During the virtual job fair, Tool Gauge representatives will be available to talk about open positions featured on our career page and other opportunities. We have 6 featured careers open on our site including (but not limited to) Warehouse Associate, Quality Assurance Inspector,  Molders, Buyer, Driver, and General Production. Get a head start and apply online to one of our open positions, we’re considering all applications.

Don’t miss out on this event, register today by clicking this link. We look forward to speaking with you!

The post Join Tool Gauge at the Next Hire Pierce County Virtual Job Fair! appeared first on Tool Gauge.

• • Phase 2 foundation pour
• • Exterior and interior metal framing
• • Roof, staircase, and mezzanine installation
• • Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing rough-in
• • A/C and fire sprinkler placement

Despite a slight delay in construction activities due to COVID-19, Phase 2 is in its final stages and we can see the substantial completion date in our sights.

Mid-March we saw the completion of the exterior metal framing, just in time for insulated metal panels that were lifted and placed into position. Each wall of Phase 2 had approximately 60 of these metal panels installed, which match the exterior paint of the Phase 1 tilt walls.

Just as we were making some major headway, the stay-at-home address came from Washington State Governor Inslee, temporarily shutting down both Tool Gauge and Washington Patriot Construction for two weeks.

Mid-April marked the first day of construction after the shutdown lifted and Washington Patriot immediately went to work with the help of Sound Glass installing windows, Alliance Steel installing our new metal canopy, and doors throughout the building.

If you’ve been keeping an eye on our time-lapse video from WorkZone Cam, you might have noticed the majority of exterior work has been completed. Construction activities for the remainder of April focused on the interior of the building, as Washington Patriot installed permanent power and drywall.

An infiltration trench to help collect rain water from adjacent surfaces was built in early May, where our new parking would soon be.

Throughout May, construction activities included installation of light fixtures, security cameras, and restroom tile. Long Painting came in and started giving the new walls a fresh coat of paint after all drywall was taped and textured. The last week in May, our second plastics parking lot was paved along with a smooth coat of asphalt on South Adams St.

We’re at the tail end of construction activities as we near the substantial completion date of June 26^th. Over the next couple of weeks, Washington Patriot will finalize interior paint, and restroom tiling, irrigation and new landscape, and floor installation. 

Tool Gauge employees will be able to move into Phase 2 beginning of July as we have new furniture delivered and the installation of Canteen Avenue C Micro Market. We’re also looking forward to our new paint equipment being delivered and installed in the upcoming months.

Once Phase 2 is complete, the new area with house an industry-leading paint line, new QA lab, training area/lunch room, employee lockers, offices and a customer lobby. All together, the Tool Gauge expansion project will include:

• • 80,000 sq ft in our plastics division
• • Expansion of our plastics press size range
• • Broadened secondary operations to improve flow and ergonomic assembly
• • Installation of industry-leading vertical paint system
• • New research and development center
• • Implementation of multiple collaborative robots (cobots)
• • 2,000 sq ft allocated for CNC machines and equipment within our metals division

Keep track of all the construction activities on our social media channels (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram) and through our live Workzone Camera.

The post Facility Expansion Update – Summer 2020 appeared first on Tool Gauge.

Based on the stay-at-home order from Governor Inslee on March 23, 2020, and the temporary shutdown of Boeing Puget Sound, Tool Gauge temporarily shut down from March 26 through April 16^th.

As we plan to bring back partial crews to support non-Boeing Puget Sound shipments, Tool Gauge leadership and management teams have placed COVID-19 best practices to keep everyone safe and healthy while in the office and on factory floors. Best practices include prevention, protection and containment strategies:

Prevention

• • Informed employees of COVID-19 symptoms to watch for through CDC approved fliers, signage, and updates posted on internal applications.
• • Signage with enhanced PPE requirements has been posted throughout metals and plastics facilities near time clocks.
• • Nitrile gloves, safety glasses, face masks, and hearing protection have been provided to all employees working.
• • PPE are placed in optimal areas near doors and time clocks for distribution with clear explanations of proper usage.
• • Common areas such as lunchrooms, bathrooms, conference rooms, and all doors will be cleaned 4 times daily. Cleaning logs have been implemented and placed in each area, requiring a date, time and employee number of when it was cleaned.
• • All doors are to remain open to reduce exposure.
• • Signs are posted throughout both facilities to encourage people to wash their hands frequently, using soap, and washing for a minimum of 20 seconds.

