Fabrication and manufacturing services are defined as all those processes that are involved in the fabrication of custom or proprietary mechanical components and assemblies. In other words, all the companies that provide the services of building of machines, structures and other equipment, by cutting, shaping and assembling components made from raw materials with the aid of various machine and tools are known as Fabrication and Manufacturing Services. The manufacturing and fabrication services is associated with engineering and industrial design that are directed towards mass production and occur under some degree of government regulation. The terms manufacturing and fabrication are often interchanged in industries like semiconductors and steel. Manufacturers here include all intermediate processes required for the production and integration of a product's components.

Types of Fabrication and Manufacturing Services

Some of the most commonly provided services related to the fabrication and manufacturing industry includes -

Castings – This is a production method wherein a liquid material is usually poured into a hollow mold to give a desired shape. Casting is most often used for making complex shapes that would be otherwise difficult or uneconomical to make by other methods. Examples are aluminum and brass castings.

Die Cutting Services – This includes all the processes that involves a specialized tool to cut, shape and form a wide variety of products and components for manufacturing purposes. Like molds and templates, dies are generally customized and uniquely matched to the product they are used to create. Examples include plastics die cutting and paper die cutting.

Extrusion and Forging Services – Extrusion is a high volume manufacturing process in which raw plastic material is melted and formed into a continuous profile, while forging is the method where the metals are shaped by using localized compressive forces.

Heat Treating Services – This acts instrumental when there is a need to change the physical, and sometimes chemical, properties of a material. Some of the common examples are vacuum heat treating services whose application include metallurgical and manufacture of many other materials, such as glass.

Molding Services – This is an important process undertaken by manufacturing service providers where a hollowed-out block is filled with various raw materials in order to provide shape to them. Examples include Plastic Molding Services and Rubber Molding services.

Besides them some other types of services provided by the manufacturing and fabrication services are converting, glass fabrication services, laser marking services, machine shop services, mechanical assembly services, metal spinning services, powder metal services, roll forming services, signs, tube forming services, wielding structural fabrication, wire fabrication services and wire forming services.

Industry Growth

The fabrication and manufacturing industry has shown steady growth in the past decades. This has emerged as an important segment in the industrial manufacturing markets all over the world. In US alone it comprise of around 14% of the total GDP and 11 percent of the total employment. The average salaries and benefits of the people employed in this sector average $65,000. Higher pay and benefits and opportunities for advanced education and training are the few reasons which have helped the manufacturing and fabrication industry to gain such strength and growth. Till date around 117,540,137 dollars of money has been invested in the advanced manufacturing industry with the goal of creating a skilled workforce to meet the dynamic needs of today's ever changing economy.

Applications

Due to the rapid shift in the global markets, the aluminum fabrication industry has strengthened its position not only in traditional packaging but also in the construction applications. Their application is vast and there is not a single industry in the world that can work without the association of these fabrication and manufacturing devices. Some of the basic applications of the fabrication and manufacturing services include die cutting or converting of glass fabrics, stitching, sewing, draping, laminating, assembly, hand lay-up, spray-up, and other processes.

Major Market Players

US is the major market for fabrication and manufacturing services with an estimated profit of $29.5 billion USD. Import of these devices was valued at $3.1 billion US dollars from around 81 countries. Canada too is an important country where the value of exports for these industries products increases by 4.5% per annum.

Fabrication and Manufacturing Publications

Manufacturing Engineering – Circulated on a monthly basis, this is one of the major source of information for the manufacture and fabricators around the world. Belonging to the SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers), this publication caters to various aspects and products in manufacturing industry.

FF Journal.net – Catering to the metal fabricating and forming industry, this magazine aims to maintain a fresh and creative approach in informing the fabricators about the unique perspective on everything from cutting edge technologies and applications to economic and market industry trends.

Fabrication and Manufacturing Associations

Fabricators and Manufacturers Association – With the aim to champion the success of the metal processing, forming, and fabricating industry, Fabricators and Manufactures Association was launched in 1970. With the strength of more than 2,000 individual and company members working together, the organization focuses on bringing together metal fabricators and manufacturers together through technology councils, educational programs, networking events, and FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show Including METALFORM.

Illinois Manufacturers' Association – This organization was launched with the mission to provide timely and accurate information on the actions taken by Illinois lawmakers in the General Assembly and other branches of government that affect manufacturing and its related sectors.

Society of Manufacturing Engineers – Based in Michigan, this is world's leading professional society that advances manufacturing knowledge through its communities, publications, expositions and professional development resources. Their main focus is to promote an increased awareness of manufacturing engineering and keeping manufacturing professionals up to date on leading trends and technologies.