Category: Blog

How to Streamline Your Operation Using 3D Modular Welding Tables

Posted on by ismuser

Welding equipment has come a long way in the past few decades. Instead of being simply functional and utilitarian, today you can buy welding tables, jigs, and accessories that are designed ergonomically to improve working conditions, streamline the production process, and minimize downtime.

Forster America’s 3D modular welding tables are particularly effective because they can be adjusted for any welding project, making them ideal for all those jobs that require absolute precision. They also support various table parts and a number of components that enable welders to achieve custom solutions for jobs. This makes precise measuring, aligning, and correcting, or mechanically reworking complicated work pieces considerably easier.

How 3D Modular Welding Tables Work

Forster’s 3D modular welding tables are constructed with slats comprising a T-slot system that is ideal for welding containers and casings and other complex designs. All you do is slide them sideways to accommodate the various accessories. These include:

  • 30 mm and 50 mm diameter clamping arms
  • 30 mm and 50 mm steel pipes including several that are made specifically for 3D clamping
  • A range of right-angled brackets of various sizes to meet a plethora of needs
  • Horizontal, flat, quick-release, and C clamps that fulfill every possible clamping requirement
  • A variety of stops including flat and universal stops
  • A number of other elements including V-block supports, support feet that can accommodate two cast rails to extend the modular table, table extension plates, cover plates, and adjustable angle pieces that lock

They can also be used with horizontal rotary tables, vertical turntables, and lift tables that add to the versatility of the 3D modular design.

The lifting/tilting tables are particularly useful because they can be used with specialist jigs, and can be adjusted to any degree or height. The lift and turn function is operated hydraulically so there is absolutely no effort required on the part of the welder. Streamlining an operation has never been easier.

Specifications of 3D Modular Welding Tables

Forster America’s 3D tables are available in aluminum copper (Al/Cu) alloy for welding stainless steel and in gray cast iron. Design and sizes are the same for both:

  • A width of 59 inches for a table that is 118 inches long
  • A width of 47 inches for a range of lengths: 39, 71, 79, 95, and 118 inches.

The Al/Cu welding tables feature slatted tops that are made from a combination of carbon steel and an aluminum alloy. The benefit of using this type of table when working on stainless steel is that the clamping system prevents any contact with ferritic materials that would otherwise likely cause corrosion in the form of pitting or scratching. This makes them safe and reliable. Additionally, the material has a very high tensile strength combined with a low surface hardness. Because thermal conductivity is high, there is minimal danger of spatter attaching to the table.

The top of special gray cast iron welding tables is also highly resistant to spatter. The material has a very low expansion point when it is exposed to heat, which adds to reliability.

If you are interested in using 3D modular tables in your welding workshop, call Forster America today. We’ll help you choose the best solution for your needs.

The Best Clamps for Welding Workshops

Posted on by ismuser

All welding operations require effective clamping systems that enable welders to keep their work pieces in place. High quality, precision welding projects are totally dependent on clamps and clamping systems. Without them, the metal cannot be held in place properly, and the likelihood of error will be increased. This will impact negatively on efficiency, productivity and the company’s bottom line.

In a nutshell, not all clamps are made equal. So which are the best?

The Innovative 3D Clamping System From Forster America

Forster America has a range of modular welding tables, including their signature modular 3D tables that are designed with an innovative T-slot top. These, in turn, accommodate the company’s unique 3D clamping system.

Instead of having to find a suitable place to clamp the metal to be welded, the slats on the 3D welding table accommodate Forster America clamps in the simplest way possible. Whether you need a flat clamp, a C-clamp, a flange clamp, or a basic horizontal clamp, these are made to slide between the slats in the table. Better still, because the tables can be accessed from all sides, and easily adjusted to different positions, once you’ve clamped the work piece, you can just keep on working.

The Best Six Clamps for Welding Workshops

Clamps come in a variety of shapes and forms to suit a wide range of needs. But not all clamps are suitable for welding. In fact many are better suited to woodwork.

