132117-JUN 2013.pdf

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Volume 16 / number 6

Design / bu ilD / repair

Machining Techniques:

Are You Finished Yet? PG 36.

Testing Engineered Options

For Mold Alignment PG 42.

Help Customers Gain Control

Of Mold and Part Quality PG 49.

FEATURES

WINNERS! PG 24. Tech Mold Inc.

Micro Mold Company, Inc.

its about time

we get connected.

At every Amerimold Expo, Progressive arrives with new products that

later become industry standards. This year it will be no different as we

demonstrate new features now available on our revolutionary CVe Monitor:

Monitor cycle times and maintenance activities

Internal 2GB Flash Drive to store drawings, set-up sheets, etc.

New options for wireless remote monitoring

While Progressive works to develop new ways to access information online,

from a distance, the Amerimold Expo offers the opportunity to see, up close,

how innovations like this can become proftable for you.

where visibility and proftability meet

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PublisherClaude J. Mas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Metalworking Group PublisherTravis J Egan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Editorial DirectorChristina M. Fuges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Senior WriterSherry L. Baranek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Economics EditorBill Wood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

Contributing Writer, Special Projects Jan Bottiglieri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

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Advertising Production ManagerBecky Helton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [email protected]

MoldMaking Technology magazine (ISSN #1098-3198) is published monthly by Gardner Business Media, Inc., 6915 Valley Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244. 800-950-8020, 513-527-8800, Fax: 513-527-8801, gardnerweb.com. Canadian Agreement #40012278.Nonqualifed subscription rates per year are $89.00 in the United States, $99.00 in Canada and

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of this publication. Publication of product/service information should not be deemed as a recommen-dation by the publisher. Editorial contributions are accepted from the moldmaking industry. Contact the editor for details. Product/service information should be submitted in accordance with guidelines available from the editor.Change of address: Send old label as well as new address to Circulation, MoldMaking Technology

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Great Tips from This Issue5TRICKS OF THE TRADE

Contents


Features

24 Winner Tech Mold Inc.: A Triple Threat!

30 Honorable Mention Micro Mold Company, Inc.: Partnering to

Push the Limits

36 Cutting Tools Machining Techniques: Are You Finished Yet?

Great strides in cutting tool and machining techniques in the last couple of decades are enabling more Yes answers.

42 Mold Components Testing Engineered Options for Mold Alignment

Performance data helps select the best treatment, improve the design and chart more precise application recommendations.

49 Hot Runners Help Customers Gain Control of Mold and Part Quality

A look at the hot runner temperature controller.

54 Mold Maintenance/Repair In the Trenches: Shaving with Occams Razor

How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?

Departments

6 From the Editor: 2013 Leadtime Leader Winners

6 Whats New on MMT Online: Leadtime Leader Awards

8 New Business Opportunities: Expanding Your Business

10 Your Business: Apprenticeship Training

12 MoldMaking Business Index

14 Profile: TMA

21 Case Study: EDM

60 Product Focus: amerimold Exhibitor Product Showcase

77 MoldMaking Marketplace

78 End Market Report: Computers and Medical

79 Ad Index

80 TIP: Cutting Tools

On THE COvER

Image courtesy of Creative Technology Corporation (creat.com)

and Tech Mold Inc. On the cover (l to r) from 2013 Leadtime

Leader Award Winner Tech Mold Inc. are moldmaker Tyler

Schwenning, VP of Operations Karl Szanto, and moldmakers

Steve Schraufnagel, Mike Vanstone and Mark Gacy.

Images courtesy of (left to right) Micro Mold, Progressive Components and Fast Heat.

1. Productivity KeyThe key to raising produc-tivity is to consider the total package of the EDM production process, including electrode material selection, applica-tion set-up and machine parameter settings. PG. 21.

2. Making a Difference Always speak with your customers and design engineers to help them understand what a difference a larger radius in the part makes in the machining process.PG. 36.

3. Test Data Misalignment of mold halves can result in expensive mold damage, downtime and part rejects, but now you can provide a signifcant increase in longevity with more accu-rate application guidelines for the designer. PG. 42.

4. Prediction Tool An advanced temperature controller allows for complexity and precision by managing all zones as a complete system while predicting temperature behavior and reacting to trends. PG. 49.

5. Staying Sharp Whether its buying new, sending to a sharpen-ing service, or bringing the sharpening equipment in-house, the need for sharp tools is prevalent in mold manufacturing. PG. 80.

June 2013 Volume 16 / Number 6

494230

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47

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This MonTh on moldmakingtechnology.com

From the Editor


Winners!

Through this years Awardspresented by MMT and Progressive

Componentswe honor two outstanding mold manufacturers

who demonstrate excellence in overall innovation, efficiency,

quality and commitment.

Christina M. Fuges

Editorial Director

MMT Zone: Leadtime Leader Awardsmoldmakingtechnology.com/articles/leadtime-leader-awardsTo honor outstanding North American mold manufacturers who best demonstrate overall innovation, efficiency, quality and commitment within their moldmaking operations while raising the bar in terms of mold engineering, building, repair and management MoldMaking Technology created the Leadtime Leader Awards.

Browse Past Leadtime Leader Features 2013, Tech Mold Inc.: A Triple Threat! 2013, Micro Mold Co.: Partnerships Push the Limits 2012, Industrial Molds Group: Thinking Outside of the Box 2012, M&M Tool and Mold: Niche Manufacturing Sustains

Profitability 2011, United Tool & Mold, Inc.: Charging Forward with

Unique Mold Repair Niche 2011, JMMS.: Constant Reinvention Results in

Growth, Success 2010, Triangle Tool: Product-to-Tool Service 2010, Mold Craft, Inc.: Innovation with Automation

eligibility requirements Any shop performing moldmaking operations is eligible. All application submissions will be considered.

BeneFiTs Industry recognition and credibility Attract new customers and add value to your overall

service and product Boost morale in the shop Distinguish your shop as an industry leader and promote

your shops capabilities and services on sales calls Build confidence with new and existing customers Increase awareness and reinforce your brand Realize business growth as you continue to enhance

and develop your mold build process winner And HonorABLe MenTion rewards

Free expanded showroom on PTonline.com and moldmakingtechnology.com

A full feature cover story on your shop in MoldMaking Technology magazine

Complimentary 10 x 10 booth as well as 2 complimentary full conference registrations for amerimold 2014

ToP winner rewardLeadtime Leader Award Winners earn a targeted advertising program in Plastics Technology magazine (ptonline.com) to market their products and services to more than 25,500 molding subscribers at more than 11,600 molding facilities!

You can see their full features on pages 24 and 30,

but here Id like to share some of the people behind

how these mold manufacturers arrived to where

they are today. There is much behind the success

of this years winner, but it began with one man. In

1972, Bill Kushmaul started Tech Mold (Tempe, AZ)

with a Bridgeport, a grinder and a few basic hand

tools. By the early 1980s, Tech Mold was building

molds for some leading, up-and-coming industries,

which then depended upon Tech Mold to engineer

and manufacture innovative, high-volume molds. To remain successful Tech

Mold needed to be flexible, and so when offshoring began Tech Mold found

new customers in new markets. Next Tech Mold began to heavily invest and

integrate engineering and manufacturing technologies, but a major chal-

lenge became the business of moldmaking. Kushmaul explains, Most of us

who started these companies many years ago had minimal business skills, so

making the transition from a technical person to a business person wasnt

easy. We had to fight our way through and hire the right people to do what

we couldnt. This journey has led Tech Mold to the Leadtime Leader title.

