Beyond the Sparks: How Welding and Cutting Shape the World Around You
Welding and cutting equipment may spark images of gritty workshops, flying metal, and roaring torches—but these essential processes are behind some of the most polished, artful, and large-scale projects in the modern world. From jaw-dropping roller coasters to monumental sculptures and massive sports stadiums, the precision and durability born of metal fabrication continue to shape how we live, work, and play.
Welding Meets Art: Sculpting Urban Icons
Art and engineering come together in breathtaking ways—perhaps nowhere more visibly than in Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor, the centerpiece of Chicago’s Millennium Park. Commonly known as “The Bean,” this monumental stainless-steel sculpture weighs over 100 tons and is composed of 168 precisely formed and seamlessly welded plates. Achieving its flawless, mirror-like surface required extensive TIG welding, grinding, and polishing—transforming raw metal into a work of reflective elegance.
To tackle the complexity of these welds, Koike’s IK-72 portable mobile welding equipment was adapted using custom 3D rail track, enabling precise, repeatable welds along curved and multi-dimensional surfaces. This specialized setup ensured accuracy and consistency in each critical joint.
Metal sculptors across the world rely on advanced welding and cutting equipment to turn ideas into enduring installations. Koike’s fiber laser, waterjet and precision plasma cutting systems allow artists to cut intricate designs in metal while maintaining clean edges and minimizing heat distortion. What once took weeks with manual tools can now be accomplished in days with Koike’s high-performance CNC cutting and welding solutions.
Welding positioners are equally essential—safely rotating and manipulating heavy components to give fabricators ergonomic access to every weld. From towering public installations, where floor turntables rotate massive park sculptures, to intricate fine art pieces, Koike’s welding equipment empowers creators to bring imagination to life with strength, precision, and lasting beauty.
Steel Giants: The Making of Modern Stadiums
The new Buffalo Bills Stadium is a modern marvel—expected to require over 25,000 tons of structural steel during construction. That steel doesn’t arrive in neatly prepared sections; it begins as raw plate, pipe, and beam, then is cut and welded using the kind of high-precision, high-output equipment Koike is known for.
Large-scale fabrication requires robust CNC plasma cutting systems and oxy-fuel cutting machines to process thick materials quickly and accurately. With Koike located just 40 minutes from Orchard Park, NY, its high-performance CNC plasma systems have played a pivotal role in the construction of the new Highmark Stadium—cutting the massive structural beams now featured throughout the interior and exterior. Machines like these allow fabricators to nest and cut parts with maximum material efficiency while minimizing lead time.
Once cut, massive steel components are prepared for welding, often using submerged arc welding (SAW. Koike Aronson’s welding positioners, turning rolls, and column & boom manipulator systems are indispensable in aligning these massive sections for repeatable, controlled welds—ensuring the stadium's skeleton is built to last for generations.
Stadiums like this are not just entertainment venues; they are structural achievements made possible by a blend of skilled labor and cutting-edge technology.
Welded for Wonder: The Engineering Behind Theme Park Rides
Every scream-inducing twist and stomach-dropping plunge on a roller coaster is made possible by advanced metal fabrication. Behind the spectacle of theme park rides lies a backbone of structural using welding and cutting equipment. Steel is cut, formed, and welded with exceptional precision.
Building coasters and thrill rides begins with steel tubing, plates, and support structures, all of which must meet strict safety and structural integrity standards. Koike’s high-performance plasma cutting systems are critical in this phase, delivering clean, accurate cuts on thick structural steel and complex geometries. Fiber laser cutting machines enable tight-tolerance work for bracketry, control panels, and enclosure components.
Once parts are cut, welding teams step in to join massive steel elements with faultless accuracy. Positioners from Koike can make this work safer and more efficient, allowing welders to rotate and manipulate heavy components for optimal welding and assembly access. Whether using MIG welding, or SAW welding, fabricators must ensure every weld is consistent, strong, and aligned within engineering tolerances—rides are subject to extreme dynamic forces and demand unwavering strength.
Even aesthetic elements like stylized ride facades and curved rail sections benefit from Koike’s equipment. Our CNC cutting machines offer the flexibility and repeatability required to manufacture both functional and visual elements that define a park’s unique identity.
Forged by Experience, Built to Last
At Koike Aronson, we don’t just make welding and cutting equipment—we build the future. Our American craftsmanship, grounded in rugged durability, is refined by our culture of precision and continuous improvement. This fusion of grit and grace ensures that every torch, table, and tool we offer is “SIMPLY BETTER BUILT.”