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

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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.

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.

What software automation means for custom fabrication

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

Steel Prices are Dropping in 2022

Beginning roughly in November 2020, steel prices increased dramatically, with costs peaking at 2.5x pre-COVID levels by November 2021. In the months following, prices stabilized and have dropped 33%. Prices still exceed previous levels by a factor of 2, but they appear to be recovering.

Latest Articles

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.

Understanding the impact of tariffs on metal fabrication businesses

Tim Heston, Caleb Chamberlain, Lance Thrailkill, and Cody Lee discuss tariff implications, diversification strategies, and adaptability within the evolving manufacturing landscape.

The metal fabrication business, accelerated with tech

Columnist Caleb Chamberlain recalls the days of the IBM-compatible computer, massive calculators, and a starkly different time in U.S. manufacturing. Things have changed—and mostly for the better.

The emergence of private equity and vibe coding in fabrication

From the surge of co-bots and advanced automation tools on display to the practical challenges of integrating and maintaining them, FABTECH revealed just how fast the industry is evolving.

More Articles

Cutting Waste Through On-Demand Fabrication

Successful companies are very good at cutting the waste. Two huge causes of waste in an organization are overproductions and excess inventory. Utilizing on-demand metal fabrication can significantly reduce the amount of inventory a company needs to have on-hand and streamline other production processes. Technology and software-enabled shops are paving the way to revolutionize the industry.

Brothers Aim to Transform the Fabrication Industry

Caleb and Jacom Chamberlain, both engineers, needed precision sheet metal parts cut and bent, but found it difficult to find vendors to do the job. So they started OSH Cut to make it easier for themselves and others. OSH Cut now offers precision blank cutting and bending services, shipping all over the US.

Are Steel Prices Returning to Normal?

In the aftermath of COVID, steel prices exploded, peaking 2.5x higher than before the pandemic. But starting at the end of 2021, prices started falling again. After a brief spike at the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, we are approaching levels not seen since 2020.

An Online Metal Service for Fab Shops

We built our sheet metal service to meet the needs of shops, contractors, and engineering companies. Here's how we've changed, and where we are going.

Customer Profiles - Life is a DIY Project

Transforming Innovation: How Zack Nelson's DIY Electric Humvee Showcases the Power of Custom Fabrication and Sheet Metal

Can Manufacturing Brokers Stay Competitive?

There has recently been an increase in new startups brokering manufacturing services. It's an exciting trend, but as direct manufacturers take advantage of software and automation to improve customer experience, brokers will have a difficult time staying competitive.