Month: December 2022

The History of Catering and How Food Grade Welding Plays a Role in Catering Today

Posted on by norfas by norfas

Welding has been a part of many metalworking industries for centuries, with the earliest forge welding dating back to the Bronze Age (3300-1200 BCE). Stud welding as one of many newer kinds of welding was developed in the early 20th century in the shipbuilding industry. Since its first advancements, stud welding has grown to be a part of almost every metal manufacturing industry from construction to food service. If you are working with stud welding operations, you can find all the supplies you need at Northland Fastening Systems (NFS). NFS is a comprehensive supplier of all stud welding equipment, tools, studs, and other accessories. We also provide repairs for tools and the advice of our own expert technicians. One application of stud welding that is sometimes overlooked is its use in food grade welding for restaurant, catering, and other commercial food service industries. Stud welding is a quick, clean operation that can create strong connections between stainless steel studs and other equipment components. Not only is stud welding effective for well-made equipment, it’s also sanitary. Equipment made with stud welding operations meets strict standards for food safety and hygiene.

Food Grade Welding

From commercial kitchens to residential appliances, food grade welding is a heavily relied-on operation that allows manufacturers to quickly build components and full assemblies that won’t have potential issues with hygiene. Food grade stud welding prevents harborage, creates strong connections, and uses stainless steel that won’t corrode or allow spaces for bacteria and other pathogens to grow.

A large part of the food service industry that utilizes equipment manufactured with stud welding is catering. Many kinds of equipment used in the catering industry are fabricated with CD stud welding, thanks to the strong, clean connections points it offers.

Catering Chronology

Catering in the world dates back to 4000 BCE in China, but catering in the United States has a much shorter history. Let’s look at a brief timeline based on an article on Medium.com website, “A Brief History of Catering.”

  • 1778: One of the first large catered events was held in Philadelphia at a ball. The event was catered by Caesar Cranshell.
  • 1820: By this time, catering was a respectable business that was largely operated by African Americans in the free northern United States.
  • 1840: Robert Bogle, the “Originator of Catering,” expanded and diversified the catering industry.
  • 1930-1960: The catering industry survived through World War I and World War II rationing by simplifying menus and partnering with restaurants.
  • 1970-2000: During this time, as more and more women started working in the food service industry, new styles of cooking passed down in different communities became a part of catering menus.
  • 2000-present: Catering is a dedicated department for many restaurants today. Catering has also changed to adapt to new concerns and rules after the COVID-19 pandemic. Current restrictions for sanitation and preventing pathogen transmission make it more important than ever for catering equipment to be hygienic.

To learn more about how catering equipment is made today with CD food grade welding and our supplies, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online.

Benefits of Renting Stud Welding Equipment

Posted on by norfas by norfas

There are many industries that utilize stud welding operations to manufacture parts, build structures, and create infrastructure. From electronics and food service equipment to multistory buildings and ships, stud welding has a wide range of applications. The powerful, quick, and clean connection points that stud welding offers have clear benefits to quality fabrication. If you are working with stud welding in your industry, you have probably weighed the question of whether to invest in purchasing your own welding units or rent out tools. There are advantages to both renting and buying stud welding equipment, and choosing what’s best for you depends on your circumstances as a manufacturer. For many, renting is an excellent option even for long-term stud welding operations. If you are looking to rent or buy tools, supplies, and other welding accessories, Northland Fastening Systems (NFS) has what you need. We provide a comprehensive range of welding tools for rent or purchase, drawn arc and CD welding studs, welding accessories, tool repair services, and the advice of our own expert technicians.

Manufacturers choosing to rent stud welding equipment rather than purchase their own is a common practice due to the expense of purchasing and maintaining owned tools. Stud welding units can range in price depending on their size and capability, but even the most cost-effective models can go over a project budget.

If you are in need of a rented welding tool, NFS offers a variety of models with differing capabilities that fit the majority of worksite requirements, including portable generators. From thru-deck welding to automated systems, you can rent tools that will help you keep your project schedule on time.

Some of the most significant benefits of renting over owning stud welding tools include:

  • You can try out the most current models and the newest technology when you choose to rent from NFS. We swap out-of-date models when newer and higher performance ones are on the market so renters get the latest units.
  • You aren’t responsible for tool maintenance and maintenance expenses; we do that for you.
  • In addition to avoiding regular maintenance costs, you also won’t have to deal with unexpected repairs that force your production line to halt. Rented tools are kept in peak condition and can be swapped out the moment a possible issue arises.
  • With rented tools, we provide extra studs and welding accessories for just-in-case manufacturing scenarios.
  • Rented tools are perfect for short-term jobs or one-time use so you don’t have to invest in purchasing supplies that will sit on a shelf after one project is completed.

Summary

There are many other benefits of renting stud welding equipment over purchasing, but owning tools also has its advantages. To learn more about renting or purchasing tools and other supplies, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online.

Using CD Stud Welding to Protect Electrical Equipment from Hazards

Posted on by norfas by norfas

Stud welding is used in the fabrication of many fixtures used in the industrial world, including electrical enclosures. Electrical enclosures are built to protect a variety of devices, circuit boards, switches, relays, motors, and controls. Because electrical enclosures are so prevalently used throughout industries as well as for commercial, residential, and municipal purposes, they are critical structures that have to hold up against many hazardous conditions. Even enclosures that remain indoors need to withstand potential contaminants that could compromise a delicate electrical system. The majority of effective electrical enclosures are built with CD stud welding operations due to the strong, clean, and rapid connection points the process provides. If you are fabricating electrical enclosures with stud welding systems, you can find all the supplies you need at Northland Fastening Systems. We offer a comprehensive supply of stud welding tools for rent or purchase, drawn arc and CD welding studs, welding accessories, and repair services for most models.

CD Stud Welding

Electrical enclosures built with CD stud welding offer several benefits to manufacturers. CD fastening operations are cost-effective and long-lasting, and CD welding connection points can be quickly installed with no marking on the reverse side.

Because there is such a broad range of assemblies that electrical enclosures protect and the locations of enclosures vary so much, they have to be able to face the many hazards they may be exposed to. Some of those hazards include:

Hazards Include

  • Gas: Industrial worksites often have the potential for atmospheric gas exposure. Electrical enclosures on jobsites and other locations operating with chemical gases or vapors must be able to be fully sealed against those contaminants.
  • Dust: Even indoors, dust can be a problem for electronics. Simple electrical enclosures are effective inside, but enclosures that are outside permanently need to be ruggedized to protect against all dust particle sizes.
  • Moisture: In addition to dust, outdoor enclosures need protection from multiple sources of moisture, such as rain, snow, and humidity. Humidity can be a problem in any climate, even in more arid regions.
  • Flame: While electrical enclosures aren’t generally meant to survive a building fire, industrial site enclosures are more prone to being exposed to flames. Because of the greater risk of minor flame exposure on worksites, enclosures need some extreme heat resistance.
  • Temperature: Both extreme cold and heat can negatively affect electronics. To prevent damage in settings where excess heat or cold could be an issue, enclosures should have built-in insulation and seals.
  • Physical stress: Electronics are also susceptible to damage from physical stresses like vibrations, falling objects, resonance, and more. Ruggedized electrical enclosures need specialty impact protection built on the interior and exterior.

Summary

There are many types of electrical enclosures built with CD stud welding that can withstand many types of potential damage. To learn more about our supplies and services, contact Northland Fastening Systems today at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online.