Secondary Operations After Laser Cutting: Where Cheap Cuts Get Expensive
The cutting quote is the smallest number in the job. Buyers who compare vendors on that number alone are optimizing the wrong line. NIST’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership makes the underlying...Continue reading→
Laser Cutting vs Waterjet Cutting: How Michigan Buyers Decide in 2026
Michigan’s factory payrolls are not all moving the same direction, and the exception is worth a look. Michigan State University’s Center for Economic Analysis puts state manufacturing employment at 593,740...Continue reading→
The Heat-Affected Zone: When Laser Cutting Is the Wrong Call
A laser cut looks clean. The metal under the edge tells a different story. Research published in January 2026 in the journal Materials put numbers on it. Working across three...Continue reading→
New Welding Technology: What Michigan Manufacturers Need to Know
New welding technology is moving faster than most Michigan manufacturers can keep up with. Robotic cells that run 24 hours, AI systems that catch defects before the arc even moves...Continue reading→
Powder Coating Is Winning the Automotive Aftermarket – Here’s Why Detroit Suppliers Are Taking Notice
Motor City Metal Fab | Detroit, Michigan The numbers are hard to argue with. U.S. consumers spent $52.65 billion accessorizing and modifying their vehicles in 2024, according to the Specialty...Continue reading→
How EV Production Is Reshaping Automotive Aftermarket Powder Coating Demand
Motor City Metal Fab | Detroit, Michigan General Motors announced in August 2024 that it was retooling three U.S. plants to incorporate powder-coated battery enclosures and subframes. Ford’s Oakville assembly...Continue reading→
Corrosion Protection and Finish Quality: What Automotive Aftermarket Parts Suppliers Need to Know in 2026
Motor City Metal Fab | Detroit, Michigan Here is a problem that costs Detroit-area aftermarket suppliers money every year, and most of them are underestimating it: finish failure. Not dramatic,...Continue reading→
Abrasive Media Types Explained: Aluminum Oxide, Glass, Steel Shot, and Plastic Media for Detroit Manufacturers
Motor City Metal Fab: Full-Service Metal Fabrication and Surface Preparation in Detroit, Michigan The decision that determines blast results is not how much pressure to use or how long to...Continue reading→
Automotive Media Blasting in Detroit: What Parts Suppliers Need From Surface Preparation
Motor City Metal Fab: Full-Service Metal Fabrication and Surface Preparation in Detroit, Michigan Detroit’s automotive manufacturing base is undergoing one of the most significant structural transitions in its history. The...Continue reading→
Media Blasting Services in Detroit: Why Surface Preparation Determines Coating Outcomes
Surface preparation is the single step in metal fabrication and finishing that determines whether a coating protects a part for years or peels away in months. It is also the...Continue reading→