Reliable Welding Fabrication Services
Every city in the UK has hundreds of fabrication workshops. These firms have operations that differ in scale. Some of them only focus on individual consumers and can fabricate simple items, such as custom metallic windows and doors, garden carts and wheelbarrows among other types of consumer products. However, there are also many large firms that offer welding fabrication services. These firms often fabricate truck trailers, plant and machinery among other things. When you need welding or fabrication services, you should consider your needs and compare all the local fabricators to identify the right firm for your needs.
What Does Metal Fabrication Entail?
Fabrication is the process of cutting and joining different metal parts to make a piece of equipment, plant or machinery. Metal fabrication entails the following:
i) Product Design
Before an item can be fabricated in a workshop, it must first be designed on paper or computer software. Computer aided design is the preferred option nowadays because simulation of the equipment or machine can be done to ensure everything will work perfectly even before fabrication begins. Once the design is ready, a list of materials will be created to facilitate sourcing.
ii) Cutting
Once the metal sheets, bars, rods and other types of metal pieces have been availed at the workshop, what follows is measuring and cutting of different sections in preparation for assembly. There is a wide range of cutting techniques, including; laser cutting, using of grinders and traditional hacksaws among others.
iii) Drilling
Once different sections have been cut, what follows is the process of making of holes through the metal pieces. These are the holes that will be used to run fasteners, lubricants, fuel lines, install bearings and the likes. Once drilling has been done, the next step is assembly of the different sections.
iv) Welding
There are many ways to join different metal pieces to assemble the machine or piece of equipment under fabrication. The most common, however, is welding. Different metal parts will be welded together to form a permanent joint. Another method of joining parts is the use of bolts and nuts. Rivets can also be used to secure metal sheets in place.
v) Testing
After assembly, the equipment or machine will be tested to confirm that it functions as desired. If not, some adjustments can be made before finishing can be done.
vi) Finishing
This is an important step in the process of fabricating a piece of equipment or machine. Finishing can be as simple as applying a coat of paint on the exterior of the fabricated equipment. It may also entail electroplating or powder-coating the equipment. Once the coating has dried up, the machine or piece of equipment can be handed over to the client for use.
Choosing the Right Firm
As noted earlier, there are many firms that have specialised in welding and fabrication. By comparing their experiences, reputation they have developed in the industry, fees they charge and guarantees they offer, you can easily find the most suitable firm to handle the job at hand.