PM Blog
OEM Transitions To Contract Manufacturer
An example of a perfect match, from one of the first customers Tier One landed, was a contract for 10,000 gearbox housings used in a stomach-suturing instrument. The process plan called for one operation on a CNC Swiss-type turning center and two additional operations on a CNC mill.
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The Joyful Dawn of a New Era
A successful cleaning process removes soil without leaving harmful residue and damaging the product. By using a consumer or household product in an industrial or critical cleaning process, you may sacrifice productivity and increase costs.
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Consider A Programmable Guide Bushing
An example of the "set it and forget it" guide bushing adjustment is a programmable guide bushing available on Traub’s TNL series by Index Corp. It offers the ability to program the CNC to provide a series of guide bushing pressures on the bar based on dynamic conditions.
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Internal Threading Solution Supports Broken Tibias
To find a cutting tool that would replace time-consuming manual work to fulfill a 4,000-part order, Albert Keller of Keller Engineering sought out cutting tool experts at Emuge Corp.
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Vertical Turning Proves Profitable
A precision machined parts manufacturer augments its production turning operations by expanding its CNC equipment and infrastructure to include vertical turning of large parts. The result has been a lucrative—and growing—additional revenue stream.
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Is Your Order Book Telling You To Consider Activity-Based Costing?
Activity-Based Costing (ABC) is often mentioned in conversations between shop owners, but it seems to be an idea that most shops never get around to fully investigating. There are many benefits to performing even a short-term ABC project, but costs and personnel time need to be considered. These days, everyone is too busy to take on an extra project, especially another accounting study. However, your order book might be sufficient evidence that you need to get to work on an ABC project. Here’s a brief explanation of how and why.
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Increased Control For Programmers
Here is a CAD/CAM system designed to be inviting to programmers, with a comfortable interface, integrated guides and a learning mode to facilitate operation and allow the shop to start creating tool paths—and turning parts—as quickly as possible.
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Walt Disney World: A Model For Precision Manufacturing
What can a manufacturing person learn from Walt Disney World to help with his manufacturing business? PMPA members learned the following from the Management Update Conference recently held at Disney World in Orlando.
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Dear Industry Shrink
Dear Miles, I am writing to you anonymously to address a phenomenon that I have witnessed during the almost 20 years that I have been in the precision machined products industry. Since I consider you the "Dear Abby" of the PMPA, I felt there was no other person more qualified to address my observations.
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Member Profile: Brinkman International Group Inc.
Precision machining runs in the Brinkman family. Both father and son have had their hand in running precision machining companies. Earl Brinkman was a young mechanic when he began working at Davenport Machine Tool Company Inc. in 1925. In 1966, he became president of the screw machine production and rebuilding company and retired in 1979 as "Mr. Davenport.
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Complete In One Chucking
Compared to barstock, castings, forgings and sawn blanks present a different set of workhandling challenges for production machining. This article looks at how Hydromat Inc. is meeting these challenges on its rotary transfer machines with engineered indexing workholders.
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Member Profile: Axian Technology, Inc.
Axian Technology Inc. is a privately held, precision machining company that was founded in 1959 in Phoenix, Arizona. The manufacturer currently has 60 employees working at three area plants. The Phoenix headquarters is a modern manufacturing complex that produces machined parts and assemblies. The nearby Glendale plant handles vacuum heat treating and brazing, while the Scottsdale plant produces consumer products.
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