Our 2013 Honorable Mention Micro Mold Company, Inc. (Erie, PA) was

founded by Tim Katen and Dave Mead in 1978 with a focus on manufactur-

ing high quality plastic injection molds. They both poured their life sav-

ings into the business and officially launched in a 1,400-square foot, rented

garage. Staying committed to excellence in service, advanced engineering

and conservative fiscal management, they invested in more employees and

advanced machining; sampling services and initial production requests

that led to the launch of sister company, Plastikos in 1989. When offshor-

ing began, Micro Mold honed in on the medical and electronic connector

industries to survive. In 2009, Tim and Dave retired and passed the reins to

second-generation owners, Ryan and Philip Katen, and Rob Cooney, who

pushed the company to pursue new technologies and industries. This track

record has landed them this years Honorable Mention title.

Dont forget this years winner and honorable mention will be honored

at an Awards Ceremony at the amerimold Expo (amerimoldexpo.com) in

Rosemont, IL, on Wednesday, June 12th at 5:00pm. You can also visit Tech

Mold at Booth # 728 and Micro Mold at Booth # 130.

Follow MMT on: Follow @MMTMag

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New Business Opportunities

Tips and Strategies for Expanding Your Business

By Patrick Hunter

Following are a few tips and strategies to apply in order to

expand your business:

Select a Target Market: Stay focused on what you do best.

Having a clear target will help you easily decide on all other

aspects of your businessmachines, man-power, supporting

technology, marketing efforts, etc. If your target industries

require it, make sure you obtain all the appropriate certifica-

tions, so you can meet the standards of even the most exigent

of customers.

Choose Your Allies: Your network of friends and business

contacts can be an extremely valuable source for information

and leads. Talk to everybody you know about directing cus-

tomers your way, ask for advice about best business practices,

and develop strategic partnerships. Create word-of-mouth

among your peers and use their connections and knowledge to

expand your business.

Stand Out from the Crowd and Identify Lead Generation

Sources: Make sure you are prepared to communicate your

added value. Be ready to explain why you are a better choice

than any of your competitors. Identify where you can generate

sales leads for your business.

Adapt: The last few years have affected most small businesses

tremendously, but the ones who managed to weather the

storm are the ones who were able to adapt to all the major

changes in the market. Understanding how demand evolves

and being able to adjust to it, is vital and can help you land on

your feet when other businesses fail.

Diversify Your Services: Accepting jobs outside of your

core capabilities can be risky. However, if your current capabil-

ities support growth in new directions, make sure you consider

the possibility of diversifying. In some cases, changes in the

market will force you to diversify. The easiest way to expand is

to look at your existing range of services or products and see if

you can go one step deeper into the manufacturing process.

Diversify Your Customer Base: Maintaining a customer

base that is relatively diverse in company size, geographical

location, industry and volume, will make you less vulnerable.

Innovate: Industry leaders easily adopt new technologies,

while followers fight to keep up, or fail. Something as easy as

updating the software you are using, can make the difference

between being competitive and profitable, and going out of

business.

Streamline: Keeping a tight production schedule, prioritizing

jobs and trying to become as independent as possible from

outside suppliers, should help improve your output and create

a more seamless workflow. This will also allow you to better

estimate your future cash flow and identify specific aspects of

your business that need improvement.

Be Flexible and Creative: Finding creative ways to use your

equipment can help you save time and money. Its a great idea

to invest in equipment that can incorporate secondary work in

its primary function.

Grow Sustainably: Giant leaps of faith often prove to be

more detrimental than beneficial, and can significantly hinder

your business in the long term. Invest as you go and always

make sure that every capital equipment purchase you make is

cost-efficient. Consider all the collateral costs (training, new

hires, etc.), and make sure you have the right sales and market-

ing strategy to keep your new technology/equipment busy.

Maintain Visibility: Make sure you have visibility. Regardless

of how you approach the development of your business, make

sure enough potential customers know about you. With more

and more customers using the Internet to identify new sup-

pliers, an online presence can help you get the exposure you

need, and can direct customers your way without too much

effort on your end.

conTriBuTor

Patrick Hunter is Sr. Vice President, Marketplace Operations for MFG.com.

FOr MOrE InFOrMATIOn:

MFG.com / (678) 556-2949 / [email protected] / MFG.com

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Your Business


By Ryan Pohl

In previous articles, we discussed the value of having a struc-

tured training plan. Now I would like to explore one of the

oldest forms of structured learning: apprenticeship training.

Historically, apprenticeship training has been viewed as an

essential element to long-term sustainability for any business

that employed skilled workers. Nowadays, there is some confu-

sion as to how apprenticeships can be relevant in a modern

mold-building environment. Current technology and processes

have changed the landscape of the industry, leaving many shop

owners and managers wondering if this traditional method of

employee development is still the right way to train new people

coming into the trade. My response to this is, Yes. A modern

apprenticeship program is still a highly effective means of

building a workforce.

Before diving into how to build an apprenticeship program

(in the next article), I would like to address a major roadblock

that I have encountered in trying to get companies to use

apprenticeship training. One

of the most common objec-

tions to apprenticeships is the

fear of over-training. Many

managers are concerned that

their employees will learn a

bunch of stuff theyre never

going to use.

Due to the greatly

increased use of technol-

ogy and automation in the

industry most shops have a

workforce with very special-

ized skills. We have moldmak-

ers who will never touch a CNC machine and CNC machinists

who will never build a mold; so with the heavy focus on doing

all things value-added, it is sometimes hard to understand

where apprenticeship programs fit.

To address these fears, I would like to look at this idea of

learning too much. Can anyone really learn too much about

this trade? Are our brains designed in such a way that we have

to be careful to not hit their capacity? Of course not! Everyone

in this trade knows the type of challenges we face. The more

we know and the more our skilled workers know will only

benefit us in the long run.

Apprenticeship training is as much about preparing a per-

son to be a good machinist today as it is about preparing that

same person to be a good project engineer 15 years from now.

This is a skilled industry that requires a depth of knowledge.

Apprenticeship training builds a foundation that is designed

to drive innovation for years to come. It is a long-term invest-

ment in the future stability of the company and the industry

in general. The key to apprenticeships today is to design a

program that it is relevant to our modern industry in both its

delivery and substance.

If we are afraid to teach our workers too much about their

industry, we will have effectively allowed the misperceptions

about what it means to be in a skilled trade to grow. The

general population knows very little about this trade and

can rarely distinguish between skilled trade manufacturing

and production manufacturing. By committing to long-term,

in-depth training we will change misconceptions about our

industry and attract the top talent we need for the growth

opportunities we have in front of us. Our talented workers will

be more satisfied and our ability to innovate will continue to

be second-to-none.

contRiButoR

Ryan Pohl is President of Expert Tech.

For more inFormation:

Expert tech / (616) 785-5733

[email protected] / expert-technical.com

Apprenticeship training is

as much about preparing

a person to be a good

machinist today as it

is about preparing that

same person to be a good

project engineer 15 years

from now.

