Highly efficient production of short series

Some years ago, we realised that we weren’t using the full capacity of our 5-axis milling machines, relates Justin Lehman, fifth generation manager of his family company. In our bar-fed machining centres, one of which include turning, we were getting out 150 hours a week. However, our milling machines, which account for most of our production, were only achieving a fraction of this. Thus, something had to be done.

ETW Inc. in Waukesha, Wisconsin, is a family company with a long history. Operations started in 1945 with the production of spade-blades and other stick tooling. This gradually developed into the production of the company’s own complete system of tool holders, Trilock Quick Change.

Dynafix on the machine table and automatic changing increased spindle hours by 50 percent.

However, in recent years, operations have increasingly focused on three other segments: customer-specific special tools; complex customer-specific fixtures; and, short series of special milling heads with, for example, HSK cones. The customers are Sandvik, Kennametal, Valenite and other heavyweights of the hard-metal industry.

ETW is thus specialised in small series of precision products. Here, the manufacture of fixtures (which can be manual, hydraulic or rotating) is the segment with the greatest growth potential.

Delivery times, order stocks and organisation are becoming ever shorter and more streamlined in the manufacturing industry. These factors have, as a rule, led to companies not having the resources to develop and make their own special tools. ETW has these resources and extensive experience in this field. Quality, rapid deliveries and attractive prices are our trademarks, states Justin.

Most of the company’s customer-specific assignments come in the form of a 3D model accompanied with the appropriate drawings. The rest arrive either as a drawing of the component to be produced or, in extreme cases, as the instruction: Here is a prototype of the finished component. I have these machines at my disposal. Give me the tools and fixtures I need for the rational production of the component.

Short lead times mean rapid deliveries

A major part in ETW’s success has been played by rapid deliveries. These demand short lead times and, in turn, the ability to get a lot of spindle hours out of each machine. Design, production engineering and all machines are connected in a local network at the factory.

When the company invested in a DMC 60T with swing pallets, the decision was taken to equip the machine table with System 3R’s Dynafix pallet system for rapid manual tooling. However, it was soon realised that unattended machining at nights and weekends would generate considerably more spindle hours than was possible with the standard two shifts. Consequently, the machine was transformed into an automatic production cell by upgrading it with a WorkMaster that had a magazine for 24 Dynafix pallets. To give unattended day-round production, the machine has a magazine with 180 tools.

The charging station where workpieces and fixtures are prepared while the machines carry out other operations

The cell’s spindle hours have increased by 50 percent, reveals Justin, and System 3R’s WorkShopManager software for production control is superb. We always have full control of all operations in the automatic production cell. Each workpiece is linked to its NC program. Reprioritising and changing the order of jobs is a simple drag and drop operation at the machine. The database provides a wealth of information  machining times for example. We use these in our post-production calculations.

System 3R has been Automating the Manufacturing process for over 25 years…….Learn how Premier Machine Tool Midwest is providing automation solutions to several of their customers.

Sales 414-254-5150 / info@pmtmidwest.com

Highly efficient production of short series

Some years ago, we realised that we weren’t using the full capacity of our 5-axis milling machines, relates Justin Lehman, fifth generation manager of his family company. In our bar-fed machining centres, one of which include turning, we were getting out 150 hours a week. However, our milling machines, which account for most of our production, were only achieving a fraction of this. Thus, something had to be done.

ETW Inc. in Waukesha, Wisconsin, is a family company with a long history. Operations started in 1945 with the production of spade-blades and other stick tooling. This gradually developed into the production of the company’s own complete system of tool holders, Trilock Quick Change.

Dynafix on the machine table and automatic changing increased spindle hours by 50 percent.

However, in recent years, operations have increasingly focused on three other segments: customer-specific special tools; complex customer-specific fixtures; and, short series of special milling heads with, for example, HSK cones. The customers are Sandvik, Kennametal, Valenite and other heavyweights of the hard-metal industry.

ETW is thus specialised in small series of precision products. Here, the manufacture of fixtures (which can be manual, hydraulic or rotating) is the segment with the greatest growth potential.

Delivery times, order stocks and organisation are becoming ever shorter and more streamlined in the manufacturing industry. These factors have, as a rule, led to companies not having the resources to develop and make their own special tools. ETW has these resources and extensive experience in this field. Quality, rapid deliveries and attractive prices are our trademarks, states Justin.

Most of the company’s customer-specific assignments come in the form of a 3D model accompanied with the appropriate drawings. The rest arrive either as a drawing of the component to be produced or, in extreme cases, as the instruction: Here is a prototype of the finished component. I have these machines at my disposal. Give me the tools and fixtures I need for the rational production of the component.

Short lead times mean rapid deliveries

A major part in ETW’s success has been played by rapid deliveries. These demand short lead times and, in turn, the ability to get a lot of spindle hours out of each machine. Design, production engineering and all machines are connected in a local network at the factory.

When the company invested in a DMC 60T with swing pallets, the decision was taken to equip the machine table with System 3R’s Dynafix pallet system for rapid manual tooling. However, it was soon realised that unattended machining at nights and weekends would generate considerably more spindle hours than was possible with the standard two shifts. Consequently, the machine was transformed into an automatic production cell by upgrading it with a WorkMaster that had a magazine for 24 Dynafix pallets. To give unattended day-round production, the machine has a magazine with 180 tools.

The charging station where workpieces and fixtures are prepared while the machines carry out other operations

The cell’s spindle hours have increased by 50 percent, reveals Justin, and System 3R’s WorkShopManager software for production control is superb. We always have full control of all operations in the automatic production cell. Each workpiece is linked to its NC program. Reprioritising and changing the order of jobs is a simple drag and drop operation at the machine. The database provides a wealth of information  machining times for example. We use these in our post-production calculations.

System 3R has been Automating the Manufacturing process for over 25 years…….Learn how Premier Machine Tool Midwest is providing automation solutions to several of their customers.

Sales 414-254-5150 / info@pmtmidwest.com