#linished stainless steel

[ogisengineering]

Metal Fabrications Types

Casting

Casting is the process of pouring hot metal into a mould or die, allowing it to cool, harden, and take the desired shape. The mass manufacture of parts using the same mould repeatedly to produce similar goods is suitable for the metal fabrication process. There are numerous casting variations. Die-casting is the process of forcing liquid metal into a die rather than a mould, where the pressure retains the metal in place as it cures. The fast applications that this approach provides are its main selling point. Pouring molten metal into a mould is a permanent mould casting technique.

Cutting

Cutting a workpiece to divide it into smaller portions is a relatively typical method of metal production. While sawing is still the most common way to cut, more recent techniques include laser, waterjet, power scissors, and plasma arc cutting. Cutting might be the first step of a more involved fabrication process, or it might be the sole one.

Another method of cutting metal that employs a die is die cutting. In rotary die cutting, the material is cut using a rotating cylindrical die that is fed via a press. On thicker metal materials, flatbed die cutting is employed. When the die stamps down on the metal, it cuts out shapes.

Drawing

Tensile power is used in drawing to draw metal bending into and through a tapered die. The metal is thinned by the die's stretching action. Drawing is typically done at normal temperature and is known as "cold drawing," however the metal workpiece can be heated to lessen the effort needed.

When the finished result has a depth that is equal to or more than its radius, the procedure is referred to as deep drawing. It is typically used in conjunction with sheet metal fabrication to create hollow cylinder- or box-shaped vessels from sheets of metal.

Folding

Metal is bent at an angle during this metal engineering manufacturing process. The most typical method is using a brake press, which pinches the metal to make wrinkles in it. Holding the workpiece between a punch and a die, the punch applies pressure, causing the workpiece to crease. Typically, this method is used to form sheet metal. In addition to employing a folding machine, also known as a folder, or hammering the workpiece until it bends, folding can also be accomplished manually. The device features a flat platform where flat sheet metal is placed, a clamping bar to secure the workpiece, and a front panel that raises upward to bend the metal that is extended over it.

[olivereliott]

Mechanical Art: Edi Buffon’s Gilera Extra Rossa 175

We’re constantly amazed by the skills of some after-hours builders: folks who have full-time jobs, but spend their evenings and weekends crafting bikes to the level you’d expect at a pro workshop.

One of the most talented part-time builders is Edi Buffon, an engineer who lives in Sydney, Australia. We loved his Kawasaki KZ250 from a year ago, but he’s excelled even more with this magnificent Gilera bobber.

Edi has been riding and modifying motorcycles for 20 years, but it wasn’t until about four years ago that bike building became a serious hobby. “The goal is to turn it into my main source of income,” he says, “but I’m still working on that dream.”

There aren’t many Gileras in Australia—or indeed outside Italy. When this machine was built in 1957, Gilera was riding high on its racing reputation, with multiple World Championship trophies on display at the factory. Its road bikes were pricey compared to many others, and were based on an overhead-valve single—originally 125cc and gradually enlarged to 175cc.

“I was looking for a new project and came across a 1957 Rossa Extra 175 on eBay,” Edi tells us. “One look at the motor and I had to make the purchase!” The seller lived close to Edi, and turned out to have two motors, the wheels and other bits for a really good price.

Edi works solo out of a small shared workshop space. He had no design preconceptions when the tiny Italian arrived on his doorstep, but he does love the style of rigid frames. And he knew he could assemble one functioning motor out of the two from eBay.

The first job was to source a compatible carburettor from Barcelona, and an electronic ignition from Germany. “The cost for those was more than the two motors and wheels of the original purchase!”

Edi stripped the 19-inch wheels down and sent them away for powder coating in gold. Once relaced, a pair of 4.00-19 Mitas E-05 classic trail tires went on.

Then he sat the (unfinished) motor and wheels on his bench, measured out a wheelbase that would work, and started building a motorcycle. He made a steering stem, clamped it in his frame jig, and set the rake at 28 degrees.

The frame pipework followed next, fashioned out of cold rolled mild steel. “I liked the way the original frame and motor combination looked, so I fabricated similar motor mounts,” says Edi. “As the framework progressed it started to look like a vintage hill climber, so I let the build follow its own direction.”

