measures to ensure that our own user is not going to be misused to harm any of our clients sites.

1. The Benefits of Robotic Welding

   January 20, 2022 9:00 am Leave a Comment

   When compared to manual welding, robotic welding is safer, faster, more accurate, and it improves your ROI. It’s an automated process, so you don’t require any breaks in production, which reduces lead times and saves you money on labor. 

   Shift to Automation

   Over the last several years, many companies have been turning to automation as a means of speeding up production and saving money. However, they typically automate assembly and other processes and forget about robotic welding as an option.

   Welders must be highly trained, and there is often a shortage of skilled welders. When semi-automatic welding processes are used, over-welding is a common error, which costs the company a lot of money in wasted materials and labor. Fully automated welding is an ideal solution, allowing for precise, repeatable welds and eliminating the need for reworking. 

   Keep in mind that industrial robotic welding will never fully replace manual welding. There will always be those unique projects that require the quick-thinking adaptability of a human welder, but for repetitive welding tasks, automation offers a number of advantages. 

   Advantages of Robotic Welding Over Other Methods

   Your company, your employees, and your customers will all enjoy the benefits of robotic welding:

   • Increased Efficiency: Robotic-welded parts are precise, reducing the need for reworking. In addition, the automated system can work on a continuous basis. 
   • Greater Safety: Welders are exposed to arc flashes, sparks, fumes, and more. Robotic cells are equipped with the safety features that protect workers from these dangers and discomforts, which contributes to improved job safety and health while enhancing morale, increasing job satisfaction, and reducing turnover. 
   • Reduced Waste: When it comes to welding, human error is expensive, both in terms of time and materials. The robots are precisely programmed, eliminating over-welding as a concern.  
   • Improved Accuracy: A robot can repeat the same weld time after time. With manual welding, slight variations are inevitable.
   • Cost Savings: Installing an automated system is an investment that starts paying off rapidly. Increased production lets you ship more accurately-welded products out the door quickly. Precision welding reduces material waste, saving even more time and money. 

   Contrary to popular belief, automated systems do not reduce job opportunities. Robotic welding requires skilled programmers and operators, and manual welders will still be required for large, complex projects. Automated systems give you an opportunity to use your employees’ skills in other areas and provide them with opportunities to advance their careers. Robots in all aspects of production are most often responsible for simple, repetitive, or dangerous tasks. Getting people away from those jobs is safer and offers them greater job satisfaction.  

   Robotic Welding With Metal Works of High Point

   As a second-generation, family-owned and operated business, Metal Works of High Point has been offering turnkey contract metal fabrication solutions since 1992. Our team of experts provides both manual and robotic welding, as well as laser cutting, CNC forming, powder coating, and more for clients in a range of industries, including transportation, telecommunications, appliances, material handling, contract furniture, and others. No matter the size or complexity of your project, our goal is to help you complete it quickly and cost-efficiently without sacrificing quality; for many projects, robotic welding plays a role in that. 

   Contact us to learn more about the benefits of robotic welding for your project, or request a quote today. 

2. Top 7 Applications of Laser Cut Metal

   December 20, 2021 9:00 am Leave a Comment

   Laser cutting is a manufacturing process that offers higher cutting accuracy, cleaner cut edges, and faster production speeds than many other metalworking methods. For these reasons, among others, it finds use within a wide range of industries. Below, we highlight seven of the top industry applications for laser cut metal parts and products. 

   Appliances

   In the appliances industry, metal components are incorporated into many consumer products, such as battery terminals in smoke detectors, brackets in garage door opens, timer terminals in washers, and valve caps in extinguishers. These pieces can be made through various methods, but laser cutting is often the ideal solution. It reduces the risk of the products experiencing mechanical deformation, eliminates the need to replace tooling when it is worn, easily accommodates designs for different products, and decreases the need for post-processing to produce appliance pieces that are ready for assembly. 

   Automotive

   In the automotive industry, manufacturers use a variety of metal components to produce vehicles. Since automobiles are generally produced in high volumes to meet demand, these metal components need to be produced accurately, precisely, and quickly. The laser cutting process offers both of these qualities, which is why it is used to make metal pieces for the car structure, body, interior, and electronic systems. 

   Contract Furniture

   In the contract furniture industry, metal components are essential for the production of durable furniture pieces. Brackets, connector plates, drawer inserts, and more help furniture remain sturdy and work as intended. They are incorporated into everything from chairs and tables to desks and cabinets. By using laser cutting to produce these components, contract furniture companies can ensure they fit properly. The process can also be utilized to create uniquely designed furniture pieces.

