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  1. Types of Structural Fabrication Work

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    Structural fabrication refers to the cutting, bending, and assembling of raw materials—generally steel—to create finished products, systems, and structures. It does not include any operations focused on strengthening or repairing the material. Below, we provide some examples of typical structural fabrication projects.

    Applications of Structural Fabrication

    Structural fabrication projects are highly varied. They can range from buildings to bridges to other large structures. One of the most commonly used materials in these projects is structural steel, which exhibits many beneficial properties that make it ideal for use in structural applications. Some examples of typical structural steel fabrication projects include:

    Industrial Buildings

    Structural steel is the top material choice for the construction of industrial buildings due to its high strength, good durability, and ease of fabrication. Since it is strong, it can create stable buildings. Since it is durable, it can produce buildings that require little to no maintenance or repairs. Since it is easy to fabricate, it can be used to make buildings quickly.

    Residential Buildings

    Structural steel is also widely used for the construction of residential buildings. Structural steel-framed buildings are built similarly to wood-framed buildings. However, they offer better reliability and longevity.

    Parking Garages

    Structural steel is used to make parking garages for reasons similar to why it is used to make buildings. It is strong and durable, which allows for the construction of stable and reliable parking garages.

    Bridges

    One of the most common structural steel fabrication projects is bridges. The material has an excellent strength-to-weight ratio, which is highly beneficial for the large structures. Additionally, its durability ensures it can endure the weight of vehicles and pedestrians and withstand the conditions of the environment in which it is erected.

    Other Large Structures

    Structural steel’s high strength and low weight make it suitable for making a wide range of large structures. It can be used for buildings, bridges, and more.

    Structural Fabrication at Advance Industrial Manufacturing

    Looking for a partner for your next structural fabrication project? Turn to the experts at Advance Industrial Manufacturing! We are a fabrication shop that specializes in craftsman-style service. We offer a broad selection of manufacturing services—including drilling, welding, fastening, assembling, galvanizing, and more—for steel and various other metals.

    Blue Reels

    Our facility houses all of the equipment we need to complete structural fabrication work in-house, including:

    • Ficep Victory 11 CNC Drill Line
    • Ficep CNC Angle Line
    • Koike Aronson Mastergraph Extreme CNC Heavy Duty Gantry Plasma Cutting Machine
    • 300-ton Haco Atlantic CNC Hydraulic Press Brake
    • 500-ton Pacific Hydraulic Press Brake
    • ½ inch x 10 feet Haco Atlantic CNC Shear
    • 3/8 inch x 8 feet 4 Point Cole-Tuve 4 Point Plate Roller
    • 5 inches x 5 inches x ½ inch Pullmax Angle Roll
    • (2) 120-ton Geka Iron Workers
    • 90-ton Whitney Punch
    • 30-ton Whitney Punch
    • Tomblin Turning Rolls
    • Rigid Pipe Threader
    • Bickford 6-foot Radial Arm Drill Press
    • Bridgeport Mill
    • (2) 18-inch Hyd-Mech Band Saws
    • (28) Lincoln Welding Machines
    • (7) Hand Torch Sets
    • Hypertherm Hand Plasma Cutter

    Advance Industrial Manufacturing: Structural Fabrication Experts in Ohio

    At Advance Industrial Manufacturing, we have the experience, expertise, and equipment to handle a variety of structural fabrication projects. To learn more about our capabilities, contact us today. To partner with us on your next project, request a quote.

  2. How to Find Custom Metal Fabrication Services in Ohio

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    Metal fabrication entails building structures and equipment using raw metal construction materials. Depending on the application, the process could involve specific processes such as cutting, bending, machining, and assembly to develop the end product. Metal fabrication is used to create a wide range of products such as machinery and heavy equipment.

    In this blog post, we’ll discuss the different types of custom metal fabrication services, their industry applications, and how you can locate the right services for your products.