Forster America’s 3D clamping system for welding is limited but incredibly versatile. Whether you need to clamp large pieces of sheet metal or small components, there is a clamp that will do the job. They are all most effective when used in conjunction with the Forster America 3D welding table and include:

  • A 50 mm-diameter (2”) horizontal clamp that fits on a clamping pole and is perfect for application of horizontal clamping forces. It can be used at different heights and is easy to adjust continuously.
  • A 30 mm-diameter (1.2”) horizontal clamp that is suitable for applying force on steel and bronze pads.
  • A 50 mm-diameter (2”) x 600 mm (23.6”) flange clamp with a clutch and contact surface made from stainless steel that can be used to position flanges of any size. Suitable bolt sizes range from 97 mm to 355 mm (3.8” to 12”) with a bore diameter of 13mm (0.5”).
  • A flat clamp that is incredibly effective for holding flat components tightly in position. It has a throat depth of 200 mm (7.8”) and an adjustable clamping range of 110 mm (4.3”).
  • A C-clamp that is perfect for clamping flat components to right-angled brackets. It has a throat depth of 70 mm (2.7”) and an adjustable clamping range of 60 mm (2.3”).
  • An invaluable quick-release clamp that can be positioned freely along any x- or y-axis with the flat stop. It is ideal for clamping small components and sheet steel.

Forster America’s 3D tables and clamps are made to incredibly precise standards. So if you want the best clamps for your welding workshop, you know who to go to.

How Modular Welding Tables Save Money

Posted on by ismuser

Efficiency is one of the key factors to any profitable business. This relates to the way the business is run, the way employees operate, and to the tools and equipment used.

In the welding sector, down time rather than production time is the mostly costly factor. In a nutshell, this is because time is money, and by spending longer than necessary on a job is going to impact on profits. So by reducing down time, employees are able to complete job tasks more quickly and more efficiently, and ultimately save money.

Down Time Associated With Welding Jobs

Save MoneyProfessional welding jobs must be accurate. Work pieces must be measured and cut according to the specified design, and then correctly aligned so that angles are right and welding (or even just initial setup) doesn’t have to be redone. This might sound like a no brainer, but it’s not unusual for welders to have to mechanically rework parts, if not all of a job, because setup was done incorrectly.

Benefits of Modular Welding Tables

Modular welding tables have taken welding efficiency to a whole new level. Instead of working on a static surface, modular welding tables have surfaces that move and can be adjusted for precision welding.

There are various types and designs, the best of which support a number of additional table combinations including vertical turntables, lift tables, and horizontal rotary tables. Used with high tech railing fixtures, jigs, and other welding fixtures, modular welding tables can be used to create any possible custom solution for a job.

Additionally, innovative 3D modular welding tables and welding fixtures are easy to set up and use with clamping parts. T-slot tracks will allow the table to be used on two axes at the same time.

Modular Welding Tables From Forster America

Forster America offers modular welding tables as well as multi-functional welding tables that are used with various clamping systems, jigs and welding fixtures.

Modular welding tables incorporate surface rails that are spaced 100 mm (just under 4 ins) apart. The value of these is that they can be opened and adjusted to accommodate the full range of accessories, including welding fixtures and jigs. Their 3D welding tables feature a T-slot system that enables an infinitely flexible solution.

There are two types of welding table, one that is made of grey cast for processing mild steel, and the other made from an aluminum/copper alloy for welding stainless steel.

Multi-functional welding tables are used on their own or together with modular welding tables. These work hydraulically and have tops that move, tilt, rotate and swivel, and can be customized. Like the stationary modular welding tables, these multifunctional tables can be used with the full range of Forster America clamps, jigs and accessories. If used on their own, they can fulfill the need for a mobile solution, because they are on wheels.

Of course the decision of which type of welding table to use will depend both on the size of your workspace and the welding jobs you or your employees normally tackle. There are options from relatively small to very large, and they can also be used together with movable table bridges if very large metal structures are going to be welded.

If you are in the market for modular welding tables and welding fixtures, contact the friendly professionals at Forster America for more information, or chat to a consultant online.

Ergonomic Welding Fixtures for Modular Welding Tables

Posted on by ismuser

There is absolutely no doubt that professionally designed, high tech modular welding tables improve capacity and offer welders the capability to speed up any welding process. But when it comes to creating custom welding solutions, it’s the welding fixtures you have available that will make all the difference.

