Content tagged with "job-shops"
Results: 26
Article
August 26, 2008
When does a punch/laser make sense?
Shops that process enough of the right parts can increase uptime and reduce secondary operations with a combination punch/laser machine. Photo courtesy of TRUMPF Inc.
Business growth led Hawkeye Industries President and CEO Bryan Hawkins to seek a machine that could punch and laser-cut... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2008
Nothing standard about this fab shop
After five years of working for a family-owned metal fabricating business in eastern Connecticut, Rob Marelli wanted to do things his way. He approached the president with an offer to buy the company from him, but he was soon gone with a handshake and a letter of recommendation. He eyed... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2007
Implementing a coil-end joiner
Almost all metal stampers have downtime at the end of a steel coil. The amount of time a line is nonproductive between coils can vary. It's not uncommon for downtime to exceed 20 minutes. On heavy-gauge lines, where a coil's linear footage is low, the amount of downtime can be excessive. Pax... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2007
Turning it around (fast)
As offshore suppliers become fierce low-price competitors, many U.S. stampers are facing stark choices. To avoid further market share erosion, some are differentiating their offerings by creating a niche market or offering value-added services. For the Bradley Corp., an 85-year-old plumbing... Read more...
Article
October 10, 2006
Combining 2-D and 3-D laser applications
Right now at least 4,000 laser job shops in the U.S. are competing in a "virtual" service market that continues to be characterized by downward pricing pressure. Practically speaking, virtual service means that parts can be ordered, manufactured, and shipped anywhere in the continental... Read more...
Article
July 11, 2006
Lean implementation failures
Editor's Note: This article is adapted from Richard Kallage's presentation at Practical Lean: Successful Lean Manufacturing for Smaller & Midsized Manufacturers, Oct. 17-18, 2005, Lafayette, La., © by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl. (FMA). One of the most... Read more...
Article
July 11, 2006
Baled out
Figure 1 The stationary incline conveyor located in the load-out center discharges its load into a shuttle conveyor that automatically fills one of the two truck trailers located in the bays below. Jefferson Industries Corporation (JIC) in West Jefferson, Ohio, broke ground for its... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2006
Right on schedule
The wall doesn't look like much, but it represents an important part of QC Metal Fabricators' business: the up-and-out style of hinges commonly found on many recreational vehicles. The samples represent the several hinges the company fabricates for its RV-manufacturing... Read more...
Article
February 7, 2006
Making your way as a job shop today
Karl Fischer says that staying flexible, within the skills you have to offer, has helped him keep his business successful over the years. Here, he stands next to a 304 stainless steel beer carbonation carboy that required internal pipe upgrading. With a small, $200, one-afternoon job,... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2005
Bulletproof processes
Alpha Stamping Company is creating bulletproof processes. Sound dangerous? It is for competing medium-sized stampers and assemblers. While some stampers are filing for bankruptcy, Alpha's lean and mean processes have transformed the Detroit-based stamper into a formidable, $50 million... Read more...
Article
November 8, 2005
Ask and you shall receive
A conveyor carrier takes a part into the dryoff oven.
It's not every day that a small or medium-sized job shop invests in an entire line of new equipment. And buys 65 acres to build a new facility to house and operate it—especially if the company's knowledge and... Read more...
Article
October 11, 2005
Waste replaced
If you aren't lean in your welding shop, it's just a matter of time, experts say. Every day several companies report success through implementing lean manufacturing initiatives. HEI Inc., Minneapolis, and Charlotte, N.C.-based EnPro Industries Inc. attributed fourth-quarter 2004 growth... Read more...
Article
October 11, 2005
The benefits of materials engineering
OEMs and Tier 1 manufacturers are moving business to global low-cost suppliers. As a result, U.S. stampers are trying to remain competitive by cutting costs or offering more services. U.S. stampers are missing an opportunity to gain a competitive edge by offering materials engineering... Read more...
Article
December 1, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 12
Editor's Note: This is the twelfth episode in a mountaintop dialogue that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They have been talking about establishing a continuous improvement program. "Continuous improvement," I grumbled. There are excellent books on this topic and I have... Read more...
Article
November 1, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 11
Editor's Note: This is the eleventh episode in a mountaintop dialogue that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." He has been advised to develop a feedback system and to become a master of metrology. My guru missed my joking attempt at yoda-speak. "Meteorology is the study of... Read more...
Article
October 12, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 10
Editor's Note: This is the tenth episode in a mountaintop dialogue that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They have been talking about understanding that your niche is only part of the strategic planning job. "Remind me of what you have tried so far to improve your cash flow,"... Read more...
Article
September 14, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 9
Editor's Note: This is the ninth episode in a mountaintop dialogue that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They have been talking about business network tiers, and the guru has asked Gerald to identify which tier his job shop is in. I sucked in my gums and tried to ape his... Read more...
Article
August 10, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 8
Editor's Note: This is the eighth episode in a mountaintop dialogue that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They have been talking about communication among operator, machine, and management—the "work unit." I started to answer his question about how a piece of equipment... Read more...
Article
July 13, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 7
Editor's Note: This is the seventh episode in a mountaintop dialogue that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They have been talking about sales training. "Why does it matter whether the sales staff understands this concept of buying a contract? If they are getting orders and... Read more...
Article
June 8, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 6
Editor's Note: This is the sixth episode in a mountaintop dialogue that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They had been talking about the contract period when doubts were raised about what his sales force was really selling. At just that moment, a line of hikers passed by on... Read more...
Article
May 4, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 5
Editor's Note: This is the fifth episode in a mountaintop dialogue that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They have been talking about throughput and the time line of money. "Now that you know the main events in the time line of money, your chore is to figure out how to make... Read more...
Article
April 6, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 4
"In the ideal time line of money, my best customer would prepay. In that situation, the shop's throughput would not matter because the customer's cash would be doing all of the work," I proclaimed. My little guru opened one eye to peer at me. With an arched eyebrow he looked at me as though I... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 3
Editor's Note: This is the third episode in a mountaintop dialog that Gerald has been having with a "wise business guru." They have been talking about cash flow and the time line of money. I continued watching the beavers as they worked on their good dam. I realized the poetic similarity... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 2
Editor's Note: This is the second episode of a mountaintop dialog between Gerald and a wise business guru. Gerald has just been told that he has not been adept at the three critical management responsibilities – cash flow, policy, and enforcement. I glared at my adviser. He glared back... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2004
Wise words from the mountaintop—Part 1
Prevailing economic conditions have put me in a funk. It seems that the last time I really knew what I was doing as a business manager was in 1995. At that time my job shop was reporting profits, our machinery was in excellent condition, and our major customers were forecasting solid growth. I... Read more...
Article
February 14, 2002
An industry perspective
On the positive side, job shops continue to be innovative and improve productivity; materials and software are improving; entry-level positions normally can be filled. On the down side, the author feels that supply chain management is partly responsible for the industry's recession. Inventory... Read more...
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