Finding, training & Retaining EmployeesApprenticeship Training

Part 4 oF a series

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essentials from the team you already trust. DME Industrial Supplies is now fully integrated into the

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MoldMaking Business Index


upward momentum in the sub-index for

Materials Prices continued to decelerate

in recent weeks, and the Materials Prices

sub-index eased back 61.4. So materials

prices continue to rise, but the rate of the

gains are moderating. Supplier Delivery

Times are starting to stabilize, as this com-

ponent registered 52.4 in April. Offshore

orders extended their downward trend last

month. The Exports sub-index was 46.8.

The MoldMaking Business Index is

based on a monthly survey of subscrib-

ers to MoldMaking Technology magazine.

Using the data from this survey, Gardner

Research calculates a diffusion index

based on 50.0. A value above 50.0 for the

index indicates that business activity

expanded when compared with the previ-

ous month, and a value below 50.0 means that business levels

declined.

Total Index for April 2013: 49.0

Our latest survey of the North American moldmaking industry

indicates that overall activity levels slipped a bit in April. The

MoldMaking Business Index for April 2013 is 49.0 (a value

less than 50.0 indicates a decrease in business levels for the

month). The latest index value is a 2.2-point decrease from the

March value of 51.2, and it is a 5.8-point decrease from the 54.8

value posted in April 2012.

Though our Index came in modestly weaker than the previ-

ous month, it should not yet raise many concerns. If the index

begins a more rapid downward trajectory, it would indicate that

manufacturers were aggressively cutting back on production

and investment. But the index would need to stay below the

45-level for a few months for this to be a major concern. GDP

growth this quarter will likely come in below 2%, but it will

gradually accelerate in the second half of the year. This quarter,

the economy is digesting the fiscal drag caused by lower govern-

ment spending and stagnant income growth for households.

The New Orders component came in at 50.0 in the latest

month, which means that the level of new business was

unchanged when compared with the previous month. The

Production sub-index of 52.7 indicates that work levels increased

moderately when compared with the previous month. Anytime

you have a month in which new orders are flat, but production

levels increase the logical result is a decline in backlogs. This is

exactly what happened in April as the Backlogs sub-index fell to

40.7 for the month. The Employment component is 51.7, which

means that payrolls were higher for the fourth straight month,

but the rate of expansion is decelerating.

The prices received in the moldmaking sector weakened a bit

in April. The Prices Received sub-index for March is 49.0. The

After hovering just above the breakeven 50-line for a couple of months, our Mold-

Making Business Index slipped to 49.0 in April. This modest decline refected a

loss of momentum in the U.S. manufacturing sector and the overall U.S. economy.

In terms of the pace of growth, the second quarter of 2013 will be the weak-

est quarter of the year for the U.S. GDP data. That means that the worst is now

behind us. The economic data will continue to show the effects of lower govern-

ment spending for another quarter or two, but these effects are diminishing with

each passing month. Overall GDP growth will come in somewhere between 2% and

2.5% this year, but it will accelerate to at least 3.5% in 2014. The housing sector

is fnally able to lead the economy into a self-sustaining recovery, and this will

be corroborated by steady improvement in the employment data. Lower energy

prices resulting from an increased use of domestic natural gas resources will also

spur accelerating economic growth by the middle of this decade.

Sub-Indices April March Change Direction Rate Trend

New Orders 50.0 52.8 -2.8 Flat From Growing 1

Production 52.7 51.6 1.1 Growing Faster 4

Backlog 40.7 44.4 -3.7 Contracting Faster 13

Employment 51.7 54.0 -2.3 Growing Slower 4

Exports 46.8 48.0 -1.2 Contracting Faster 11

Supplier Deliveries 52.4 56.6 -4.2 Lengthening Less 5

Material Prices 61.4 67.6 -6.2 Increasing Less 17

Prices Received 49.0 48.8 0.2 Decreasing Less 2

Future Business Expectations 65.7 68.6 -2.9 Improving Less 17

MoldMaking Business Index 49.0 51.2 -2.2 Contracting From Growing 1

55

50

45

40

60

1/13

12/12

11/12

10/12

9/12

8/12

7/12

6/12

5/12

4/12

3/12

2/12

1/12

12/11

2/13

MoldMaking Business Index

3/13

4/13

Profle


The Tooling & Manufacturing Association (TMA):

Educational Opportunities Aplenty!

By Sherry L. Baranek

The Tooling & Manufacturing Association

(TMA) was founded in 1925 by eight small

manufacturing companies who thought they

would be stronger as a united entity. Over the

years its members established programs and

services that would help their businesses grow

and prosper, train their employees, and provide

medical and retirement benefits. Today, TMA

has grown into a nearly 1,000 member, not-for-

profit organization of precision manufacturing

and supplier companies in the greater Chicago

area, thanks to these early efforts.

According to TMA Director of Education

Patrick Osborne, training and education is

once again a major priority at TMA after train-

ing efforts slowed for a few years during the

recent reces-

sion. Companies typically

join TMA, pay a fee, and

then send their employees

to classes. I am excited

to say the program is

once again running at full

speed, Osborne affirms.

TMA member Janler Corp.

(Chicago, IL)a manufac-

turer of close-tolerance,

multi-cavity moldshas

been a member for nearly

60 years. My father, Josef

Klingler was President in 1972, so I am a second generation

officer of the association, explains Carol Ebel, Janlers current

president. I was Chairman three years ago and currently am

President of the TMA Education Foundation.

Ebel is looking to TMA for support in training the next

generation of moldmakers. I have concerns regarding the

development of our current and future workforcein all

disciplineswhether technical, administrative or marketing/

sales, she states. It is wonderful to see this area of the asso-

ciation solidly evolving while embracing the current needs of

the members and industry. TMAs educational offerings are

broad and we have taken advantage of them in many areas.

We currently have three apprentices enrolled in the technical

training and will be adding a fourth. TMA President Brian

McGuire adds, We recognize that training is an extension of

an owners investment in the future productivity and profit-

ability of their company.

Apprentice Training

The following education opportunities are available to TMA

members:

Related Theory

TMAs Related Theory Apprentice Training Program is one of

its most popular, Osborne notes. It is a three-year program that

culminates with a specialty in moldmaking, tool and die, or

CNC programming. Approximately 35 students will be starting

their third-year specialty training in the fall, with more than 75

starting their second year. The next round of classes starts in

September and TMA is hopeful for even bigger enrollment in

the first year of training.

The first year the students will take math, blueprint read-

ing and machine tool technology, he elaborates. The second

year they take an entire year of machine tool technology with

a greater emphasis on math and CNC. The third year students

will be asked to choose whether they want to become mold-

makers, tool and die makers or CNC programmers. My chal-

lenge is to prepare the curriculum and get the instructors well

prepared to teach each of these groups.

Third year specialty moldmaking is being offered again for

the first time in many years at TMA. Students will complete

168 hours over 56 sessions and will focus on the theory of

Third year specialty

moldmaking is being

offered again for the frst

time in many years at

TMA. Students will complete

168 hours over 56 sessions

and will focus on the

theory of moldmaking.

A number of TMA member companies have donated equipment for the

association to use in its training initiatives.

