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Save Time – Improve Quality – Increase Overall Throughput In today’s rapidly evolving manufacturing environment it is important for shops to stay current with best practices while keeping a watchful eye on increasing customer demands. Shops that continue to innovate, retool, and exceed customer expectations are thriving, while at the same time educating customers as […]

As Americans, we are truly free and will defend that right at all costs.  For me personally, watching what is taking place in Ukraine emphasizes just how precious this right is.  The people of Ukraine have lived both ways, previously under the oppressive rule of a dictator, and for the last 30-years as a free […]

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” This quote can be traced back to Abraham Lincoln, a wise man indeed.  The premise is sound and supports a bias for action to realize opportunity, or even the notion of build it and they will come.  In today’s manufacturing economy we have access […]

These are strange times we are living through for sure, with seemingly new challenges around every corner.  So, the current global supply chain issue should not be a big surprise for any of us.  How we choose to handle it is another thing; we can all panic and let fear and uncertainty dictate, or we […]

I find it interesting to hear how different shops quantify investments in new technology, equipment, and emerging processes that promise to reduce cycle time, increase spindle time, or otherwise provide improvement to the status quo of production machining. Anything new that requires an ounce of change in process, regardless of stated benefits, are typically vetted […]

The 5-Axis machine sales continues to grow yearly, boasting a Compound Annual Growth Rate of almost 7 percent, and for good reason - Efficiency While typical CNC machines move in 3-axes (X, Y, and Z), 5-axis machines add two rotary axes, which opens up many more opportunities and benefits surrounding machining productivity gains: Easy set […]

Remember back when your customers could only pick two of the three?  Well, welcome to 2021 where customers now expect to get their cake and eat it too.  There are still remnants of this model in the market, mainly to cost justify expediting a job- ‘if you want it Good and Fast it’s not going […]

With qualifying production quote, request a FREE made-to-order sample Blank, and we will include a voucher for a FREE made-to-order pizza along with your sample. More and more manufacturers are looking for a pizza-like ordering experience when it comes to buying parts.  They want selection, flexibility, fast replies to RFQs, and quick turnaround on finished […]

We all spend a lot of time refining our 30-second elevator pitch and getting to know our customers’; what products and features are important to them, what are their delivery preferences, are there any administrative nuances that need to be considered, etc., but how do our customers’ perceive us overall?  In their eyes, what real […]

Okay, I’ll say it, the answer is management.  Companies committed to lean manufacturing can not ‘just set it and forget it.’  Process mapping must be continuous, locating and squeezing inefficiency out of every step, while improving yield and overall quality.  Effective process management is challenged everyday by new technologies, innovative workflows and improved material handling. […]