Submitted by: Greg Conder, PE A customer recently utilized our 3D printing services to manufacture a prototype of a shipping fixture. The design engineer chose
Submitted by: Greg Conder, PE The typical attributes purchasing agents and buyers use when evaluating suppliers are price, quality and lead times. Make no mistake,
Submitted by: Greg Conder, PE Buyers and purchasing agents often have to make the decision to use a single or multiple suppliers when purchasing precision
Some states like California and New York plan on raising their minimum wage to $15 per hour. This increase may not directly cause and increase
Submitted by: Greg Conder, PE Some industries like healthcare and jewelry are actually using 3D printing technology to produce finished and usable parts. The main
Gold has industrial, commercial and financial uses. The price of gold has been rapidly increasing over the past couple of years. Industrial Uses As a
The 1930’s were marked by the Great Depression. However, many manufactured inventions and manufacturing methods were developed in the 1930’s. Notable Manufactured Inventions from the
A great deal of copper is used in medical equipment. From equipment like MRI machines to copper tubing that carries medical gases. Hospital facilities also
Medical devices that help the world seem to be invented every day. Devices like MRI machines, joint replacements and robotic surgeries. We did some research
Companies such as Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson and Abbott Laboratories lead medical device manufacturing in the USA. Combined, these companies had over $88 billion in
The job outlook for CNC machinists, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), does not appear to take into consideration current efforts to reshore some
There are many challenges to consider when selling a small business like a CNC machine shop or metal fabrication shop. Common Challenges There are common
Materials recycled by CNC machine shops are dependent on the types of products that the shops manufacture. However, common materials include steel, aluminum, copper and
We recently manufactured an order of custom terminal block screwdrivers. There were two sizes, both of which would be used by our customer’s field service
Major manufacturing stories and trends for 2024 are useful for planning for 2025. We investigated and now offer a perspective from a CNC machine shop.
We recently had the opportunity to machine custom components for a cryogenic system. The small pins were made from 304 stainless steel. The pistons were
A China stimulus package can impact a small US precision machine shop by increasing demand for raw materials like steel, aluminum and copper. This can
We recently had the opportunity to machine components for an intake assembly associated with an organization doing research and development for artificial lift techniques in
Tariffs can have positive and negative impacts on CNC machine shops. Imported materials, products and machinery used by the shop that carry a high tariff
The NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) had a negative impact on US manufacturing jobs. What was NAFTA? NAFTA was an agreement signed by the
