Larger Equipment Helps Expand Vision
The largest vertical-capacity Carl Zeiss CMM in the Western hemisphere and four large boring mills from MAG Giddings & Lewis prove critical to machining massive wind turbine components at Three-M Tool and Machine.
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Mike Gray, quality manager at Three-M, says he appreciates the machine’s Calypso software because it simplifies programming. “In one window, you are able to check and change probes, clearance groups, retract distances and many other settings,” he says. “The ability to change settings on whole groups of features at once saves time and helps check the program for any errors before ever even having a part on the machine.”
The company had its eye on more than just one contract when it invested in the new equipment, and in the years since, that investment has paid off, Mr. Medwid says. He recalls one instance in 2010 when two employees from ZF Industries visited the shop to review its capabilities for producing gearbox housing prototypes. “After two hours they called their boss and said to quit looking because they had found their new supplier,” he says. “I believe that having the Zeiss CMM gave them the confidence in our commitment to quality, and along with our new G&L machines, our processing, and our ability to build our own fixtures, that won the business.”
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