Metal Fabrication

Case Study: Custom Machining Delivers Unique Knurling Style

When a leading U.S. manufacturer of high-end kitchen appliances sought a unique knurled handle design for their premium oven ranges, dishwashers, and refrigeration units, they came up short when metal fabrication vendors couldn’t meet both design and production expectations. So they turned to the knurling and machining experts at Mills Products for a cost-effective solution.…
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Turning Raw Extrusions into Real Value

There are a number of benefits to extrusions as opposed to casting or forging metal parts. These benefits are particularly apparent in pieces that are near net shape and produced in long lengths. One of the challenges extruders have is that their use for complex parts can be limited. This is why it is so…
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Why an “Early and Often” Metal Engineering Approach Leads to Superior Manufactured Products

Successfully navigating a design-to-delivery process for manufacturing a complex OEM product or assembly not only requires sourcing the right metal fabrication partner, but also sourcing them as early in the process as possible. While your in-house team are experts on what the consumer wants to see in terms of product design, it’s challenging to be…
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5 Features of Great Truck Cab Grab Handles

Grab handles are an important safety feature of any truck or tractor. Getting in and out of the cab of a truck can be extremely dangerous if truck cab grab handles are poorly designed or manufactured, not attached correctly, nonexistent, or corroded. Slip and fall injuries are common for truck drivers, and effective grab handles…
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Trends in Kitchen Appliance Handle Manufacturing

With kitchen appliance handle design trending away from the contoured look that was favored by OEMs for more than a decade to a more commercial-kitchen, almost industrial aesthetic, different approaches to handle manufacturing are required. Whereas tubular hydroforming and tubular stamping were good fits for creating gently curved metal appliance handles that were lightweight and…
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Choosing a Manufacturing Process for Automotive Decorative Metal Trim

Contemporary automobiles of all kinds, from small SUVs to heavy work trucks, are becoming more advanced with each passing year as consumers demand additional features and improved designs from each new model. Automotive decorative metal trim plays a large part in the aesthetic appeal of these vehicles, and well-chosen decorative elements can give a vehicle an…
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Appliance Handle Design History: 1960s – Today

You probably use an oven, refrigerator, or dishwasher every day, but have you ever thought about how appliance handle design has changed over the years? If you take a moment, you'll likely be able to easily recall the difference between your grandma’s 1970 wood-grain oven range pull handles and today’s curved, ergonomic stainless steel refrigerator handles.…
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