Protection

• • Social distancing is in place, with a 6 ft separation policy in place. We’ve taped X’s and lines throughout both facilities indicating where people should stop when approaching work cells.
• • Break times have been staggered to allow a minimum of 6 ft separation at lunch tables.
• • Cleaning stations have been placed throughout offices and on the factory floors. Employees have quick access to cleaning equipment such as disinfectant wipes, paper towels, Lysol spray, etc.
• • Implementation of self-check screening tools.
• • Restricted all international business travel and any external meetings and personnel.
• • Staff who can work remotely have been encouraged to do so.
• • Communicate with all staff via email and internal applications on COVID-19 updates and temporary shutdown dates
• • Producing DtM Face Shields for Washington State, click here for DtM Face Shield assembly steps and instructions for use

Containment

• • Mandated quarantine for employees testing positive for COVID-19.
• • Identify and contact employees who may have been in contact with employee(s) displaying symptoms and mandate quarantine.
• • Close contaminated work area or facility.
• • Start disinfection procedures of contaminated areas.

Best practices have been distributed through multiple forms of communications via posted flyers in both metals and plastics divisions, internal applications and emails, and social media. We will continue to update our employees, customers, and suppliers of our best practices, temporary shutdown updates, and COVID-19 news in the Puget Sound region.

For more information on preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, visit the CDC or your state’s Department of Health website.

If you are interested in purchasing Face Shields from Tool Gauge, please click here for more information or contact us at sales@toolgauge.net.

Click here for DtM Face Shield assembly steps and instructions for use. 

The post Best Practices & Policies During COVID-19 appeared first on Tool Gauge.

At Tool Gauge, we have a long-term commitment to producing top quality products with the highest manufacturing standards for the aerospace industry and in other sectors.

In the midst of the novel Coronavirus, we are continuing our daily operations with the safety and wellness of our employees, customers, and community in mind. We will continue to produce plastic and metal parts and assemblies and have the capacity to meet any additional orders that may aid the medical plastic(s) and parts demand related to the coronavirus outbreak.

If your organization has questions about our plastic injection molding or CNC machining capabilities, please contact us today or refer to our Plastics and Metals Parts and Assemblies pages for more information.

The post COVID-19 Relief: Manufacturing Capabilities appeared first on Tool Gauge.

In case you’ve missed our previous expansion updates, we’ve hit some major milestones over the past few months including:

• • Taking occupancy in Phase 1
• • Receiving and installing 5 new Engel plastic injection machines
• • Evaluating new technology for plastics division
• • Demolishing the plastic legacy building
• • Beginning of Phase 2 construction

Despite the near 80 straight days of rain, Washington Patriot Construction was full steam ahead as the first few construction activities commenced. Much like Phase 1, construction started with site grading, footing and stem wall excavation and installation, underground plumbing and electrical placement.

Roughly 11 cement trucks visited the Tool Gauge construction site in early January to pour about 250 cubic yards of cement for the foundation of what will soon be offices, employee lunch and training rooms, QA and paint labs, and our lobby.

Soon after, the bones of the building were built as Washington Patriot installed steel beams, joists, and columns to complete the building structure by late January.

Exterior metal framing work started at the beginning of February along with the delivery and installation of two sets of steel staircases, sewer connection tie-in, and the build-out of the second-floor pan deck and mezzanine.

February 18^th marked the first day of roof construction and took Washington Patriot close to a week to complete – just in time for a second concrete for the mezzanine floor.

The last two weeks in February including mechanical, electrical, plumbing rough-ins and the installation of fire sprinklers throughout the Phase 2 building, along with the completion of the exterior metal framing.

The beginning of March will mark a busy month for Washington Patriot and the expansion project team as they complete framing for storefront windows and the interior, installing insulated metal panels and mechanical ductwork, and delivering our new A/C units.

March milestones that we’re looking forward to reaching is the completion of the building dry-in and permanent power.

