Management

As an owner or manager of a machining business, you have your hands full dealing with matters from the front office to the shop and everything in-between. Even so, nonproduction issues seem to be an increasing burden.

Even low-volume operations producing many different parts can benefit from lights-out production.

Who should perform spindle maintenance in machine shops?

Our shop uses several tools to help us communicate easier and more effectively. These methods are well-tested, readily available, cost-effective and, in my experience, underutilized by machine shops.

Manufacturing is an energy-intensive activity. The U.S. government estimates that manufacturing consumes about one-third of the energy used in the country, stated Scott Hibbard, vice president of technology for Bosch Rexroth Corp., Hoffman Estates, Ill., in his paper “Six keys to sustainable manufacturing.”

Manager's Desk column for June 2009.

Getting the most from multitask machines requires knowing whether the parts a shop produces are appropriate for the technology, selecting and training the right employees and applying the correct tools.

Manager's Desk column for the May 2009 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

January 2009 Manager's Desk column

February 2009 Manager's Desk column