LEINEE ROSE V.

ESQUEJO
BSA- 4
MATH 5/ACTIVITIES

ACTIVITY DERIVATIVE

I. Find the derivative of the following functions using the limit approach.

1. f ( x )=4 x +6
f ' ( x)=4

x2
2. f ( x )= +6 x
2
2x
f ' ( x )= + 6
2
'
f x =x
( )

−2
3. f ( x )=
x
x ( 0 ) −(−2)(1)
f ' ( x )=
x2
2
f ' ( x )= 2
x

4. f ( x )=x 3 +3 x 2
2
f ' (x)=3 x +6 x

5. f ( x )=x 4
f ' ( x )=4 x3

6. f ( x )=−20
'
f ( x )=0

7. f ( x )=15 x 2 +2 x +8
f ' ( x )=15 ( 2 ) x +2 ( 1 )+ 0
f ' ( x )=30 x+ 2

a
8. f ( x )=
x
x ( 0 ) −a ( 1 )
f ' ( x )=
x2
−a
f ' ( x )= 2
x

9. f ( x )=8 x 2
f ' ( x )=16 x
 10. f ( x )=ax2 +bx
f ( x )=¿
d
f ' ( x )=b+ a ( x )
dx x=x2
Visit any natural history museum and you’ll see that metals have had an important role in human
civilizations for thousands of years. Initially admired for its rarity and beauty, metal was used as
decoration, a symbol of elite status in many ancient societies. As people learned more about them and
discovered ways to mine and refine ores, metals became the foundation for the bustling, global
economy we’re familiar with today.

Historians and scientists dispute the timing of when humans first discovered metal. Iron may have been
the first-noticed metal, which could have come to Earth by way of a fallen meteorite. Some think gold
emerged first, because it was so often used for jewelry and decoration.

Regardless of where humans got their start with metal, people have been working with a variety of
metallic elements for centuries. Early on, metal fabrication was necessary for survival, allowing people
to craft the basic tools they needed to secure food and shelter. It soon emerged as a political material,
as empires grew and crumbled on the strength of well-crafted swords, armor and other weapons of war.

When you think about it, metal remains crucial to our survival, even though thousands of years have
passed since it first enabled humans to be more efficient. Global trade flourished by way of steel cargo
ships and metal shipping containers used to transport goods. For years, metal fabrication has been
crucial to developing a variety of infrastructure in some of the most important aspects of our
communities: transportation, buildings, electronics, machinery.

Metals are so intertwined with our history, it’s practically impossible to imagine a world without them.
With the technologies available today — many of which have been made possible by advances in metal
fabrication — there are countless components fabricators can deliver to clients. At Mainstay, we
specialize in partnering with customers to meet their needs through cutting, forming and welding metal
to produce high-quality, custom components designed to last. Metal fabrication has a long legacy as a
fundamental society operation, and we’re here to continue expertly serving that need.

....

Welders basically join two pieces of metal together using specialized equipment and becoming experts
at completing that specific task as quickly and as effectively as possible. On the other hand, metal
fabrication deals with the entire enchilada: the welding, cutting, bending and assembling of metal parts.

Fabrication
Fabrication is the act of taking raw stock material and turning it into a part for use in an assembly
process. There are many different types of fabrication processes. The most common are

Cutting

Folding

Machining

Punching

Shearing

Stamping

Welding

Additive Manufacturing

Welding in a Fabrication Cell

Let’s look at the types of fabrication processes in greater detail here:

Cutting. There are many ways to cut nowadays. The old standby is the saw. Others now include plasma
torches, water jets, and lasers. There is a wide range of complexity and price, with some machines
costing in the millions.
Folding. Some parts need to be bent. The most common method is a press brake. It has a set of dies that
pinches the metal to form a crease. This operation can only be performed in very specific cases due to
the range of movement of the part during the bending process and the possible shape of the dies.
Designing for Lean manufacturing, though, can help prevent complex shapes that slow down
production. Sometimes using two different types of fabrication processes or two different pieces
fastened together work better than one complicated piece.

Machining. This is the process of removing metal from a piece of material. It might be done on a lathe,
where the material rotates against a cutting tool, or in some other cutting machine where a rotating tool
is moved in a variety of ways against a stationary piece. Drills fall into this latter category. The range of
motion of the cutting head is defined by the number of axes (i.e. a 3-axis machine).

