Workforce Development

Winning The Transfer/Succession Game

Your business represents pure wealth (in current dollar value) and produces a stream of income to support you (and probably other members of your family). Someday, a portion of this pure wealth, which usually grows a bit in value each year, must go to the IRS.

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Cells To The Max

Brad Hart, president of Roberts Tool Company, in Chatsworth, California, believes that automated cells are the key to survival for companies likes his that machine complex, high-precision parts for aerospace and defense. Cellular manufacturing makes it possible to reduce lead times dramatically and minimize labor input while increasing throughput and improving quality, he says. In his shop, a cell consisting of two Toyoda HMCs and a dozen pallet stations epitomizes the lean manufacturing concepts that Mr. Hart finds so compelling. However, he says that shop owners have to get out of the business of making parts and into the business of building processes--processes such as those embodied in a lean manufacturing cell.

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Looking To The Economic Future Of Your Business

Trends affecting other trends in available economic data can signal whether more or less activity is coming for your manufacturing business.

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Engineering Employees

Today, the lack of skilled manufacturing employees is the major problem holding this company back. To clear the way for growth tomorrow, the company is determined to solve this problem. The answer is an internal university for developing the skills of every current employee and new hire, including many who have never set foot in a machine shop before.

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Off-line Programming With CAD/CAM Saves Time And Frustration For Job Shop

This shop knew it needed CAM software, but didn't know how it would find the time away from its machining in order to learn new software.

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A Practical Guide To Presetters

Tool measurement devices help shops save time, control runout and improve tool management.

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Industrial Strength Succession Planning

Raise your hand if you are the owner of a successful family business and you want your kids to step into your shoes someday. First, let’s be specific about the word “kids.

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Five-Axis

Minimizing Part Setup With Five-Axis Technology

More unattended machining was one of the benefits of this shop's move from four-axis to five-axis machines.

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