For the metal fabrication industry, technology has always been the way of the future. When we started more than 35 years ago, the technology and equipment was nowhere near what it is today, and we only expect it to keep growing and advancing, not just our business, but
the industry.
Our team at MG McGrath has always placed a high priority on innovation, research, and new technology that allows our workflow to be faster, safer, higher quality, and more efficient. As technology advances, these benefits and savings we see directly translate over to architects.
As opportunities arise, we work together to find solutions to our problems and utilize technology when appropriate to support and measure them. Our entire process is digitally defined and starts at the preconstruction phase where building components are configured virtually so we can fabricate directly from 3D models.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) has gotten a lot of hype recently and seems to be present in nearly every field, with some adopting it faster due to the nature of their industry. The metal fabrication industry is adapting into the AI market, albeit slower than others, but we feel AI definitely has a place in the future of metal fabrication. Right now, our industry is testing the waters and has been more apt to integrate AI into administrative functions of the business. The administrative demands of project managers have greatly increased over the last five to 10 years, which puts a huge strain on resources.
Moving toward predictive AI will allow us to pivot quicker and work with both historical and real time information from procurement, production, machine time/availability as well as field performance.
In the near future we anticipate AI could aid in scheduling, as well as virtual design and construction (VDC) processes like translating design models/documents into fabrication output to the shop floor. The most critical step for our industry right now is companies and business partners developing the database that the AI can draw and learn from.
Robotics and automation
Robotics is something our industry has excitedly welcomed into the metal construction space. Many metal fabrication shops have stationary robots performing tasks on their own, or have cobots (collaborative robots) working directly with humans for assisted fabrication processes.
One thing that is a recent future development for metal fabrication is automation and adopting processes in general that reduce human interaction. Recently our company purchased a new fiber laser, which is the first of its kind in the U.S. We equipped the laser with a fully-automated tower that together allow the laser to cut, etch, perforate, sort, and store metal, as well as load and unload material without a tradesperson being present to run the machine.
Automation equipment like robotic total stations, multi-access cutting and milling machines, and computer numerical control (CNC)-driven devices have all advanced the metal fabrication industry by allowing for more precise measurements, fabrication cuts and bends, and installation tolerances.
While it isn’t quite AI, computer programming and advanced technological equipment integration has allowed us to expand our metal fabrication capabilities to give architects and designers more options for architectural cladding and facades. Technology like this also gives architects greater confidence that their vision is achievable, and as the technologies advance and become more prevalent, more accurate or predictable cost estimating will be achieved as well. Robots, cobots, and automation all reduce human intervention to improve safety, effectively cut costs, reduce waste, and open the door for truly one-of-a-kind metal designs that were previously too expensive, or even impossible to pull off.
Future advancements for robotics and automation in the metal fabrication industry are heavily pointing towards robotic folders, press brakes, and even robotic welding and finishing processes. Lights-off manufacturing will not only increase the capacity and throughput of metal fabricators, but also supplement the dwindling number of men and women in the trades.
What new technologies mean for architects
We see the use of new technologies as a catalyst to the design and fabrication process. They allow us to more closely collaborate with design teams across the globe in real time and find efficiencies in the procurement and fabrication of our scopes of work. We believe making some of our tools available to design professionals will allow more customization for architects and engineers with projects that can be constructed efficiently and accurately to achieve the design intent.
Over the next five to 10 years, we expect to start seeing big advancements in the VDC processes with more automation and coding/scripting becoming a bigger and bigger part of our workflow every day. Databases of our virtual design work will be set up to allow for programming to draw from that information to complete tasks rather than starting from scratch with each new project. This is where AI can start to come into the fold as well.
Mike P. McGrath, head of operations at MG McGrath Inc. in Maplewood, Minn., has worked in the building envelope fabrication industry for more than 20 years. His deft understanding of architectural metal, glass and glazing, building envelope design, and high volume operations has helped grow and develop MG McGrath’s teams and technologies to be able to take on bigger and more architecturally complex projects. For more information, visit mgmcgrath.com.