Punching. Punching is the act of a punch and a die forming a ‘scissor’ effect on a piece of metal to make
a hole in it. Obviously, the punch and die must be the same shape and size of the desired hole. In some
cases, the main piece of material is kept, as in when holes are added for fasteners. In other cases, the
piece that is removed is the desired product-this is called ‘blanking’.

Shearing. Shearing is the process of making a long cut on a piece of metal. It is, in effect, just like the
action of one of those paper cutters with the long chop-handle. This is done on sheet metal.

Stamping. Stamping is very similar to punching, except the material is not cut. The die is shaped to make
a raised portion of material rather than penetrating.

Welding. Welding is the act of joining two pieces of metal together. A variety of types of welding exist
for use in different applications and for the range of metals used in manufacturing.

Additive Manufacturing. This is a relatively new technology. In effect, a machine layers material to form
a part. It functions similarly to a three-dimensional printer that produces components in plastic (or other
similar materials) but can be done at much larger scale and with more varied materials than typical
printers. They can even be big enough to produce entire houses. The geometry of the component
produced can be limited due to the effect of gravity on the fluid materials before they become rigid.

There are many other types of fabrication processes that are less common than the ones in the list
above. There are also constantly new types of fabrication methods being developed (such as additive
manufacturing listed above).

Fabrication processes are particularly well matched to Lean. The motion of operators, their interaction
with machines, and the need to manage inventory are all right in Lean’s power alley.
Fabrication processes are particularly well suited to implementing jidoka (autonomation) and hanedashi
devices (autoejectors). Both of those devices are prerequisites of the chaku-chaku line (load-load).

But there is one area where Lean can struggle. Some extremely large machines are well matched to the
products they are making. But far too many big machines with too long of a changeover time drive up
inventory and promote overproduction. It is best to ‘right-size’ machines and put them into work cells if
possible. That helps create flow.

The biggest impediment to making flow in a fabrication shop is the preponderance of large, multi-
function machines that take a long time to change between parts. This drives up the lot size, creating
inventory. It also means that a machine may be used to produce many different components for several
product lines. Deciding where to put it is a challenge. If you include it in flow of one line, even the
biggest line, it would be a problem for all the other lines.

The task in this case is first and foremost to reduce the changeover time so that the machine does not
run large lots. At that point, you can keep reducing the amount of inventory that the machine creates.
The second task is to get away from buying large, expensive machines when smaller, dedicated ones will
suffice. In many cases, a small machine can be automated with jidoka and hanedashi to make their
efficiency rival that of large CNC machines.

One challenge with linking fabrication and assembly processes tends to be the painting process. In many
cases, parts leave the fabrication shop to go out for painting or go right to an in-house paint center. In
either case, the flow is disrupted, and the delays cause more inventory. Again, use the CI tools at your
disposal to minimize this impact—reduce cure time, reduce the changeover, make smaller batches, go
to smaller, dedicated paint booths. Do what you can to keep coming closer to flow.

Continuous Improvement in Fabrication

Fabrication processes are generally target-rich environments for continuous improvement. There are
great chances for visual management and 5S to make processes run more smoothly. There are immense
opportunities to reduce setup time to help lower lot sizes. Kanban helps with knowing what to make—
especially on the extremely large machines. Right-sizing machines can help make flow better—smaller
machines fit in smaller spaces that can be set up as dedicated lines for higher volume products.

Fabrication processes tend to have another great opportunity in continuous improvement—the working
environment. ‘Fab’ processes tend to be hot and grimy. Small metal shavings are everywhere, as are
coolants and lubricants. Parts are often heavy. Smoke and debris are in the air. Safety concerns abound.
To top it off, machines are unforgiving. They are designed to work with metal—hands and other body
parts don’t even slow them down. They are extremely loud. Unless you have experienced it, is it hard to
imagine the volume of the rapid punching of a piece of quarter inch sheet metal. In short, fabrication
processes often contain the lion’s share of the dirty, dumb, and dangerous work in a company.

Continuous improvement in general, and Lean specifically, provide you with a great avenue to focus
making your fabrication processes less disrespectful to your team.

Take a close look at your fabrication processes and identify all the issues that pose safety risks or that
are generally frustrating to your team. Rank order the problems. (Note: The safety issues should be at
the top of the list.)

Begin applying your Lean toolkit to removing these issues. It might sound a bit like a haphazard
approach, but the goal is one that aligns with the big picture. You are attempting to build support for the
problem-solving processes that continuous improvement demands. Once team members see that there
is some benefit to them, they will be more willing to take on the bigger projects that improve flow.

