Certified Welding
We take pride in meeting the growing needs of our customers by continually investing in the latest welding equipment. As a result, our customers gain the advantages of cutting edge welding technology along with our extensive experience in welding and fabrication.
We are skilled in a number of Arc and Resistance welding processes, including MIG, and TIG Welding, (FCAW) Flux Core Arc Welding, (GMAW) Gas Metal Arc Welding, (GTAW) Gas Tungsten Arc Welding. Our team maintains code certification in AWS D1.1 (steel), AWS D1.6 (stainless steel), and AWS D14.1 (industrial mill and crane welding). Over the years we’ve built our manual and semi-automatic welding experience working with large structural plates, ferrous metals, and stainless steel. Our 50’ long, 100,000 lb T-slot tables, large format precision fixtures, and positioning equipment means welding work can be done with restraint to extremely close dimensional tolerances and squareness. Our expert machinists work in collaboration with certified welders, producing manufactured parts with precision.
Welding to code for Nuclear Safety-Related components requires comprehensive control of processes, traceability for materials, as well as equipment calibration and operator certifications. Customer audits of our facility report our processes superior to many of the ISO compliant shops they visit.
As a member of the American Welding Society, we’ve proudly served industries such as Mining, Nuclear Power, and Industrial Equipment. For more information about our welding capabilities, please refer to the table below or contact us for more information.
Certified Welding Specifications
| Arc/Resistance Welding Process | FCAW (Flux Core Arc Welding) GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding) GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding) Hardwire MIG Welding TIG Welding |
| Welding Specifications | AWS D14.1 (industrial mill and crane welding) AWS D1.1 (steel) AWS D1.6 (stainless steel) |
| Tolerances | Product Dependent |
| Material | Structural Plate Ferrous Metals Stainless Steel |
| Welding Operation | Free Hand |
| Production Volume | Specialty Production Shop Prototype Low Volume |
| Typical Lead Times | Quoted on Job by Job Basis Emergency/Rush Services Available |
Additional Information
| Industry Focus | Aerospace Construction Defense/Military Engineering Expander Tools Forestry Forging Plants Industrial Marine Industrial Mining Mold and Die-Cast Nuclear Power Oil & Gas Rock Crushing Spin Tools Tanneries Wind Energy |
| Industry Standards | ISO 9001:2008 Compliant Coded Welding AWS |
| Preferred File Formats | AutoCAD (All file formats) SolidWorks (All file formats) |
Metal Fabrication Services
Founded in 1985, Trade Tech is a full-service machine shop offering a broad selection of manufacturing services, including precision CNC machining, large machining, and metal fabrication services. By leveraging quality materials and advanced fabrication techniques, our team meets a wide range of fabricated metal parts needs.
What Is Metal Fabrication?
Metal fabrication is an umbrella term for the various processes employed to produce finished products and structures from raw metal materials. The fabrication methods used during a project depend on the part and production specifications and can range from bending and cutting to welding and assembly.
Overview of Fabrication Methods Available at Trade Tech
Our expert team is skilled in a number of metal fabrication methods, including the following:
- Welding/weldments. Trade Tech can fabricate your large weldments with excellent squareness and dimensional accuracy utilizing our 40′ precision fixture tables. We can weld in position on multi-axis welding positioners to ensure the best weld quality and can certify our processes and operators to any code required. Some regular code-compliant welding processes done frequently at Trade Tech Include AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code, AWS D1.6 Stainless Welding Code, AWS D14.1 Welding Code for Industrial and Mill Cranes.
- Horizontal and vertical sawing. Sawing is a simple, reliable, and versatile process, qualities which make it one of the most commonly utilized metal fabrication methods. Depending on the part and production specifications we may recommend vertical, horizontal or miter sawing. We can also section large ring forgings with a cross-section up to 22”.
- Five-axis abrasive waterjet cutting. Abrasive waterjet cutting is a highly versatile metal fabrication method used to cut virtually all types of material, including brittle materials such as ceramic or tempered glass. During these operations, a high-pressure (up to 90,000 psi) stream of water aimed at the workpiece produces smooth and precise cuts.
- Bending (outsourced service). As its name suggests, bending utilizes machines—such as folders, press brakes, and panel benders—to bend sheet metal. The most common type of bending machinery is the press brake, which utilizes clamps to hold sheet metal in place as it is bent into the desired shape. Trade Tech regularly partners with companies with a variety of the largest plate bending capabilities.