Edi’s gone for a springer front-end setup. “I like vintage/classic style suspension, for the aesthetics, and I like to mix in brass—so all the wheel spacers are brass. The hardest part of the front-end was dialling in the rate. Once I got that right, it was obvious that a damper was needed. So I made a vintage friction type from some stainless and, it works a treat.”

The bars and top and bottom yokes are made from mild steel too, including the top locking nut—which Edi made by cutting and grinding round stock into a hex.

Once the frame was complete and he had a roller, he began work on the tank and fender, this time using 1.2mm mild steel. The tank is simple and a far cry from the bulbous 1950s style original. Both tank and fender are powder coated in a black textured finish, and the seat is sprung with a simple pivot design—then chromed and upholstered.

Edi decided on a foot clutch/hand shift for the Gilera. “A simple process—I made some foot pegs for the clutch and brake, then hand bent some steel for the linkage and shifter to follow the lines of the frame,” he says.

For the back brake, Edi’s built a jackshaft setup running off the primary drive—which he acknowledges is “for aesthetics, and not for function/stopping efficiency. I kept it simple and used cable actuation to match the clutch.”

The exhaust is literally made from scraps that Edi had lying around, but you’d be hard pressed to tell. After several hours of linishing to remove all visible welds, it was powder coated in ceramic black and looks pristine.

Less obvious parts resulted from hours of machining—including the axles, spacers, linkages and even the handgrips. Most of these parts have been chromed, but the frame has a polished ceramic powder coat.

The motor is a combination of the two engines Edi received, with the kickstarter removed: “To start it, you need a roller or a steep hill!”

The effort would be worth it. Edi’s Gilera is a magnificent example of mechanical art, despite being built with limited time and resources. How does he do it?

“I bend some tube and see what happens,” he says.

Machine 1867 | Images by Ana Martini photography

[jeremystrele]

Fender Katsalidis · ‘Working Architecture’

Fender Katsalidis · ‘Working Architecture’

Studio Visit

by Elle Murrell

Nonda Katsalidis and Karl Fender of Fender Katsalidis Architects. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

Creating landmark buildings across Melbourne, Australia and Asia since the 1990s, Fender Katsalidis Architects have just released their first book, ‘Working Architecture‘. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

Details of FK’s office in Melbourne’s Southbank, including a collection of re-iteration models of Merdeka PNB 118, their project Kuala Lumpur. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

The cover of ‘Working Architecture’ alongside the opening spread of the 31st (and final) project showcased in the tome. This render shows the firm’s 100-storey Australia 108 building peeping out atop the clouds. When the Southbank skyscraper is completed in 2020, it will become the tallest building to roof in the Southern Hemisphere. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

An incredible model of 318-metre Australia 108 building, which also provides a 2/3 visual example of the firm’s focus on: a pedestrian-engaging base, a functional view-optimising core, and a skyline-defining top of a building. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

A look inside ‘Working Architecture’, where the pull quote reads ‘Nonda Katsalidis, an Australian of Greek extraction and Karl Fender, an Australian of Dutch extraction’. The bottom spread showcases Little Hero. Built in Melbourne in 2010, it was a prototypical demonstration of Unitised Building (a prefabricated construction system developed by Nonda Katsalidis). Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

Karl Fender and Nonda Katsalidis. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

Karl looking over plans and sketches. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

Nonda flicks through his firm’s chronicle. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

The duo reflect on a spread showcasing HM@S in Port Melbourne. Completed in 2001, this project saw the redeveopment of the decomissioned HM@S Lonsdale naval training base into 240 residences. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

Flipping through ‘Working Architecture’ feels like taking an exclusive helicopter tour of Melbourne… BUT with the invaluable add-on of insightful commentary from two masterminds who have contributed so significantly to the city.

You’ll of course spot the crowning Eureka Tower gilding pages, as well as Republic Tower, Richmond Silos (The Malthouse), HM@S, Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne Terrace, Little Hero, 505 St Kilda Road, and so many other unforgettable landmarks (without yet diverting to projects that are interstate or abroad – next trips: MOMA and Moonah Links, please).

