So I have a job shop and do regular work for a number of customers. Lately I have been asked to do small runs of production type work. I am talking 50 or so items, I know I know, nothing like the production of 1,000 or 100,000 but for a job shop 50 can be a lot.
Where are job shops with production and when do you look at making that leap into different equipment.
Last few jobs have had quick turn around time lines with a significant amount of machining, doable, but not "desirable" with current manual machining.
The biggest help I have are a K&T horizontal mill and a Cincinnati Toolmaster with vertical and universal horizontal head. Both have been great in machining multiple pieces at once and having the ability to set up concave milling operation easily and accurately. I also have a B-port, Tree 2UVR and three manual lathes.
Materials being machined are both steel and aluminum with extensive milling, drilling and tapping with use of heli-coil for the alum pieces. Also use of a rotary table with some jobs.
Tolerances are pretty loose, does it work and look like the print. I do work on getting each one within .001 but allow myself .005 tolerance. Customers don't check or worry as long as it works as intended.
I have out-sourced a few jobs to a local fab shop with a plasma cutter. I don't have an issue with that and don't mind since I don't have to invest in equipment and time. Get a request in, drop it off, pick up and deliver. Can't get easier than that.
Back to the question, when do you make the leap into different equipment that supports low-production? And what type of equipment supports low-production that doesn't cost? All my equip is paid for and I would like to keep it that way.
Where are job shops with production and when do you look at making that leap into different equipment.
Last few jobs have had quick turn around time lines with a significant amount of machining, doable, but not "desirable" with current manual machining.
The biggest help I have are a K&T horizontal mill and a Cincinnati Toolmaster with vertical and universal horizontal head. Both have been great in machining multiple pieces at once and having the ability to set up concave milling operation easily and accurately. I also have a B-port, Tree 2UVR and three manual lathes.
Materials being machined are both steel and aluminum with extensive milling, drilling and tapping with use of heli-coil for the alum pieces. Also use of a rotary table with some jobs.
Tolerances are pretty loose, does it work and look like the print. I do work on getting each one within .001 but allow myself .005 tolerance. Customers don't check or worry as long as it works as intended.
I have out-sourced a few jobs to a local fab shop with a plasma cutter. I don't have an issue with that and don't mind since I don't have to invest in equipment and time. Get a request in, drop it off, pick up and deliver. Can't get easier than that.
Back to the question, when do you make the leap into different equipment that supports low-production? And what type of equipment supports low-production that doesn't cost? All my equip is paid for and I would like to keep it that way.