Fischer Tool & Die Dedicated To Makino EDMs

Fischer Tool & Die Corporation of Temperance, Michigan, had a variety of problems with past equipment performance in its EDM operation. When it came time to upgrade and replace existing equipment, the company chose Makino in order to achieve the quality, responsiveness and reliability demanded by its customers.

"We had so many problems with other EDM machines, particularly the wires, it is just not funny," says company president Mike Fischer. "Going with Makino has helped our whole operation. The machines are workhorses and the surface finishes they can achieve are amazing, which minimizes a lot of bench work to finish a job, and helps us be more responsive and profitable.

"We were one of the first companies to add a new SP43 high-technology, wire EDM unit from Makino. The improvements it has made, directly and indirectly, to all elements of our operation have made a positive impact."

Fischer and his team note that parts and fixtures done on Makino EDMs for huge automotive die cast dies have initially saved the company more than 20 percent in cycle time with operational flow improvements expanding that percentage regularly.

Chemistry and Culture Get Results [back to top]
Mike Fischer believes that the success of his company starts with awesome people. "We have a tremendous chemistry and culture here, an unbelievable family environment. Getting the job done is not the goal; getting it done right and getting along with each other is the goal.

"These two concepts must exist together for customer satisfaction. The priority of our management staff is to always maintain that culture, which is not easy. But, the proof of our effort is that, in the nearly 17 years we have been in business, no one has ever left this company to take a job with a competitor or another company in the area."

Fischer Tool & Die began in Toledo, Ohio, in 1987 as a repair shop for valve body details to support the automotive die cast die industry. With its large machining capability, Fischer now also does forging dies, large vertical turning lathe work and special machine operations, about 95 percent of which is as a tier one/tier two automotive industry supplier. The company also is a third-tier supplier for the aerospace industry.

The company started in a small business complex, where it remained for three years prior to relocating its manufacturing complex across the state border to Temperance, Michigan. It operated there for seven years until building a larger, beautiful new facility just a short distance away in 1999, with more room to grow.

"Every time we grew, we increased our size, capacity and expanded our capability," said Fischer. "We now service large transmission case dies and work on engine block tools, carrier dies, bed plates and cradles for customers such as General Motors, Honda, J. L. French, Ryobi and Daimler Chrysler.

"We run 24 hours, but have only two shifts of flexible time during that period. This allows our employees to adjust accordingly to their home needs while achieving maximum performance for our customers—yet another example of our special culture."

Just-In-Time Performance [back to top]
To maintain that culture, Mike Fischer says his team needs reliable machines. As a tier one/tier two supplier, Fischer Tool & Die is under constant just-in-time (JIT) performance demands from customers. And having any down time or problems getting immediate service and support is not good for business relations.

"Everybody wants things faster, better and cheaper. And, Makino helps us achieve them all," says Fischer. "The company produces quality EDM equipment that you can rely on regularly. All of the EDM machine manufacturers that we previously utilized failed in quality and reliability.

"There are always issues in any relationship, but it is how you respond that makes the difference, and this is where Makino truly stands out and beats its competition hands-down. Makino equipment has helped us maintain our operational excellence. The reliability, accuracy, repeatability and ease of use really does make a difference.

"This type of high-quality, technologically advanced machinery is also essential to driving out operational costs and taking advantage of unattended machining time to achieve JIT," according to Fischer.

Dedicated Technology [back to top]
"We try to focus on the same types of technology in the same work cells, so that we can get multiple use of our employees and get them trained as experts on one operating system," says Fischer. "We cannot take the time for them to be experts on 75 different machines. We often have guys on vacation or off for various reasons, so being able to focus on one control technology makes it a lot easier for people to move from one area of the EDM group to another without our losing any capabilities for our customers. Fischer employees are cross-trained on all the machines in a given work cell to make transitioning from one to another easy.

"To stay profitable and successful in all areas of our operation, each employee needs to operate up to three machines. Some of them are automated, while others require personal involvement from a toolmaker. And both types require a high percentage of hours setting up the work on the machine. With Makino, however, the process in our EDM area has never run more smoothly.

