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moldmakingtechnology.com 13 Here is a typical example of the sort of work Eifel Mold & Engineering sees day-in and day-out. Tooling for steering wheels and airbag systems are a particular specialty for the shop. Most decisions aren't left to individual machinists, but to the design department, which carefully engineers every fit and clearance. Given all the work at the front end of the build, an in-house-developed ERP system has proven critical to keep- ing the shop on schedule. Another contributor to synergy throughout the process is the use of color-coded CAD designs, which communicate specific job instructions to operators via shopfloor kiosks. (For example, different colors might indi- cate whether a hole needs to be tapped or just drilled.) In fact, operators in this paperless environment haven't seen a setup sheet in two years, Hecker says. From design through assembly, conducted in the area shown here, Eifel's process is virtually paperless. That's thanks largely to a home-grown ERP sys- tem and a strategy of incorporating all information people need to do their jobs into color-coded CAD designs. Thanks to zero-stock machining, the shop uses the spotting press visible on the left far less frequently these days. The Technology Given the frequency of undercuts and other tough geometry, the shop's zero-stock machining strategy relies heavily on five-axis equipment. Better access to part features through additional axes of motion not only reduces setups, but enables moving the spindle closer to the work. As a result, the shop can use shorter, more rigid tool assemblies that pro- vide greater precision and smoother surface finishes. The People Getting used to the additional axes of motion proved far eas- ier than expected, Hecker says. After all, many applications require only 3+2 machining, a process that isn't far removed from programming a three-axis VMC, he says. Nonetheless, he emphasizes that the transition could have been far more painful without the right people. Committing to new ways of doing things, he explains, can't just come from the top. Shopfloor-level employees also had to buy in, both to the process of zero-stock machining and to the five-axis equipment that facilitates it. This requires people with confidence in their abilities, people who trust one another, people who are open-minded enough to understand that taking ownership of advanced techniques and equipment is critical to the future of the shop and their own careers. "Within a good business model, each of these three areas should be just as important as the other," Hecker concludes. "We put the best people in place and support their growth while devoting resources to obtaining the right equipment and implementing the best methods."