TIME TO TAKE THE BLINDERS OFF WHEN IT COMES TO TOOLING UP
The world of metalworking performance is one of trade-offs. Every piece of the chain, from a holder setup to process sequencing, affects something else along the way. The trick is to sacrifice as little — or even gain as much — value as possible with the choices you make. Unfortunately, and misguidedly, tools and workholding are often thought of as the “sacrifice” part of that equation, or just plugging a hole. The truth is, tools and workholding fall into the small category of devices around a shop that have contact with the parts you’re delivering. By no means is either a small link in the chain. As we’ll see, the tooling you choose today can impact everything from manpower to measuring, bolstering the chain instead of serving as “just another” link. I talk to a lot of customers who are getting ready for a project or trying to integrate a new machine ASAP. Understandably, they either ask for the cheapest holder they know can get the job done, or whatever they know worked on the old machine. In a high-mix, low-volume environment, this process might work, but that’s not every machine shop, by a long shot. Instead, most should consider what’s happening around the specific task, a few steps before and a few after,
The world of metalworking performance is one of trade-offs. Every piece of the chain, from a holder setup to process sequencing, affects something else along the way. The trick is to sacrifice as little — or even gain as much — value as possible with the choices you make.
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