4 Benefits of In-House Roofing Fabrication

Maxwell Roofing can fabricate our own sheet metal, and there are a few benefits to this:
1. Lower likelihood of complication or failure in the project. By eliminating contractors,
middlemen, and vendors, commercial roofing companies who fabricate their own sheet metal can
decrease potential points of complication, miscommunication, or mistakes in a project. In short,
in-house fabrication keeps things simple. Direct from the roofing company to your roof, with no
riff-raff in-between.
2. Projects move more quickly. Outsourcing sheet metal fabrication adds time to the project’s
schedule. This often puts the project at the mercy of a third-party’s schedule instead of your
specific needs. Companies who provide in-house roofing fabrication can complete projects more
efficiently and work with you on an individualized basis to maintain appropriate timeline
considerations. In-house roofing fabrication gives both the roofing company and the client more
control over the project’s timeline.
3. More efficient customization. In-house fabrication allows you to work directly with the
roofing company to customize your roofing design. By working directly with the
fabricating/roofing company, you simplify the communication process and maintain the ability to
more efficiently communicate your needs for the project.
4. Projects fit on a smaller budget. Companies who perform in-house roofing fabrication don’t
have to pay third-parties for the roofing fabrication process. By completing the fabrication in-
house, they can cut out the costs associated with outsourcing such a large part of a roofing
project.
Commercial roofing projects can be complex, time-consuming, and, in general, not always
inexpensive. Working with a company that offers in-house roofing fabrication lets you simplify
your roofing project, reduce potential complications, and receive great service at a cost-effective
price.
Interested in working with a company that has its own in-house fabrication department?
Just click here to contact us and learn how we can help.
Metal Fabrication Services
Our metal fabrication team is led by industry certified professionals, who are qualified to
fabricate any of your sheet metal needs. Our in-house department allows Register Roofing to
provide turnkey solutions for roofing projects, but also to extend services which range far past
the roof.
Our fabrication shop is committed to providing quality products which comply to SMACNA and
ANSI standards
Metal fabrication is the creation of metal structures by cutting, bending and assembling
processes. It is a value-added[1] process involving the creation of machines, parts, and structures
from various raw materials.
Typically, a fabrication shop bids on a job, usually based on engineering drawings, and if
awarded the contract, builds the product. Large fab shops employ a multitude of value-added
processes, including welding, cutting, forming and machining.
As with other manufacturing processes, both human labor and automation are commonly used. A
fabricated product may be called a fabrication, and shops specializing in this type of work are
called fab shops. The end products of other common types of metalworking, such
as machining, metal stamping, forging, and casting, may be similar in shape and function, but
those processes are not classified as fabrication.
Processes[edit]
 Cutting is done by sawing[2], shearing, or chiseling (all
with manual and powered variants); torching with handheld torches (such as oxy-fuel
torches or plasma torches); and via numerical control (CNC) cutters (using a laser, mill
bits, torch, or water jet).[3]
 Bending is done by hammering (manual or powered) or via press brakes, tube
benders and similar tools. Modern metal fabricators use press brakes to coin or air-bend
metal sheet into form. CNC-controlled backgauges use hard stops to position cut parts to
place bend lines in specific positions.
 Assembling (joining of pieces) is done by welding, binding
with adhesives, riveting, threaded fasteners, or further bending in the form of crimped
seams. Structural steel and sheet metal are the usual materials for fabrication; welding
wire, flux and/or fasteners are used to join the cut pieces.
Fabrication comprises or overlaps with various metalworking specialties:
 Fabrication shops and machine shops have overlapping capabilities, but fabrication shops
generally concentrate on metal preparation and assembly (as described above). Machine
shops cut metal, but focus primarily on the machining of parts on machine tools. Some
firms do both fab work and machining.
 Blacksmithing has always involved fabrication, although that term has not always been
used.
 Welder-produced products, often referred to as weldments, are examples of fabrication.
 Boilermakers originally specialized in fabricating boilers, but the term is now used more
broadly.
 Millwrights originally specialized in setting up grain mills and saw mills, but now
perform a wide range of fabrication.
 Ironworkers, also known as steel erectors, also engage in fabrication. They often work
with prefabricated segments, produced in fab shops, that are delivered to the sit
Basic Technique of Arc Welding
Arc welding is the process of joining two metal workpieces together using a flux covered
electrode which is melted in an electric arc and becomes a fused part of the pieces being welded.
Arc welding requires time, effort and patience to master as the weld rod position is very delicate
to the position of the workpiece. The following is a simple guide to learn the basic technique of
arc welding.