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Tool HoldersShrinking TechnologyBalancing MachinesMeasuring InstrumentsTool Management

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Diameter range from 1/8

Cool Flash:

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Cooling slots feed the

coolant down to the cut-

ting edge of the tool.

moldmaking. Content includes a study of the mold cavity

and core, runners, gates, fitting details, shutoffs, methods of

construction, clearances, mold base technology and materials

as well as locking devices. Instruction also includes overflows,

venting, side cores, mold finishes and polishing techniques.

Students also learn about types of molds, materials, water

lines, cooling strategies, limit switches, pressure testing, plastic

resins and shrink rates.

If manufacturers wish to enroll their employees in the

program, potential students need to take a WorkKeys job

skills assessment examdeveloped by ACTthat tests

employee competence in several areas to measure the partici-

pants readiness for training. The exam focuses on three areas:

Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, and Reading

for Information. After the students complete WorkKeys

assessments, they are eligible for National Career Readiness

Certification (NCRC) from ACT. Then, they are ready for

Related Theory, Osborne notes.

Chris Saragaglia, a CNC five-axis machinist for mold manu-

facturer Chicago Mold Engineering (CME; St. Charles, IL),

teaches 14 students introductory math, blueprint reading and

machine tool technology two nights a week. He got involved

when CMEs comptroller Brian Hisel attended a TMA event

and met Osborne.

In math, we started with simple single-digit adding, subtract-

ing, multiplying and dividingworking our way through algebra

and getting almost to trigonometry, Saragaglia says. We will

cover that next semester in advanced math. Blueprint reading

covers every aspect of printsfrom their history, to the alphabet

of lines, to present day. Saragaglia adds that all of his students

are doing well, with none below a B average.

Janlers apprentices have found the courses worthwhile. First-

year apprentice Frank Palminteri is taking math and blueprint

reading. Overall, its been a good experience, Palminteri notes.

Learning math formulas and terms for blueprint reading has

helped me understand how to do my job efficiently and correctly.

Second-year apprentice Mariusz Piotrowski said he learned

new CNC codes and found the blueprint reading class he took

in his first year particularly helpful to understand the prints on

the shop floor. Fellow second-year Garrett Honaker adds that

the CNC class gave him a broad look as to what he could expect

in the workplaceespecially when it came to identifying basic

machines that can be found in the shop.

Osborne is also looking to extend TMAs reach with the start-

up of some satellite training facilities at Smith & Richardson Inc.

(Geneva, IL), providers of both precision machined parts and

metal casting chaplets, and CME. This

will lend itself to getting our programs

numbers back up, Osborne asserts.

Online Program

For more motivated students, Osborne

notes that TMA has Roadmaps for the

Top 6 TMA Careers that combine online

and instructor-led training. The program

starts with the New Hire/Basic Skills

Training Roadmap, he explains. These

courses assess the new employees skills,

determine trainability and introduce basic

manufacturing concepts and competen-

cies. Safety Practices and Regulations,

Mathematics 1, Inspection Techniques 1

(measurement) and Blueprint Reading are

among the course offerings.

There is also a Roadmap for CNC

Operator Training, CNC Programmer

Training, Die Maker Training, and

Moldmaker Training, Osborne adds.

New Training Initiative

CNC Hands-on Training

TMA has also recently launched its first-

ever, hands-on CNC training program at

IMS Buhrke-Olson (Arlington Heights,

IL)a manufacturer of precision metal

Profle


For more inFormation:

TMA / (847) 825-1120

[email protected] / tmanet.com

Alro Steel / alro.com

Chicago Mold Engineering

chicagomold.com

Haas Automation Inc. / haascnc.com

IMS Buhrke-Olson / buhrke.com

Janler Corp. / janler.com

Sandvik Coromant

sandvikcoromant.com/us

stampings and mechanical assemblies. CNC is a huge part

of the industry now and we want to invest in that training,

Osborne notes. We are addressing the needs of the mold-

making and tool and die candidates as well as the machinist

candidates. TMA purchased a Haas ST-10 lathe and Haas gen-

erously entrusted a VF-2YT five- axis VMC for five-axis train-

ing. McGuire adds that the new course continues TMAs long

tradition of providing programs and services that allow our

member companies and their employees to thrive. (Editors

Note: TMA is now an official Haas Technical Education

Center [HTEC].)

The program will eventually have three courses. The first

course, a 16-week introduction to programming, set-up and

operation, is well underway. The next 16-week course, still

under construction, will involve more programming and

hands-on machining, Osborne notes. We will visualize a

project for the class to work on where the students would

each machine different milling and turning components of the

project and assemble for a final project at the end, he states.

A third level course is also on the horizonwhich will

involve five-axis trainingwhich Osborne adds TMA member-

ship is very excited about. What is really nice about the pro-

gram is the level of support that TMA has received from its

member companies, he comments. Space has been donated

by IMS Buhrke-Olson, Haas entrusted a new five-axis mill,

Sandvik Coromant donated a start-up tooling package, DoAll

Company donated a new saw, Versatility Tool Works donated a

new tool chest storage system, Rieke Office Interiors donated

new classroom tables and Alro Steel is our official materials

supplier, with new steel and aluminum being delivered at the

start of every new class. There have also been numerous mon-

etary and miscellaneous material donationsfar too many to

mentionfrom many TMA members, that were essential to the

successful launch of this program.

Osborne adds that there is a huge demand within member-

ship for qualified CNC machinists and that this new hands-on

program will fill a large void. To that end, he notes that this is

one of the reasons that TMA purchased equipment and machin-

ery and created a new training curriculumaligning it with

NIMS standards to benefit TMA members.

TMA is also interested in training veterans. I am working

with the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs to try and offer

newly developed CNC training programs, Osborne comments.

My hope is that within 16 weeks we could steer graduates into

our member companies for employment opportunities.

Facing the Future

Janlers Ebel believes that the TMA com-

munity is thriving. In addition to the

formal training offering, there is a tre-

mendous sharing going on among the

members, she affirms. The generations

are mixing and the vibes are great! It is

so exciting to see this type of activity

at TMA. Theres nothing stodgy about

it. TMAs management team has really

brought new life to the organization and

our membership continues to bring great

value to us.

With its 85 employees across three divisions concentrating on upfront collaboration, mold

design and build, and mold and process validation; 12- to 20-week leadtimes for complex molds

and many other mold types; concerted sales and marketing strategy, creative use of both

employee and supplier resources; solid shop foor management system; delivery improvement;

emphasis on quality suppliers; a grow your own workforce philosophy; customer mold

maintenance training; and a solid concentration on innovation in new manufacturing

technologies and processes for themselves and for their customersincluding an impressive

list of customer case studies (e.g., a unique coining process to redesign a Test Plate to provide

greater speed-to-market for new pharmaceuticals; a mold that would rotate into position

for the injection and coining processes; a proprietary valve gate actuation system; in-mold

serviceability; full central lube; in-mold assembly; quick electrical disconnects; and self-

correcting manufacturing) has earned Tech Mold the 2013 Leadtime Leader Winner title. See

full story on page 24.

