SITUATION Located in Newberg, Ore., Wolcott Design Services is a small job shop that specializes in design and prototyping for the sport racing, electronics and outdoor equipment industries. Bob Wolcott owns and operates the company and oversees daily management and operation of...
THE CHALLENGE Dynamic NC is a manufacturer of complex structural aircraft and engine-mount components. The Wichita-area supplier is highly focused on taking steps to reduce its unit price, because it knows its costs affect everything moving up the aviation supply chain. This is...
THE CHALLENGE Abipa Canada Inc. of Laval, Quebec, is a Tier 2 supplier of small to mid-sized aircraft engine and structural components. The company wanted to be more competitive with low-labor-cost countries and realized that having stand-alone machining centers with an operator...
THE CHALLENGE Accede Mold & Tool, a full-service shop under its third-generation of family ownership in Rochester, N.Y., has an extensive history in the production of complex, custom-designed plastic injection molds. In 2007, the company sought to stay ahead of the competition by investing in...
THE CHALLENGE As aircraft OEMs search for new ways to simplify the supply chain, they depend on high-performing, vertically integrated suppliers. The Alcoa Titanium & Engineered Products (ATEP) division facility in Laval, Quebec, Canada, works to continuously improve and leverage...
Moldmakers and machine shops are constantly searching for ways to drive costs out of their manufacturing process. When they find a worthwhile technique that saves time and money, moldmakers are often reluctant to share their "secret" so they can maintain a competitive edge. EDM...