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14 MoldMaking Technology January 2015 Case Study / Machining Edited by Matthew Danford Leadership at CS Tool Engineering already had a make and model in mind when they decided to install a new machining center in 2011. By that point, the company's Makino MCC2013 horizontal machining center had served as a reliable work- horse for almost a decade, and it was still "just as accurate as it was on day 1," says Don Snow, operations manager. To his sur- prise, however, distributor contacts recommended an entirely different model, one that would lead the company to rethink some long-held perceptions about its approach to production. "I thought it was a bit strange that they were recommending an a82, because we are a mold manufacturing operation, not a production machining environment," Snow recalls. In hindsight, he and the rest of the CS Tool team are con- fident that they made the right choice with Makino's a82. Featuring all the reliability, precision and speed the shop had come to expect after its experience with the older machine, the HMC reduced cycle times by a third and significantly reduced benchwork. However, the machine also shipped with a pallet changer that streamlined transitions from one part to the next, particularly with the later addition of a modular fix- turing system. As a result, setup time has been reduced by half, and fewer operators can run more machines. Adapting to the Times Now entering his 36th year at CS Tool, Snow says keeping up with the latest technology and processing strategies has been a priority since the shop's earliest days. Founded in 1967 by brothers Tom and Don Mabie, the Cedar Springs, Michigan, business started out manufacturing tooling for garnish trim, hood ornaments and other smaller automotive parts. The shop has since made a name for itself as a Tier 2 supplier of plastic injection and compression molds for interior components like overhead consoles and door panels. It also produces molds for various consumer products. Adopting a Production Mindset An HMC with a pallet changer and modular fixturing system has streamlined job change-overs at this Tier 2 automotive toolmaker. CS Tool's willingness to invest in its future certainly paid off during the recent economic downturn. Having a machine fast and precise enough to handle P20 steel and Mold Max alloys played a significant role in the shop's survival, Snow says. Purchased in 2003, the Makino MCC2013 and its fourth-axis table has proven particularly useful for achieving fine finishes on tight corners and walls in applications that involve deep pockets and varying angles from the face. Given these advantages, obtain- ing another MCC2013 was top of mind as business improved and the shop needed additional capacity. Yet, seeing the a82 in action at local Makino distributor Single Source Technologies (SST)— and, notably, at other mold shops—convinced Snow and his team that this machine would be a better fit. Faster Change-overs Commonly used for high-volume applications like automotive engine block production, the a82 HMC features a pallet changer that enables operators to set up one workpiece while another undergoes machining in the workzone. However, the shop has found that this strategy can also be useful in an environment characterized by custom components where only two pieces are alike. In fact, for a mold shop, benefits can go beyond reducing setup time. At CS Tool, the twin-pallet system is a major asset for quick-turnaround orders, particularly engineering changes, Snow says. As an example, he cites an oft-recurring scenario: the machine is in the midst of cutting a block with a lengthy cycle time when a customer requests an urgent design change on another job. The operator can go ahead and set up the second block while the machine continues its work on the original job, VIDEO Access video at end of article. Here is an example of a mold machined at CS Tool Engineering. The accuracy of the a82 HMC and the precision of the FCS workholding has limited the need for spotting and benching operations on many such tools. Images courtesy of CS Tool/Makino.