Ergonomic Welding Fixtures for Modular Welding Tables 2The very best welding fixtures are designed to be ergonomic, so that welders have to use minimum effort when doing basic yet precise activities liking measuring the metal work piece, working out precise angles and dimensions, aligning sections of a work piece, and correcting or mechanically reworking the materials required to complete any job. Instead of laboriously made jigs, scroll benders, and individual clamps, ergonomic welding fixtures include innovative lift tables, vertical turntables, horizontal rotary tables, ingenious clamping elements and 3D clamping systems that minimize the typical downtime associated with custom projects.

How Modular Welding Tables Differ From Traditional Welding Tables

The simplest welding table provides a metal surface for the welding process. Like any other worktable, it is completely flat and has static legs that keep it level. Modular welding tables can be adjusted to accommodate any design and a number of 3D welding components. Some can turn and tilt, and interchangeable rails improve accuracy. Slot systems enable free positioning so that every angle of a work piece can be accessed with ease.

For example, Forster America’s ingenious 3D modular welding table has been designed using a T-slot system that enables workers to open and adjust the slats that form the table’s surface. Furthermore, this particular welding table can be adjusted and readjusted throughout the welding process, to accommodate additional components that need to be added. The company’s unique welding fixture tables have the same slat formation and specially designed holes in these allow the use of clamps, jigs and other amazing accessories.

In addition to their ability to accommodate ergonomic welding fixtures, Forster’s modular welding tables are available in a number of guises:

  • Grey cast iron that is resistant to the spatter that normally sticks to welding tables and has to be chipped off.
  • An aluminum-copper (Al/Cu) alloy surface, that is ideal for use when welding stainless steel. These have a low surface hardness, and high tensile strength that eliminates ferritic scratching or pitting.
  • Carbon steel, which is ideal for welding mild steel.

Additionally, swiveling welding tables and several lifting, rotating and turning welding tables are available to accommodate jigs. All are perfect for ergonomic welding operations.

Versatile Welding Fixtures for Modular Welding Tables

No matter how simple or complex a welding job is, all welders rely on welding jigs and clamps. But instead of relying on multipurpose clamps and jigs that are made for specific projects, the ergonomic welding fixtures designed for professional modular welding tables offer a host of custom solutions for every possible welding job.

For example, clamps come in the form of:

  • Arms that extend horizontally, and some of which provide additional support
  • Wider clamping jaws
  • Quick release clamps that incorporate a flat stop section
  • Flange clamps that are positioned on a column or tower

Stops and squares are also varied, and include:

  • Try squares of various sizes
  • Edge stops of different heights
  • Flat stops
  • Accessories that are intended for welding four-sided angles
  • Accessories that can be used to weld infinitely adjustable angles
  • V-block supports of varying sizes

Forster America offers a number of different equipment sets that include the best combination of welding fixtures for different jobs including those used for:

  • Manufacturing frames
  • Tube manufacturing
  • Rack and case manufacturing
  • Universal manufacturing

To learn more about Forster’s ergonomic solutions, contact us by phone or email.

How Forster Welding Tables Save Time and Money in Industries That Need More Welders

Posted on by ismuser

The welding industry is suffering from a critical shortage of skilled welders at a time when welding job opportunities are increasing annually. For this reason it is vital for employers with welding workshops to ensure their equipment is cutting edge, with the potential to put them ahead of their competitors. And one of the most innovative ways to do this is to use high tech modular welding tables that enable one skilled welder to do jobs that would normally require at least two pairs of hands.

Skilled Welder Shortage in the US Manufacturing Economy

Welding Fume Hazards | Forster AmericaThe American Welding Society (AWS) has predicted that by 2024 the welding industry will have a shortage of around 400,000 welding operators. This is not surprising since data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that from 1988 to 2012, the number of welders in the US reduced from 570,000 to 360,000. Coupled with this, the manufacturing industry in general, and oil and gas industry in particular, has grown exponentially since mid-2009, adding more jobs for specialist welders than anyone would have imagined was possible.

Another BLS stat indicates that during the decade from 2010 to 2020 (which of course we are more than halfway through) will show a 15 percent growth in welding-related positions, which is higher than those for most other occupations. This, they say, indicates that by 2020, there will be around 50,000 more welding positions available than there were six years ago.

Coupled with the fact that properly trained career welders are in greater demand in manufacturing than ever before, welders can pick and choose where they work. Proper AWS certified training enables a career welder to cherry-pick jobs in a wide range of manufacturing industries, particularly when they have training and have experience in the latest technologies, together with the opportunity to use cutting edge equipment.