   Die, Mold, and Tool

   In the die, mold, and tool industry, laser cutting is used to make metal components for a range of tools and tooling, from hammers and spades to dies and molds. The components can be made from different materials to suit different applications and price points, such as aluminum, mild steel, and stainless steel. The process enables them to be produced quickly without sacrificing accuracy or precision. 

   Telecommunications

   In the telecommunications industry, companies utilize laser cutting to produce a variety of metal components for telecommunications systems and networks. Typical laser cut pieces include mounts and mounting brackets, chassis, cabinets, enclosures, racks, and panels.

   Transportation

   In the transportation industry, the laser cutting process is employed in the production of components for various transportation vehicles, including airplanes, buses, trains, and ships. Examples of common laser cut parts and products used in this industry include brackets, instrument panels, and wheel hubs. 

   Power Generation

   In the power generation industry, metal components are found in everything from solar arrays to wind turbines to power plants. Typical components made using the laser cutting process include battery enclosures, panel brackets, and power supply covers. 

   Custom Laser Cut Metal Solutions From Metal Works of High Point

   Want to learn more about laser cutting and how it is utilized in different industries? Ask the experts at Metal Works of High Point! Our team has hundreds of years of combined experience providing metal fabrication solutions, including metal laser cutting, to customers across a wide range of industries. We would be happy to answer or address any questions or concerns you may have about the process and its applications. If you’d like to partner with us on your next project, request a quote. 

3. Why Use Panel Benders Over Press Brakes?

   November 20, 2021 9:00 am Leave a Comment

   Metal bending is a forming process generally used to shape a metal plate or sheet along a linear axis. It can be performed with a variety of specialized sheet metal bending equipment, depending on the material used, the part size, and the type of bend desired. Two of the most commonly utilized sheet metal benders are press brakes and panel benders. While press brakes have been the go-to option for many years, panel benders have been found to offer a number of advantages when used for certain parts and products. 

   Differences Between Panel Benders and Press Brakes

   Panel benders—also called folding machines—utilize part manipulators and bladed bending units to shape material. The manipulator moves the material to the front of the machine, which is where the blades apply force (upward or downward) to bend it. Depending on the model, these bending machines can bend materials up to 11 gauge (0.120 inches) in CRS. Additionally, they can achieve bend heights up to 10 inches and bend lengths up to 156 inches. 

   Press brakes utilize a matching die and punch set to shape material. The workpiece is secured between them such that the punch presses the material into the die when force is applied to it. The bend formed in the material is determined by the angled formed by the punch and die. These bending machines are typically used for batch production.

   Advantages of Panel Benders Over Press Brakes

   Although press brakes are employed in many bending operations, panel benders offer a variety of advantages for specific projects, including with regard to the following: 

   Machine Setup

   Conventional hydraulic press brakes use clamps to fasten the hangers for the upper punch and lower riser holding the die. Bends are created when the upper punch presses the material down into the die. This process is often controlled by a human operator with a foot pedal. Different types of bends require different types of dies and punches, which can make bending operations expensive if numerous dies and punches are needed. 

   Panel benders generally have automated operations, which increase production speeds and decrease the risk of error. Additionally, they have a different setup that eliminates the need for tooling changeout and minimizes downtime between jobs. In panel bending operations, the material is held by a counter blade and blank holder and bent by the upper blade and lower blades. These components are universal, meaning they can be used to bend materials of all sizes and thicknesses. 

   Production Efficiency

   While both press brakes and panel benders can utilize computer numerical control (CNC) technology to automate bending operations, press brakes require more manual handling of materials from bend to bend. As a result, larger materials can be challenging for them. In contrast, since panel benders use part manipulators to automatically move material, they can accommodate small or large pieces consistently and quickly. 

   Quality

   A common issue with press brakes is back bending. Back bending occurs when material lags behind the machine during the forming process, resulting in a whipping motion when the material attempts to keep up with the machine. It can cause a slight bend at the edge of the die. Panel benders do not experience this problem since the material sits flat on the work table and doesn’t have to follow the press action throughout the bending process.

   Compared to press brakes, panel benders also offer superior accuracy and precision. Since they are automated machines, they have mechanisms that measure material and detect conditions to ensure correct placement and bending.

   Speed

   Panel benders can produce bent components much faster than press brakes. Some studies have shown that a panel bender can produce five pieces in the same time it would take a press brake to produce one. 

   Learn More About Panel Benders and Press Brakes From Metal Works

   Interested in learning more about metal bending technology? Ask the experts at Metal Works of High Point. Our team leverages extensive experience and state-of-the equipment to deliver high-quality metal parts and products to customers across a wide range of industries. We offer a broad selection of metalworking capabilities, including bending, so we have the knowledge to answer or address any questions or concerns you may have about bending machines. 

   If you want to partner with us on your next metal bending project, request a quote.

Back to Top