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Technical Briefs

Your Metalworking Coolant Is Costing You More Than You Think – Here’s How to Stop the Bleeding

In a volatile 2026 market — shaped by geopolitical shocks, tariff uncertainty, and rising energy costs – metalworking coolant management is no longer a maintenance task. It’s a strategic financial decision.   Walk through most machine shops today, and you’ll hear the same refrain: budgets are tighter, lead times are longer, and every line item is under scrutiny. Coolant, however, […]

Titanium Dioxide Is in Your Wastewater. Here’s How to Get It Out.

Most manufacturers using TiO₂-based coatings, paints, or pigments are generating titanium dioxide wastewater. Most don’t realize it until there’s a compliance problem. Titanium dioxide is the most widely used pigment in industrial manufacturing — present in automotive primers, aerospace coatings, industrial finishes, and plastics. When those processes generate wash water, rinse water, or process effluent, TiO₂ is present. The challenge: […]

How to Maximize OBBBA & Existing Tax Rules- A 2026 Guide for Manufacturers

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) has reshaped how U.S. manufacturers can expense equipment, buildings, and research and development (R&D) costs. At PRAB, we’re serious about helping manufacturers become more successful in 2026 and beyond — with rugged, reliable equipment and by helping you optimize the purchase and commissioning process to capture every available tax advantage. Below is a […]

Ultrafiltration for Tumbling and Vibratory Deburring Applications – A Modern Manufacturing Solution

Ultrafiltration (UF) technology enables manufacturers to recycle water from tumbling and deburring processes, reducing water and sewer costs by up to 99%, decreasing chemical usage, and maintaining compliance with stringent environmental regulations—all while enhancing operational efficiency. The Manufacturing Challenge A U.S.-based die casting and fabrication manufacturer faced a significant challenge: managing wastewater from two vibratory deburring systems without exceeding local […]

48 Years of Continuous Operation: PRAB Conveyor Sets Industry Benchmark

In heavy manufacturing, the life expectancy of most equipment is often measured in years, not decades. Yet, some industrial conveyors prove that with the right design, materials, and maintenance, systems can reliably operate for nearly half a century. One such example is a PRAB Conveyor, installed in the late 1970s at a U.S.-based manufacturer of refractory materials. After 48 years […]

Metalworking Regulatory Issues -Inflation 2/17/2025

Updated 7-22-2025 Inflationary trends and regulatory changes in 2025 are reshaping the U.S. metalworking industry. Alongside traditional concerns—such as tariffs, supply chain volatility, and cost pressures—forward-thinking manufacturers are embracing circularity to stay competitive and compliant. Recent inflation research indicates that U.S. metalworking manufacturers should prepare for several key challenges in the coming year: Domestically sourced Recycled Metal Scrap Brings Higher […]

Metalworking Regulatory Issues -Tariffs 2/17/2025

Recent developments in U.S. trade policy, particularly the expansion of tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, present several challenges for metalworking manufacturers in the United States. But there is GREAT NEWS for Metal Scrap Recycling. Recycled Metal Scrap Market Price Increases Bring New Opportunities The rising prices for recycled metal scrap present several business opportunities: Increased Profit Margins: Companies can […]

Technical Brief: Eliminating Soluble Heavy Metal Ions From Industrial Wastewater by Precipitation and Ultrafiltration

Download Introduction Today’s manufacturers should be keenly aware of the problems—and especially the penalties—associated with discharging industrial wastewater into sewage treatment systems. The removal of soluble heavy metal ions from wastewater is a common industrial treatment requirement in modern manufacturing.   Some of the processes that generate waste streams containing heavy metals are: Electroplating Electroless nickel plating Printed circuit […]

Technical Brief: Critical Design Elements for Maximizing the Life of Under Press Steel Belt Conveyors

CHALLENGE As Press technology has expanded to meet the changing demands of customers in the automotive, aerospace, defense, and construction equipment sectors, the reliability and robust nature of the steel belt conveyor design remains one of the most efficient methods for the transfer of flat metal stamping scrap. The increased demands on stampers to achieve tighter […]

Technical Brief: Wear Abatement Strategies are a Cost Saving Component of Capital Equipment Purchase

CHALLENGE The metalworking industry, like many other manufacturing market segments, has been forced to scrutinize capital equipment purchases in an effort to squeeze the most from a tight capital project budget with short expected returns.     Often, pre-project planning and equipment evaluation do not take into account the long-term operational effects of rugged operating conditions, […]