Celebrating 25 years in the business, Melbourne-based architecture practice Fender Katsalidis has unveiled a chronicle of its history, spotlighting 31 of the most emblematic projects from its repertoire.

Published by Uro Publications, this incredible hard cover book takes an in-depth look at the practice’s diverse portfolio, from cultural hubs, to commercial buildings, private housing, and apartment projects. It features rich written contributions from the likes of Leon van Schaik AO, Graeme Gunn AM, and Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medalist Peter Wilson, plus enough plans, elevations and sketches to intoxicate any architecture enthusiast.

One section likely to leave all amazed, if a little disoriented, is the closing chapter, which introduces the forthcoming Australia 108 skyscraper. Pictured in a render peeping out above the clouds, it is to become the Southern Hemisphere’s tallest building when completed in 2020.

We were elated to steal a few minutes from Nonda Katsalidis and Karl Fender for this recent conversation. The maestros took time to reflect on their practice’s legacy, their new book, and where things are heading next.

When did you both first realise that you wanted to become architects?

Karl Fender: I first knew I would be an architect when at age 16, I accompanied my parents to the home of their architect friend Hank Romyn. Situated as I recall within beautiful gardens in the Dandenongs, the cathedral-esque volumes of the house, and the touch and feel of his studio captivated my imagination.

Nonda Katsalidis: I always wanted to build. Being an architect was an extension of that.

When you look back, what stands out as the most formative experiences that have lead to your current points in your careers?

KF: I was incredibly fortunate to be given the opportunity of working as an assistant to Robin Boyd in the office of Romberg and Boyd in East Melbourne. Being mentored by Robin Boyd in my first architectural job was a privilege which in my opinion provided me with the highest quality enjoyable learning curve.

In later years, my travel years, working abroad in London, Rome, Hong Kong, Paris, Bangkok and Boston certainly gave me a strong international view of our profession and a pathway to enquiry.

NK: I worked as a carpenter and builder for a few years after university. That, and my first building that had a lift in it, lead to all the big things.

What are you both focusing on at the firm today, and how has this evolved over a quarter-of-a-century in practice?

NK: The focus is trying to find the projects that really matter, and the clients with their hearts in the right place. Nothing much has changed, except it’s getting harder.

KF: My focus within our current practice is threefold. I like to focus my attention to our clients, our best possible design outcomes for them, and the fostering of a team-based studio based on enquiry, mentoring and mutual respect.

Is there any pattern to the way you typically generate the ideas for your designs?

KF: Our designs are absolutely based on the pragmatic opportunities initially hidden within the client’s brief, the site and its potentials within the local context. We generate our first ideas as a collaboration within the studio and then develop these in collaboration with the client and the larger project team. A design idea will enhance and improve with process if it is true and strong at inception.

NK: I look for clues in the context and associations that come to mind. My processes are very intuitive.

What do you both see as your signature materials and why you are so fond of these?

KF: We have often incorporated and expressed robust, durable materials such as off-form, lightweight and precast concrete, linished stainless steel, hardy timbers and perforated metal sheets. Although industrial in nature, they weather elegantly requiring low maintenance, and if used with sculptural artistry, transcend their more commonly attributed basic uses.

NK: I like to leave materials as they are whenever I can. Finishes create a filter between the object and the observer which dilutes the experience of the building.

Why did you decide to release ‘Working Architecture’?

NK: It was time for a summary. It was time to stand back and look at what has been done.

KF: Working Architecture was our way of recognising and celebrating the many architects, consultants and clients who have contributed so significantly to the journey of our practice. It was intended to launch the book in 2005, after a decade of practice, but it took an extra 12 years because our priority was always working architecture to our fullest commitment.

The book explores 31 key projects from your wide portfolio. How did you GO ABOUT making this selection?

KF: The work included in the book represents a varied selection of small, tall, spread-out and old projects. There are many equally important (to us) projects which could and probably should have been included… We need to start on our next book!

NK: Hopefully they are the buildings that have been most successfully executed.

Karl once said: ‘Good architects will go beyond the fashion parade and start thinking about the urban design issues, the community issues and bring to their project a beautiful building that satisfies the lust of the local developer, but also is very responsible in the way it sits within the fabric that it’s located in’. What do you see as some of the urban design and community issues facing Melbourne today?

