Integrated Manufacturing Solutions Custom Metal Fabrication Process
IMS has been serving the Twin Cities, Minnesota area for over 20 years. Through these years of experience, Integrated Manufacturing Solutions (IMS) has been able to tailor our company processes to offer a one-stop shop of services that will add value to your business. In fact, IMS operates ten departments under one roof in a 55,000 sq. ft. metal fabrication operation.
Customer Service, Order Entry & Sales
Engineering
IMS engineers take the design models they have worked with clients to develop and create several digital blueprints outlining the project’s exact measurements and specifications. For a laser operator, structural welder, press brake operator, parts assembly, or quality control, the digital blueprint is the universal language that keeps everyone involved in the project in sync. The digital blueprint helps projects through the shop run as efficiently as possible and gets them into production quickly.
Material Staging
In the IMS staging area, we take the materials specified by the customer and dynamically lay out the cutting patterns to get the most parts out of every material, and in return we reduce waste. Nesting allows us to give the customer the best price.
We know metal inside and out. What sets IMS apart is the extensive amount of knowledge our team has in the materials we choose. Knowing the difference between the many different types of metal materials is critical to the result of your product. We work with many metal types, including the following:
1) Steel sheet materials include:
– Hot or cold rolled steel in thicknesses from 10 to 24 gauge
– Hot rolled pickled steel in thicknesses from 1 inch to 13 gauge
– Galvanized steel in thicknesses from 10 to 20 gauge
– Aluminized steel
2) Stainless Steel sheet
3) Aluminum sheet
4) Copper
5) Brass
Metal Cutting Lasers
IMS owns two state-of-the-art precision solid state laser machines. We use a tower for automated loading and unloading to and from the laser machines, so we can run 24/7 for 365 days if necessary:
- Lasers can cut 24 gauge to 1-inch plate
- Lasers will cut at speeds above 2000 inches per minute.
Our laser operators input the tool path and material specifications for the lasers to cut the path. The material is loaded into a Tower system which shuttles the materials back and forth to both lasers. Laser cutting is one of the most precise forms of sheet metal processing, able to create complex shapes of any size and shape from any sheet metal.
Parts Separation
The central hub of the IMS fabrication process is the parts separation department. Specialists take parts and “unnest” or separate them from the metal sheet. Our tumbling operation takes small parts and tumbles them to remove the burrs and sharp edges.
Larger parts may be lightly milled or sanded. We then verify the count and quality of parts and send them for further processing.
Bending and Forming
IMS has invested in the finest CNC professionals and equipment on the market. Our 4 Cincinnati Press Brake machines can bend up to 135 tons on a 6-axis machine. Precision sectionalized tooling is used to pass sheet metal through a series of dies to achieve different forms. We can V-bend, Fold, Coin, or shape any size or thickness of sheet metal into a precision part.
Welding
IMS has four different welding workstations. We primarily use TIG welding, but also can do MIG and Spot welding. We weld using sophisticated welding equipment to achieve consistently dependable and precision welds. IMS employs some of the most highly skilled and experienced welders in the trade.
Parts Assembly
Our parts department is a dynamic work center that prepares our fabricated metal parts for finishing. Here, we focus on drilling holes, tapping, sanding, grinding, and installing hardware on the metal parts. Parts are tank tested to be sure they are leak free and solid.
We also can provide kitting services for customers that want parts assembled into an end-product or component.
Powder Coating
IMS is one of the few metal fabrication companies with an in-house powder coating finishing operation capable of handling even the most unique and challenging projects. We begin every powder coating project by hanging parts on the line and sending them through a 3-stage wash system to remove all the dirt, dust, and debris from the parts. Our powder coating line is negatively charged, and the powder paint is positively charged. After the wash system, we spray on powder paint in the color specified by the client. The powder clings to the part and is then sent through the oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees to bake on the paint finish. We offer an array of different colors and many size parts daily.
Shipping & Receiving Department
We verify the count, quality, and package parts according to our customer’s requirements. When parts are ready, we notify the customer and ship.
When you partner with Integrated Manufacturing Solutions, you partner with an industry leading manufacturing company that:
- Has high-quality tradesmen expertise
- 18 years of leading metal fabrication experience
- Cutting edge equipment and technology
- Scalable, high-quality, all-in-one solutions for all industries fabrication needs.
Our facility can deliver precisely what you need, when you need it in the most cost-effective means suitable for your project. Contact us for a free quote on your next project!
At IMS, we are equipped with state-of-the-art CNC laser cutting machines that utilize two solid-state lasers to cut sheet metal from 24 gauge to 1” plate with cut speeds exceeding 2000 inches per minute. Additionally, our 4 CNC Cincinnati Press Brake machines are capable of bending up to 135 tons on a 6-axis machine. Precision sectionalized tooling is utilized to pass sheet metal through a series of dies, resulting in a variety of different forms.
See What Our Clients Say
Take a Virtual Tour of our Metal Fabrication Facility
Ready for a Free Quote?
We proudly serve the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. It only takes a minute! Select the service you’d like, upload your designs, and a member of our team will respond with a free quote as soon as possible. If you don’t have design mockups, or need some help figuring out a design, we’d love to help! Simply give us a call and a member of our team would be happy to answer any questions you have.
Lead Time
3 days
Parts Completed
22,000
Manufacturing Footprint
60,000 sq ft.
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