If you have a large number of small to medium size products, parts, tooling or other inventory that take up far too much floor space, you may want to consider a vertical storage solution. These tower-like systems enable you to store inventory in a much smaller area yet make retrieval quick and easy.
Some CNC machine shops don’t think about looking for more business until the pipeline of orders begins to run dry. Unfortunately, this approach leads to periods when work is no longer flowing through the shop and overhead, payroll and operating costs spiral out of proportion to income. That’s why every business needs to continuously promote its products and services. One of the most cost-effective ways to do this is through email marketing.
There are many CNC machine shops that are relatively small in size and number of employees. However, with today’s technologies, even smaller shops can take on substantial jobs if they have the right combination of equipment and expertise. Of course to compete for those jobs, a customer must believe that the CNC shop can handle the work. Which means that the shop must project an image of competency and capability – and be recognized to begin with.
In this brief video, Gosiger 3-D Applications Engineer, Brian Stall, shows a custom APP designed by Gosiger’s Aftermarket Support Department. This APP is an example of the possibilities inherent with the Okuma THiNC API (Application Program Interface). Gosiger engineers have developed a number of APPs to meet customer requirements. Machine users can also create their own custom APPs using Visual Basic.
One of the unsung heroes of CNC machining is the 3-jaw chuck that is standard equipment on many CNC lathes and turning centers. The chuck is the principal workholding device and is essential for maintaining accuracy and enabling the machine tool to perform at optimum RPM.
Dayton, OH – Gosiger, Inc. field technicians are part of a team that provides customer support for the machine tools, accessories and factory automation systems the company sells and installs. As part of an ongoing program to enhance customer service, Gosiger recently launched the MyTECH component of its CRM (customer relations management) system.
One of the ongoing concerns of CNC machine shops is the difficulty in finding qualified machine operators, programmers and other skilled workers. Some of the proposed cures for this malady are better education about manufacturing in our public schools, better access to technical education at community colleges, and a return to apprenticeship programs. There is even talk of creating an industry-wide advertising and public relations campaign to enhance the image of manufacturing as a career option.
No matter how well a CNC machine tool is designed and built, certain components will eventually wear out over time. In the same way, no matter how well trained your staff is, it’s human nature that accidents, such as turret crashes, can happen. When breakdowns occur, for whatever reasons, you’ll want to get your machines up and running as soon as possible.
Like it or not, the U. S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) is now law, and small businesses should be aware of their responsibilities and the impact it may have on their businesses.
Many CNC machine shops have discovered that diversifying into new industries and, consequently, expanding the kinds of parts they produce is a key to growth in good times and a way to survive when the economy suffers. In many cases this means breaking out of their comfort zones and taking on more challenging work. When a company that traditionally makes fairly simple parts expands into aerospace, medical or other markets that have more complex and closer tolerance parts, they need to carefully consider what it takes to compete.