NK: It’s paramount to maintain the sense of ‘city building’ that Melbourne was based on from the beginning. We lose that commitment to community-focused urbanism at our peril.

KF: Every architectural commission has its own unique set of obligations, responsibilities and opportunities. I think it’s incumbent on the architectural team to properly and thoroughly understand those requisites to then be able to deliver the maximum result for all who will encounter the built result. Melbourne is fortunate to have such a high-calibre architectural community.

What’s it like to be revered as one of Australia’s most prolific and influential architectural practices?

NK: It’s very flattering, but it’s not very big in our consciousness. We love to design and build. That’s what we get on with.

KF: The practice of Fender Katsalidis is fortunate and proud to have been able to contribute in some small way to the life and vibrancy of built Melbourne.

What’s next for Fender Katsalidis Architects?

NK: The next generation of talent that has been nurtured within the practice is coming of age.

KF: We have laid the foundations that will ensure that the practice continues to be a major contributor to the built environment throughout Australia, and internationally. We are looking forward to seeing the practice reap the benefits of its expanded ownership and nationalised structure.

[glenaskey241]

Finished metal parts.

Steel was chosen solely because of the availability of the material. Stainless steel was the preferred material due to it’s durability however it was not possible to source a material in the dimensions required.

Multiple grades of stainless steel were tested but ultimately the one that provided the best result could not be bent into the shapes required. The material that was easiest to work with did not provide the reaction to heat that was desired and proved too thin to hold a form.

Spot welding was used to join the steel, however due to the messy finish this provided the material had to be re-worked and linished for a cleaner surface.

[visualisedistributors-blog]

Stainless Steel range

Our stainless steel signs are made using marine grade #4 linished stainless steel with stainless steel braille and feature a 5mm contrasting *border to ensure luminance contrast with the wall surface. These are suited to both indoor and outdoor applications. *As an option the 5mm border can be omitted.

[ogisengineering]

How Does Metal Fabrication Work

Metal fabrication processes are those used to turn raw metals into finished goods, parts, and structures. Fabrications are frequently used to describe an item or items made using these procedures. Metal fabrication is done by manufacturing organisations utilising a combination of manual and automated procedures. These procedures turn raw metals into fabrications, which are finished metal objects.

Cutting Methods

Metal production involves the use of cutting methods. In cutting processes, a metal workpiece is divided into two or more portions, either entirely or partially. Shearing is a typical cutting technique used in the manufacture of metal. A worker can cut a metal workpiece cleanly and precisely using an alligator shear or bench shear.

Because it can separate a metal workpiece, like shearing, torching is sometimes regarded as a cutting technique. In the process of fabricating metal, torching can be done with laser cutters, oxy-fuel or plasma torches.

Bending Methods

Metal production techniques include bending as well as cutting. A metal workpiece is not physically separated during the bending process. Instead, it is employed to alter the metal workpiece's shape.

A hammer is frequently used to bend. Hammers have a flat, wide head that makes it possible to bend custom metal fabrication. Some hammers are portable, while others are machine-connected. The second kind, also referred to as a powered hammer, can exert more force than the previous kind. Using a press brake is another method for bending. A press brake is a particular kind of machine used to bend metal engineering workpieces, like sheet metal.

Combining Procedures

Assembling procedures are also a part of metal fabrication and welding services. The goal of assembly operations is to connect two or more metal workpieces. One of the most popular kinds of assembly processes is welding. The metal workpieces are heated up in order to melt and fuse them together. Rivets are used in the assembly of several metal workpieces. A fastener with a bolt-like form is called a rivet. But rivets have a smooth shaft, whereas bolts have a threaded shaft.

[ogisengineering]

[ogisengineering]

OGIS ENGINEERING PTY LTD is located in MILPERRA, NEW SOUTH WALES, Australia and is part of the Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing Industry. OGIS ENGINEERING PTY LTD has 15 employees a t this location and generates $3.86 million in sales (USD). There are 3 companies in the OGIS ENGINEERING PTY LTD corporate family. Visit: http://www.ogis.com.au and contact E-mail:ogisdigital1@gmail.com