I would like to share with you three ideas which are not usually taken for granted. These are ideas which I collected following discussions with a few loyal customers who shared them with me, having experienced them first hand.

I am providing you with these interesting thoughts to see whether or not they suit you since, in one way or another, they may let you see the problem you are currently experiencing from a different angle, consequently allowing you to find the solution you have been looking for.

As a method for visualising the issue in a simple manner, we use “THE SECRET OF THE WEIGHING SCALE”, in other words an imaginary scale.

This scale will help you evaluate the pros and the cons. Every decision we take originates from pros and cons (remember: even NOT deciding is, after all, a decision).

Ideally, if you think of a traditional scale, which I personally like because, visually speaking, the two plates have to hold the same weight in order to achieve perfect BALANCE.

In fact, the result of the scale is EQUILIBRIUM, something that many times we simply cannot find or, even better, something that we are desperately trying to find in all areas of our lives.

Finding this balance is not easy.

This also applies in the choice of technical solutions.

So, today, I will put the MULTICENTER on one side of the weighing scale. Obviously, everyone will immediately think of the “con”, in this case the cost of the investment.

Now, I will give you some ideas to put on the other plate of our weighing scale so as to offset the weight in search of the famous BALANCE!

Remember, not all points will apply to your situations; some are recommended if you are using TRANSFER machines, while others will be more appropriate if you are sing a machining center or a battery of machining centers (FMS or Flexible Manufacturing System).

These 15 points are only part of the points that I wanted to share with you. The objective is for at least one of these 15 points to hit you, so that you can see the weighing scale position itself in BALANCE…

READY, SET..

GO!

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTs of many hours, or worse, of entire days wasted during the year by your tool-fitters in order to change the production on traditional machines, considering that lots are getting smaller and smaller.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTS of non-quality since you are forced to re-work the component multiple times, since you have rigid TRANSFER machines installed in your department.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTS of personnel assigned to de-burring tasks because you do not have enough tools available.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTS of the space taken up by traditional machining centers in the production department.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the high COSTS of the equipment you need today to tool your machine.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the higher COSTS of the installed power of your machine.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTS of the high value of all the stock you are forced to keep on hand since you are not able to quickly meet the requests of the market.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTS associated with having to turn down orders because your TRANSFER machines are rigid, consequently making you unable to compete.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTS incurred to produce lots from 500 to 5000 pieces that your customers are asking for and which you have no idea how to produce in an efficient and fast manner.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTS of the special tools that your TRANSFER machines require.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTS incurred in terms of time it takes to reach the CPK values requested by your customers, as by using many machining centers, there are multiple processes to control instead of just one.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTS of lacking high pressure coolant through the spindle and of not taking advantage of the modern tools available today on the market.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTS in terms of stress and strained relationships within the company since you are unable to effectively manage small-medium lots, and your sales office never misses a chance to remind you of it!

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTS incurred for managing large orders, for which Asian companies are setting the prices.

 

• investing in the MULTICENTER vs.: the COSTS generated by failing to expand your company’s processing flexibility, consequently by not being able to grow.

As I mentioned before, these 15 points are only part of the points that I wanted to share with you. The objective is, for at least one of these points, to make an impact and make you see the scale position itself in BALANCE.

If this happened, please WRITE HERE BELOW which point hit you the most, so much so as to develop, analyse in depth and organise a plan of action aimed at finding the right TECHNOLOGICAL BALANCE.

Write here below your e-mail and write as well which point hit you the most, to then download “Five Steps Before You Purchase a machine tool”

 

Maurizio Porta
Expert in Flexible Production