Next-Gen Metal Fab
Next-Gen Metal Fab explores the future of metal fabrication and manufacturing. Hosted by Tim Heston of The Fabricator along with rotating industry co-hosts, it examines how automation, software, and emerging technologies are reshaping today’s fabrication shops. The show is part of the FMA Podcast Network.
Episodes
Developing better managers and leaders in metal fabrication
On this episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, The Fabricator Senior Editor Tim Heston and business advisor Mark Ernst, a longtime member of the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association (FMA) and its Management Advisory Council, examine one of the biggest challenges facing growing metal fabrication shops: developing the people and management structure needed to keep up with the business.
They discuss ma
Where does venture capital see investment opportunity in metal fabrication?
Why is so much new investment flowing into metal fabrication? Tim Heston of The Fabricator, Caleb Chamberlain of OSH Cut, and Lance Thrailkill of All Metals Fabricating discuss venture capital, automation, consolidation, digital manufacturing, and whether new tech-driven business models are a threat or an opportunity for traditional fab shops.
Email Tim at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments or
Estimating and quoting for competitive advantage with Jason Ray
Estimating and quoting are no longer just about pricing parts. They're strategic tools that help metal fabricators and other manufacturers win the right work, improve profitability, and build more efficient operations.
In this episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, Tim Heston talks with Jason Ray, co-founder of Paperless Parts, about defining an ideal part profile, improving costing accuracy, activity-ba
The new economics of online sheet metal fabrication
Jonathan Sessa of Fabworks joins Tim Heston and co-host Caleb Chamberlain of OSH Cut to discuss how online manufacturing platforms are reshaping sheet metal fabrication.
Fabworks grew out of Ventura, Calif.-based Sessa Manufacturing, a third-generation family fab business founded in 1980. Inspired in part by the success of OSH Cut and SendCutSend, Sessa shares how his family business transformed i
Bridging tribal knowledge and tech in fabrication with Jay Phillips
In this episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, host Tim Heston talks with Jay Phillips of Fresno, Calif.-based Valley Iron Inc. about the future of workforce development, shop culture, and technology in metal fabrication.
Phillips explains why modern fab shops can no longer rely solely on tribal knowledge as experienced workers retire and manufacturing becomes more software-driven. The conversation cover
Quoting, estimating, and costing in sheet metal fabrication
In this episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, Tim Heston talks with Cody Lee and Lance Thrailkill about quoting, estimating, and costing in modern sheet metal fabrication. They break down how shops are using software, data, and work center–based costing to improve accuracy and consistency, while navigating challenges like material volatility, PPAP requirements, and scheduling constraints. The conversatio
Digitizing information and AI in the changing job shop with Sunny Han
In this episode of the Next-Gen Metal Fab Podcast, host Tim Heston speaks with Sunny Han, FMA member and founder of Fulcrum, about the role digitized information plays in preparing fabrication shops for adopting AI.
Tim and Sunny discuss how many job shops still rely on spreadsheets, paperwork, and institutional knowledge that lives in people’s heads, and why before AI can deliver meaningful insi
Optimizing production scheduling in metal fabrication
In this episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, Tim Heston is joined by Caleb Chamberlain of OSH Cut and Lance Thrailkill of All Metals Fabricating to talk production scheduling, software investments, and growth strategy. They break down what a recent Fabricators and Manufacturers Association survey says about automation trends, why scheduling and ERP tools are becoming critical, and how shops are tackling
Scaling a multigenerational fabrication business with Matthew Nix
In this episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, host Tim Heston is joined by special guest Matthew Nix of Nix Companies, along with OSH Cut co-founder Caleb Chamberlain, for a wide-ranging discussion on how very different fabrication business models can succeed.
Nix, an FMA member and fifth-generation leader of Nix Industrial, shares how a traditional family-owned manufacturer scaled through acquisitions,
Evaluating 2025 and building smarter fab shop strategies for 2026
In this year-end episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, Tim Heston sits down with All Metals Fabricating’s Lance Thrailkill and OSH Cut CEO Caleb Chamberlain to unpack a wildly unpredictable 2025 in metal fabrication.
Lance shares how a flat year suddenly surged in Q4 (driven by data centers, telecom, and a surprise spike in WIP) while investing in five-axis machining, automation, and AI-driven programmi
The emergence of private equity and vibe coding in fabrication
In this episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, we break down the biggest trends and takeaways from this year’s FABTECH.
