Keep your metal products in the limelight by reading metal-cutting machines and supplies news and trends. By following the latest technology and trends you can learn how to make metal products more efficiently. You can also learn how to use the latest metal cutting tools to get the edge over your competition.

As you read information about trends in the metal cutting machines industry, you can notice that new technologies are constantly emerging. These include plasma, laser, waterjet and oxygen/fuel machines. These new technologies allow machine shops to not only produce more goods, but the quality of the product is much higher because the machines cut with greater precision. Other news and trends include:

1. Constant training updates on these new metal cutting machines.

2. Concern for using environmentally friendly metal cutting supplies and recycling.

3. Interest in the fluxes of the economy for metalworking trades often reflects the heartbeat of the nation’s economy.

Action Steps
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Study articles published within the metal cutting machine industry

This is a good way to keep track of news and trends from a technical standpoint. It is possible, however, to find articles with a practical slant.

I recommend: Torchmate has a series of articles that feature tips and techniques to use with a metal cutting machine. It also offers a free newsletter about news within the metal cutting machines industry, specifically CNC machines. You can either sign up to receive the newsletter or view it online. You can read the latest issue of American Machinist online. It offers news within the steel cutting equipment industry. It also features metal cutting machines for sale and vendors of metal cutting supplies.

Sign up for newsletters about metal cutting equipment

These newsletters are often specific to a particular brand but they still provide information about the latest metal-cutting machines and supplies news and trends. Because the newsletter comes from automatic metal cutting machine vendors, they often feature their newest machines and supplies.

I recommend: ESAB Welding and Cutting offers a free subscription to its safety data sheets. If you use metal cutting equipment in your shop, this would be a good way to stay on top of safety issues pertaining to metal cutting machinery. You can follow metal-cutting machines and supplies news and trends specific to waterjet technology by signing up for the KMT Waterjet monthly newsletter.

Read blogs about the latest metal cutting machines

As you read blogs, you find they are often the most current information about news and trends within the industry. You can sign up for the RSS feeds so you can be one of the first to know about new metal cutting equipment as it becomes available.

I recommend: The Cool Machines blog discusses the merits of new steel cutting machines. Pro-Talk offers its Manufacturingtalk blog to discuss metal-cutting machines and supplies news and trends. Use the menu to search for the specific machine you want to know more about.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  As you read the latest news in the metal cutting equipment industry, keep in mind that often articles and newsletters focus on selling you new equipment. Be sure to do your due diligence before you purchase anything recommended on these websites. Find machine shops that actually have the newest equipment and find out if the machinery lives up to its promises.

Metal cutting equipment and metal cutting machines are two of the fastest growth industries in the world. As global marketplaces open wider and technological advancements require more metal cutting machinery, suppliers and vendors are meeting the demands. Look beyond your normal metal cutter machine suppliers for the innovators and producers who are transforming the industry.

Markets at home and abroad are seeing emerging growth in the metal laser cutting machine industry as well as steel cutting equipment. The specs may be getting smaller, but the producers of both finished metal-cutting machines and supplies and raw materials to produce the metal cutting supplies are getting bigger.

1. Put out a request for proposal (RFP) for your next automatic metal cutting machine purchase

2. Utilize an overseas logistics firm to find low-cost global producers of steel cutting machines

3. Consider leasing metal cutting equipment to preserve resources

Action Steps
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Test the waters for new metal cutting machines for sale

Instead of following the way you've always done business, look around for some fresh blood to get innovative ideas and better pricing for your metal cutting supplies. An RFP will put your regular vendor on alert that you are looking around for better deals. While you may stay with your current supplier of metal cutting machines, at least you may get better quotes.

I recommend: ICN holds national seminars and provides onsite training for putting out RFPs and for dealing with vendors. Try a new approach to metal cutting equipment procurement. APT helps you gather the information and the team for the automatic metal cutting machine project you have on your plate. They can help you save time and resources to get the most out of your metal cutting machines suppliers. Use the links at MachineTools.com to find numerous publication sin which to publish your RFP for metal-cutting machines and supplies

Tap into the burgeoning overseas metal cutting supplies market

If you are not taking advantage of the global opportunities to get the best and most innovative metal cutting machines for sale, utilize the services of an overseas logistics firm to find the vendors and move your metal cutting machinery through the maze of customs and transportation.

I recommend: Global Trade Specialists can set up custom manufacturing in China for all your steel cutting equipment needs. Meridian IQ can expedite your metal cutting tools orders overseas and get them right to your door.

Change with the times and lease your metal cutting machines

As emerging technologies change the automatic metal cutting machine landscape, your metal cutting machinery may become obsolete by the time you finish paying for it. Save your resources instead and consider leasing your metal-cutting machines and supplies. You can get creative with your financing and either purchase the equipment at the end of the lease if it's still up-to-date, or turn it over for new steel cutting machines.

