Justify CNC for your toolroom: do-it-yourself with useful guide from SWI. (Management Update).

Some stories need to be written almost because they reveal an annoying management problem ---
In this case, it is reasonable to justify investment in productivity
Enhanced technology.
It sounds like a no when the technology is cnc-
Be smarter until you say CNC will be added to 2-
Mainly used for shaft knee grinding in tool room.
The tool room itself is a processing world, where
Prototype, parts and short
The operation of the parts is the cost of the mechanic every day.
No one, especially all management, sees the hidden costs of processing on a manual machine, and they don\'t take the time to do these reasonable things.
The learning curve that must be climbed is as long and unique as the latest work.
In the past 30 years, digital readings (DRO)
By introducing the measurement accuracy so far impossible to use the handwheel on the manual milling machine, the life of the mechanic is simplified.
In fact, it is hard to imagine that today\'s knee mill is at least not equipped or should not be equipped with DRO. Manual vs.
Still, they are still manual machines.
For different operations, repeated operations and necessary tool changes are time-consuming.
From an acceptable point of view, it is difficult, if not impossible, to perform round or angular machining on a manual machine.
The mixing radius of straight cutting is a pain, and it is not realistic to rough the pocket and arc machining.
CNC is excellent in performing these functions.
2-mention CNC
However, for the people in the tool room, the direct reaction of the shaft milling machine is: \"CNC is not suitable for a short period of timerunwork.
Mention CNC to management, raising the ghost of \"high bar rate.
\"How can I recommend and justify this purchase?
\"This is the starting point of Southwest Industrial Company. (SWI)
Dominguez Ranch hotels in California
In order to prove that its CNC prototype can bring 2-
Shaft and knee grinding.
Equipped with DROs machines, SWI developed a unique analytical tool based on the impact of productivity increases on tool room processing.
Steve Pinto, vice president of SWI, explained: \"We know that we have to change people\'s prejudices about what CNC like ProtoTRAK Edge can do to improve the productivity of machines --\"
Market and finance.
ProtoTRAK edge, the newest member of SWI\'s ProtoTRAK CNC product range, was launched in 2000 for automated knee grinding.
Pinto said: \"What we need is a way to convince people that even if the price is higher, the advantages of the original railway company will be for themselves by using amachinist\'s time more effectively.
The ProtoTRAK Edge is available on milling machines or as an accessory to machines already in the store for $7,995, or about $500 per unit.
Buying one usually increases the purchase price of the knee mill by $9,000.
\"Our starting point is that investment in productivity is always the answer,\" Pinto said . \".
\"Because the full cost of manufacturing parts includes materials, milling machines, labor and overhead, we find a way from the economic text to evaluate the impact of CNC technology like ProtoTRAK Edge on productivity and investment strategies.
\"Therefore, the prototype edge self is conceived and written
Evaluation guidelines are provided for Southwest industries.
It includes a 3-pageSelf-
The evaluation worksheet section is followed by 26 pages of explanation and examples, a valuable introduction to the economics of running a factory in a store.
\"There is no skill, no rotation, only facts and logic,\" Pinto said . \" He invites the user to \"show to your account when you are done \".
He will approve of these methods, and he will believe in the results.
\"The basis of the guide analysis is the principle that if the user can)
Make more parts at the same cost, or B)
Make the same number of parts at less cost.
\"Once you see that the cost of the device over its service life is just a fraction of the labor cost, the potential of CNC is short term
\"Running can prove,\" Pinto said . \".
In any store analysis of this type, all costs per hour, the trick is to incorporate all the various costs into a common term for comparison, Pinto said.
It\'s easy to do, and all the costs-
Milling machines, artificial and overhead--
Calculated in hours in the guide.
The cost of the material is not calculated because the quantity is the same whether it is using the DRO or the prototype edge.
The guide determines the cost of running the DRO
Cost of installing and owning a prototype car-
Equipped with knee milland calculate the difference.
* Hourly cost of operating a factory in your store is now the hourly cost of DRO
The equipped manual factory, hourly labor costs and hourly overhead are calculated on the basis of 2,000 working hours per year, and the IRS allows 7 years of depreciation life.