There are 4 basic steps to perform an arc welding

1. Strike the arc. This is the process of creating an electric arc between the electrode and the
workpiece.
2. Moving the arc to create a bead. The bead is the metal from the melting electrode flowing
together with molten metal from the base metal to fill the space between the pieces being
joined by welding.
3. Shape the weld bead. This is done by weaving the arc back and forth across the weld path
either in a zig zag or figure 8 motion so the metal spreads to the width that you want your
finished weld bead to be.
4. Chip and brush the weld between passes. Each time you complete a pass, or trip from one
end to the other of your weld, you need to remove the slag, or the melted electrode flux
material, from the surface of the weld bead so only clean molten metal will be filling the
weld on the subsequent passes.

Things to take note in arc welding

Prepare the metal to be welded

Arc welding is more tolerant to slightly rusty metal than other electric welding processes but at
the least, you should remove any paint, grease, rust, or other contaminants with metal brush,
sandpaper or abrasive grinder to avoid weld contamination or inclusion.

Attach clamps on workpieces and grounding

Ensure there is a clean location so that the electrical circuit can be completed with minimal
resistance at the ground location. Again, rust or paint will interfere with the grounding of your
work piece, making it difficult to create an arc when you begin welding.

Select the correct rod and amperage range for the work you are attempting
As an example, 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) plate steel can be welded effectively using an E6011, 1⁄8 inch
(0.3 cm) electrode, at between 80-100 amps.

Rod Angle (lead angle)

When welding on the workpiece, the rod should be angled around 10 to 20 degrees from vertical
and pulled in the direction towards the welder. The angle of the rod prevents the slag overtaking
the rod (inclusions in the weld will occur if welding is carried over the slag). Use your spare
hand to support the top of the electrode to improve control of the electrode if necessary.
Arc Length
The arc length is the distance between the electrode and the weld pool. It should be roughly the
same as the diameter of the rod. You will get used to the arc length after some practices.
The arc length can be easily determined by the sound and visible light from the arc. The arc
should be kept short and hide the majority of the light from the weld without pushing the rod into
the slag pool. A good short arc length will result in a consistent sharp crackling sound. The
appearance of the completed weld will provide further clues.

Maintaining Lead Angle and Arc Length

As the welding rod gets shorter during the weld process, takes a mindful effort to reduce the
length of the arc. Excessive arc length will lead to an unstable arc with excess heat and
undercutting. This is one of the most common mistakes by beginners.
The angle of the rod should be maintained over the length of the weld. Practice is necessary to
avoid decreasing the lead angle as the weld progresses, as this can lead to slag inclusions and
even cause the arc to stall. The easy approach to maintain rod angle is to focus on moving the rod
holder rather than the rod as the weld progresses.
Slag
After welding, you may want to remove the slag and clean up your weld. Chip off the slag and
wire brush the weld to remove any foreign material and remaining slag. Ensure eye protection is
worn as the brittle slag can fly off to distance. A clean weld after grinding is easier to examine
for any pitting, puddling or other defects.

Cleaning agents or hard-surface cleaners are substances (usually liquids, powders, sprays, or granules)
used to remove dirt, including dust, stains, bad smells, and clutter on surfaces.[1] Purposes of cleaning
agents include health, beauty, removing offensive odor, and avoiding the spread of dirt and
contaminants to oneself and others. Some cleaning agents can kill bacteria (e.g. door handle bacteria, as
well as bacteria on worktops and other metallic surfaces) and clean at the same time. Others, called
degreasers, contain organic solvents to help dissolve oils and fats

Building facade cleaners[edit]

For acid-resistant building facades, such as brick, acids are typically used. These include mixtures
of phosphoric and hydrofluoric acids as well as surfactants. For acid-sensitive facades such as concrete,
strongly alkaline cleaners are used such as sodium hydroxide and thickeners. Both types of cleaners
require a rinsing and often special care since the solutions are aggressive toward skin