Phase 2 is projected to be complete in the third week of May with a definite date slated for an open house on June 12^th.

Once completed, Phase 2 will house an industry-leading paint line, a new QA lab, employee lunch and training rooms, employee lockers, offices and a customer lobby. Other expansion details of the entire Tool Gauge expansion project include:

• • 80,000 sq ft in our plastics division
• • Expansion of our plastics press size range
• • Broadened secondary operations to improve flow and ergonomic assembly
• • Installation of industry-leading vertical paint system
• • New research and development center
• • Implementation of multiple collaborative robots (cobots)
• • 2,000 sq ft allocated for CNC machines and equipment within our metals division
  

Keep track of all the construction activities on our social media channels (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram) and through our live Workzone Camera [currently under construction].

The post Facility Expansion Update – Spring 2020 appeared first on Tool Gauge.

Tool Gauge is pleased to announce our participation in the 2020 Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany from March 31 – April 2, 2020. We will be exhibiting alongside 10 other aerospace companies under the Washington State Department of Commerce Choose Washington initiative inside the Hanse Pavilion, booth 6E80 / J.

AIX is an annual event that unites the world’s airlines with aviation interior suppliers over three days of B2Bs, buying, and panel discussions. It’s a unique opportunity for businesses, like Tool Gauge, to showcase products to over 16,000 industry attendees from 100+ countries, 1,000 airline buyers and over 500 exhibitors. The event provides additional opportunities for business networking and to listen and discuss newsworthy industry issues. Senior buyers, CEOs, fleet managers and other decision makers will be onsite to inform visitors and other exhibitors about the latest aerospace products and services, from cockpit doors, galleys and lavatories, overhead storage, seating, and inflight connectivity.

If you’re attending the expo, please stop by and visit the Tool Gauge booth to discuss your plastic and metal assembly needs – we’d love to meet with you. To schedule an appointment to meet with Tool Gauge representatives in advance, please email Jim Lee, General Manager, or call +1.253.473.2740.

We look forward to speaking with you!

The post AIX 2020 – See You Soon In Hamburg! appeared first on Tool Gauge.

September proved to be one of the busier months with the remaining plastics departments moving from the old PMP building to the facility. Mold maintenance, CNC, and quality moved in the middle of the month, followed by the tool room and plastic injection molders.

With the help of Checkmate Industries, the plastic injection molders were moved swiftly to the new facility in just three days. Molders were then reconnected and calibrated to keep up with production schedules and to prepare for Boeing’s BAC5231 recertification.

Due to delays with a demolition permit, demo day was pushed back from early to mid-November but that didn’t slow Dickson Company from tearing down our old plastics building in less than a week. The final wall came down, marking the end of an era and the start of phase 2 construction with Washington Patriot Construction.

Construction began early December with site grading in preparation for footing and stem wall excavation, and footing forms installation.

Upcoming construction activities include concrete footing placement with 100+ yards of concrete being poured starting Dec. 13^th, stem wall form and rebar installation, underground plumbing and electrical installation, and slab on grade in early January.

Substantial completion of the Tool Gauge expansion project is scheduled for May 11, 2020 with an open house scheduled in June.

When completed, Phase 2 of the expansion project will include an industry leading paint line, QA lab, training and lunchroom area, employee lockers and restrooms, offices and facility lobby. Other important expansion details include:

• •An additional 80,000 sq. ft. in our plastics division
• •Expansion of our plastics press size range
• •Broadened secondary operations, improving flow and ergonomic assembly
• •Installation of a state-of-the-art vertical paint system
• •New research and development center
• •Implementation of multiple collaborative robots (cobots)
• •An additional 2,000 sq. ft. for CNC machines and equipment within our metals division

If you’ve been keeping up with our social media outlets and blog posts, you may have noticed we’ve already started taking action on expanding our plastic presses and evaluating new technology for the factory floor.

We’ve received one of our five new plastic injection molders, a bright green Engel 1250 equipped with a Viper 50 robot. Once up and running, this machine will be molding interior parts for Boeing’s 777x and 737 aircrafts. In the next coming week, we will be receiving four additional Engel 85-340 ton molders for the plastics factory floor.

