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Profle 12 MoldMaking Technology May 2015 1 2 M o l d M a k i n g T e c h n o l o g y M a y 2 0 1 5 New Talent, New Services Build on Solid Foundation By Matthew Danford Superior Tooling appeared in this space exactly one year ago, but the primary focus of that article wasn't the shop itself. It was the North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program (NCTAP), which the Raleigh-based mold manufacturer joined as a founding member in late 2013. Now entering its second full year, the program is attracting more attention than ever, including from the highest levels of government, says Robbie Earnhardt, company founder and president. Participation in a program like NCTAP isn't the only reason to take a closer look at this forward-thinking mold manufac- turer. Earnhardt and his team believe that a competitive future will require incubating not just the skills required to produce quality tooling, but also the right processes for running that tooling in customers' injection presses. Opened just last fall, the company's technical center is dedicated to that purpose. Yet, these efforts can't be divorced from their broader con- text. Superior Tooling's core business is manufacturing molds, and the shop continues to pursue improvements here as well. This evolving approach to production both influences and is influenced by recent efforts in tool qualification and work- force development. Going Scientific Injection molding capability isn't completely new to Superior Tooling. The company had been running sampling cycles on 100- and 200-ton hydraulic presses at its main shop for a decade before moving the two machines to the new technical center (it's since sold the latter machine). Now, however, capa- bilities are far more robust. Earnhardt (blue shirt) takes touring NCTAP students and parents through the company's new tech center. Visible to the left is Superior Tooling's latest press, an all-electric model that facilitates a more scientifc sampling process. Images courtesy of Creative Technology Corp. Leadership Robbie Earnhardt Founder and President Metrics Annual sales: $5 million No. of employees: 23 Average lead time: 10-16 weeks No. of molds built per year: Usually 20-25 End Markets • Medical • Packaging • Aerospace • Electrical • Telecommunications • Automotive • Housewares and appliances • Industrial Specialties Complex, Class 101, multi-cavity tooling Capabilities and Services • Low- and high-cavitation plastic injection molds • Stack molds • Two-shot molds • Overmolding • Blow molds • Compression molds • Prototypes • Die-casting dies • Stamping dies • Jigs and fxtures • Precision machining • Design and engineering • Tool repair • Tool Inspection • Reverse engineering • Mold sampling, qualifcation, turnkey projects Facilities and Equipment 20,000-square-foot headquarters facility Notable resources include: • 2 Makino a61NX HMCs • Mikron HMS 900 from GF Machining Solutions integrated with System 3R Workmaster robot • OKK VP900 four-axis machining center • OKK VP600 fve-axis machining center • Charmilles Roboform 550 and Charmilles 350 Roboform sinker EDMs, both fed by System 3R Workmaster • Two Charmilles 4020 Robofll Wire EDMs • Laser tool welding • Browne & Sharpe CMM for automated inspection, reverse engineering • 3 CNC lathes • ID/OD grinding • surface grinding • centerless grinding 12,000-square-foot technical center, opened fall 2014 • 100-ton injection press from Engel • 320-ton, all-electric injection press from Negri Bossi • 12-zone temperature controller • 20-ton chiller • 4-ton chiller • 6 thermolators • Material dryers • Portable hydraulic unit for valve gate and core pulls • space for turnkey projects Certifcations AS9100C Affliations Member, American Mold Builders Association (AMBA), North Carolina Chapter Superior Tooling Inc. 2800 Superior Drive Wake Forest, North Carolina Phone: 919-570-9762 Email: info@superiortoolinginc.com Website: superiortoolinginc.com COMPANY: