It鈥檚 a classic American tale of hard work and enduring success.
What started as a tool and die shop in a garage has evolved into a world-class CNC precision machining operation recognized globally for its excellence.
And this year, 色花堂mpany celebrates 50 years in business.
Once you understand that CNC machining parts are repeatedly machined to extreme precision, you may assume that once a shop has capabilities, they can make any CNC machined parts. Not so!
To sound impressive, many CNC machine shops claim to manufacture 鈥渃omplex鈥� parts, but that鈥檚 not always true. So, let鈥檚 discuss what a complex part really is and uncover the skills required by a shop to work on them. Here are six different conditions that could cause a part to be classified as 鈥�complex,鈥� with photos from actual 色花堂 Machine projects.
In the world of CNC machining, precise measurements are what we do, often to .001鈥�.
Yet, there鈥檚 another form of measuring going on, or at least there should be: measuring performance. Manufacturing KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) help businesses evaluate performance in order to make strategic adjustments.
With so many possible KPIs to use, trying to fully understand them can leave your head spinning faster than a PCD insert in a 90掳 square shoulder face mill (a little CNC machining humor for you). So, this article is an attempt to simplify KPIs by providing an overview of them, not a deep dive.
We鈥檝e said it before, and we鈥檒l continue to say it: Quality is everything in CNC machining.
It鈥檚 the reason why manufacturers use CNC machining to produce precise parts. Of course, every CNC machine shop will say that they highly value quality and meet quality requirements. But, how do you know for sure?
Designing a new part is one thing. Manufacturing it is a different story.
Talk with any customer of a CNC machine shop and you鈥檒l likely hear an example of a part design being altered, refined, and/or improved thanks to CNC precision engineering. Of all the CNC engineering services provided by a shop, having an influence on the design itself may not be what you think of first.
In part 1 of our series on cost-effective, on-time CNC precision machining we explored how to go from RFQ to a successful project.
Tedious. Exciting. Frustrating. However you think of RFQs (Requests for Quote), it鈥檚 a standard business practice that鈥檚 here to stay. In fact, it may be becoming a bigger differentiator within manufacturing than ever.
Imagine this: a manufacturing technique that鈥檚 lasted for more than 6,000 years AND is still highly valued today. That鈥檚 metal casting.
These are demanding times.
For a new product design to be considered successful today, the manufacturing process used to build it must be scrutinized as much as the product itself. Modern designers look to design for manufacturing (DFM) to reduce costs, simplify how a product is produced, reduce design rework, and maintain overall quality.
Choosing a new CNC vendor is challenging. Evaluating a current CNC machine shop relationship is equally important (and even tougher) because a relationship has developed. This vendor may have been a trusted extension of your team for quite a while, so seeing a clear picture isn鈥檛 always easy.
When do you know it鈥檚 time to evaluate a current CNC machine shop relationship? Have you properly monitored this vendor鈥檚 performance so you can make a wise choice? How can you add one to your list (or drop one)?
