Tool making is a key industry in the manufacturing sector. In simple terms, tool making is the art of making a tool for producing a product. We at Diamond Tool & Engineering have come a long way from the early days of manually controlled machine tools like lathes, milling machines, grinders, and hand tools such as files. Today our process involves setting up and operating a variety of computer controlled machine tools to produce precision metal parts. We have graduated from sketches to blueprints to computer-aided design (CAD) and now to computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) files.
Advances in technology does not replace the necessity for training, knowledge, and experience in creating a sophisticated plastic injection mold. In fact, our reliance on today’s modern technology necessitates a higher level skill set than the outmoded technology of yesterday. We have witnessed many tool and die shops of yesterday develop into sophisticated specialty mold making shops of today.
1. Kick-off meeting – Cross-functional team meeting of engineers, tool makers, and machinists to create the most effective and efficient mold to produce the perfect part.
2. Program steel, roughing – All machines are Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC). The rough steel milling is programed into a computer controlled machine.
3. Program steel, finishing – Final dimensions are programmed into a computer controlled machine.
4. Program graphite
5. Trode milling
6. Steel milling, roughing
7. Steel milling, finishing
8. Wire EDM – Wire Electrical Discharge Machining/Milling (WEDM) allows us to cut intricate and delicate shapes.
9. Sinker EDM
10. Base milling
11. Grinding tool maker
12. Polishing
ason tooling works continuously to create value for our customers through the adaptation ofLean Production Processes. Lean production is rigorously controlled program that seeks to maximize customer value while minimizing waste. Lean is a si
mple concept that can have a dramatic impact on an organization and its customers.
“Just as a carpenter needs a vision of what to build in order to get the full benefit of a hammer, Lean Thinkers need a vision before picking up our lean tool. Thinking deeply about purpose, process, people is the key to doing this.”
1. Value is defined by the customer.
3. Ensure the retained value creating steps occur in rational, smooth sequence moving towards the customer.2. Identify all steps in the value stream, eliminate those steps that do not create value.
4. As work flow is introduced, customers pull value from the next upstream activity.
5. As the process is normalized, waste is removed, work flow is smoothed begin the process again. Continue refining until a state of perfection is reached.
Through the adaptation of Lean Processes ason tooling is continuously improving our engineering, manufacturing, and business processes for the direct benefit of our customers.
We continue to invest our resources in the most advanced technology available. Over the last serval years we have invested heavily in robotics. Robotics have come a long way since the first CNC machines were developed at MIT in 1952. In 1972, electric discharge machines (EDM) completely revolutionized the tool & die business. EDM technology allows us to create complex shapes that would otherwise be difficult to produce with conventional cutting tools. Additionally, we can machine extremely hard material to very close tolerances.
Today, we are seeing a whole new army of machines capable of working through the night to produce precision molds.