How a Forster America Welding Table Can Save Time and Money

It stands to reason that any company hiring welders will want to ensure the quality of workmanship is tops. However, manufacturing and other businesses hiring welders need to ensure that not only are the welders properly trained to use the latest welding techniques, but the welding equipment is also innovative and cutting edge. By using equipment that can cut down on downtime and enable one welder to do the same job two or more welders would normally be expected to do, in the same (or shorter) period of time, will save any business both time and money.

There are not a lot of elements that comprise the ability to complete the welding process, other than the appropriate welding machine and the bits and pieces required for the specific process chosen.

So what gives our welding table the cutting edge?

In a nutshell, if a welding table is modular, easy-to-clean, easy-to-maintain without having to splurge on replacement parts, and it’s efficient, then it’s going to save you time and money. That’s what Forster America has to offer with all of our specialty and modular welding tables.

An easy-to-clean welding table will have worktable-tops and rails that have been innovatively designed and then soaked in an oil formula that enables you to get rid of spatter instantly. What this means is that spatter simply pops off the surface while the welders are working. Then it can be cleaned very easily without any grinding or elbow grease. That feature saves a lot of time when it comes to cleanup, and time translates to financial savings.

Easy cleaning takes time and money savings to another level too. Because there is no need to grind off spatter, welding workshops will save the integrity of tabletops and they will last a lot longer. Furthermore, if one rail of a well-designed cutting edge modular welding table is damaged, all the welders need to do is replace the rail and not the whole tabletop.

Ultimately, the best modular tables available today don’t only make it easier for welders to work, they improve uptime too, because one welder can do the job two (or more) welders would normally do in the same time. When a well-designed modular table is available, a well-trained qualified welder seldom needs assistance manipulating a work piece in the middle of a project.

How Forster America’s Cutting Edge Welding Tables Work

3D Welding Table

Once upon a time a welding table was simply a table with a flat surface made of metal – commonly mild steel, but ultimately depending on the metal being welded. To weld different components that had to be positioned at different angles, welders had to use jigs and clamps and other quite basic, but often custom-made aids to get the job right.

And then technology saved the day, and 3D modular tables were designed that enabled welders to tackle any job using a proprietary T-slot system. These contemporary welding tables incorporate modular parts with slots that can be opened and adjusted to accommodate different metal parts within the design of the item being welded.

The best modular tables can be tilted, moved and customized with built-in jigs in a fraction of the time any regular, quite old-fashioned welder would need to set up a mid-job position for welding. Better still, one skilled worker can do it alone, which is good news in an industry that has fewer workers than it did a decade ago. The “secret” about so-called cutting edge welding tables is that they can hold a full range of 3D welding components and accessories required to complete an amazing range of welding tasks.

Whether you are a welder or a business that employs welders, cutting edge equipment is available to take your business to the next level. You might need to hire more staff, but you should also look at what upgraded equipment can do for you, particularly a welding table that’s going to minimize your downtime.

3D Modular Welding Tables for Infinite Flexibility

Posted on by ismuser

Next time a welder tells you he (or she) is flexible in terms of the work they can do, double check what they mean. Infinite flexibility doesn’t mean that a welder can necessarily tackle every type of welding process or work successfully in every welding environment. Infinite flexibility means they can do the job they do exceptionally well – and usually because they have a good advantage in terms of the equipment they are using.

All welders use welding tables because they are part of the basic equipment welders need. But not all welders use 3D welding tables – and that’s what enables for infinite flexibility. You could say it’s one of the best-kept secrets in the field of contemporary welding.Welding

Think About It

The highest cost factor recorded by those in the welding industry as a whole is down time. This is caused by welders spending (and wasting) time measuring, aligning, correcting the position of work pieces, finding precise dimensions, and often having to rework materials mechanically when they find that alignment, dimensions and so on aren’t correct.

But if a welder has a welding table that doesn’t just provide a static flat surface, but rather changes form to meet the needs of the job, the entire process will be quicker, easier, and considerably more cost effective.

