|
Automated System Used By Moldmakers Incorporated Increases Burning Capabilities and Redirects Labor Costs
 |
|
|
Moldmakers Incorporated decided that they could
drive more costs out of their operations by automating the Makino
cell with a System 3R WorkMaster robot.
|
As in any industry, competition in mold making fosters technological advancements and new processes. This typically improves products while driving down prices and shortening lead times. Companies that fail to adapt their ways may squeak by, but some may die without knowing why.
Since 1982, Moldmakers Incorporated has successfully evolved into a leader
in the mold industry. Despite shrinking lead times, Moldmakers Incorporated continuously takes appropriate steps to remain a part of the industry vanguard.
According to Scott Spitza, EDM specialist at Moldmakers Incorporated, average project lead time has decreased dramatically in the past decade. “When I first began working here nine years ago, the average lead time on our projects was about eight weeks,” he says. “Now, I would say it is down to four weeks. But while delivery times have been cut in half, we must still keep delivering the high-quality molds that our customers have come to expect.”
In response to the dwindling lead times, Moldmakers Incorporated evaluated its processes and recognized an equipment upgrade that would allow them to take on more projects with extremely short lead times. At the heart of the upgrade was a pair of Makino EDNC65 Ram EDM machines. While the machines performed soundly, they were outfitted with only 16-tool carousels to handle mold projects requiring dozens of electrodes. When a machine would complete a burn rack, it would sit idle until an EDM specialist could add new electrodes and start the machine up. This was especially costly on weekends and nights when a specialist was not readily available.
Because the machines performed so well, Moldmakers Incorporated was faced with a decision—upgrade to larger tool carousels or create a robotic cell to operate the two Makino Ram EDMs. After investigating its options, the company decided that they could drive more costs out of their operations by automating the Makino cell with a System 3R WorkMaster robot.
Improving Tooling, Reducing Babysitting [back to top]
Moldmakers Incorporated is a provider of single- and multi-shot injection molding, blow molding and die cast tooling. The company, based in Germantown, Wisconsin, paved the way for MGS Mfg. Group, a family of specialized companies designed to work as one. The Group prides itself on building high-quality tools with quick turn around times.
At the MGS Tech Center in Germantown, Moldmakers Incorporated implemented an automated cell using the Makino EDNC65s. The company originally considered upgrading to 32-tool carousels, but instead purchased a WorkMaster robot. The robot was able to triple Makino’s tooling capabilities with a 192-tool carousel.
“We saw this as an opportunity to put two machines together to shrink our lead time and finish molds quicker,” Spitza says. “It gives us the capability of machining a core and a cavity in separate machines at the same time.
“For example, we recently had a job that required approximately 80 electrodes, many of which were common between the core and cavity molds. The mold had a three-week delivery that required one full week of EDM work. The new automated cell allowed us to more easily meet the customer’s needs.”
Making Robotics Affordable [back to top]
Spitza says that the cell is paying for itself quickly. Daily machine operating uptime has more than doubled, while operational costs have been reduced from redirected labor. And most importantly, more and more jobs with short lead times are coming through Moldmakers Incorporated since this upgrade in capabilities and capacities.
|
“We will have stretched our annual operating time for those two Makino EDMs to 15,288 hours, an increase of over 100 percent.”
|
“Since the cell has been up and running, we have averaged 21 operational hours a day per machine,” Spitza says. “If the current pace continues throughout the year, we will have stretched our annual operating time for those two Makino EDMs to 15,288 hours, an increase of over 100 percent. As a result, the company has been able to drive out additional manufacturing costs by redirecting a significant percentage of labor.”
There is now more set-up time at the beginning of a job now, according to Paul Hintze, EDM specialist at Moldmakers Incorporated. The system allows EDM specialists more time to double check electrodes that are milled on a Makino SNC64. The payback comes at the end when the machines are up and running, allowing the specialists to prepare for the next job.
“If I can get a big enough jump on checking electrodes and offsets, I can get a couple of days worth of burning programmed into the machine, allowing me a chance to redirect my attention to another program on a different machine,” Hintze says.
“The other advantage is being able to reduce or completely eliminate weekend hours,” he says. “A few weekends ago, I had a job that we had a two week delivery on, and I had to get about 70 electrodes through the machine during the weekend. That was one rack on the robot.”
Spitza explains that the biggest benefit is that the volume of work coming through the company has increased due to the new robotic efficiencies. “Everybody’s still working the same, but our sales are going up because we are able to get more jobs through in a quicker period of time.” he says. “There is a big myth that automation reduces jobs. In our case, automation has allowed us to redistribute our labor resources to complete tasks that require manpower, which in turn, has allowed us to increase our volume of work.”
Focused On Future Upgrades [back to top]
Making the Makino EDNC65s compatible with the WorkMaster robot required a software upgrade. In addition, the new software made the machines capable of burning with Makino’s SuperSpark™ technology. SuperSpark™ is a dynamic power supply adjustment for MGF control machines that can help reduce roughing times by up to 60 percent. SuperSpark™ can reduce part-roughing time regardless of the shape, size or cavity depth.
 “In early testing, we’ve been able to cut 30 percent of our roughing time on burns under a half inch deep,” Spitza says. “I am looking forward to playing around with that and applying our knowledge and techniques so that we can improve on that roughing time. The upgraded software also made our machines capable of picking up the off-sets needed to handle the bigger tool changer.”
However, the upgrade is not the last for this specific cell. Spitza says that the company’s next step is to have full off-line data transfer with ID chips. “We will be capable of inspecting electrodes and determining if they are correct and within specifications,” he says. “In the event they are not, we can re-run the electrode with the corrected data, automatically. Electrode offsets will then be loaded into the machines automatically. We should have that in operation this year, which will greatly reduce labor another 25 percent. The upgrade should decrease any chances of errors, so tool quality should increase as well.”
“We’re starting out with small cells and developing them,” he explains. “Then we will string them together. And I’m sure there will be more Makino machines that can help us in the future.”
[back
to top]
|
