It’s been one year since Stephanie Hoffman, the presenter of Metal America, visited our previous location in Bayonne, New Jersey. Since then, a lot has changed! We moved our facility to Fairfield, New Jersey, and worked hard to both upgrade and expand our capabilities even further. Here, we’ve taken a moment to reflect on our tour with Stephanie. Metal America is an AWS-supported program that delivers a unique, behind-the-scenes view of the welding and metal fabrication industry. A common question from viewers is, “What goes into every finished product?”
The answer, as articulated by ShowFab’s metal shop supervisor Lucas Hickman, is “A lot of trades, a lot of talents, a lot of skilled individuals,” As viewers are guided through various areas of the facility, it quickly becomes apparent that each product’s creation involves different departments collaborating closely. The process might involve creating scenery for entertainment shows, newsroom sets, museum exhibits, or interactive games for cruise ships, but the common denominator is always teamwork. Our ShowFab team includes welders, carpenters, scenic artists, graphic designers, technical designers, and project managers. Generally, the process of these projects commences with the technical design team dissecting their renderings into individual CAD drawings and parts that can be manufactured separately before being assembled. They also plan the integration of technology, such as LED lights, system control, automated effects, and monitors, into the design.
Next in the sequence is typically our Metal CNC Department. Here, Lucas leads Stephanie around the plate laser, which is used for processing a variety of sheet metals. Once all the requisite pieces are laid out, they proceed to either the press brake for bending or are cleaned prior to welding into an assembly. As the tour proceeds, Lucas gives insight into what it requires to meet project deadlines and maintain client satisfaction in a highly deadline-driven industry.
Join Stephanie as she tries her hand at using some of our welding equipment and continues her exploration of ShowFab on the rest of our tour.