Purchasing Department Employees Learn About Metal Fabrication Equipment

An office worker might someday have to deal with metal fabrication equipment specs and terminology even though she has never encountered this aspect of manufacturing before. Imagine, for example, a person working in the purchasing department who is promoted to expediter or assistant manager. Now, instead of primarily doing data entry and verifying that suppliers expect to deliver products on time, she must become knowledgeable about equipment such as the single pinch plate bending machine. The plant manager might request one of these machines, after which the purchasing worker will need to do price comparisons on various models from different suppliers.

She has to understand the purpose of these machines, which is to curve sheet metal into tubes, cones or other cylindrical shapes. A worker then can weld the seam. The plant manager has asked for a single pinch model because this equipment is for relatively light use. When they need one for heavier-duty purposes, they'll order a double pinch product.



There can be a steep learning curve when it comes to ordering machinery for metal fabrication. To place an order, the purchasing specialist must know the minimum and maximum width of the metal that the factory's employees need to work with on this machine. She should know the kinds of metal that will be used, such as steel and aluminum. She also must know the minimum and maximum size of the cylinders to be fabricated. Those measurements will rule out certain types of equipment.

This individual can learn a lot by consulting with the experienced purchasing manager as well as the plant manager, and by consulting a website selling products such as Heller machinery. Contacting the sales department at this company is also a smart strategy, since the sales representatives are eager to help and to provide education on the equipment.

She'll learn about the various industries in which these metal bending machines are used, such as agricultural and construction equipment manufacturing, marine technology, utilities and food production. She'll achieve excellent insight into how the metal fabrication equipment fits into her own industry. Years ago, this individual never dreamed she would find a manufacturing environment so fascinating. Now, she is continuously intrigued to learn more.