General Fabrication & Mixed Profiles Solutions

Flexible machinery for workshops handling a wide variety of materials, components and production volumes.

General fabrication environments rarely focus on a single product type. Instead, they handle a constantly shifting mix of tube, box section, angle, channel, sheet metal and plate work — often with varied batch sizes and tight turnaround requirements.

This page outlines the key challenges mixed-profile fabricators face and the machinery combinations that deliver the most efficient, flexible workflows.

Flatbed Fibre Lasers

Flatbed lasers remain the workhorse for:

• brackets, base plates and flanges

• panels and covers

• architectural or decorative elements

• custom sheet components

They offer exceptional accuracy, fast production speeds and efficient sheet utilisation.

Tube & Section Lasers

Ideal for fabricators needing accurate cutting across numerous profile types. Benefits include:

• Precision cutting of tube, box, angle and channel

• Clean edges requiring minimal finishing

• Ability to cut holes, slots and features in one operation

• High repeatability, even on short-run or bespoke work

• Automated loading options for increased throughput

Tube lasers bring consistency and speed to what is often a chaotic mix of components.

Combination Sheet & Tube Lasers

For workshops that frequently switch between tube and sheet work, combination machines are an excellent solution:

• One machine for both flat and tubular components

• Reduced footprint compared to two separate systems

• Ideal for small-to-medium fabrication shops

• Extremely cost-effective for mixed production environments

Press Brakes

General fabrication frequently requires forming:

• brackets

• mounting plates

• frames

• structural supports

• small batch custom parts

CNC press brakes deliver consistent bending accuracy across any production volume.

Guillotines

Fabricators frequently use hydraulic guillotines for clean, accurate cutting of:

• sheet metal and plate

• blanks for bending or forming

• straight edges prior to fabrication

• material preparation for brackets and panels

• rapid trimming or resizing tasks

Hydraulic guillotines deliver straight, consistent cuts with minimal distortion, making them ideal for workshops that need fast, reliable sheet preparation across a range of materials and thicknesses.

H-Frame Presses

Fabricators commonly use H-frame presses for:

• pressing operations

• straightening components

• forming simple bends

• assembling or extracting parts

• maintenance and repair tasks

H-frame presses offer a versatile, cost-effective alternative to more complex forming machinery.

Horizontal Bending Machines

Horizontal bending presses support general fabrication tasks including:

• small brackets and flat bar bends

• angle correction and straightening

• compact forming work

• one-off or low-volume jobs

• bending operations where vertical space is limited

• bespoke tooling for custom job work

They provide simple, efficient forming and are ideal for workshops needing flexible bending capability without a press brake.

Bandsaws

Still essential for:

• straight cutting of box section, angle and bar

• preparing materials before laser or secondary operations

• handling heavier or larger materials cost-effectively

• semi-auto and automatic models can act as a silent employee churning out material for other processes.

Bandsaws offer reliability and low running costs.

Box & Pan Folders

Fabricators regularly use box and pan folders for producing:

• trays and pans

• small enclosures

• covers and boxes

• folded light-gauge components

• prototype or short-run folded parts

These machines are ideal for quick, accurate folding where fast setup and ease of use are essential.

Drilling Machines – Pillar Drills

Drilling & Preparation Machines

Pillar drills and radial drills remain vital for:

• drilling holes in plates and sections

• tapping and countersinking

• large or heavy components that require stable drilling positions

Finishing machines (deburring, linishing) support weld prep and reduce manual work.

Steelworkers

General fabrication shops rely on steelworkers for fast processing of:

• angle, flat bar and box section

• punching holes and slots

• cropping and shearing materials

• notching tasks

• preparing components for assembly

Steelworkers provide a compact, multi-function solution that replaces several standalone machines, making them ideal for busy workshops handling varied cutting and punching requirements.

Laser Welding

General fabrication increasingly benefits from laser welding when producing:

• thin-wall stainless and aluminium components

• precise, low-distortion joints

• visible architectural or decorative welds

• sealed seams and continuous welds

• small batch or repeat welded assemblies

Laser welding offers clean, narrow, accurate welds with minimal heat input, reduced distortion and significantly less post-weld finishing compared with traditional MIG or TIG processes.

• brackets and mounting plates

• tubular frames and supports

• guards, covers and enclosures

• box-section structures

• architectural components

• custom fixtures and assemblies

• rolled or curved components

• general welded or bolted assemblies

This variety reflects why flexible equipment is so important.

A streamlined production flow may include:

1. Bandsaw or Tube Laser Cutting – preparing tube, section or box

2. Flatbed Laser or Guillotine – precision cutting of features from sheet materials

3. Sheet Forming (Press Brake, Box and Pan, H-Frame Press or Horizontal Bending Machine) – bending plates and structural parts

4. Drilling & Punching – holes, countersinks, tapping

5. Rolling or Shaping – for curving sheets or sections ready for welding

6. Finishing – deburring, cleaning edges, weld prep

7. Assembly & Welding – assembling mixed material components

Workshops benefit most when each stage transitions cleanly to the next.