I recommend: Lease-Line is a private equity firm that has been in the leasing business since 1985. It can offer some attractive metal laser cutting machine lease terms. Kern Lasers is a laser sheet metal cutting machine manufacturer that offers lease options on its equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  There also is a vendor market that offers used and refurbished metal-cutting machines and supplies. Most manufacturers' reps can tell you about their company's used options.

Metal cutting machines are expensive investments, so it’s only natural that you want to get the most use out of them. While your employees may have training on the machines, any time you see new metal cutting machines for sale you should know that new technology may be available. That doesn’t mean you necessarily need to constantly buy new machines. It simply means you need to learn how to do new things with your older metal cutting equipment.

It’s also important that you buy top-of-the-line metal cutting supplies. Your reputation as a business depends on making quality products from those supplies. To get the most from your metal cutting supplies you should:

1. Find metal cutting supplies from reliable dealers.

2. Maintain a working relationship with these dealers that enables you to gather knowledge, not only about metal cutting supplies, but also about metal cutting machines.

3. Develop ways to get more value from your metal cutting supplies, such as through recycling waste cuttings.

Action Steps
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Know how your metal cutting equipment operates

Making the most of metal-cutting machines and supplies means getting every bit of value from each machine in your shop, as well as using every supply wisely. Know what your machines are capable of doing.

I recommend: View the videos from American GFM to learn more about new technologies in metal cutting equipment, as well as ways to improve the usage of your existing metal cutting machinery. Kern Electronics & Lasers also has videos that can give you ideas on how to improve your metal cutting machines, especially if you use a metal laser cutting machine in your shop. Visit KMT Waterjet Systems to gain a better understanding of how a waterjet metal cutter machine operates.

Promote safety around your metal cutting equipment

Make sure any metal cutting machine in your shop has the proper safeguards in place. This not only protects the workers, it also enables you to get better usage from your metal cutting supplies and machines.

I recommend: Find safety techniques for steel cutting machines at ESAB. Read the machine guard guidelines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Keep reference material and operator's manuals close to your metal cutting equipment

An operator's manual can help you extend the life of one of these precision machines. Make sure you follow all guidelines for routine maintenance.

I recommend: Haas Saw & Supply has an extensive library of ideas and documents for making the most of metal-cutting machines and supplies. Applied Robotics has an extensive reference library on its Torchmate website. You can print the information, laminate it and post it for easy access near your steel cutting equipment.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make a photocopy of the operator's manual for each piece of metal cutting equipment on the shop floor. Put the pages of the copy into clear plastic sleeves and bind them in a three-ring notebook. Put that near the machine and store the original operator's manual in a file in the office.

There are many facets and options when working with metal depending on job detail. Knowing and understanding metal-cutting machines and supplies key terms helps one determine which equipment and supplies are best for a specific job when working with metal.

When one uses metal-cutting machines and supplies key terms, it helps one communicate with others in the field. It demonstrates a sense of professionalism when you take the time to learn precise terminology.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Laser

The technology behind laser cutting uses computers to direct a high-powered laser at a metal. This process leaves high-quality surfaces on the cuts.

I recommend: Kern's Metal Cutting and Etching System offers laser metal cutting machines to businesses. In addition to specifying the types of metal it cuts through, the website also defines how the laser metal cutting tool works.

Lathe

A lathe is a machine tool that spins a metal or other material for cutting.

I recommend: Bixby Machine Tool Supply offers a selection of metal cutting tools, including a lathe. It shows an image of a lathe on its website.

Robotic cutting machine

This type of metal cutting machine cuts mechanical and artistic shapes from metal.

I recommend: MultiCam prides itself in its robotic cutting systems. It highlights the ways it makes the robotic cutting machine work with metal.

Plasma cutting

A plasma cutting machine cuts through metal of varying sizes using a plasma torch. The torch uses inert gas and blows it out of the nozzle at a high rate of speed. An arc forms through the gas from the nozzle, turning the gas to plasma. Due to its high heat, the plasma melts the metal and cuts it.

I recommend: PlasmaCAM offers information on a plasma cutting metal machine on its website. It also offers a brief video detailing the way the machine works.

Machine tool

This term refers to a powered mechanical device used to cut through metal.

I recommend: Lost Creek Machine offers pictures of machine tools by category.

Cold saw

Sometimes called a cold metal cutting saw, a cold saw uses a circle-shaped saw blade to cut and shape metal. The metal tends to get hot during this type of cutting.

I recommend: Metacafe offers a video showing a cold saw in action as it cuts through metal.