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Browse our collection of articles, covering a wide range of topics and ideas.

Featured Articles

The potential of digital-first manufacturing

What I’ve come to realize is that in manufacturing, software’s cost is justified not just by improved quality of life, but as a way to convert variable costs into fixed costs. In our case, we’ve used software to automate office overheads. First and foremost, we automate quoting and manufacturability checks. We employ zero estimators, but we can quote more than 100,000 parts per week without straining our systems.

Metal fabricators prefer the wrong kind of customer

Shops often find themselves in a strategic cul-de-sac—extremely busy, falling behind, and yet somehow unable to grow. This circumstance is created not by their competitors, but indirectly by their approach to overhead management.

OSH Cut To Open A Second High-Tech Factory Near Cincinnati

OSH Cut CEO, Caleb Chamberlain, announced last week that their second U.S. factory is nearly operational and will be located in the Cincinnati metropolitan area.

Where to Get Sheet Metal Parts

There are tens of thousands of sheet metal shops scattered throughout the United States, each with a different combination of capabilities and services. Here is our review of a handful of shops that make the ordering experience quick and easy.

Latest Articles

Toward Perfect Metal Parts

We are on a mission to offer perfect sheet metal parts. For a high-mix sheet metal shop, that works out to be a tricky problem for many reasons, but this week we took a big step along the way.

What software automation means for custom fabrication

OSH Cut is different, but is it disruptive to the sheet metal manufacturing industry?

Why operating at scale lets metal fabricators ship faster

Queues are a fact of life, and it’s really a shame. It means as demand grows, customers have a worse experience. Nobody likes waiting in line. Yet a healthy backlog is in some ways desirable for manufacturers. It’s nice to know that you’ll keep your people busy for the next several weeks. It’s great for the shop, but less so for the customer. This uneasy tension between manufacturers and customers creates a sort of balance.

Steel Prices Increased Dramatically in 2021

Driven by high demand and persistent supply-chain issues, steel prices increased dramatically in 2021. Price increases have affected the entire supply-chain, from material rationing at mills, to long service center leads, and finally increases in product costs.

More Articles

Sasquatch Campers uses on-demand metal fabrication to develop new products, quickly

Kass and Beth Kremer, and Daryl Magner - Co-founders of Sasquatch Expedition Campers - are combining their love for the outdoors with their engineering background to add economic energy to the manufacturing sector in Silverton, CO. Photo by Scott DW Smith, @Imagesmithphoto

Scaling a metal fabricator with custom software

OSH Cut CEO Caleb Chamberlain recalls his experience, and ultimate success, in writing production, inventory, and shipping software for his metal fabrication business.

Quoting Sheet Metal With a Print vs CAD Files

A manufacturing print provides your fabricator a wealth of information, but in the world of digital manufacturing, quoting and manufacturing from a print is expensive and time-consuming. Sometimes using a print makes sense, sometimes it doesn't. Here's why.

Practical approaches to using AI in manufacturing and fabrication

As tariffs and reshoring continue to stir uncertainty and volatility, Tim, Caleb, and Lance talk about how fabricators are looking for ways to stay competitive and agile. AI and automation are emerging as powerful tools, with the potential to transform everything from quoting and scheduling to sales and customer service in manufacturing.

OrcaVue: From Backyard Stunts to Market Leaders in 360 Photo Booths

OrcaVue, the market leader in the photo booth industry, has revolutionized the event experience with their slow-motion glamor booths. Founded by engineering graduate Daniel Rosenberry and his brother, OrcaVue started as a way to capture captivating moments with just one camera. With a commitment to innovation, customer service, and quality - OrcaVue is set to lead and create more categories within entertainment.

Optimizing metal manufacturing performance like Formula One racing

Engineers and analysts in performance racing and financial planning use Monte Carlo simulations and data to predict outcomes of incredibly complicated scenarios. Soon, more fabricators might be doing the same.