A small company with 20 employees, 8- to 14-week leadtimes for complex molds; a sister

molding company offering processing capabilities; a partnering approach with customers;

innovative job leader role; automated EDM work cells (including a high-speed machining

center coupled with a CNC EDM interfaced with a robot) that helps bring customer products

to market (e.g., Alcon handle; cinch connector and mini insulin pump); value-added sampling

services impacting leadtimes; quoting strategy via a new product risk assessment for all

new design/build projects improving upfront collaboration; committed sales and marketing

efforts; unique employee performance bonus program; train your own employee approach

(4-year program; 576 hours of night school class work in conjunction with 8,000 hours of

on-the-job training; as well as sales & marketing, mold validation and leadership training);

and, a strong team mentality have allowed Micro Mold to bring home this years Honorable

Mention title. See full story on page 30.

SPONSORED BY

Take a Tour of our 2013 Leadtime Leaders at http://short.moldmakingtechnology.com/2013lla

For more information on the Leadtime Leader Awards, contact Christina Fuges, Editorial Director,

MoldMaking Technology magazine, (800) 579-8809; [email protected]

Case Study / EDM

moldmakingtechnology.com 21

Case Study / EDM

Understanding the Total Package of the

EDM Production Process Is the

Key to Raising Productivity


By Jan Bottiglieri, Contributing Writer, Special Projects

When Eric Roach was asked to be engineer for all the EDM

projects at the Siemens Energy facility where he works, he

knew it was a great opportunitynot only to move his career

forward, but to expand his knowledge base. I knew very little

about how EDM truly works, he says. I only knew that EDM

used electricity to remove material. I knew there was a lot

more to understand.

Today, Roach is Process Engineer/EDM - Machining/Air

Flow - CMM at Siemens Energy in Rural Hall, NC, which pro-

duces turbines for fossil power generation. He filled his EDM

knowledge gap with training provided by Poco Graphite, a

division of Entegris (Decatur TX).

This case study is just one example of how the right EDM

training can raise productivity, and that includes within a

mold manufacturing facility. POCO provides such training

and technical information through its EDM Training Program

free of charge. Classes are

held at POCO Training

Centers in North America,

Europe and Asia; training

can also be conducted at

customer facilities.

The course Roach select-

ed was EDM Operation

and Electrode Material

Selection. It was an eye-opener, he reports. Learning about

the number of variables you can control on the machine was

very interesting, and to be able to leave the class with an

understanding of each really helped our facility.

At the training center in Decatur, TX, where Roach attended

training, POCOs EDM Laboratory makes it possible for stu-

dents to perform test cuts to assess the performance of selected

electrode/work metal combinations. They can also experiment

with different machine settings to learn how to achieve the

desired metal removal rate, surface finish or electrode wear.

Though Roach was the only process engineer from his loca-

tion to attend the training, it has translated into a substantial

productivity increase for the entire shop, he says. I personally

have been able to transfer this knowledge from the classroom

to the production floor to decrease cycle times to a quarter of

the original cycle time.

During the development of new parts and repair processes

you will have issues, he adds. During brainstorming sessions

with colleagues, Im able give valuable input on the EDM process

since I now have a truer understanding of how EDM works.

Since completing the training, POCO has supported Siemens

with further training and assistance at the Siemens facility in

Rural Hall, to help Roach put what he learned into action and

further boost productivity.

The training is set in a classroom environment with basic

testing being conducted on our EDM sinker, says Jerry Mercer,

EDM Applications Manager at Poco Graphite. While we try

as much as possible, we often cannot duplicate exactly what

attendees experience on their own shop floor. We offer the

opportunity for companies to take advantage of after training

applications support (also provided at no charge) with an expe-

POCO offers after training applications support with an experienced

EDM applications specialist at the customers location.

The best way to determine

the training best suited to

your company is to fnd out

what your customers need.

Imag

e co

urte

sy o

f P

OC

O.


Case Study / EDM

rienced POCO EDM Applications Specialist at the customers

location. This gives them the chance to take their training to

the next level in a production environment, focused specifical-

ly on their own application with their own equipment. Often,

we experience further productivity improvements. POCO also

offers an EDM Technical Manual available free of charge, by

request, to anyone in the industry.

An Investment in Productivity

Evolving customer demand is often cited as an impetus for fur-

ther training. Roach says that, for the Service Fossil business he

works in, turnaround time is important. We will always strive to

give the customer a better part in the shortest amount of time.

So, any time you can increase productivity it will, in the end, help

the company meet these customer demands.

According to Mercer, the key to rais-

ing productivity is to consider the total

package of the EDM production process,

including electrode material selection,

application set-up (tooling, flushing, etc.)

and machine parameter settings.

When all three aspects to applica-

tion are considered, the total outcome

is almost always an increase in produc-

tivity. We teach our students to look at

the application and treat each process

separately in relation to key performance

objectives. Each process in the applica-

tion is broken down into individual seg-

ments to identify potential opportunities

for improvement, and to discern how a

change in one aspect affects the perfor-

mance of another.

We have had students with many years

in front of an EDM sinker attend our

training only to say that this was the first

time they have understood exactly how

the EDM process works, Mercer adds.

Roach advises that the best way to

determine the training best suited to your

company is to find out what your custom-

ers need. Just speak with your sales repre-

sentative and talk to them about the issues

customers are havingthen make the deci-

sion based on those needs, he says.

For his shop, the training has been an

investment well worth his time. The

increased productivity you will be able to

achieve after taking the class will easily

exceed the cost of attending, he says.

For more InFormAtIon:

Poco Graphite /

poco.com/Applications/

EDM/EDMTraining.aspx

The moment you realize that new requirements

do not require new equipment.

This is the moment we work for.

Having both contact and optical scanning technology

allows the new O-INSPECT 322 to do the work of a CMM,

a microscope, a profile projector, and a contour measuring

instrument. One machine for your inspection needs.

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2013 Leadtime Leader Awards: Winner


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Tech Mold is a feast for the eyeswell lit, flled with the latest in high-tech

equipment, a beehive of activity.

Tech Mold Inc. A TrIple ThreAT!

A three-division approach, technology

innovation and a grow-your-own skilled

workforce allows this mold manufacturer

to balance the entire moldmaking

processensuring continued success

and landing it this years 2013 Leadtime

Leader Award Winner title.

Never allow yourself to get too high during the highs

or too low during the lows. These wordsspoken

by 2013 Leadtime Leader Award winner Tech Mold

Inc.s (Tempe, AZ) president Bill Kushmaulhave served

as a mantra for his employees and allowed the company to

achieve a steady, balanced growth over its 40-year history.

More than a moldmaker, Tech Mold closely collaborates with

both industry suppliers and customers to bring innovative

solutions to meet its customers needs in the three primary

markets the company serves: medical disposables, pharma-

ceutical closures, and food and beverage packaging.

Key to findingand maintainingthis balance is to contin-

ue to concentrate on the aforementioned three primary mar-

kets the company serves, Kushmaul maintains. Medical/phar-

maceutical disposables; packaging (food/beverage) including

caps/closures; and consumer products for companies that are

the leaders in their markets require high-volume production

molds that must meet very rigorous requirements, and that is

our expertise, he states. Our goal is always to continue our

efforts to expand our customer base within the markets that

we serve. We do this because we focus on those markets and

customers that require high-volume production molds with

absolute consistency and repeatability anywhere in the world

they choose to run the molds.

