A joist assembly system that is structured for dynamic retrieval of components, dynamic and precise positioning and location of retrieved components, assembly of the components to form a joist, and delivery of the assembled joist. The joist assembly system has a plurality of material handling systems, a plurality of welding systems, and a rigging table system. The material handling systems are structured to load and position the components such as chords and webs onto the rigging table. The rigging table in turn supports the chords or webs. Subsequently, the plurality of welding systems weld the webs to the chords to form the joist.

The present disclosure is for a metal fabrication locator device that is a plate, or other object as described herein, that is fastened to the tangent face of a receiving tube. A mating tube may then slide over the metal fabrication locator device such that the perimeter of the metal fabricator locator device biases the inside sidewall of the mating tube to precisely align it on the receiving tube. This eliminates the use of additional weld fixtures for positioning of tube members in a metal fabrication assembly. This also allows an end user to construct and weld a product together on their own with precise assembly. Also disclosed herein are methods of manufacture and assembly of a metal fabrication assembly using a metal fabrication locator device.

A method and an apparatus efficiently and reliably cut a steel frame. The cutting method includes locating a cutting torch apart from the steel frame held by a holding device in a direction along a cutting surface, moving the cutting torch from a cutting start position to a first cutting end position in a first feed direction perpendicular to a supply direction along the cutting surface, while applying a flame from a fire port of the cutting torch in the supply direction and supplying cutting oxygen to thereby cut a part of the cutting surface, stopping the cutting torch at the first cutting end position and thereafter cutting an uncut part by moving the cutting torch from the first cutting end position in a second feed direction opposite to the first feed direction.

A joist assembly system that is structured for dynamic retrieval of components, dynamic and precise positioning and location of retrieved components, assembly of the components to form a joist, and delivery of the assembled joist. The joist assembly system has a plurality of material handling systems, a plurality of welding systems, and a rigging table system. The material handling systems are structured to load and position the components such as chords and webs onto the rigging table. The rigging table in turn supports the chords or webs. Subsequently, the plurality of welding systems weld the webs to the chords to form the joist.