    Custom Metal Fabrication Services

    Different applications will use different custom metal fabrication services to manufacture products. Each service features a unique process that manipulates workpieces and produces different results. These services can include:

    Forming

    Metal forming is a metalworking process that involves mechanical deformation to fashion metal objects and parts. Throughout this process, the workpiece undergoes reshaping without any addition or removal of materials, and the mass remains the same. Forming uses the plastic deformation materials science principle, which results in permanent deformation of the workpiece’s physical shape.

    Bending

    Metal bending is a process that applies force to the workpiece to deform it, causing it to bend into the desired shape. Oftentimes, the end result is a metal piece in the shape of a “U” or a “V.” The process uses a press brake to bend sheet metal, along with a punch and die.

    Shearing

    Shearing is another metal fabrication service that removes and trims unwanted metal material from metal sheeting. Equipment such as bench shears completes the process by precisely slicing through the metal workpiece. Shearing also takes place at room temperature or in cooler environments.

    Rolling

    During the rolling process, metal stock moves through one or multiple pairs of rollers, which allows for uniform thickness, reduced thickness, or the imparting of a particular mechanical property. The process may use either hot or cold rolling techniques, depending on the temperature of the metal when rolled.

    Drilling

    Drilling is a type of metal cutting process that involves the use of a drill bit to produce a hole in metal workpieces. The process typically involves a rotary cutting tool, which is frequently multi-point. When pressed against the metal, the bit rotates at up to thousands of revolutions per minute, cutting the hole into the workpiece.

    Sawing

    Also known as precision saw cutting, sawing can cut metal materials in tube, plate, bar, or pipe form. This process uses a saw blade to cut larger metal workpieces into smaller ones. The two main types of sawing methods include circular saw cutting, which uses a circular blade that spins and cuts, and band saw cutting, which uses a straight blade with metal teeth for uniform cutting.

    Plasma Cutting

    Plasma cutting melts workpieces with ionized gas at temperatures over 20,000° C, melting and removing unwanted materials. Throughout this process, an electric arc passes between the workpiece and an electrode, which serve as the anode and cathode, respectively. A cooled nozzle constricts the arc to form the plasma jet, which emits the intense heat needed to melt away the metal.

    Welding

    Another commonly used fabrication service is welding, which fuses two or more metal parts together through the use of heat, pressure, or a combination of the two. The welding process normally adds molten filler material to complete the weld. This material is often stronger than the base metal.

    Industries That Use Metal Fabrication

    Many industries use metal fabrication services of some kind to manufacture their products. These industries include:

    • Aerospace
    • Agricultural industries
    • Alternative energy
    • Automotive
    • Construction
    • Consumer products
    • Military and defense
    • Original equipment manufacturers
    • Recreational vehicles

    Custom Metal Fabrication Services in Ohio

    If you’re looking for reliable custom metal fabrication services in Ohio, the experts at Advance Industrial Manufacturing, Inc. can give you the results you want. We can work with a wide variety of metal materials, including steel, and can employ many processes and machines to get the job done. Whether you need forming, bending, rolling, shearing, or other metal fabrication processes, we can meet your individual needs.

    To learn more about our processes and capabilities, request a quote today.

  3. Manufacturing Custom Conveyor Systems

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    A conveyor is a mechanized material handling system. For example, conveyor belt systems—one of the most popular conveyor system types—feature a rolling belt that can move goods along a predetermined route. Conveyance systems are automated and can manage the movement of heavy, bulky, and high-volume goods to different stations or stops along a production, testing, or sorting process.

    By transporting goods without requiring manual carrying, conveyance systems reduce workplace industries, decrease labor-related costs, and allow for more complex sorting and movement with increased accuracy. This blog post will discuss how conveyor systems work, the different types available, and how Advance Industrial Manufacturing can create the right conveyor system for your facility.

    How Do Conveyors Work?

