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Choosing a metal fabricator is not as simple as picking the one nearest you. When you want the job done right and to your liking, extra steps are necessary to ensure you find a fabrication company that can provide that for you. Whether you are looking for a specialized project or something more straightforward, find a metal fabrication company that aligns with your vision and needs. 

Here are five tips to remember when you start your hunt for a metal fabricator. 

1. Assess Their Experience

Like other labor-based projects, having an experienced business on your side can help ensure the best-finished product. This is not to say a new company can not provide amazing projects, but a more senior company should produce a project better than its new competitors. It is all up to the discretion and their expertise as a company. If you have a larger project or something more specialized, searching for a company with a lot of experience under its belt might be what you need to get it done right or at least be shown in the direction of someone else who can do it better.

2. What Are Their Skills and Capabilities?

The next tip to choosing your metal fabricator is to look at their specialization. If you have a large project, such as an entryway to a stadium, signage, or HVAC equipment, you want to find a fabrication company specializing in that industry. Just because a metal fabricator does kitchen hoods does not mean they also do industrial work. However, you could find a diamond in the rough, such as Gieske, who specializes in multiple industries for subcontractors, plant managers, residential work, architecture, and much more. Ultimately, you want to find a company that can provide you with the project you envision. 

3. Ask Around 

Reviews are essential as you find a metal fabrication company to do your job. No matter the size or importance of the job, you want to ensure your chosen business has amazing customer service. If you have questions, concerns, or changes, you don’t want to be met by a brick wall. This is your opportunity to look at reviews and ask around your community about the company in question. Ask about their company experience and how they enjoy their finished products. This can give you insight into the people you might be partnering with and the quality of their work. 

4. What’s Their Work Environment and Equipment Look Like?

If possible, check out the working environment and the equipment the metal fabrication company has before hiring them. Or if you can not see it, ask them if they do their work in-house or hire out. This can give you a better understanding of the pay and even the end product’s quality. The type of equipment they have can also dictate what they can and cannot do, establishing whether or not your project is possible through them. This step can be essential to those who are planning large-scale projects.

5. Do They See Your Vision as You Do? 

The last tip for choosing your metal fabricator is to decide whether they see your vision as you do. This might sound unnecessary, but the project you plan to hand over to them is likely important to you, your business, or your boss, and the last thing you want is to get back something that is not at all what you envisioned and does not fit the criteria you were hoping for. Before you choose your fabricator, explain your vision and ensure they understand and see it as well. They are there to make your metal vision a reality. 

Big or small, you should trust the metal fabricator to handle your project with the utmost care, expertise, and vision. If you have further questions or wish to see how we can make your metal vision a reality, contact the team at Gieske.

Every time you walk into a building, up a flight of stairs, or admire the architecture of a new structure, you actually see the result of metal fabrication at its finest. The term metal fabrication might not be a pretty one, but it is what creates the world around us, and it can be fascinating to understand what goes into the process of making something as simple as a flight of stairs to something as complex as a whole stadium. 

Metal fabrication affects us all in some way, so let’s take a closer look at what it is and the process that goes into creating beauty throughout our day-to-day lives. 

What Is Metal Fabrication?

Metal fabrication is a broad term that describes the process of cutting, shaping, and assembling metal materials. Instead of the end product being made with pre-made materials, fabrication starts with raw materials, allowing for more custom or personalized finished pieces. Fabricators are likely experienced specialists trained to cut and manipulate metals to their desired shape. 

What Does the Process Look Like?

If you were to order a fabricated piece, there is a usual process that is abided by to ensure the finished product exceeds your expectations, is made properly, and is correctly installed. 

The first step is the design stage. Fabricators will meet with clients to get an idea of what is needed, develop drawings and plans, and lay out the expectations from both parties. The next step is for the fabricators to work on the piece in its entirety. Depending on the project, this could take a couple of weeks to a handful of months. They will work on cutting, bending, shaping, and assembling the metal to the desired shape. Fabrication can look different for each job, and the methods may vary. The last step is assembly and installation. In this step, all necessary parts are put together and placed in their desired location. At this point, the client is able to see the project in all its glory and enjoy the piece made for them.

What Fabrication Methods Go Into The Process?

During the second step, fabrication, many methods can be used to create the pieces. 

Some common methods can be:

Cutting: Using a laser, waterjet, shears, or saw, fabricators can get the desired shape they are looking for. 

Forging: A fabricator can use a high-pressure machine to compress the raw metal to bend and shape it. 

Punching: This method uses turrets to punch pre-designed patterns into the metal. 

Milling: This mechanism bores perforations into the metal.

Casting: A fabricator will pour molten metal into a mold in order to create a specific shape. 

Extrusion:  A ram is used to force billets through a die and create cylindrical parts like wires and pipes. 

The Different Kinds of Metal Fabrication

Industrial Metal Fabrication

This type of fabrication can revolve around many different industries, such as automotive, aerospace, energy, and so much more. The pieces made for this type are typically made in bulk and contain large-sized products. 

Structural Metal Fabrication 

This form of fabrication includes creating metal parts for construction or other commercial, industrial, or residential projects. Projects might consist of stairs, walkways, beams, towers, or trusses and will likely be made from steel. 

Commercial Metal Fabrication

Any place, such as a restaurant, retail store, hotel, or public space, will have pieces from commercial metal fabricators. It can either be decorative or ornamental, such as shelves, awnings, sinks, guardrails, or conveyor belts. 

Custom Metal Fabrication

This can involve anything that the client can envision. Metal fabrication has endless possibilities, and with the right fabricator, such as Gieske, you can get anything for your business, home, or industrial needs. 
Metal fabrication is all around us. If you need to complete a project, look to Gieske Custom Metal Fabrication to make your metal vision a reality!