Achieving continued balance requires the company to con-

stantly evaluateand reevaluateits processes. We believe

that we must build a company that is stable enough to survive

the ups and downs that the mold manufacturing industry is

subject to, he affirms. This requires constant evaluation of

each and every project, innovation and technology. Theres

always a certain degree of the unknown when we start a new


project because just about everything we do in this industry

is one-off. Almost any mold we build comes with its own

unique challenges and requirements that is totally different

from any other mold weve done. We do not consider this a

high risk; it is however, a learning experience. We believe that

growth with stability is the best way to achieve a long-term,

successful company. Its okay not to be the biggest if you find a

place where youre comfort-

able and growing consis-

tently. Growth is expensive,

so we have to find that

balancedont grow so

fast that you outstrip your

resources, but fast enough

to maintain and maximize

our resources.

A total of 85 employees

deliver the following ser-

vices with leadtimes that

vary from four to 20 weeks

depending upon the proj-

ect: mold design, engineer-

ing; product development,

pre-production/pilot mold,

high-volume production

molds, special tooling and

fixtures; mold qualification and tryouts; and molding manu-

facturing with optional cell development incorporating auto-

mation. Mold types include stack, Spin Stack cubes, two-shot

(two-material), single-face molds up to 512 cavities; molds for

in-mold labeling and other in-mold functionssuch as in-

mold closing of snap-hinges for closures.

Building Blocks

Tech Mold has three buildings that house different specialties

to provide its customers with a full-service approach. The main

facility houses administration, sales, engineering and produc-

tion manufacturing, including molds, special tooling, compo-

nents and mold bases; formal apprenticeship training and pro-

vides training of customer maintenance personnel. Tech Mold

R&D contains non-aluminum prototype molds, pre-production

(referred to by some as pilot) molds, repairs of existing molds,

and fixtures, as well as mold engineering and development.

Tech Mold East accommodates mold qualification/tryouts,

process validation, short-run molding, automated manufactur-

ing cell development, and private customer working rooms.

Additionally, project management is demonstrated from start to

finishwith a mold design book provided that shows the com-

plete mold design/build, so that maintenance is made easier for

the OEM or the molder who will run and maintain the mold.

Daring Designs

Tech Mold develops technologies and ground-breaking mold

designs for its customers. For example, Tech Mold Vice

President Vince Lomax points out that using a unique coining

system, the company helped one of its global customers rede-

sign a test plate to optimize both the customers manufacturing

process and the test plates performance. The purpose of this

was to reduce the amount of time it takes to get a new drug on

the market, Lomax explains.

Tech Mold designed and manufactured a mold that would

rotate into position for the injection and coining processes,

Lomax continues. Working closely with both the customer and

the machinery manufacturer, we refined the two-shot process

at Tech Mold East. The entire molding cellcomplete with

We believe that

growth with stability

is the best way to

achieve a long-term,

successful company.

Its okay not to be

the biggest if you find

a place where youre

comfortable and

growing consistently.

Video

Access video

at end of article.

Collaboration is a big part of Tech Molds success. One

enabling innovation was the offce roundtable, allowing staff

to conveniently work in their own space or collaborate by

simply turning around.


2013 Leadtime Leader Awards: Winner2013 Leadtime Leader Awards: Winner


automationwas proven and molding param-

eters established at Tech Mold East. This

allowed the entire manufacturing

cell to be shipped to the customers molding

facility for installation, thus greatly reducing

production readiness at their facility.

The company also produced a 16-cavity,

syringe mold to accommodate in-mold label-

ing that provides reduced costs to manufac-

ture, greater security using label technology

with forensic coding in the labelallowing

for point-of-use authenticity. Obviously the

value of this technology is to combat counter-

feit drugs, Lomax says. This was showcased

at NPE in April 2012 and received the Judges

Award in the International Parts Design Competition, he notes.

This show mold was the result of collaboration and teamwork,

which included a new hot runner side-gating system developed

by Mold-Masters, label innovations by Inland Label, a molding

machine by Milacron and high-speed automation innovations by

CBW Automationtruly an example of complete collaboration.

To solve a challenge for a customer manufacturing aerosol

caps, Tech Mold developed an in-mold assembly manufactur-

ing technology that uses a two-stage side action movement

that allows the nozzle to be inserted into the molded cap, prior

to ejection The second part is molded at the same time as the

main cap. As the mold opens, a unique movement reposi-

tions the insert and assembles it directly into the cap, Lomax

details. This technology proved so successful that it elimi-

nated the need for a second assembly line for the nozzle inser-

tion, a separate mold for the nozzle insert and post-molding

assembly equipment that our customer estimated would have

been cost prohibitive. Certainly this complex mold cost more,

but with the overall savings to the project budget, it was a big

victory for the customer.

Equipment ListThe following is just some of the equipment Leadtime Leader Tech Mold,

Inc. uses on its shop foor to get the job done quickly and effciently.

CNC Equipment

Hurco Companies, Inc. / hurco.com

Makino / makino.com

Matsuura Machinery USA / matsuurausa.com

Mazak Corp. / mazakusa.com

Mikron Corp. / mikron.com

Mitsui Seiki Inc. / mitsuiseiki.com

Okamoto Corp. / okamotocorp.com

Design Equipment

CGTech (VERICUT) / cgtech.com

Epicor Software Corp. / epicor.com

Siemens PLM Software (Unigraphics) / plm.automation.siemens.com

SolidWorks / solidworks.com

EDM Equipment

GF AgieCharmilles / usgfac.com

Mitsubishi EDM/Laser / mitsubishi-world.com

Inspection Equipment

Heidenhain / heidenhain.us

Leica Geosystems, Inc. / leica-geosystems.com/metrology

Mitutoyo America Corp. / mitutoyo.com

Optical Gaging Products / ogpnet.com

Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology, LLC / zeiss.com/imt

Zoller Inc. / zoller-usa.com

Shop Equipment

Bridgeport / hardingeus.com

Parlec / parlec.com

Southwestern Industries, Inc. / southwesternindustries.com

(l to r) Tech Mold VP of Operations Karl Szanto,

and apprentices Ryan Schmidt (Apprentice of the Year

2012), Michael Dodd and Ryan Davis.

Richard Giddes, Senior Staff Engineer, BD Medical:

We have been working with Tech Mold for almost 20 years.

They are very open to evaluating and investigating new

moldmaking and molding technologies. Quality is excellent,

which as a medical device manufacturer is extremely

important to us. Tech Mold is a very innovative company

offering unique solutions to mold design challenges.

moldmakingtechnology.com 27moldmakingtechnology.com 27

The company also develops new manufacturing strategies

and innovations for use within its own walls. As an example,

the company developed Self-Correcting Manufacturing

(SCM)a proprietary manufacturing system that integrates

software and hardware for the purpose of manufacturing com-

ponents (hard cutting) and electrodes without influence from

the human element. The systems software incorporates the

use of algorithms that allow the information gathered by a

dedicated CMM to be analyzed and compared to a zero toler-

ance electronic model. The system then evaluates that infor-

mation and if a dimension varies from the electronic mean

by more than a couple microns, the system will communicate

with the CNC equipment and make corrections for process

variations such as cutter wear, machine drift and spindle

growth, Lomax states. The corrections are made automati-

cally and without additional input from the technician. By pal-

letizing all of the components before they enter the SCM cell,

true position, positive orientation and x-y alignment are guar-

anteed. And, as part of a single, unified program, every part is

inspected and the information from that CMM inspection is

always consistent, accurate and repeatable.