Those types of changes—running smaller lots and arranging by product line rather than function—
generate much more resistance. Having a solid track record of success makes people more accepting of
change.

......

Question: Is there an ideal candidate for a welding business owner?

Zielinski: Any welding or manufacturing business owner needs to be outgoing and not scared of
rejection. You need to have an uncontrollable desire to succeed and enjoy dealing with people. As I
wrote in my book many times, people buy from people they like, and that is a fact of life. To succeed in
this or any business, you need to like going out to introduce yourself to potential customers, spending
countless hours bidding on contracts, and after all that, your efforts may not pay off for a long time.
Besides being a people person, you need the creativity to come up with new or innovative business
ideas that nobody else is doing. Any business in general is a gamble, and you need to keep a laser-like
focus on the ultimate goal, which is locking in contracts at all costs!

Question: Conversely, what type of individual is not suited for the role?

Zielinski: I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but here is the truth. Most welders, fabricators, and
machinists are not good candidates to run a business. Craft professionals don’t like getting involved in
politics, nor are they the outgoing sales and networking types. If all you want to do is weld or fabricate,
then a business is definitely not for you.

Ask yourself this: Am I willing to spend the next few months knocking on the doors of strangers? If the
answer is no, then a business is not for you. Welders need to understand that if you don’t have a paying
customer, then how can you expect to strike an arc? This simply tells you that a business is not for you;
save your time and money for things that you enjoy.

Question: How well should a potential owner be able to weld before considering opening his or her own
business?

Zielinski: It all depends on where they are starting from and the industry they want to service. Since this
is a tough question to answer, I will give a couple of examples: starting a one-person mobile welding
business and starting a metal fabrication shop. The book also covers starting a manufacturing business.

A One-person Mobile Welding . I would say you should at least be able to pass a 6G E6010 open root
with an E7018 fill and cap welding certification, and a stainless 6G open root TIG all the way out
certification. At the very minimum, you should be able to pass a 4G welding cert.

A lot of welders don’t want to hear that, but you need to remember that as a one-man shop, there is no
one to turn to for help. You are on your own, and you really need to know what you are doing. Besides
that, chances are that you are going to get some jobs that will require you to weld in some really tight
places and sometimes with mirrors. It is just the nature of the business.

A Metal Fabrication Shop. If you are starting a one-person metal fabrication shop, you might be fine with
a 3G MIG and stick certification. In this case, the business is more about fabricating and building
products.
On the other hand, if you have the financial freedom to hire welders and fabricators from day one, then
you don’t need to know how to weld. However, you should have a strong enough industry background
to understand the issues that come with working with metals. It’s my personal opinion that many
engineers and project managers working these days are not qualified to manage many of these jobs.
They, like a good business owner, reached their positions by networking and selling themselves to the
right people, but are not truly qualified for these positions. For example, not properly understanding
metals, they may rush jobs that shouldn’t be rushed, such as welding chrome pipe.

When it comes to welding skills, it is not easy to give a one-size-fits-all answer simply because welding is
involved in so many industries. You could never expect the same skill level of the owner of a mobile
welding business that serves nuclear power plants to be the same as the owner of a shop that builds
trailers for Jet Skis. They each have different standards and ultimate goals—one is a quality-driven
service and the other is a production rate- and price-driven industry.

On the other hand, you don’t even need to know how to weld as long as you have been around the
industry long enough to catch those hidden issues that need to be addressed before bidding on certain
jobs. For example, you might charge four hours of labor to weld a 5-in. pipe, but welding that same 5-in.
pipe in a tight spot might require 25 or more hours to weld. As awelding business owner, you need to
have an intimate understanding of your niche industry; otherwise, you’ll put yourself out of business!

Question: On average, how long does it take for a new welding business to become profitable?

Zielinski: Again, this is a very tough question that requires a few examples to answer: Independent
contracting; mobile welding business; and fabrication shop.

Independent Contracting. This is the best case and easiest way to get started as a welding business. It is
as easy as hiring yourself out as an independent contractor to local businesses that need temporary
help. All you need is the right insurance and basic personal protective equipment (PPE). For under
$1,000, you could become profitable in just a few days.

Mobile Welding Business. This type of business typically becomes profitable in about six months. A lot of
expenses need to be recouped before you see a free and clear paycheck. Your costs are the vehicle,
welding and cutting equipment, insurance, living expenses, and advertising. You need to remember that
the more you spend on equipment, the longer it will take to turn a profit. You can buy a used rig and
equipment and cut your break-even point by a significant amount of time or spend $100,000 on a rig
and take years to break even.

