Tooling/Workholding/Programming that has increased productivity the most for you

[96Jack]

This is a pretty generic question, but I'm basically looking for examples of tooling/workholding/programming techniques that have sped up cycle times the most for you when vertical/horizontal milling (aluminum and 300 series stainless primarily).

My boss swears up and down that the reason we aren't getting enough jobs out the door is because people take too long on setups. After reviewing the data our ERP system has gathered in the last 6 months, I believe that the answer lies in cycle times.

I should add that most of our orders are between quantities of 100-250 parts, so extremely expensive workholding probably wouldn't be worth it for us.

 

[Hazzert]

Have any examples of parts that may have excessive setup or cycle time? This question is so vague that it's almost addressable.

 

[DMF_TomB]

This is a pretty generic question, but I'm basically looking for examples of tooling/workholding/programming techniques that have sped up cycle times the most for you when vertical/horizontal milling (aluminum and 300 series stainless primarily).

My boss swears up and down that the reason we aren't getting enough jobs out the door is because people take too long on setups. After reviewing the data our ERP system has gathered in the last 6 months, I believe that the answer lies in cycle times.

I should add that most of our orders are between quantities of 100-250 parts, so extremely expensive workholding probably wouldn't be worth it for us.

.
i believe some call it Single Minute Exchange of Dies. there are many books on it. basically it is a way of reducing setup times.

 

[tnmgcarbide]

you aren't specific enough to be of much help .

reduced cycle times? trochoidal milling(different corporate names apply,but basically the same idea) ...plunge milling ..
G73 deep drilling cycle using I,J,K to reduce feed time /increase rapids ... nesting parts w/ subroutines to make programs
tool priority vs. part priority= fewer toolchanges ......renishaw probe cycles to auto-setup TLO and diameter...

this is all common stuff you should be doing in the first place.

as for tooling... don't know your machines or parts.

 

[96Jack]

Have any examples of parts that may have excessive setup or cycle time? This question is so vague that it's almost addressable.

Here's a part that we run on our Doosan HP 4000 II horizontal mill pretty frequently.
Screenshot - ba24031423b885213fd4875eb63f8fa2 - Gyazo

 

[96Jack]

Doosan HP 4000 II Horizontals, Haas VF2SS, Haas VF4SS, Haas DM 1 with 4th axis rotary table.

Here's a picture of a part we run pretty frequently on our Doosan.. Always seems to take up too much time.
Screenshot - ba24031423b885213fd4875eb63f8fa2 - Gyazo

 

[J Gilles]

Interesting. I have seen that exact part run at a different facility. Are you running a pallet pool and keeping fixtures setup for repeat jobs?

 

[DMF_TomB]

usually best to ask people to record any delays doing setups. often have stuff ready in a plastic tray, box, etc saves time. those kits or boxes or trays often are permanently stored ready to use fast. that is often people spend a lot of time looking for and getting stuff during a job rather than prepare ahead of time.
.
sure you have to buy stuff. that is if you waste 100 hours a year at $5000. to $10,000. in labor costs then buying some stuff to reduce the labor costs is often cheaper by the end of the year. when the facts are recorded and a business case is made explaining things. its easier to get stuff purchased.

 

[Hazzert]

Is that taking you 1hr a piece or 10? I'd expect that to take at least 1.5-2 hrs ea on a 3 axis VMC depending on tolerances etc.

 

[96Jack]

Is that taking you 1hr a piece or 10? I'd expect that to take at least 1.5-2 hrs ea on a 3 axis VMC depending on tolerances etc.

2 ops on horizontal running simultaneously, 1 hour a piece complete.

 

[96Jack]

Interesting. I have seen that exact part run at a different facility. Are you running a pallet pool and keeping fixtures setup for repeat jobs?

Might be a pretty common part in the gun world, but I'm no expert.
We only have 2 pallets on this machine, and generally we have 3-4 fixture plates for different parts that we swap in/out as needed.