3D Modular Welding Tables

Cutting-edge 21st century modular welding tables bear very little resemblance to the welding tables our fathers and grandfathers used to have in their welding workshops. Perfectly flat, the old-time types enabled welders to get their horizontal and vertical surfaces level and plumb. They could also be used for custom-made jigs, to make all sorts of different designs. But they didn’t help at all when it came to angle assignments and the precise dimensions required for professionally designed projects that are never, ever the same. And in the world of welding, this is a daily reality, unless welders are working to only one particular design.

Today’s welding tables are in a word, amazing. Because they can be easily moved and adjusted to any position, they enable welders to change the position and angle of work pieces. And when they add just a few components, they can create custom solutions for just about any possible welding job.

The best 3D modular welding tables are able to support lift tables, vertical turntables, and even horizontal rotary tables. They can also support large loads of different metals, some up to five tons. This kind of design really does take welding to a new level, and it enables infinite flexibility in a way our fathers and grandfathers would never have dreamed was possible.

The good news is that Forster America 3D welding tables do just this and more. Created using an ingenious T-slot system, they incorporate metal slats that can be opened and adjusted to fit various accessories and of course the work piece. Available in grey cast for steel processing, and an aluminum / copper-based option, the tables vary in size from 3 m to 1 m in length, and 1.5 m to 1.3 m in width.

The beauty of the Forster modular welding table system is that they can be adjusted right in the middle of the welding process – and by just one person on their own! This saves time and money, and adds value to the bottom line. End of story.

Using Forster’s 3D Welding Table to Simplify Welding Jobs

Posted on by ismuser

Welding tables are a must have component for any serious welder’s workspace. Standard tables are usually made of steel since other types of material could not stand up to the intense heat needed for welding. This makes them durable but not very versatile. A typical welding table will be setup for a specific project and until that project is finished, the table cannot be used for anything else. 3D welding tables provide a versatile workspace for more complex projects and larger product output requirements.

Standard welding tables don’t give you any option to make changes or position adjustments midway through a job.

Forster 3D Welding TableFor this reason, a small shop or individual welder can get by using a single table but larger manufacturers need a lot more to meet demand. Since a standard table is not able to adapt to jobs of different sizes, a manufacturer is forced to dedicate one table to one project or one step in an assembly line. This is why more and more large manufacturers are switching over to a Forster 3-D Welding Table.

3D Welding Tables Simplify Larger Welding Projects and Increase Output

A Forster 3-D Welding Table is extremely versatile and can accommodate projects of all shapes and sizes because of its “T-Slot” system. The T-Slot system utilizes slats that will open and adjust to accommodate different projects and useful accessories. You do not have to wait until before or after a project to set up these tables as they can be adjusted on the fly.

Our 3D Welding Tables are available with:

  • Al/Cu alloy construction which allows for stainless steel processing
  • Grey cast construction for steel processing
  • The flexible T-Slot system which allows for an amazing array of configurations

If your company handles welding projects on a daily basis then you need to contact Forster America today. There is no point to filling your welding bays with limited tables that can only handle one type of project when you can fill your workspace with Forster 3-D Welding Tables. They can do anything a standard table can do and so much more.

From The Fabricator: Customizable Welding Tables Simplify Operations and Enhance Productivity by Michelle Howell

Posted on by ismuser

Professional welding jobs can be complicated, particularly when complex designs call for absolute accuracy. For this reason it is essential to ensure that the equipment used is right for the job at hand, not only in terms of specialized welding machines, but also in terms of the welding table chosen.
Welding Table Efficiency
Generally, the most efficient and cost-effective practice for a professional workshop is to invest in customizable welding tables that are appropriate for the jobs done most often, rather than have multiple welding stations for different sizes and types of metal. Carefully selected modular welding tables can be used for both simple and complex jobs regardless of frame, rail, and custom requirements.

Click here to see the full article on The Fabricator

The Evolution of Welding [Infographic]

Posted on by ismuser

Welding is a fundamental part of almost every industry and product in today’s world. Some of the first welding processes we’re being utilized before iron was even discovered as a useful material, today there are many different popular welding processes for all types of metals and fabricaton.

Our timeline below begins in the “Bronze Ages” and shows all of the fundamental innovations in welding up until 1959, though there are many new technologies and processes being developed even today! Check out our infographic below to learn more.

The Evolution of Welding

Evolution of Welding Infographic | Forster America

Click the Infographic to see the Full-size Version!

 

 

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