SHOP SOLUTIONS AFAB has been able to use the FMS to improve their
quality, reduce labor costs, and achieve the fl exibility to supply customers with just-in-time delivery of their varied part requirements. “With our fl exible manufacturing cell, we have been able to achieve 100% utilization rates or 22-plus hours of production each day,” said Jackson. “And across many different parts, we have easily experienced cycle- time reductions between 25 and 50%, while repeatedly achieving tolerances of 0.0004" [0.01 mm], which is critical to our medical and aerospace part requirements.” On one particular medical part, AFAB’s customer fi rst looked at sending that part to be cast. However, they weren’t sure the tolerance requirements could be met. On the Makino FMS, the quality of that part has been proven. “The job previously took 17 minutes to machine complete. We can now fi nish that operation in just seven minutes,” said Jackson. “We estimate that we are saving at least $100,000 per year with the cell by eliminating these repeat setups. And best of all, the system has the
Precision hydraulic workholding devices that produce better parts in less time with repeatable results.
Cycle times for the medical part pictured here have been reduced from 17 minutes to 7 minutes. Overall, AFAB estimates savings of at least $100,000 per year with the cell by eliminating repeat setups for machining all of its products.
precise machining capability to help us achieve better performance. We used to have to rely on the operator loading parts correctly to achieve required tolerances, and we would triple-check before hitting the start button. But the nature of this palletized system allows us to relax, knowing it is correct,” said Jackson.
The FMS shows the operator how much a tool has been
run, so AFAB is managing tooling much better and getting a handle on their consumable costs. Managing their catalog of parts through the fl exible system has also become much easier. If a customer phases out a part but then comes back months later asking for it, the cell can call it up and run the part without delay. AFAB is currently looking to employ key production data
from the automated cell into other areas of the business in order to improve workfl ow and inventory across all areas of the shop fl oor. AFAB is also in the process of implementing additional tool-life monitoring and broken-tool-sensor man- agement functions to enhance lights-out production, as well as adding applications into the cell’s MAS-A5 control system to expand automation.
Learn more, CALL: 800-992-0236
sales@vektek.com •
www.vektek.com
48
AdvancedManufacturing.org | July 2015
“As we expand into new markets, we hope to increase our investment and add fi ve-axis capability and an additional FMS. We want the capability to grow and to service addition- al customers. We feel that this will allow us to not only ma- chine more complex parts more effi ciently but also improve our competitive advantage. The Makino system differentiates us and gives us the freedom to try new things and achieve continuous improvement,” said Campbell. For more information from Makino Inc., go to
www.makino.com, or phone 513-573-7200.
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