Seattle, Washington-based Lighthouse for the Blind is a not-for-profit that creates employment for blind, deaf, and other individuals challenged by physical disabilities. One of their crowning achievements is a machine shop servicing the aerospace industry. However, when the organization realized that they needed to increase their competitiveness with CNC machining technologies they had difficulty finding a machine tool supplier who would work with them to adapt the new machines for blind operators.
Medical part manufacturing continues to be a rapidly growing market due to the large population of aging baby boomers who are looking for “improved quality of life”. Demand is high for high-precision components for neurological, orthopeadic, spinal/bone fixation, dental implants, drug infusion, catheter connectors, optical, maxillofacial, micro/minimally invasive, surgical instruments and other medical devices, most of which can be manufactured on the 
For many years all aspects of business have been under intense pressure to drive down costs so we can be more competitive and profitable. Perhaps nowhere is this pressure more intense than in manufacturing. Of course, there are a number of ways to reduce production costs, and you have most likely addressed many of them. Even so, it’s always a good idea to take a fresh look at your operation to see if you’ve overlooked anything.
For most CNC machine shops and company manufacturing departments, the secret to improving productivity and profitability lies in applying the right technologies and relying on a conscientious, knowledgeable workforce. Therefore, if you have a problem employee the impact can be quite serious. Ignoring a worker’s bad habits or inappropriate actions not only affects the performance of the problem employee, it can also undermine the morale of the rest of your staff. So how do you go about fixing the problem? Here are some proven techniques.
Marketing is typically not on the top of most CNC machine shop owners’ minds. After all, each day is filled with myriad challenges, and the primary goal is to produce more and better parts and products. Unfortunately customers don’t stay around forever, no matter how well we treat them. Companies are bought and sold, go out of business, bring previously outsourced work inside, or simply no longer require the kind of work you provide. That’s why we must constantly add new customers. But where do we find them? And how can we do so cost-effectively? Fact is there are a number of ways you can seek new customers by substituting sweat equity for dollars. Here are 4 of them:
Any device that has a number of moving parts needs service from time to time, and the more we use the device, the more often it needs attention. CNC machines are no exception. In fact, considering the conditions under which they operate, it’s not surprising that even the best designed and built machine tools require regular maintenance to prevent breakdowns.
Dayton, OH – 
By now virtually all businesses have discovered the value of mobile devices to their daily operations – and manufacturing is no exception. Manufacturing-related apps for smart phones and tablets continue to proliferate for iPhones, iPads, Android-based and Windows-based devices. Here are just a few manufacturing apps that have recently come to our attention.
Gosiger Dayton recently hosted the Women in Manufacturing Roundtable, welcoming 25 members to the employment-focused event.