Specialty Fabrics Review July 2019 - 18

BRIEFINGS

SWATCHES

INDUSTRY NEWS

IFAI Expo 2019 and
Advanced Textiles Conference
registration now open
Registration for IFAI Expo 2019 and
the Advanced Textiles (AT) Conference
is now open. This year's event will be
held Oct. 1-4 in Orlando, Fla., with the
AT Conference running all day Oct.
1. A number of speakers have been
scheduled, with more to be announced
soon. Topics to be addressed include
medical textiles, innovation, fabric
advancements, safety and protective
markets, smart fabric standards
development and others. For more
information and to register, visit www.
ifaiexpo.com.

Filtrex™ India addresses air quality

Global textile market forecast

The fourth edition of the Filtrex India
conference was hailed as a success by 150
participants from across the filtration supply
chain. Organized by EDANA and BCH, Filtrex
India has strengthened its position as a leading
and unique platform for the filtration industry
on the Indian subcontinent. The conference
focused on industrial megatrends, the growth of
the filtration industry and future opportunities
in hybrid nonwoven media, nano and fine fiber
composites, and the optimization of media in
terms of energy efficiency.

A new report by ResearchAndMarkets.com
details the growth of the global textile market,
which is projected to reach USD 1.23 trillion
by 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 4.24 percent.
Population growth, rising disposable income
levels and rapid urbanization in developing
countries like China, India and Mexico
are likely to boost product demand. The
increasing numbers of supermarkets and retail
outlets in these countries are expected to drive
the demand further. For more information,
visit www.researchandmarkets.com.

Letter to the Editor

FEATURE

by Jeff Moravec

Dear Editor:
Concerning your feature "Supporting role" (June 2019),
Chuck Auger's comment, "I don't think the marketplace fully
understands code and how it applies to fabric structures,"
also applies to many fabricators. As an MFC, also licensed as
a certified welding inspector by the American Welding Society
(AWS), during semi-retirement I'd receive calls from awning
shops saying the contract required certified welders. My reply was that requirements
and procedures were all spelled out in the various AWS Structural Welding Codes for
different materials. Often the response was: "What code books?"
Though these rarely apply to marine products, even a simple steel frame awning
with a projection of three feet may be subject to the local building authority. When
working with architects, engineers or building departments, submitted drawings should
include complete welding instructions and symbols. At a minimum, the instructions
in the title block should state, "all welding to comply with applicable AWS Structural
Welding Codes." To simplify the inclusion of welding symbols, state, "all welds to be
3/16-inch fillet welds unless otherwise specified." After that, it's up to the fabricator,
architect, engineer or building department to make changes. Make sure you know your
fabricating process, as others may request incorrect procedures. Find out whether the
engineer has a good knowledge of welding. Some don't.
If you are subcontracting frame building, instructions and symbols are very important.
If no instructions are provided, the results may not be what you want.
One way to distinguish yourself is to show the customer your improved design and
fabricating skills. In addition to the drawings, show the customer a loose-leaf binder
filled with written welding procedures for both steel and aluminum-demonstrating
that you have the skills to produce a better product.
S U P P O R T I N G

MFA regional marine
workshops scheduled
Join the Marine Fabricators Association
(MFA) for regional workshops to
learn hands-on marine fabrication
education in a shop setting. Build your
network with like-minded business
owners and share business information
while you socialize and tour the
marine shop. The MFA Southeast
Regional Workshop will take place at
Southern Stitch Canvas & Upholstery
LLC in Gulfport, Miss., Oct. 25-26,
2019; the MFA Great Lakes Regional
Workshop will take place at Marine
Tops Unlimited Inc., in Omro, Wis.,
Nov. 1-2, 2019. The workshops are an
excellent opportunity to upgrade your
skills and network with many other
fabricators. For more information and
to register, visit https://marine.ifai.
com/marine-fabricators-conference/
upcoming/.

18 REVIEW JULY 2019

IT'S TIME FOR METALWORK AND FRAMING
TO MOVE FROM BEING BIT PLAYERS
TO GETTING TOP BILLING.

0619RV_p42-49.indd 42

Sincerely,
Alan L. Johnson
35+ years in marine, awning and lightweight structures;
MFC certified; AWS certified welding inspector for 14 years.

5/15/19 10:45 AM

0619RV_p42-49.indd 43

A projected cantilevered frame
constructed by Marco Canvas &
Upholstery LLC runs more than 200 feet
to cover bleacher seating at the Florida
Gulf Coast University soccer field. How
important is the metal in this job? For
the school to move up a division in sports
they needed certain amenities, including
shaded seating, but having posts in the
faces of fans was not an option. Photo:
Marco Canvas & Upholstery LLC.

www.SpecialtyFabricsReview.com 43

5/15/19 10:45 AM

http://www.ResearchAndMarkets.com http://www.researchandmarkets.com http://www.ifaiexpo.com http://www.SpecialtyFabricsReview.com https://www.marine.ifai

Specialty Fabrics Review July 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Specialty Fabrics Review July 2019