In the past, the sheet metal fabrication industry was pretty simple but today, it has become very cyclical and dynamic. Now that one more year has gone past, it means the industry has to look forward to the future. With plenty of changes that have occurred, it helps to know the top two industry trends that will most likely shape this year 2020 and beyond.
Blockchain Technology
You might be wondering how can this kind of technology affect sheet metal fabrication. While they don’t have significant similarity, the blockchain technology is seen to be the digital ledger that every fabricator must use. It has been hailed as the foundation of cryptocurrency. True, it won’t have anything to do with the actual fabrication process but it can make it possible to track the DNA of the production process. It will not only be great in helping the owner get through with the terms but more importantly in resolving problems by verifying and validating vendor’s parts during the fabrication process.
The Increasing Demands For Steel and Aluminum
In the past few years, there has been a recorded surge in the fields of construction, automotive, and aerospace. This increased demand also makes the cost of aluminum and steel to increase as well. What can be expected with this is the same surge with the raw materials that are for sale at elastic prices. This, in turn, will make the prices for these sheet metal materials even higher. As more and more of these metals are demanded for sheet metal fabrication, more virgin materials will be created. As a result, higher amounts of carbon will be emitted.
Thankfully, technological advancements are being developed in effectively reducing the quantities of CO2 emission. Instead of producing carbon dioxide, the new technology utilizes inert anodes that produce oxygen. So, less harm is done to the environment while making sheet metal fabrication using aluminum more cost-effective.