Bridging the Skills Gap: “Zero to CNC” in One Step

Toolcraft, LLC (Fort Wayne, IN) is a traditional tool and die shop, and until recently they had limited experience with CNC machines. That all changed when a customer gave them the opportunity to take on a high-volume production job for a particular part. Armed with help from their distributor Gosiger, Toolcraft decided to step on the gas and bring in two Okuma GENOS L3000-E horizontal CNC lathes. The company quickly experienced a full-scale CNC transformation, both in their equipment and their people.

Empowering the Workforce

Using the capabilities of the Okuma’s THINC^®-OSP control and a FANUC robot, Gosiger automated their processes, and gave Toolcraft’s programmers and operators the ability to remotely (outside the work cell cage) make tool and work offsets without interrupting production. Their automation makeover also allowed them to speed up cycle time. Now one operator can run both machines and still have time to load/unload parts into the drawers. The robot can also run unattended at the end of a shift, when employees are off the clock.

Initially, the company’s existing workforce was unsure about these developments. So Toolcraft worked to engage them in the transformation process with team-building initiatives such as a “Name the Robot” contest*, branded hats and a celebratory pizza party. The company also honored their employees’ value by making popular workplace upgrades, including installing a new, quiet break room and mist collectors on the shop floor. Today the automation is well accepted, and Toolcraft is considering bringing in additional CNC machines. With a more productive workforce fully on board, Toolcraft might just lap their competition.

*In case you’re curious, the name they chose for the robot is “King Tut.” That’s another story…