A great deal of research proves what common sense tells us: Retaining an existing customer is far more cost-effective than finding a new one. However, we often overlook the fact that satisfied customers can also be a potent source of additional business. That’s why marketing to your current customers should be at the forefront of your selling efforts.
This is the sixth year that Gardner Business Media, has surveyed CNC shops to find the strongest performers and determine what they are doing to rise to the top of the list. As in the past, there are many statistics that reveal a significant difference between how the top 20% of shops operate versus the rest.
We all want to get the most out of our CNC machines, but no matter how well they are designed, built and equipped, these tools are only as productive as we allow them to be. Which is to say that there are many possible production procedures, and some are more efficient that others.
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As a CNC factory owner or manager you know the importance of making your manufacturing processes as efficient as possible. To a great extent this means investing in appropriate technology and having a productive workforce. In fact, improving worker productivity should be a continuous activity on every factory floor. However striving to be more productive should not be reserved only for the floor workers. Everyone in the organization from top management on down should be focused on continuously improving personal productivity. So here are 5 simple ways managers can become more productive.
One of the most useful tools CNC machine shops have for reducing costs and improving performance is a concept called Value Stream Mapping. Typically used by companies who wish to implement Lean Manufacturing, Value Stream Mapping is a way to identify and analyze all of the activities involved in delivering a product or service to the customer. For CNC machine operations this could be anything from a single part to a complete product.
The true cost of servicing a CNC machine tool, including downtime, can get very expensive. However there are a number of common sense ways you can reduce the number of service calls you make each year. Here are 7:
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.
The majority of businesses, including many manufacturing companies, rely on a version of Microsoft’s Windows® operating system for their PCs and enterprise systems. So far, however, few businesses are rushing to upgrade to Windows 8, the latest-and-greatest version. One reason is that it’s a radical departure from the previous Windows operating systems. Another is that IT people are often uneasy with the first iteration of any new operating system, fearing bugs that could disrupt workflow, and the time it takes for users to get up to speed on the new system.
No matter how efficient your CNC machine may be, if your chip conveyor is constantly backing up or breaking down, you have a serious bottleneck that slows down your manufacturing process and, therefore, inhibits your productivity. That’s why it’s vitally important that you have the right chip removal system for the kinds of machining you perform and the nature of the machine tool, itself.
Smart manufacturers are continuously looking for more and better ways to reduce production costs. Faster, more precise CNC machine tools aided by robotic-based automation and pallet loading systems are proven ways to boost productivity. However, there’s more to reducing overall production costs than using the latest technologies. For optimum efficiency, manufacturers must consider all aspects of the process from part design to raw materials, machining, quality assurance and delivery to the customer.