Maintenance Matters

A vital component to Tech Molds full-service philosophy is

training its customers to maintain the mold while still in the

press. In-mold serviceability is a key technology offered to

our customers, Lomax states. It means reduced downtime

for molds because they can be serviced in the press. That is

critical in many of the high-cavitation molds that our custom-

ers run. Uptime is improved and maintenance can be done

easily and safely. So it makes perfect sense to keep the molds

in the press running as much as possible. In order to do so,

one must have the ability to do in-press service. This concept

is one that is extremely important to us, and we have been

promoting it for quite some time. This concept is not new; we

gave a presentation entitled User-friendly Mold Designs in

the mid-nineties where we demonstrated in-mold serviceabil-

ity and its obvious benefits.

Full Central Lube is another technology that Tech Mold

developed for its customers, which they are currently running

in many of their manufacturing plants. This technology is a

lubrication system designed specifically for unscrewing rack

molds, or for a mold that contains slides and other moving

components that require consistent, continual lubrication.

One of our customers just told us that a mold they run using

the Full Central Lube system has been running for almost a

year without being shut-down for lubrication maintenance,

Lomax comments Again, this technology meets our custom-

ers desire for greater in-mold serviceability to reduce down-

timethereby achieving greater uptime.

Technology Triumphs

Obviously, Tech Mold would not be able to be on the cutting

edge of developing all of these new, innovative molds, prod-

ucts and technologies without the latest in equipment (see

Equipment List Sidebar). Recently, the company purchased

a Mitsubishi wire EDM. This machine features an anti-elec-

trolysis generator and cylindrical drive technology that means

zero back lash and zero wear on the ways, notes Lomax.

The company has also put a Mitsubishi sinker EDM with a

Mitsubishi robot into service. This equipment combination TESA Scan 50 Plus collimated parallel laser.

Dan Andersen, Staff Technologist, S.C. Johnson A Family Company:

The best part about working with Tech Mold is the quality

of the molds. Their engineering and design capabilities are

absolutely outstanding. We have gotten a lot of great ideas

from themand have shared some in returnwhen we go

through design reviews for molds. They are a quality and

precision world-class mold builder!


2013 Leadtime Leader Awards: Winner

to the longevity of many of the team members. Therefore,

Tech Mold continues to work closely with local high schools

and community colleges to find young people who have the

interest and the basic skill sets suitable for the various jobs in

mold manufacturing, Kushmaul says. We currently have three

apprentices, which is fewer than weve had in the past few years,

but were still excited about their participation and contribu-

tions. We believe that we cant depend on finding the number

of people with the appropriate skill sets out there to fill the

bill. We must grow our own. Since the mid-seventies we have

been very passionate about our apprenticeship program, which

has served us well. When you have apprentices you can train

them to be passionate about quality, manufacturing techniques,

teamwork and safety. And above all, we can educate them in

our unique culture. As their knowledge and experience grows,

they can help the next generation of apprentices. Long-term

apprentices are the future of any company and we feel that our

continued success depends on them.

Throughout Tech Molds 40-year history, Kushmaul esti-

mates that the company has trained more than 100 appren-

tices. Employee retention is critical as well, and we take steps

to ensure that Tech Mold provides an environment of learning

that never ends, he emphasizes. As technology changes, so


not only upgrades the companys sinker equipment, but add-

ing the robot allows the company to perform more lights-out

operations to improve productivity, Lomax explains. We are

always investing in new equipment to meet the ever-increasing

requirements of customers for faster time-to-market, cutting-

edge molds to meet higher productivity, quality and efficiency

demanded in todays OEM molding environment. Having the

latest, state-of-the-art equipment, cross-training our employees

for shared technical know-how and partnering with leading

mold component suppliers to develop new technology for larger,

increasingly complex molds is key to our success.

Workforce Worth

Tech Mold is contending with the labor crunch that the indus-

try as a whole has been facing. In the past, we have recruited

from a variety of trade schools, but more recently we have been

in contact with colleges, community colleges, trade schools and

high schools alike in order to generate an interest in moldmak-

ing among students that will be entering the labor market soon,

Kushmaul notes. The company also conducts tours for local

high schools and colleges.

The company has always had an apprenticeship program that

has helped it maintain a stable workforce and also contributed

The patented ultra-precision guide for hole-poppers was developed

in-house by Paul Moosbrugger to improve hole accuracy. Ceramic rods adjust

to the electrode diameter, providing robust alignment and support for the

electrode.

Polishing a very small insert under a microscope, using an ultrasonic

polishing head.

Phot

os c

ourt

esy

of C

reat

ive

Tech

nolo

gy C

orp.


does our ability to stretch our imaginations, which gives our

apprentices opportunities to use the talents and skills that

best suits their ability to provide creative input and innovative

ideasto think outside the boxto make a real contribution

that helps to make Tech Mold a better company.

Future Focus

Tech Mold plans on maintaining its

steady, balanced growth by continuing

down the same trail the company has

been blazing since 1972. We work with

some of the premier mold component

suppliers in the industry to help them

develop their products, and in turn we

benefit because we can apply these new

innovations in our molds and products,

Kushmaul states.

A number of Tech Molds customers

have been with the company for more

than 20 years because of these solid

relationships. Weve had the ability to

grow our business, our customer base,

the markets we serve and provide a

stable work environment for our staff,

which is one of the advantages of being

in business for 40 years, Kushmaul

concludes. We will continue to use all

of the resources available to us in soft-

ware, machine tool technology, mold

components and molding technologies

to develop the best production mold

possible for our customers.


Acknowledgments

This Leadtime Leader project has been a collaboration of writing, editing,

video and photography. Wed like to thank the Tech Mold team and Creative

Technology Corp. for their time, hard work and commitment to helping us tell

the Tech Mold story.

Video: Technology Feast for the eyes http://short.mold makingtechnology.com/2013lla

For more inFormaTion:

tech mold Inc. / (480) 968-8691

[email protected]

techmold.com

Visit tech mold at amerimold

2013 in Booth 728!

Cole Carbide Industries, Inc. World Headquarters and Corporate Ofces

4930 S. Lapeer Rd. Orion Twp., MI 48359 Tel: 586-757-8700 Fax: 586-757-8701

www.colecarbide.com

Sales inquiries welcome

www.colecarbide.com/ogw-index.php

www.omnithread.com

www.indexa-v.com

www.millstar.comwww.millstar.comwww.millstar.comwww.millstar.com

www.colecarbide.com/engineered-index.php

Versatile Applications,Outstanding Productivity



2013 Leadtime Leader Awards: Honorable Mention


PRESENTED BY

Micro Mold owners (l-r): Rob Cooney, Philip Katen and Ryan Katen. Each

are degreed engineers, complemented by Philips additional business degree.

Micro Mold Company, Inc.