- Rolling (outsourced service). Rolling is highly beneficial because it can produce complex components that may not be possible with other fabrication methods. The process is mainly used when working with long, slender metal parts. Most fabrication shops perform these operations at the beginning of the metalworking project. Trade Tech has experience contracting with companies with a variety of the largest plate rolling capabilities.
Materials Worked
For the above metal fabrication services, we accommodate the following materials:
- Ferrous metal. In ferrous metals, such as cast iron or carbon steel makes up a large percentage of the material composition. While the characteristics these metals demonstrate can vary depending on their alloying elements, they all generally exhibit high strength, durability, and material hardness.
- Steel plate. Steel plates are strong, durable, and can withstand extreme temperatures, making them ideal for use in the manufacture of products and structures exposed to harsh operating and environmental conditions. Examples of typical uses for this material include construction, marine, military, and pressure vessel applications.
- Structural steel. Structural steel has a carbon content of up to 2.1%, resulting in high strength and ductility. It is generally used for building and construction projects in the form of I-beams, Z-shapes, and rods.
- SuperAlloys. Superalloys and “Exotic Metals” include Titanium, Inconel, Hastelloy®, and others including high chromium and nickel stainless steels.
Additional Metal Fabrication Services at Trade Tech
At Trade Tech, we maintain a wide range of metal fabrication capabilities—including waterjet cutting, MIG and TIG welding, fitting, sawing, fixturing, and positioning—to fit any customer need. In addition to these services, we also provide numerous value-added secondary services via our local partners and vendors to facilitate the development and delivery of fully finished parts and products.
Our secondary services include:
- Blasting
- Laser cutting
- Painting
- Plasma cutting
- Plate processing
- Stress relief and other heat treatments
For all of these services, we offer capabilities for parts ranging from small and lightweight to large and heavy. We regularly work with plate thicknesses greater than two inches and can handle parts up to 25 tons in weight and weld pieces up to 60 feet in length.
Contact Trade Tech Today for Your Metal Fabrication Needs
Trade Tech is an ISO 9001 compliant metal fabrication service provider. We specialize in prototyping, specialty production, and low volume runs of large and heavy components (up to 25 tons in weight) with part tolerances within £1/8 inch. Our material size capabilities are:
- For waterjet cutting: 158 inches (length) x 6 feet 6 inches (width)
- For saw cutting: 60 feet (length) x 20 inches (width)
- For weldments: 60 feet (length) x 14 feet (width)
With these services, we serve the following industries:
- Aerospace
- Construction
- Defense and military
- Engineering
- Expander tools
- Forestry
- Forging plants
- Industrial
- Marine
- Mining
- Mold and die casting
- Nuclear
- Oil and gas
- Rock crushing
- Spin tools
- Tanneries
- Wind energy generation
For additional information about our metal fabrication capabilities, contact us today. To partner with us on your next project, request a quote. The design file formats we accept are AutoCAD, SolidWorks, and PDF.
Metal Fabrication Specifications
| General Capabilities | Large Components Heavy Components |
| Fabrication Method | 5 Axis Abrasive Waterjet Cutting Horizontal & Vertical Sawing Welding – Weldments Bending* Rolling* |
| Materials | Ferrous Metal Steel Plate Structural Steel Rubber Plastic |
| Material Thickness | Any |
| Length | Up to 158″ Waterjet Cutting Up to 60ft. for Saw Cutting Up to 60 ft. for Weldments |
| Width | Up to 6′ 6″ Waterjet Cutting Up to 20 in. for Saw Cutting Up to 14 ft. for Weldments |
| Weight | 25 ton Capacity Cranes |
| Height | 20 ft. Under Hook Clearance |
| Tolerance (+/-) | Within ⅛ in. |
| Production Volume | Specialty Production Shop Prototype Low Volume |
| Typical Lead Times | Quoted on Job by Job Basis Emergency/Rush Services Available |
Additional Information
| Industry Focus | Aerospace Construction Defense/Military Engineering Expander Tools Forestry Forging Plants Industrial Marine Industrial Mining Mold and Die-Cast Nuclear Power Oil & Gas Rock Crushing Spin Tools Tanneries Wind Energy |
| Industry Standards | ISO 9001:2008 Compliant |
| File Formats | AutoCAD (All file formats) SolidWorks (All file formats) |
*outside services