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Shop Profiles

Tool, Mold & Die City

02/01/2001
Author:
Alan Richter
Meadville, Pa., and the area surrounding the city are home to approximately 150 precision tooling and machine shops. The article explains why this city of 14,000 is such a hotbed of precision machining and entrepreneurship.
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It's All Been Arranged

08/01/1995
Author:
Martin Eastman
Managers at California's Dowty Aerospace take full advantage of computers to design parts, program machines and track jobs from beginning to end. This shop profile talks about how Dowty has combined this computer-based organization with cell-based manufacturing to maintain efficiencies and keep lines of communications clear.
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The Real Price of Automation

12/01/1995
Author:
Martin Eastman
While CNCs and part-handling equipment offer labor, time and money savings, they also require dramatic changes in the way a shop operates. This article looks at the investment in equipment, personnel and training that shops have to make over and above the cost of the automated machines themselves.
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Fired Up

12/01/1999
Author:
Dennis Esford
The manufacturer of the most widely used fire-hose nozzle has continually upgraded its processes and equipment to meet its customers’ needs. This article outlines the market forces and changes to its nozzle design that have driven the company to maintain a state-of-the-art shop.
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Camcraft Inc. invests in state-of-the-art machining, metrology equipment

Camcraft Inc. in Hanover Park, Illinois, manufactures high-precision components and assemblies. Utilizing the latest machining technology and automation, the company makes complex hydraulic engine management and fuel system components for on- and off-highway applications. It specializes in producing difficult, precision-machined components—parts that require heat treatment, grinding, bore sizing, hard turning and superfinishing to achieve micron tolerances and provide superior performance for customers’ applications.