Electrical utilities and transit play vital roles in modern life, and there is an ever-increasing demand for adaptive, reliable infrastructure. These systems must be well-constructed, well-maintained, and updated regularly to ensure they remain operational and in good working order.

Many electrical projects, particularly older systems, come with inbuilt constraints such as space limitations. For example, a subway system's tunnels and substations cannot move. Therefore, when more power is required as the system is updated, owners and operators must work with the space that they already have, enhancing existing provisions rather than creating new ones.

In this post, we will explore the various kinds of custom fabrication available and how the custom fabrication process helps keep our utilities and transit systems running smoothly.

What is Custom Metal Fabrication?

Custom fabrication refers to creating parts, components, or other items from raw materials, such as flat sheet metal or molten metal, to meet the precise needs of a particular application or a client's design specifications. Shaping metal or other materials this way requires using specialist materials and power tools.

Custom fabrication processes are most valuable when one-off items or small quantities are required. They can form the final connection in a system, correct minor problems, or address obstructions that were unforeseen and, therefore, not planned for.

Custom fabrication processes can include CNC and conventional milling and turning, water jet machining, form milling, welding processes such as tungsten inert gas welding (TIG welding), stick welding, and gas metal arc welding (MIG welding), plasma arc cutting, induction and torch brazing, laser cutting, sheet metal shearing and bending, electrostatic bending, electrochemical deposition, and many more.

The Custom Metal Fabrication Process Begins with Understanding Each Unique Project Site

Every site presents unique challenges. Differences in geography, weather, environmental factors, and local regulations all play a role. In addition, urban and rural locales require different approaches. Utilities or transit system companies are further restricted by their property limits and must work within the space they own or control.

On-site realities often necessitate changes. When the site is not quite as expected, or unforeseen issues arise, a custom fabrication services provider can create a suitable component or adjust the existing component to improve fit or functionality.

The Necessity of Custom Solutions

Custom fabrication processes play a vital role across numerous sectors, from the electronics industry to the automotive, aerospace, medical, and construction fields. At MAC, we primarily provide custom fabrication services to the electrical power and electrified transit sectors.

Custom fabrication ensures optimal performance and safety. Mass production, one-size-fits-all components are rarely viable for complex transit and utility systems, particularly in those with space limitations or other constraints. There is always a demand for custom solutions to meet technical specifications, accommodate legacy systems, and future-proof infrastructure.

How MAC Supports Customization

At MAC, we supply custom components and products to solutions-based manufacturers. These companies focus on solving real-world infrastructure challenges, meaning they need a fabrication services provider who can offer a flexible approach to the design and fabrication manufacturing process.

We offer adaptability in design, engineering, and production at every stage, from sourcing the best raw materials to choosing the best fabrication processes and fabrication tools for the job. That's why our slogan is "We don't do easy".

Far from being a simple catalog company, we are proud to employ a team of skilled designers, metal fabricators, and engineering staff. All the off-the-shelf products we sell can be adapted to your specific needs, and we work closely with our clients to solve problems and deliver the best custom solutions for even the most complex projects. Unlike many mass-production manufacturers, we refuse to cut corners.

Time and again, since our company started life more than 50 years ago, we have proven ourselves as an industry leader, providing custom component design and metal fabrication services to numerous clients in the electrical utilities and transit industries.

Many clients approach us when time is limited and they have a deadline to meet. This means that starting the fabrication process as quickly as possible is vital. However, before we begin, we take the time to ensure that we understand the client's needs and the specifications for the final product. This communication throughout the production process helps us not only deliver their solution quickly but also get it right the first time, every time.

MAC Case Studies: Custom Metal Fabrication Services for the Electrified Transit Industries

We are tremendously proud of the many custom fabrication projects we have undertaken for our clients. In this section, we will highlight two such projects to showcase the versatility of our custom fabrication processes and services.

Custom Copper Busbar Solutions for a New Mining Locomotive

Our client was manufacturing a first-of-its-kind electric and battery-operated mining locomotive. We were invited to supply the copper busbars for this project.

The customer provided 3D models to simulate the integration of these busbars, but these models did not fully account for space constraints. We collaborated with the customer to make the required adjustments to the busbars, adapting them to the desired shape and size in a short time.

I90 Floating Bridge in Seattle, WA

We were honored to provide fabrication services for this history-making engineering project, which involved traversing Seattle's I90 floating bridge with a light railway system. It is still the most difficult and complex project we have ever worked on.

We created a novel overhead conductor rail expansion joint (CR-EXP) across four bridge joints. This joint provides continuous, arc-free electrical power to trains traveling up to 55 mph across the bridge.

You can read more about our various custom fabrication projects here: https://www.macproducts.net/our-projects

MAC's Fabrication Shop: Where Custom Solutions Take Shape

For companies and agencies in the critical electrical utilities and electrified transit industries, custom fabrication plays an essential role in building, expanding, maintaining, and improving the systems we all rely on every day.

At MAC, we are committed to enabling smarter and more resilient utility and transit infrastructure through tailored solutions. We support clients through every stage of the custom fabrication process, from concept to design, selecting raw materials, delivery, construction, and installation using advanced fabrication tools and techniques.

To learn more about any of our custom fabrication services, our custom metal fabrication process, or our off-the-shelf products and how we can adapt them to your needs, please contact us and speak to a team member.