by Joe Romanowski
Chairman & CEO
Machinery Systems, Inc.

Can a Machine Tool Influence the Culture of a Company?

Yes, certainly it can, but how and how much is the real story.

Chris Hannert, Manufacturing Engineer, started with SKF Precision Technologies, www.skf.com, Grafton, WI eighteen years ago.  “I just walked across the street from Grafton High School and have been here ever since,” Chris explained.  “I started at the de-burr bench, an entry level position; over the years I took classes and received my diploma from Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) in CNC Programming and then continued with the Mechanical Engineering Technology Program at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE).  I was appointed supervisor in 1997 and then Manufacturing Engineer in 2000.  Today my responsibilities range from supervisor of manufacturing engineering, CNC programming and tool room, project management, liaison between engineering and manufacturing, capital expenditures, tool and fixture design, part processing and part redesign specifically for our Mazak Integrex.”

I had been hearing some very interesting stories about how SKF has been redesigning their parts and manufacturing processes to accommodate the Mazak Integrex 300 Mark IV S they purchased last year.  My mission was to uncover how the SKF culture has been influenced with this Mazak Multi-tasking technology.

Before we began our SKF journey, I asked Chris to describe the SKF product line.  He said, "We specialize in manufacturing high precision, complex, customer driven, short run, specialty machine tool spindles, slides and components.”

Chris enthusiastically began to share example after example of how they have been able to reduce their manufacturing costs and inventory while increasing throughput.  Chris began by showing us one piece that was part of a spindle assembly.  Their customer ordered ten of these spindles 12 years ago and now reordered one as a replacement.  As you can see from the attached photo, it’s extremely complicated.  Chris related, “When we made this part 12 years ago we had special fixtures for machines that are now out of service which included multiple set-ups, operations and operators.  The Integrex allowed us to machine the part in one set-up. We have reduced the number of operations from nine to just three — saw, machine, inspect and send to assembly.”  Chris said (video link), “We are very proud that we have the Mazak Integrex.  It’s an awesome machine.  Its only limitations are our own imaginations.  It’s simply amazing.”

Chris continued with another great example.  He showed us a gearbox that had been redesigned specifically for the Mazak Integrex.  This part used to be machined from a casting.  It had an extremely long lead time of three months to acquire the casting and machine multiple setups.  Chris explained, “Now we machine the part out of inventoried round stock in one set-up.  We saw, machine on the Integrex, inspect and shelve it."  Chris continued, "The reduction in casting procurement time and total machining operations has resulted in a new required lead time of only two weeks while our manufacturing costs dropped from $504 to $114 per part.” 

I asked Chris if there were any other ways the Integrex affected the SKF culture.  He said, “Well, yes, the Engineering Department now looks at age old problems with different eyes.  We can now efficiently machine complex parts with angle holes, slots, holes on sides and flats in a multitude of configurations — operations we shied away from before.”

There is one more part I would like to share with you.  It’s the drive block.  In fact, there’s a family of drive blocks that are all now machined out of round bar stock complete in one operation.  The entire manufacturing process for this part has been reduced from ten operations to four and, of course, throughput has been significantly accelerated.

We spotted one other interesting savings that might be somewhat unique to the SKF product line.  SKF ultimately manufactures and assembles machine components for custom applications.  A typical delivery for a machine assembly is sixteen weeks.  Because Chris can now machine parts so quickly, he doesn’t start processing the part until a week before the part is needed in the assembly.  In the past, he would have to start processing parts weeks or months in advance.  His machines would be loaded with these materials and it was hard to keep track of where they all were.  Now because the part goes in once and comes out complete, scheduling is simple and he has a lot more capacity with tremendous flexibility.  Also, he can always get a rush part into a machine without disrupting his entire shop.

I asked Chris if the Sales Department appreciated the Integrex culture change.  He explained, “They don’t really see it because the machines we build usually take sixteen weeks to finish, the Integrex flexibility is pretty much invisible to the Sales Department — at least at this point.”

I think it’s only a matter of time before the Sales Department figures out something is going on that can give them the opportunity to quote faster delivery.

The Integrex is significantly influencing the SKF manufacturing culture.  My personal opinion is that with an aggressive person like Chris driving things, the Integrex is causing many simultaneous quiet and invisible changes.  I believe many of the improvements are being absorbed so quickly into the SKF culture they will be taken for granted before they will be truly recognized and appreciated.  This is what we see with the Integrex.  This machine represents the future of manufacturing — particularly in the U.S.  As we reduce labor content in U.S. manufacturing, we will find it easier to compete anywhere in the world.

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