Manufacturier de presses hydrauliques

3 Ways to Boost Efficiency in Your Machine Shop

27 février 2023

It’s a tough marketplace. Especially for small- to medium-size machine shops, boosting productivity is the way to stay competitive.

The foundations to an efficient machine shop are training, workflow systems and equipment. Here is a look at how to streamline them to boost your productivity.
 

Training

Money spent on training machine shop operators is an investment that pays for itself repeatedly. They work smarter and faster when they receive ongoing education on getting the most from the machines you have and on new technologies.

Machining is constantly changing, with new advances and techniques every year. To stay up-to-date and competitive with other shops, you need operators with updated skills. This helps them work efficiently, meet deadlines and stay safe.
 

Workflow

On an average day, a machine shop owner is hustling to meet a deadline, sign a new customer or find out why materials haven’t been delivered. It’s easy to stay with the workflow systems you already have.

That’s bad, because tweaks to your processes can result in less downtime and greater productivity. Analyze the entire system, including:

  • What works for operators and what slows them down
  • How effective your current machinery and technology are
  • What new types of resources would improve workflow
  • How easy it is to communicate all along the workflow path

Streamlining communication will help every aspect of workflow. Does management know what the pain points are for workers on everyday jobs? Do supervisors know about supply problems that can affect workflow? Changes in your communication methods can help, from daily standup meetings to apps that make it easy to send messages.
 

Equipment

Breakdowns cause downtime, missed deadlines and unhappy customers. How good is your maintenance program? Your hydraulic press needs regularly scheduled upkeep to stay efficient. This also includes training workers to troubleshoot common problems and fix those within their capability.

If a press needs a new part, how long is the wait to get it? Waiting on a part from the Far East can takes weeks. That means an expensive piece of equipment can’t be used. Workers must be shuttled to other machinery. The longer you wait, the less efficient your workflow. Think ahead and invest in presses with parts that are readily available.

Updating your equipment can result in faster turnaround times and the ability to handle bigger jobs and higher paying specialty work. Training is good, but even a trained staff is only as efficient as the tools you give it. Investing in modern presses and other machine shop tools keeps you competitive and can increase productivity quickly.
 

Work with Experts

For over four decades, Press Master has been helping machine shops of all sizes stay competitive. Its mission is to help you make a success of your shop—when you’re successful, we’re successful.

Press Master has a reputation for cutting edge design, using new technology effectively, building safety into each machine, and producing durable, reliable hydraulic presses. When repairs are needed, the parts are available across North America. This reduces your downtime and keeps the work flowing through the shop.

Thinking of updating your hydraulic press? Call the experts here at Press Master today for a free, no-obligation quote. They are happy to answer your questions and help you with custom requests.