    Conveyor systems use a wide array of mechanisms to move loads within a specific area. Basic conveyors are made of four parts:

    1. A drive pulley that tows the belt, chain, or other conveyance surfaces
    2. A second pulley or idler that the belt wraps around at the end of the conveyor system to allow for reverse operation
    3. A rotor that the belt attaches to
    4. The belt or conveyance surface itself

    More flexible belts may also require a support unit to keep the belt from sagging under heavy loads.

    Conveyor systems can operate at steep or mild inclines, allowing facilities to take advantage of unused vertical space. As the conveyor path or function becomes more complex, the number of parts increases accordingly.

    For instance, a conveyor system with turns will have additional impellers and rotors. These underlying parts determine the path the goods will take, which can include multiple stops, split pathways to sort goods, and more. Along with belts, which are commonly found on conveyor systems used in package sorting or assembly lines, conveyors may also use buckets, chains, slats that can accommodate heavy objects, and more. While most conveyor systems are automated, some are manually operated and don’t need an incorporated power source.

    Conveyor systems can integrate into existing process lines with other equipment and tools, such as inspection equipment, machining or finishing stations, and packaging equipment. An integrated process line helps users to streamline internal production, assembly, packaging, and shipping processes.

    Different Types of Conveyor Systems

    There are many types of conveyor systems available for commercial and industrial applications, making it essential to choose the right type for the specific needs of your facility and business. Some of the distinct types of conveyor systems include:

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    How-Do-Conveyors-Work
    • Aero-mechanical conveyors
    • Automotive conveyors
    • Belt conveyors
    • Belt-driven live roller conveyors
    • Bucket conveyors
    • Chain conveyors
    • Chain-driven live roller conveyors
    • Drag conveyors
    • Dust-proof conveyors
    • Electric track vehicle systems
    • Flexible conveyors
    • Gravity conveyors
    • Gravity skate wheel conveyors
    • Line-shaft roller conveyors
    • Motorized-drive roller conveyors
    • Overhead I-beam conveyors
    • Overland conveyors
    • Pharmaceutical conveyors
    • Plastic belt conveyors
    • Pneumatic conveyors
    • Screw or auger conveyors
    • Spiral conveyors
    • Vertical conveyors
    • Vibrating conveyors
    • Wire mesh conveyors

    To maintain operational efficiency, look for systems that can handle the weight, shape, and materials of the materials and goods you typically move. Other factors to consider in the selection process may include energy efficiency, size constraints, safety, and potential future modifications to accommodate growth.

    Custom Conveyor System Manufactured by Advance Industrial MFG

    At Advance Industrial Manufacturing, we specialize in creating custom solutions for our clients. We have extensive experience in creating custom conveyor systems that help our customers improve throughput. To see how our metal fabrication and machining capabilities can benefit your operation, please contact us or request a quote today.

  4. An Introduction to Electrical Substations

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    Electrical substations are key components of electrical generation, transmission, and distribution systems. Below, we provide an overview of what they are, how they work, and the types available to help readers understand the important role they play in our day-to-day lives.

    What Are Electrical Substations?

    Electrical substations serve as an interface between generation, transmission, and distribution stations and between stations and end-users. They are designed to step up or step down the voltage in transmission lines to make it suitable for distribution and use. Additionally, they have mechanisms in place to control the flow of current in different directions, smooth and filter transmission fluctuations, and protect the overall system.

    How Do Electrical Substations Work?

    The electrical transmission and distribution process begins with the generation of electricity in a power plant. The electricity produced travels to a transmission substation near the plant. The transmission substation increases the voltage of the electricity through the use of step-up transformers, which reduces the potential for transmission loss over longer distances. From there, the electricity travels to a power substation, where the voltage is first reduced using step-down transformers and then transmitted to the distribution grid. The distribution grid also contains transformers that help lower the voltage for distribution. Eventually, the power reaches residential step-down transformers, which convert the voltage to appropriate levels for use as per the country’s standards.

