Tools, Tech, Transformation – a National Industries Info Series
When there’s new equipment in metal fab hitting the market, ground breaking techniques being showcased or an AI integration being tested, you better believe it has our attention.
In this series, we look beyond our shop floor and out into the world to see how the same tools we use everyday are being used to send ships to space, minimise risk in medical procedures and change the face of modern warfare.
Next up in our Triple T series? Metal fab and electronic vehicles.
The road to the future
Right now, the world news is full of stories about electric vehicles. Whether it's the very expensive Waymo taxis hitting the streets in the USA, or the share price of other leading brands falling due to politics, they seem to be getting more coverage than they ever have before.
For us, as always, the politics is not where it's at; it's how these vehicles are made and advancing that really has our attention.
Once upon a time, car manufacturing was all steel and sweat. Today? It’s algorithms, alloys, and advanced fabrication. Nowhere is that more evident than in the electric vehicle (EV) space — where the shift to zero-emission transport is being underpinned by some seriously smart metalwork.
Sure, EVs are all about batteries and software — but without the precision and adaptability of metal fabrication, none of it would make it much past the next block!
Battery housings: strong, sealed, and safe
Let’s start with the heart of the EV — the battery. Massive lithium-ion packs need to be housed in protective casings that are light enough to improve range but strong enough to shield against impact.
That’s where metal fabrication steps in.
Using aluminium and high-strength steel, fabricators are creating welded and formed battery enclosures that are corrosion-resistant, watertight, and crash-safe. CNC-machined components and laser-cut panels mean every curve and join fits precisely — because when you’re dealing with volatile chemical energy, there’s no room for error.
And it’s not just about safety. Better fabrication means slimmer, more compact housing designs — freeing up space for other components or more battery cells, which boosts performance. And right now, as brands tussle for top spots in this still emerging space, performance is the name of the game.
Lightweight frames: speed meets sustainability
EVs are notoriously heavy due to their battery packs. That makes weight reduction across the chassis and frame absolutely critical — not just for efficiency, but for extending battery range.
Fabricated aluminium alloys and ultra-high-strength steels are leading the charge (yes, pun intended!). These materials offer an ideal strength-to-weight ratio, and thanks to techniques like robotic welding, hydroforming, and precision bending, they’re being shaped into frame structures that are both light and incredibly rigid.
The result? Cars that are safer in a crash, faster on the road, and more efficient per charge.
Safety structures: metal where it matters most
You don’t get a five-star crash rating without clever metalwork.
In EVs, the absence of a front engine in many models, means crash dynamics change — requiring new crumple zones, reinforced passenger cells, and strategically fabricated load paths that redirect force away from occupants.
Fabricators are now using high-strength boron steel and advanced forming techniques to create these complex structures. Laser welding allows for variable thickness along a single piece — thicker where reinforcement is needed, thinner where it’s not. It’s smart design, powered by smart fabrication.
Scaling production: precision meets pressure
As EV demand surges globally, manufacturers are under pressure to scale — and scale fast. That’s pushing innovation in automated fabrication processes, where robotics, laser systems, and advanced CNC machines are producing metal components with micron-level precision, 24/7.
And because EVs often use more modular and interchangeable parts than combustion vehicles, metal fabrication is perfectly suited to scale — with custom jigs, rapid prototyping, and seamless repeatability.
The road ahead: more than just metal
The global EV market is expected to grow from 14 million units in 2023 to over 60 million by 2030. That’s a lot of batteries, a lot of chassis, and a lot of metal.
But beyond just shaping components, fabrication is helping shape the industry — enabling new materials, driving design innovation, and supporting the shift to cleaner transport at speed.
EVs may be electric, but their momentum is still powered, at least in part, by metal.
From undercarriage to upper frame, crash rail to casing, it’s fabrication that helps makes the EV vision possible — with every cut, curve, and contour rolled out with precision.
Talk to our team about metal fab in vehicle component manufacture.