Fabrication Shop. Fab shops need a lot of start-up capital, so the point of profitability can range from a
few months to at least five years. If you are building boat T-tops and aluminum boating accessories, then
it may take only a few weeks to break even. If you are fabricating pressure vessels, the necessary
equipment can cost millions, which means it can take 10 years or longer to reach profitability.

If you are planning to open a welding business, you need to develop a business plan. Most welders think
business plans are a waste of time. The truth is, a business plan will give you a very good idea about how
much money and time you need to establish your business.

Question: When it’s time to hire employees, what is the best way to find them and to figure out how
much to pay them?

Zielinski: It’s time to hire when you find yourself spending more than 40 hours a week welding and
fabricating. While this is an excellent sign that your business is doing well, it’s also a dangerous time,
because you are so busy servicing current customers that you lose sight of attracting new customers.

I do not suggest hiring employees in the traditional sense. Besides making the financial commitment,
you also need to realize that committing to a full time employee is also committing to support the
person and his family. As a business owner you need to understand that these people will depend on
you for their survival and that should not be taken lightly.

I suggest hiring independent contractors or using a staffing agency. In my opinion, independent

contracting is the future of jobs. They are self-employed workers that typically are paid more than
traditional employees but are legally responsible for themselves. They work for a flat hourly rate agreed
upon in a contract and don’t cost you anything in terms of insurance or other administrative fees that
traditional employees require. They do not receive overtime wages, and once the job is done, there are
no unemployment benefits.

Contractors earn more, but hiring them actually saves the business money and affords it the freedom to
hire as many workers as needed. Contractors typically are aspiring welding business owners and are
highly skilled.

For short bursts of extra work, I also would consider using a staffing agency that provides temporary
workers before committing to any long-term financial obligations.

The hourly rate can be difficult to determine because of the many different areas and skill sets in
welding. As a basic guideline, I would offer the going welder overtime rate for your area and industry,
which should be somewhere around the time-and-a-half rate for the type of work to be performed.
Some suggestions for finding welders are through word-of-mouth, local schools, welding inspectors,
welding supply stores, and publications such as Industrial Projects Report and Industrial Tradesman.
These are all resources for welders who want to own their own businesses and are looking for a foot in
the door to working for themselves.

Another alternative is borrowing welders from other welding businesses that are slow and giving that
owner a small markup on the hourly rate. In this case, you give a struggling shop a break and some
much-needed income. This way, everybody is happy!

Question: What is the downside to starting your own welding business?

Zielinski: As with all businesses, the downside is long-term commitment. This is a financial and
geographical commitment that once you start, you can’t just get up and move to another place. As an
employee, you can quit and walk away at any time. Business owners don’t have that option, because it
takes a lot of time, money, and work to start a business. Besides, once you get a taste of the freedom
and money that can be had, it becomes an addition.

Question: What do you believe is the biggest reason a new welding business fails, beyond the obvious—
no customers?

Zielinski: Most welding businesses fail because they have no real business plan. In my book, there is a
subchapter with a title that sums up business plans: If you fail to plan, then you must plan to fail!

Think about that. Do you just work as much as you want and spend whatever you feel like? No. We all
budget for what we need and want for the amount of money we earn for a certain period of time.
Planning for business is no different than planning for life. We know what we need to earn and we
spend accordingly to what we can afford. Many new business owners simply fail to plan, and that almost
always ends in a plan to fail!

Question: What aspect of business do new owners overlook the most?

Zielinski: Customers are everything! Most welders use a business as an excuse to buy personal toys—
aka, welding equipment—and forget that as a business owner, you are no longer a welder. You need to
focus on getting the business in the door the same way you go about finding a job by marketing your
resume to hiring companies. The reality of a welding business is that you need to be a good salesperson
who goes out there to meet new people every day.

Just remember this: You can’t strike an arc if you don’t have a paying customer who needs your service.
Question: What is the single most important piece of advice you can give would-be owners.

Zielinski: If you want to start a welding business, you need to have a good business plan on how you are
going to make it happen.

My book is loaded with information on how to make it happen, ranging from small, start-up
independent contracting jobs all the way up to securing multibillion-dollar government contracts for
well-established businesses. There’s a section on getting free government help, such as meeting face-to-
face with other successful business owners that already have done what you are trying to do.