The age-old phrase “slow and steady wins the race” no longer applies to North American manufacturing. Increasing competition, combined with the continued recession, leaves no room for weak business strategies.
We at Makino have seen the best and worst of times in the manufacturing industry, but the need to innovate has never subsided. In times such as these, we strive even harder to produce impact products and impact machining/automation solutions that help manufacturers find immediate and sustainable success. Our goal is simple: Design, produce and integrate transformational machining technologies that are best suited to your application and your shop floor.
Our latest a51nx and a61nx horizontal machining centers, which are going to be formally introduced at IMTS, extend the capabilities of our successful 1-series machines using a host of new technologies for next-level productivity, accuracy and reliability. The higher rigidity and strength of the nx machines create the foundation for larger machining envelopes. When you also consider the standard DD table, 1G-axis acceleration and increased spindle power, the capabilities of the nx machines are far beyond that of typical 40-taper horizontal machining centers.
In this issue of Competitive Production, you will see how three manufacturers are able to win in their own unique ways.
At Quality Vision International (QVI), machining center accuracy is the foundation for their precision-engineered micro measurement and inspection equipment. For improved precision, QVI invested in two Makino horizontal machining centers, the a61 and a81, to produce critical components of their latest measurement system, ensuring repeatable precision and accuracy.
While vertical machining centers offer unique benefits to a machine shop, they simply can’t compare to the production capabilities, versatility and operator maintenance level offered by a high-performance horizontal machining center. Townsend Machine Inc. found this out quickly with an investment in a Makino a51 HMC, enabling them to bring previously outsourced applications back in-house for a rapid return on investment, while reducing cycle times up to 70 percent on current in-house applications.
At Cast Technologies, the demand for improved quality, flexibility and lead-times is always increasing. For help, they turned to Makino by investing in an MMC2 automation system configured with three a61 horizontal machining centers. This system enabled Cast Technologies to revolutionize their operation, significantly reducing inventory and lead-times, while increasing quality, productivity, equipment utilization and flexibility.
By transforming their business strategies, each of these manufacturers has shown improved support to current customers, as well as the capability, ambition and confidence to win new business. They’re in it to win. Are you?