In late 2014, MCF moved to a 30,000-sq-ft facility and office space. Focusing on customer satisfaction, not rushing projects or overcommitting, and providing high-quality tanks have earned the company a good word-of-mouth reputation. Last year, MCF made around 185 tanks and earned more than $6 million in gross revenue. This year, it expects to fabricate 210 tanks and has more aggressive projections. “Two-thousand new breweries will be opening in the United States in the next three years,” Frye said. “The growth is staggering, exciting, and brings more work.” Fabrication Features The company creates complete, functional brewhouses from 10 to 40 barrels (bbl). These often include several tanks, over a small footprint, serving different purposes in beer production with piping to connect them. Adding platforms with ladders allows owners to easily reach tank openings. The company also designs control panel systems (see Fig. 1 for the setup at Bale Breaker Brewing Co., Yakima, Wash.). Cellar vessels are constructed as well. These consist of fermenters with interior mixing apparatuses, and bright beer tanks, from 10 to 400 bbl. The fermenters are actually built upside down, with their legs in the air and tank down below, so getting inside 68 WELDING JOURNAL / JUNE 2016 of them to work is much easier. “Many craft breweries will occupy a building not designed for that, so we make custom tanks to fit in different spaces,” Frye added. Grain-handling equipment and other products are fabricated, too. “On average, it takes 150 to 300 hours to make each tank,” Frye said. Most don’t exceed 3 tons. Every tank serves a distinct purpose. As two examples, a fermenter is used for fermenting beer while a bright beer vessel is used for storage and conditioning. Shapes are determined by function. The height of the tanks also vary depending on required specifications. A shorter tank could stand 7 ft while a taller one might be 30 ft; a large fermenter’s conical bottom alone could be 9 ft. The tanks can be made of several parts, including inner/outer shells, layers of insulation, large rings for double-walled vessels to bridge openings with the shell and outer tank (acting as a structural rib), tubing, bracing, extra legs for support, and circular doors imported from Italy. “Common tanks range from $17,000 to $45,000 each,” Frye said. Sculpting Stainless Steel Type 304 stainless steel is used in a majority of the fabrication because it’s known as the industry standard and has sanitary properties. “Oftentimes, it’s ready to weld, clean, and requires minimal preparation,” Frye said. Sheets and tubes come from North American mills, when possible, and bars and pipes are delivered. Shipments arrive several times a week. Design Developments When Frye first started constructing tanks, he wanted to develop a striking design. Therefore, he chose to use square legs, not to add brass or copper to the exterior (as that metal would require upkeep), and finished the exterior welds so the tanks appeared seamless. Lompoc Brewery Owner Jerry Fechter was one of Frye’s first customers. A 12-ft-tall tank Frye made is still in use at its closeby N. Williams Ave. location in Portland. Getting the tall structure inside the facility required rolling in, then tipping up the product. “Here, it’s almost a way of life,” Fechter said about having breweries. As MCF grew and more complex systems were requested, the Engineering Department led by Tom Sage took over developing designs to support particular beer styles, a range of brewing/ fermentation techniques, and workspace preferences. Tank drawings are done using Solid- Works software. Individual sketches are sent for customer approval before construction; feedback is welcomed. Floor Supervision In MCF’s shop, there are three connected bays offering workstations, cranes, machines/tools, and a small parts division. Production Manager Jon Lien and Operations Manager William Dall share floor managing responsibilities. “We move 20 tons of steel per month,” Lien said. The former Coast Guard serviceman also noted tank building is seen as a personal project where each craftsman is relied on to complete the job. “The guys on the floor are why we’re successful. They constantly deliver for us,” Lien acknowledged. Dall, a former general contractor, stays calm in stressful situations. “It’s metalcraft Tetris,” Dall joked of managing the workflow. “There’s always something to do with getting tanks ready to ship. I enjoy problem solving.” Fig. 4 — Jacob Duvall details the inside of a large flanged and dished head with a 90-deg pneumatic tool.
Welding Journal | June 2016
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