Sheet Metal, Wire Forming & Fabrication of a Retail Unit

This Propane Tank Vending Machine was designed and fabricated to protect and dispense propane tanks for a retail application. During the design process we worked with the customer to develop a product that would not only fit their need, but also simplify the manufacturing process, saving the customer money in production costs. The finished design called for a product that was roughly 7′ tall, 6′ wide, and 2.5′ deep.

Composed of 7 gage PQ wire, and 14 and 16 gage cold rolled steel sheet metal, which was cut, formed, and welded in our facility. The wire fabrication consisted of straightening and cutting, 3D CNC wire forming, and Schlatter (automated wire mesh welder). The wire fabrication steps also included forming and eye bending. The sheet metal fabrication included laser cutting, press brake forming, punching on our turret punch, as well as resistance and MIG welding. Tolerances of ±.039″ and ±2ᵒ were maintained with the use of custom fixtures that were fabricated in-house. The components included door and shelf panels, hood, base, control box, and bull nose channel uprights, all of which received a zinc dichromate base coat, followed by a very durable powder coat.

To learn more about this project, and the processes used to create it, see the table below or contact us directly.