 

[96Jack]

Is that taking you 1hr a piece or 10? I'd expect that to take at least 1.5-2 hrs ea on a 3 axis VMC depending on tolerances etc.

I should probably add that we've had the last 2 years to really dial in these parts, so this is probably a bad example of setup/cycle time taking too long. But generally those are the types of parts we work with.

 

[Hazzert]

What is an example of an excessive cycle time in your opinion? No pictures required but if your goal is 1 hour are you seeing 2 or even more?

 

[Matt_Maguire]

I absolutely hate it when folks here answer a new poster with "get a better machine". With that said, unless there's a problem with the 2op mount/dismount times a Speedio might be the answer. It appears to be a lightmetal (aluminum?).

I get the "run time is a problem", but everything should be on the table if you're in a foot race with another shop.

Good luck,
Matt

 

[96Jack]

What is an example of an excessive cycle time in your opinion? No pictures required but if your goal is 1 hour are you seeing 2 or even more?

Hmm, I'd consider an hour for 1 part to be pretty lengthy. Usually for the parts I linked the picture of, we see orders for 150 at a time which takes almost 4 full weeks of machine time (40 hour week), not to mention the 10~ business days it takes to have them bead blasted/anodized/laser engraved.

Any amount of machine time we could shave off that would be a huge help.

I was really just looking for general tools/workholding that all around have been a huge help to people, but I realize now that's probably not specific enough of a question.

 

[96Jack]

I absolutely hate it when folks here answer a new poster with "get a better machine". With that said, unless there's a problem with the 2op mount/dismount times a Speedio might be the answer. It appears to be a lightmetal (aluminum?).

I get the "run time is a problem", but everything should be on the table if you're in a foot race with another shop.

Good luck,
Matt

Thanks for the kind response.

We've been so focused on speeding up setup times this year that it kind of feels like we're grasping at straws at this point. After-all, there's only so much you can speed up a setup and you can only make someone work so fast. Demanding that people work faster and faster also seems like a good way to cause problems, whether it be careless inspections or crashing machines.

We're competing with shops that have access to much more modern technology (whether it be tooling, inspection equipment, machines, workholding), so I was really hoping to get some general tools/workholding that's really made a difference at other peoples shops. I realize now though that that might be too vague of a question to be asking.

 

[Hazzert]

Hmm, I'd consider an hour for 1 part to be pretty lengthy. Usually for the parts I linked the picture of, we see orders for 150 at a time which takes almost 4 full weeks of machine time (40 hour week), not to mention the 10~ business days it takes to have them bead blasted/anodized/laser engraved.

Any amount of machine time we could shave off that would be a huge help.

I was really just looking for general tools/workholding that all around have been a huge help to people, but I realize now that's probably not specific enough of a question.

I think your guys' biggest delays are that you're only running a horizontal at 40hrs a week. Get her working 18-20hrs a day and suddenly you guys won't be worrying about a couple minutes here and there and can instead focus on process reliability.

 

[96Jack]

I think your guys' biggest delays are that you're only running a horizontal at 40hrs a week. Get her working 18-20hrs a day and suddenly you guys won't be worrying about a couple minutes here and there and can instead focus on process reliability.

You're definitely right about that. Finding people that want to work swing/night shift has proven to be quite hard though.

Appreciate the advice.

 

[Hazzert]

Lights out, you just pay electricity. But that gets back the whole process reliability issue.

 

[Matt_Maguire]

Hmm, I'd consider an hour for 1 part to be pretty lengthy. Usually for the parts I linked the picture of, we see orders for 150 at a time which takes almost 4 full weeks of machine time (40 hour week), not to mention the 10~ business days it takes to have them bead blasted/anodized/laser engraved.

Any amount of machine time we could shave off that would be a huge help.

Tumble them yourself (or with an hour machine time, the operator blasts them & then folds towels). Honestly you wouldn’t be the first, nor the last to send the print & your recipe (post) to MTB to squeeze on. Costs $$$$ though.

Good luck,
Matt