With a sharp wit and sense of humor, Bryan Orr has quickly become one of the most powerful and recognizable voices in the HVACR industry — covering everything from duct fabrication to installation in his wildly successful HVAC School podcast. He is the vice-president of service at Kalos Services Inc in Clermont, Florida  which he started with his dad when he was 17, and he regularly helps his team train and troubleshoot as a working contractor. But if you ask him about it (and we did), he’ll say he’s just keeping busy.

In order to streamline your shop operations, we’re launching a special How-to section on SNIPSmag.com focusing on sheet metal fabrication, installation, transport and everything in between. To kick everything off, we asked some of our favorite contractors and companies to give us a few how-to tips on some frequently asked questions. Here’s what they said.

Experienced designers know that a well-designed high-performance air system is the most cost-effective and efficient system for many buildings. Thanks to industry and ASHRAE innovation, no other air-conditioning technology has advanced as rapidly over the last 10 years.

Described as a "toolbox" for the construction industry, Autodesk's recently unveiled robot-filled shipping container mobilizes the power of two Panasonic TS-950 robots.

Does your business have a framework for solving problems? Lean expert Art Smalley shares four solutions that can reshape your shop. 

One of the most common misconceptions about lean manufacturing techniques is that they only apply to large-scale operations. Lean is the continuous improvement of operations to cut down wastes. “What lean tends to do is look at the system and try to identify what adds value,” explains Robert Van Til, Ph.D., professor of lean studies at the Oakland University School of Engineering and Computer Science and chair of the Industrial Systems and Engineering Department. 

In the morning of Oct. 3, 2018, Virgin Atlantic flight VS16 landed at London Gatwick from Orlando, Florida, to become the first commercial flight completed on jet fuel recycled from steel mill emissions. 

A new study, from research by the Industrial and Financial Systems, shows double-digit growth of IoT (internet of things) usage in the business operations of industrial companies. 

By the time David Capestany purchased Zinger Sheet Metal Co., Inc. from his father, Nelson, in 2013, the company had completely shifted focus from residential HVAC to commercial.

Most contractors find themselves operating in two work modes: Get work. Do work. As the economy stands now, many shops are in the do work phase. But, the problem is, neither mode allows time for an improve work phase.