VIDEO: How To Maximize Machine Productivity

Jacob Sanchez: Hey, I'm Jacob Sanchez, the host of the MSC Industrial Supply series, How To. Now look guys, we all know that cycle time and machine productivity is what makes us money. It's not just about the chips flying. It doesn't mean that you're spindles running and you're doing good. It's more than that. It means that my feeds and speeds are right and yours are wrong.

Totally kidding. That's the thing. In this industry, there's so many different opinions about who has the best process for maximizing our efficiency. So I'm here in Champaign, Illinois, at Wagner Machine Company to lay some things to rest. And so come with me and they're going to show me and you how to maximize machine productivity.

I'm joined today by Nate Schaub from over here at Wagner Machine Company. Thanks for joining me Nate.

Nate Schaub: Thanks for coming by.

Jacob Sanchez: So productivity in this land of manual lathes, I don't know if we really should be talking about some productivity.

Nate Schaub: Yeah, we might have to check out some other machines.

Jacob Sanchez: But you know, that's all for a matter of opinion, I guess. All across our industry, everybody has their own idea of what productivity means to them in their business. And touching on that point, what does machine productivity mean here at Wagner?

Nate Schaub: I mean, keeping the spindle running is a big one and keeping your tool end cut, minimizing retracts and minimizing, you know, unnecessary, you know, traverses.

Jacob Sanchez: So you really start off that where, in the CAM side of things?

Nate Schaub: Yeah that's where it starts. You really have to start your CAM and make sure everything's simplified and making it, you know, as easy as not just as easy as possible, but simple as possible.

Jacob Sanchez: There's no point in just having my spindle running and chips flying, and there's a lot of just unnecessary movement.

Nate Schaub: Yeah, certainly. Unnecessary movement can really add up.

Jacob Sanchez: That, and cycle time for you guys? So it's really just maximizing the efficiency you do on the CAM side and that everyday routine.

Nate Schaub: Using the right tools and stuff like that.

Jacob Sanchez: That's amazing. So when it comes to just, that sounds pretty basic. What else do you guys do if we got to pull the curtain back and let the world really know?

Nate Schaub: I think again, CAM is a really big one. Like, it, you can save so much time with small, small changes inside your CAM system. You know, one one digit can change, you know, four minutes on the cycle time. It's, it's really the main component of saving time in your cycles.

Jacob Sanchez: Adding one thou to your feed per two and you’re like, wow.

Nate Schaub: Well. Well, not just feeds. I just, I mean stepovers and, and this information that this CAM software is using to make the correct calculations for those tool paths.

Jacob Sanchez: Something you said earlier was like you guys really attack the part. What does attacking the part mean?

Nate Schaub: Again, using everything efficiently. If you have an end mill with the say an inch and a quarter length of cut, let's use the whole inch and a quarter. Let's not, you know, half that or half-inch step downs. Let's use an inch and a quarter all at once and take slight radial cuts to get that done in a more efficient manner.

Jacob Sanchez: That's such a way of thinking that I really hope we start implementing more in this industry, just getting away from those low axials and then high radial engagements. This. I want to see tool length down, chips flying, high speed.

Nate Schaub: As much in the cut as possible.

Jacob Sanchez: Dude, you know what I'm ready. Do you got something you can show me? I want to see the latest edition. I want to see something. Let's go attack something. All right, let's go.

Dude this is incredible. How many, how many tools do you have back there?

Nate Schaub: It’ll hold 330.

Jacob Sanchez: What's up with these fixtures? How many fixtures? 32. Dude, this is bad. I've never seen a Matsuura before. The biggest machine, I think I've even worked on was a UMC750. But this is nuts.

Nate Schaub: This is definitely the biggest one I've had the pleasure of working on.

Jacob Sanchez: This is sweet.

Nate Schaub: Ready to see it go?

Jacob Sanchez: Nice.

Nate Schaub: Now you can see we’re using as much of the flute as possible. To try and just reduce all of the roughing that we can.

Jacob Sanchez: So that’s full flute length?

Nate Schaub: That's not quite full flute length but the way it works out on this part, it's the perfect depth for this roughing pass.

Jacob Sanchez: That nice. So right now is this what attacking the part means to you?

Nate Schaub: This is pretty much attacking the part. Originally this, this roughing pass was done with a longer end mill. I took uh, made another one almost identical, but shortened it up as much as we could.

Jacob Sanchez: All right, man, you're throwing a lot at me today. Let me, let me catch my breath. When it comes to maximizing machine productivity, at least here at Wagner, you guys are all about simplicity and that's from when you start programming, to when you come out here and you're doing your set up and you start machining. Sound good?

Nate Schaub: Yeah.

Jacob Sanchez: You guys are all about attacking the part. So you guys like to be pretty aggressive with your feeds and speeds and your cutting?

Nate Schaub: Where it allows.

Jacob Sanchez:  I like that. You're not going 80 inches a minute with a tap? And then finally, what would you say would be the third thing to wrap that up?

Nate Schaub: I think tool choice is a big one. You got to have the right tool for the job, and that totally varies depending on what material you're cutting. And the size of the part.

Jacob Sanchez: This monster machine doesn't mean anything if you're not even utilizing the tooling in there correctly.

Nate Schaub: Right.

Jacob Sanchez: That's awesome, man. Well, you know what? Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure. I just want to say to all the viewers out there, thank you for joining me on another amazing episode of How To from MSC Industrial Supply. I'm going to hang out and watch some chips fly. But don't forget, everything you've learned today is just proof to you that you can learn how to maximize your machine productivity.

Let's get back to checking this out.

For more metalworking tips and industry best practices, stay tuned for the next How To episode and subscribe to the MSC Industrial Supply YouTube channel, a source of original manufacturing content Built to Make You Better.