The Impact of Lean Manufacturing on Structural Steel Fabricating

Lean manufacturing seeks to ensure there is no waste in the process, and it continues to become more and more refined every year. With structural steel fabricating, it is working to increase productivity and decrease costs, materials and labor.

The Past and Today

Before lean manufacturing, steel fabricators relied on huge factories with hundreds of workers. When equipment was developed to automate many of the processes though it changed things dramatically. This equipment made it possible to work on a smaller scale, meaning that companies do not have to rely on large projects just to keep their employees and facilities afloat. Now fabricators can work with each other and break up large projects into several small jobs in order to meet deadline. Because of transportation costs of these projects, it's helped people source the steel locally in an economical way instead of outsourcing.

Lean and Mean

Lean manufacturing encourages you to attend to every detail. Not only will this help the operation in terms of eliminating waste and making more use of employees' time, but it also helps put people in the mindset of ensuring that all actions are well thought out before moving forward. The bottom line will increase along with your reputation and even potentially employee satisfaction. When employees see that they're not wasting their time on unnecessary tasks, it can lend itself to a better morale.

How to Distinguish Yourself

Many of the steel fabricators operate is a similar fashion. To distinguish yourself in the market, lean manufacturing ensures you're examining every detail. You likely already have the basics covered in terms of the software, equipment, labor and wages, but you may be able to shave time off of how long you're working on each piece of steel. When companies go through a detailed QA process, they're often shocked at just how much efficiency they're losing to mistakes that can be readily corrected.

If you;re looking for assistance with construction design or steel fabricators, contact Midwest Steel today. 

Questions You Should Ask Your Design Contractor

A design contractor can help you put together a plan for an upcoming remodel. As you look to hire one of these professionals, there are many questions you should ask to help ensure you are hiring a reputable contractor who is right for your job....

Why Steel is a Better Building Material

Wood has been the preferred material for the construction of homes and most other types of structures for many years. The wide availability, self-replenishing nature and ease of use are the reasons for this. However, with today’s modern...

When to Hire a Construction Design Assistant

A construction design or architectural design assistant is not a licensed architect - much like a paralegal, they do the work of helping turn the architect's vision into reality. Because of this, they are normally hired by architects - if you...

Interesting Facts About Steel Recycling

When it comes to the types of materials you can recycle, steel comes in at number one. There are a number of reasons why steel recycling is important, but knowing more about the full story can make you more likely to actually contribute to the...

How Different Alloys Change Steel's Properties

Modern manufacturing demands make steel alloys necessary for industrial applications. Different alloys have different properties. They retain steel’s strength and in some cases can add new properties. Here are a few examples of common alloys...

Steel: The More Sustainable Building Material

Sustainable development, or sustainability, is aimed at making everyone’s lives better, both for now and for our future generations. It encompasses social, economic, and environmental dimensions along with the idea of stewardship and...

The Importance of Steel in Today's Construction

Steel has been used in construction since the first skyscrapers were built in the late 19th century. But recently, steel has become an option for smaller buildings and even personal residences. Using steel has certain advantages: Steel is...

What is Steel Fabrication?

Steel fabrication is the process of making raw steel into a product or an item that can be used in construction or assembly. Steel is an alloy of iron and other metals - and there are many kinds of steel - which are used in structural and...

The Difference between BIM and Virtual Construction

Constructing a new building means having a plan - and these days, the plan is often created with the help of a computer. This involves two things - BIM and Virtual Construction. BIM stands for Building Information Model. This refers to a model...

What is Metal Fabrication and Welding?

People often use the terms metal fabrication and welding interchangeably, although they are closely connected in some ways, there is a difference between the two. What is metal fabrication? Metal fabrication includes bending,...

What it Takes to be a PCI-Qualified

The purpose of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, or PCI DSS, is to protect the customer account data of organizations. The main PCI Standard objectives for organizations include: protecting cardholder data, maintaining security...

What Is an AISC Certification?

The AISC's certification programs are the most widely recognized standard for the structural steel industry. Their goal is to help companies build quality structures, focusing on error prevention at the beginning of the project, rather than...

What is a Fabricator?

The term “fabricator” can be used to describe a number of different occupations. In general, the word refers to anyone who builds or creates a machine or other object. In practice, however, the term most often is used to refer to people...

Midwest Steel Participates in Habitat for Humanity

Members of the management and staff of Midwest Steel, Inc. participated in the 2013 Habitat for Humanity "Blitz Build" project on Saturday, August 24th. This home is one of seven homes being built in one week by volunteers from the...
Page: 123 - All