Large Fabricating at K&M Machine-Fabricating, Inc.
Contact Information
Sales Engineer
(269) 445-2495
K&M Machine-Fabricating, Inc. has a complete fabrication facility ready to handle your large fabrication needs. Our large fabrication capabilities start with steel plate procurement and include burning, forming, pre-machining, welding, blasting, heat treat, UT (ultrasonic), MT (magnetic particle), PT (die penetrant) inspection, paint, final machining and final inspection. K&M can handle fabrications that weigh up to 50 tons. K&M serves large fabrication customers across the United States from Houston, Texas to Lakewood, New Jersey and many locations in between.
Large Fabricating Index
Large Fabricating Article Index
- Estimating Large Fabrication Welding Costs
- Large Fabrication Welding
- Large Fabrication Submerged Arc Welding (SAW)
Material Procurement
Fabrication begins with steel plate procurement to the customer’s steel specification. K&M procures plate steel from several certified steel suppliers. The steel material certification is provided to K&M along with the incoming steel. Steel plate is stored inside and within close proximity to the burners. This provides protection for the material and minimizes handling costs. The material certification is documented in the K&M quality system and is traceable to each component part and final part of every large fabrication that K&M produces. K&M’s quality system uses bar codes to identify steel plate and the job number for each component part. This insures that the correct steel plate is used for each part. Traceability is maintained throughout K&M’s manufacturing processes.
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Steel Cut to Shape Process
K&M cuts steel plate to shape using a 4000 watt laser burner and an ESAB plasma / oxy-fuel burner. Plate up to 100 mm thick can be burned in house. K&M utilizes outside suppliers for burnouts thicker than 100 mm. Burnouts for large fabrications frequently require secondary operations such as beveling, forming, or machining. Beveling is done in house at K&M. Forming is done on a 500 ton brake press or it is outsourced. Machining of component parts is done in house at K&M. Component parts are blasted at K&M prior to welding to remove scale and rust. K&M’s laser burner is shown in Picture #1, the plasma / oxy-fuel burner is shown in Picture #2
 Picture # 1 – Laser Burner |
 Picture # 2 – Plasma / Oxy-Fuel Burner |
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Fabrication
Large fabrications are tacked at K&M in part specific fixtures or on layout tables. Fixtures for production jobs are designed and built at K&M. These fixtures are used to reduce tack time and to insure dimensional repeatability. K&M’s fixture design and build capability give our customers a low startup cost and quick start up time for new jobs. The fixtures are designed to achieve the customer’s requirements while matching K&M’s fixture manufacturing capabilities. Fixtures are also designed for simplicity of use by the operators and to be robust in day to day use. For low volume jobs or jobs that are too large for fixtures to be practical the tack operation is done on a layout table. K&M selects the manufacturing process that will give the customer the best price for the situation, one piece or volume production. Picture # 3 shows a fabrication being tacked on a layout table. Picture # 4 shows a large fabrication in a tack fixture.
 Picture # 3 – Tack On Layout Table |
 Picture # 4 – Tack In Tack Fixture |
In process dimensions for large fabrications are measured and recorded in K&M’s quality system. Large fabrications are welded at K&M using the FCAW, GMAW or SAW welding process. K&M welders are certified to AWS D1.1. K&M has two robotic welding machines and two SAW welding machines along with 50 manual welding stations with constant voltage and automatic wire feed. Picture # 5 shows K&M tandem wire robot welding in the head stock / tail stock station. Picture # 6 shows K&M tandem wire robot welding in the positioner station.
 Picture # 5 – Robot Headstock / Tailstock |
 Picture # 6 – Tandem Wire Robot Positioner |
K&M has AWS certified welding inspectors (CWI) and degreed welding engineers on staff. Welding process development and documentation is a critical part of large fabrication welding. K&M’s engineering processes insure that the proper welding procedure is tested and documented to meet AWS and customer requirements. Welder continuity logs are maintained as part of the quality system. Periodic layered processes audits and welder technique audits are preformed to insure that approved welding processes are followed.
Stress relief or heat treat is often a requirement on large fabrications. K&M has multiple local sources for heat treat. These sources are able to document the heat treat cycle on each fabrication to satisfy customer requirements.
K&M has a paint booth and is able to paint large fabrications to meet customer specific requirements.
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Inspection
K&M uses internal and third party resources to complete required weld inspections. MT (magnetic particle), PT (die penetrant), and UT (ultrasonic) inspections are preformed to insure quality welds are delivered. All inspections are completed by certified inspectors.
K&M has a large CMM and a Faro laser tracker. These inspection tools can provide 100% dimensional inspection of large fabrications. K&M has a complete machining facility capable of machining any large fabrication that K&M manufactures. Picture # 7 shows a large fabrication for the machine tool industry. This large fabrication was fabricated, machined, painted and inspected at K&M.
 Picture # 7 – Machine Base Fabricated, Machined, Painted and Inspected |
K&M’s fabrication and machining facilities combine to give our customers a one stop solution for their large fabrication needs. K&M can handle the entire fabrication from raw material procurement through fabrication, heat treat, paint, machining and final inspection.