    Types of Electrical Substations

    There are three main classifications of electrical substations:

    • Transmission substations. These substations facilitate the transmission of power from generation sources to various delivery points. They contain step-up transformers, which raise the voltage to ensure more efficient power transmission.
    • Sub-transmission substations. These substations use step-down transformers to lower the voltage levels of power transmitted over long distances to sub-transmission voltage levels. The resulting power can be used for industrial operations or transmitted to distribution substations.
    • Distribution substations. These substations use distribution transformers to further lower sub-transmission voltage to appropriate levels for industrial, commercial, and residential purposes.

    Substation Fabrication Solutions at Advance Industrial Manufacturing

    Need electrical substations for your next infrastructure project? Turn to the experts at Advance Industrial Manufacturing! We can provide custom metal fabrication solutions for a range of infrastructure needs. Whether you need medium or large substations, we can fabricate and weld a structure that meets your specifications and standards. In addition to fabricating lattice structural components for efficient and reliable overhead support systems, we can create platforms, stairs, and handrails for safety systems.

    For additional information about our substation capabilities, check out our substation structures page. To discuss your project needs with one of our team members, request a quote.

  5. Transmission vs Distribution Substations

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    Transmission vs Distribution Substations

    Substations form vital parts of the electrical system. Substations are formed by large collections of electrical devices and hardware gathered in a single location. After the electricity is generated, transmission and distribution substations prepare the power for use in residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal locations. 

    Different types of stations perform different functions, such as reducing or increasing the voltage of the electricity, and electricity will often flow through multiple stations in its journey to an end location. Learn more about transmission and distribution substations and the structures they need to provide optimal, safe energy.

    Transmission Substations

    Transmission substations exist along electricity’s route from generation point to end-users. They allow electricity to move long distances through the system, and they make up the ‘bulk power system.’ The bulk power system is responsible for moving bulk loads of power from the generation point to major or bulk power delivery points near large populations or use centers. Along their route, they transform electricity from one voltage level to another, generally at voltages of 138 kV or more.

    Transmission substations provide access to renewable energy such as solar power, wind power, hydroelectricity, and more. Power generation stations can be located in remote areas that offer more flexibility and reduced property costs, while still providing electricity for millions of people. 

    Along with transmission substations, there are sub-transmission substations. These units transform electricity to sub-138 kV voltages in preparation for the power’s transfer to distribution substations.  Dual-source sub-transmission is a reliable choice for decreasing the voltage levels of in-transit electricity because the dual sources minimize the risk of interruptions. Newer sub-transmission lines also tend to be buried underground for even safer and more efficient infrastructure.

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    Transmission Substations

    Distribution Substations

    Distribution stations handle electricity’s journey from the sub-transmission stations to the end user’s property. At this stage, the electricity’s voltage levels have been lowered to a range between 0.4 kV to 11 kV, though different countries and property types may receive different voltage levels. Once the electricity reaches a consumer property, the voltage is further lowered to 230V or 400V by distribution transformers. 

    Along with distribution transformers, distribution substations may have the following components:

    • Current and potential transformers
    • Protective relays and isolators
    • Batteries
    • Circuit breakers and switches

    Transmission substations often have similar types of equipment, though they need components that are more robust to handle the much higher voltage levels.

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    Distribution Substations

    Fabricating Substation Structures

    As substation technology and requirements continue to change, it’s important to have components and structures that can meet demands. Growing electrical grids, the increasingly popular shift to underground electrical structures, and the need for power lines that connect remote green energy generation projects to the grid all require custom structures that you can rely on.

    At Advance Industrial Manufacturing, Inc., we specialize in Fabricating Electrical and substation components.  We Primarily work with steel including carbon steel, forged steel, and stainless steel We create custom and specialty parts that fit the unique needs of evolving transmission vs distribution stations. 

    Our services include designing and building substation structures, custom metal fabricating, and machinery or secondary services for complete turnkey solutions for your next electrical substation build project.

    Contact us today to learn more about our capabilities or request a quote to get started.