"We have been dedicated to Makino sinkers for some time, as we maintain five EDM machines and the SNC64 graphite milling machine. The performance of the new SP43 wire EDM has made our decision easy in the wire group as well. We are now phasing out all other wire EDM machines due to lack of performance and reliability, and are looking into getting a new, larger Makino SP64 wire machine later this year."

Burning Results [back to top]
The impression work on complex dies and molds and the ability to help engineer changes and improvements for customers "on the floor" requires machine quality and versatility. Makino EDMs provide that, according to Bill Koch, general foreman at Fischer.

"Since we acquired the Makinos, we have been nothing but satisfied," says Koch. "We have no reason to shop around for any other machines. They make our operation significantly faster.

"There's no doubt it makes my job easier. I can predict how long it is going to take to do the job, and I know that what is coming off the machine is going to be the right quality, the right surface finish and the right dimensional accuracy. Makino EDM machines definitely make my life easier. Quite honestly, you better remove my right arm before you take those machines out of here."

"We had a die cast core pin for an engine block which was conceptually very tough. We had to burn down inside of a hole about 10 inches deep, and about 0.31 inches in diameter, to burn a 0.12 inch diameter hole another 1.75 inches deeper," says Koch. "Our customer didn't have the equipment, expertise or knowledge to do it themselves. Our EDM machines handled it with ease. Our customer was impressed.

"We like the ability to make custom power settings to achieve the highest amperage or fastest burn rate possible, as the adaptive control will watch and monitor the burn and correct the situation as needed. With that ability, we can run unattended and 'lights out.' This requires EDM machines that are capable of monitoring parameters at a consistently high level.

"Fischer is often requested to burn some incredible shapes, many of which are detailed and intense operations such as 0.011-inch diameter holes in a high temperature alloy with minimal wear on tight tolerances. With an electrode only 0.0083 inches in diameter that can easily become flimsy without monitored use, and then can ruin the job, we had to always count on operator expertise to make it perfect. Now, we just let the Makino machinery handle a lot of that detail for us with terrific results."

Taking Cost Out of Production [back to top]
Mike Fischer says his company has gained a number of efficiencies due to unattended operation. "Once we set up as many parts as we can, our goal is to run the machine unattended for as long as possible. The Makino control system also plays a major role in letting us burn 'lights out.' This saves us about 20 percent off any job.

"We have invested some time in getting prepared for the next wave of economic growth, which we think is ready to come. There are some signs it is leaning in that direction. New equipment depreciation elements of President Bush's tax plan should help a lot of companies, particularly in tool and die manufacturing," Fischer says.

Training and service have always been good from Makino, according to Fischer. But he feels that his company now benefits additionally from the Die/Mold Technologies operation being in Auburn Hills, Michigan, at the hub of the auto industry. "Training and seminars have been as valuable to us as the equipment. We can pick up a two or three percent improvement every time we attend one. That is almost as impressive as the Makino equipment and reliability."

Bill Koch believes that high-speed machining may take a percentage of work away from EDM machines. But, he is quick to add that there will always be a need for EDMs. "For intricate work such as narrow rims that are a long reach, you just cannot use a mill. You have to use an EDM," says Koch. "We are investigating the Makino HQSF™ process to see if it can replace some of our 12-micron polishing requirements, decreasing our bench work costs.

"When you are cutting hard steel, and the finished part may be worth $20,000 to $30,000, you cannot afford for a milling cutter to spring over and gouge the part. You need the detailed precision of an EDM. The haste for speed is only going to get you scrapped parts and dissatisfied customers. We know the honest results of EDM, and machines like Makino are always going to have a place."

For additional information about the services of Fischer Tool & Die Group, contact them at 7155 Industrial Drive, Temperance, Michigan 48182-9105. Mike Fischer can be contacted at 734-847-4788, or at mike@fischertool.com.

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