From the surge of cobots and advanced automation tools on display to the practical challenges of integrating and maintaining them, the show revealed just how fast the industry is evolving. We also dig into the wave of private equity interest sweeping through the fragmented fabrication s
Integrating automation with the right people in manufacturing
In this episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, Lance Thrailkill of All Metals Fabricating joins Tim Heston to talk about becoming the most automated job shop in America. Tim and Lance explore how the the Texas-based job shop is investing in robotic welding, automated laser cutting, punching, and panel bending, while also empowering and training its workforce to embrace change.
Hear how leadership builds
What the future holds for software development in metal fabrication
In this episode, we explore how software, automation, and AI are transforming the metal fabrication industry, from the front office to the shop floor.
Guests Caleb Chamberlain of OSH Cut and Cody Lee of Everyday Technologies share how their companies have embraced digital tools to streamline quoting, scheduling, production, and quality control. Caleb explains how OSH Cut has developed custom soft
From purchase to progress: Transforming a legacy job shop
On this episode of the Next-Gen Metal Fab podcast, Tim Heston sits down with Cody Lee for a one-on-one conversation about Cody's path the metal fabrication industry.
Cody talks about how he took over Everyday Technologies, a Sidney, Ohio-based sheet metal job shop founded in 1928. Faced with an outdated ERP and quoting process, Lee implemented a new ERP system and standardized quoting. The change
Practical approaches to using AI in manufacturing and fabrication
In this episode of the Next-Gen Metal Fab podcast, host Tim Heston is joined by Caleb Chamberlain of OSH Cut and Lance Thrailkill of All Metals Fabricating to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the metal fabrication and manufacturing industries.
As tariffs and reshoring continue to stir uncertainty and volatility, Tim, Caleb, and Lance talk about how fabricators are looking for ways
Understanding the impact of tariffs on metal fabrication businesses
Tim Heston, Lance Thrailkill, Caleb Chamberlain, and Cody Lee discuss how the everchanging tariffs on imported metals have led to significant volatility and price increases, challenges for manufacturers, and domestic mills raising prices to match the tariffs rather than passing along the benefits.
They explore strategies for diversifying customer bases, improving operational efficiency, and lever
The wide spectrum of business models in sheet metal fabrication
Cody Lee from Everyday Technologies and Lance Thrailkill from All Metals Fabricating join the Next-Gen Metal Fab and Tim Heston as new co-hosts with Caleb Chamberlain from OSH Cut. The discussion touches on the history and evolution of their businesses, the role of automation and software in improving efficiency and productivity, and the various models and trends emerging in the metal manufacturin
Finding new ways to grow business in metal fabrication
In this episode, Tim Heston and Caleb Chamberlain dive into the future of custom metal fabrication, exploring what the next several years could hold for this ever-evolving industry. They discuss how technology, particularly software and AI, is reshaping the landscape, driving trends like horizontal and vertical integration and paving the way for industry consolidation in metal manufacturing.
Emai
Strategies for hiring the right metal fabrication shop employee
Tim and Caleb discuss the challenges of hiring and retaining employees in the metal fabrication industry, particularly at high-mix, high-volume fab shops.
Caleb talks about how his company has found success by hiring people without prior fabrication experience and training them in-house and focusing on creating a collaborative, positive work environment with clear processes and systems to reduce
Measuring costs and the value of time in metal fabrication
Tim and Caleb discuss cost and time management in metal fabrication and job shop operations. They talk lean manufacturing, cash flow, margins, different approaches to cost accounting, and the importance of managing overhead costs. The conversation also touches on topics such as inventory, direct costs, remnant management, and the use of automation in the fabrication process.
They reference two bo
The evolution of software and potential of AI in metal fabrication
Tim and Caleb discuss the evolution of software in the metal fabrication industry and how AI tools have greatly improved the coding experience. Also in this episode of Next-Gen Metal Fab, they discuss the potential for AI to assist operators in identifying and fixing problems in real-time, as well as the possibility of non-software professionals learning coding with the help of AI tools. They also
Simplifying sheet metal design and the role of DFM in fabrication
In this inaugural episode of The Next-Gen Metal Fab Podcast, Tim Heston and Caleb Chamberlain discuss the future of precision sheet metal and tube fabrication. They talk about the importance of designing for sheet metal in a simple and efficient way, as well as the role of design for manufacturability (DFM) in the engineering process. Caleb shares his experience in the precision sheet metal fabric
New podcast coming soon: Next-Gen Metal Fab
The Next-Gen Metal Fab podcast, hosted by Tim Heston and Caleb Chamberlain, will explore the future of precision sheet metal and tube fabrication. They discuss the rapid changes and advancements in technology that are being incorporated into the metal manufacturing industry. The podcast is produced by the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association and will be available soon on various podcast platf
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