PartnerIng to Push the LIMIts

This mold manufacturer wins the 2013

Leadtime Leader Honorable Mention title

because it exceeds expectations with

a team mentalitystemming from its

youthful leadership working closely with

skilled tradesmenthat sees customers,

its sister molding company and industry

associations as true partners.

Micro Mold Company, Inc. (Erie, PA) may have only 20

employees, but its team mentalityinstilled by its

youthful, well-educated leadership and experienced,

skilled tradesmenyields partnerships with people, processes

and promotion that has allowed the company to evolve into

a premier custom injection moldmaker specializing in the

design, development and manufacturing of highly engineered,

tight-tolerance, thermoplastic injection molds as well as the

delivery of final products to its customer base.

Micro Mold concentrates on medical disposable, dental, con-

sumer products and minimally invasive surgical products for

the following market segments eye/vision care, diabetes care,

medication delivery systems, fluid control, electronic connector,

aerospace, defense, automotive and telecommunications. Micro

Mold specializes in building single-cavity, multi-cavity, hot run-

ner, cold runner and three-plate molds, with a primary focus on

tight-tolerance, highly complex, SPI 101 production level injec-

tion molds. Leadtimes range from eight to 14 weeks.

Productive People

Key to Micro Molds success is its partnership with Plastikos,

which allows Micro Mold to focus on molds and process-

ing, notes Micro Mold President and General Manager Ryan

Katen. Its difficult when a moldmaker is not partnered with


a molder or doesnt have a common ownership in a molder,

he states. Our alliance with Plastikos is a definite competi-

tive advantage. When your sister company is a molder you can

look at the big picture on a projectthe total potential rev-

enue stream rather than just the tool build. We can count on

the Micro Mold and Plastikos Team because we know exactly

what we are getting throughout every phase of the project.

We can design and build a tool and know that it is going to

run extremely well in production for many, many yearseven

decadesthroughout the

entire life of the product line.

Of course, Micro Molds own

employees are another secret

to the companys success, as

they play a vital role in putting

the right processes and strate-

gies in place throughout the

mold manufacturing process.

They take pride in the fact that

the company has hired degreed

plastic engineers in its tool-

ing and molding department.

Our Engineering Manager

was one of the first gradu-

ates from Penn States Plastic

Engineering program and

began his career with Micro Mold in 1991, Katen notes. This

is a major benefit to our customers since he (and others) can

effectively communicate and find solutions to potential product

risks (undercuts, non-uniform wall thickness, hesitation regions

within the design, gating location, for example). This added level

of expertise and support is truly what separates Micro Mold

from our competition, which may not have this in-depth, plastics

engineering understanding and experience with respect to plastic

phenomena within the mold.

The company also believes in a grow your own philosophy,

and as such, has partnered with Penn StateErie, The Behrend

College. This branch of Penn State is one of only a handful of

colleges in the nation that offer a Bachelors degree in Plastic

Engineering Technology, Katen says. The professors in this

engineering program have decades of real-world experience in

the moldmaking, processing, design and manufacturing fields.

Our close relationship with Penn State allows us to recruit

knowledgeable and skilled employees who arrive at Micro Mold

and Plastikos ready to join our team. This thorough education

program teaches students proper mold design, scientific injection

molding principles, and eliminates the black art of plastics.

Micro Molds four-year apprenticeship program involves 576

hours of night school classwork in conjunction with 8,000 hours

of on-the-job training, Katen says, adding that Micro Mold trains

them in all facets of the mold fabrication process.

Last year, Micro Mold introduced a new company and indi-

vidual incentive bonus program that builds uponand expands

a similar program launched by Plastikos. The purpose of this

program is to reward employees for individual and team contri-

butions to Micro Molds success; tie individual earnings (bonus)

directly to the efficiency and profitability of Micro Mold and

Plastikos; and, provide an additional incentive to individually con-

tribute to both companies efficiency, continuous improvement,

etc.as well as to encourage teamwork.

All employees, from an entry-level up to our departmental

managers, were eligible under the new bonus program, Katen

continues. The bonus program was funded based on the com-

panies financial performance (sales, gross profit margin and net

Micro Mold quoted

more than $3,000,000

worth of tooling

work in 2012 for

numerous medical

device OEMsmany of

which are still open

and currently being

evaluated.

Video

Access video

at end of article.

System 3R robot loading a holder (Micro Molds v-block

design) with electrode into the GF AgieCharmilles EDM.


2013 Leadtime Leader Awards: Honorable Mention


ments. Moreover, we have six members of our team who have

been with us longer than 20 years and one individual that has

more than 30 years of experience at Micro Mold. Our culture is

a direct reflection of each individual member of our team, their

strengths and abilities, passion for excellence and pride in their

work, commitment to our customers and dedication to our

company.

Committed Customers

Micro Mold also considers its customers partnersdevelop-

ing innovative methods and technologies to help customers

get their products to market in the quickest possible delivery

times. Our team fully commits to the delivery date once a

customer issues a purchase order, Katen notes. In some cases,

our teams commitment has resulted in significant overtime,

up to and including operating a two-shift production schedule

to hit our quoted delivery date.

Pushing Processes

Before Micro Mold hones in on mold design and build, the

company realized there was value in adding equipment to be

more of a full-service provider. To that end, the company

purchased three all-electric injection molding machines

(housed in the R&D Department) in an effort to minimize the

mold conditioning and validation phase of a project. Now,

when the Micro Mold team completes the design and fabrica-

tion of a new mold and it is ready for sampling, we have the

ability to sample the tool on-site and then quickly make any

necessary modifications or refinements to the mold, Katen

says. Our in-house mold sampling capabilities have reduced

the total time required to launch a new product/project for our

customers.

The company also provides short-term pre-production runs

for its customers at Micro Mold, which Katen points out has

been especially beneficial for its medical device OEMs, which

frequently require their tooling supplier to complete extensive

validation runs during the Operational Qualification (OQ) and

Production Qualification (PQ) phases of their projects.

Micro Mold also recently completed the implementation of

an automated CNC EDM workstation and CNC DMG/Mori

Seiki machining center that are both equipped to a System

3R WorkMaster robot. The purpose of this manufacturing

work cell is to streamline and automate multiple steps within

the mold fabrication process, which results in significant effi-

ciency and throughput gains, Katen affirms. The company

can machine an entire set of electrodes and move the electrode

from the machining center over to the CNC/EDM machine in

Equipment ListThe following is just some of the equipment Leadtime Leader Micro Mold

Company, Inc. uses on its shop foor to get the job done quickly and effciently.

CNC Equipment

DMG/Mori Seiki USA, Inc. / dmgmoriseikiusa.com

Design Equipment

DP Technology (ESPRIT) / dptechnology.com

Mastercam/CNC Software, Inc. / mastercam.com

PTC (Pro/Engineer) / ptc.com

SolidWorks / solidworks.com

EDM Equipment

GF AgieCharmilles / usgfac.com

Mitsubishi EDM/Laser / mitsubishi-world.com

ERP Software

IQMS - EnterpriseIQ / iqms.com

Inspection Equipment

Brown & Sharpe Mfg. Co / brownandsharpe.com

Mitutoyo America Corp. / mitutoyo.com

L.S. Starrett Co. / starrett.com

Shop Equipment

Harig Mfg. Corp. / harigmf

Documents

132117-JUN 2013.pdf