Overhead, expenses not run out of hours or operations, calculated from the burden rate allocated by the store, or by selecting the multiplier of the hourly rate (
Labor plus benefits).
For a small store, the multiplier can range from 25 per cent to 100% per cent or more for a large company.
SWI warns against counting equipment costs into excess charges.
\"This can be-
Because it causes the store to control the toregard equipment as a charge, such as rent or electricity.
Because the device has a greater impact on productivity than most other factors in overhead, it deserves our special attention in this self. assessment.
\"* The cost of owning ProtoTRAK Edge the hourly cost of ProtoTRAK Edge includes all of the above additional costs for training, transportation, service and maintenance during the life of the product.
Calculating the difference between Mill cost and protrak cost can determine the percentage increase of cost per hour.
Additional costs for purchasing protrak Edge (under $9,000)
This is established, just as the cost of the mechanic during the life of the prototype car edge does not include overhead.
Labor costs, excluding indirect costs, will increase significantly by $315,000 at $18 an hour, plus $ 25% for benefits and Social Security over seven years.
For large companies or government agencies, the benefits will be higher, and in some cases they may reach 100%.
Including expenses, a skilled person will spend about $393,750 in seven years.
Increasing productivity \"it doesn\'t matter to add a more expensive device unless you can prove that you can make enough extra parts with the same labor force, pinto said: \"or save enough time on the same number of parts to cover the extra cost of the edge of the original car. \".
The guide suggests three ways to evaluate time savings using prototype edge: 1)
Guess based on experience with other swi cnc products such as protrak or TRAK CNCs 2
Comparison of actual processing time of sample parts with semi-processing results
Skilled operators, using the edge of the prototype; 3)
Time is saved by grading the type of work and amount of time the factory uses for a specific operation (When used)
And save time for the operation.
Once a percentage increase or average is determined, it will be scheduled to save time per hour and calculate the total amount based on the actual total amount of 2,000 working hours used by the plant.
All that remains is a simple algorithm for calculating time savings and return on investment.
Pinto believes that the time you put in about 20 minutes should be an enlightening exercise to build CNC valueeven for short-run work.
\"The order of breakeven points is that the productivity growth required to cover the cost of the original railway is surprisingly small by 2 percentage points, while it provides significantly higher productivity gains based on the type of operation performed.
Southwest Industrial Corporation
Duran Dominguez, CA, www. RSLeads. com/? 111tp-
269 or circle 269 related articles: Southwest Industries provides these estimates based on the type of operation to get a rough idea of the time that might be saved by using Proto TRAKEdge: * Drilling--
For each hole, the original TRAK edge moves the topology position at 100 ipm.
Save time: 1, 10 to 20%;
2 to 10 parts: 20to30%.
* Eye-catching hole pattern--
Proto TRAK edge automatically calculates the position of each hole from the simple data on the print.
Save time: some, 30 to 50%;
30 to 60% for 2 to 10 parts.
* Size straight milling--
The original TRAK Edge draws the tool path from the simple data entered, saving the positioning and touch tools.
Processing diagonal lines without special settings;
Key dimensions or surfaces can be machined with finishing.
Save time: 30 to 50% per part.
* Mixing radius when cutting straight--
A boring mistake.
Proneprocess is used for manual machining, which is a single data input on the edge of the prototype.
It passes directly through the radius without a pause.
Save Time: 50 to 70% per part;
Use a smaller multiplier for one radius, and a larger multiplier for more than one radius.
* Arc machining--
This is hard to do manually and every part of anarc can be sent to CNC.
Save the turntable settings.
Save Time: 90% installation time plus 35 to 50% cutting time. * Pockets (
Rough material)--
The pocket is automatically processed and all materials in the middle are removed to complete the cutting.
It is easy to perform multiple cuts at different depths.
Time saving: 50 to 75%
If the job lendsitself to an unhandled operation, use a larger multiplier. e.
Large workpiece or tough material;
Or if the profile is needed.