Management and engineering teams have also evaluated new types cobots for the plastics division, including an autonomous mobile robot (amr) from Mobile Industrial Robots (Mir). Olympus Controls visited Tool Gauge in late November to demonstrate their MiR500, which is a prime candidate to autonomously transport material and finished goods from various departments in the new facility. Both teams will continue to evaluate MiR as they review proof of concepts and ROI before purchasing a model. Click here for more information on our automation strategy with MiR robots.

We invite you to follow along with the last leg of our expansion journey by watching our 24 hour Workzone Cam and on our social media handles.

The post Facility Expansion Update – Winter 2019 appeared first on Tool Gauge.

In the continued pursuit of implementing new technology and increasing automation throughout our plastics and metals division, Tool Gauge management and engineering are in the first phase of evaluating new cobots from Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR).

Robotic specialists from Olympus Controls were onsite in late November to demonstrate the capabilities of their MiR500, one of four MiR autonomous mobile robot (AMR) models.

The MiR cobot fleet is a cost-effective way to quickly automate internal transportation and logistics of goods throughout various industry facilities. These robots optimize workflow, freeing employees for more valuable tasks, ultimately increasing productivity and reducing costs.

Over the next few months, Tool Gauge management and engineers will continue to research and evaluate smaller models of the MiR fleet to determine which departments would best utilize the robot. Material staging at presses, kitting operations, and our future paint department are areas considered to receive MiR robots. After proof of concept (POC) and ROI has been assessed, we will add 3-5 more MiR robots over the next few years.

Factors to be assessed before the first robot is purchased will be size, how to successfully (and safely) integrate the robot into daily operations, ROI, and proof of concept. If the robot is successfully integrated into facility operations, 3-5 more MiR robots will be purchased over the span of a few years.

For more information on MiR and their autonomous mobile robots, click here. Check page continously on our blog page for more information on our automation strategy!

The post Tool Gauge Evaluates MiR for New Plastics Facility appeared first on Tool Gauge.

This is the second year for the Chinese government to hold CIIE, giving firm support to trade liberalization and economic globalization, and opening the Chinese market to the world. Over 100 countries and regions are expected to participate in CIIE 2019, drawing about 150,00 domestic and foreign professionals to participate in the exhibition. There are several industries participating in this year’s event including High-End Equipment, Trade in Services, Automobile, Medical Equipment and Healthcare Products, Food and Agricultural Products, and more. Tool Gauge will be located in the High-End Equipment hall which showcases companies in aerospace, materials processing and molding, energy technology, transportation equipment.

If you are attending CIIE, please stop by the Tool Gauge booth for a visit and to discuss your plastic and metal assembly needs. Schedule an appointment in advance or connect with us during B2B sessions, by contacting Jim Lee, General Manager, or call +1.253.473.2740.

We look forward to speaking with you during CIIE and aerospace related events!

The post See You at CIIE 2019 in Shanghai, China! appeared first on Tool Gauge.

If you’ve been following along our social media pages and watching our Workzone Cam, you might have noticed some significant progress to the Tool Gauge facility expansion project. We’re excited to say, we have officially occupied Phase 1 of construction!

During July, Washington Patriot Construction wrapped up a few projects to get ready for our scheduled August move-in date along with receiving a very heavy delivery. Washington Crane and Hoist delivered and installed our shiny, new 5- and 15- ton overhead cranes which will assist employees in moving molds from tool storage to designated machines throughout the new facility.

August was one of the busier months as we finalized exterior and interior projects of our new facility in preparation for occupancy starting on the 23^rd. Exterior paint was completed earlier in the month as Washington Patriot Construction worked to install gutters, downspouts and bathroom sinks and partitions. Before the floors were sealed, the interior walls got a fresh, white coat of paint and two shiny blue air compressors were placed in the mechanical room.

As soon as the major items were built in, floors were sealed to get ready for final touches including air barrier testing. Tacoma based company, Nexus BEC, performed the air barrier test which measures how much air leaks through the building’s envelope. This type of test is required for all new heated buildings to receive a certificate of occupancy – we passed with flying colors!

August 23^rd marked the first day for our Plastics Secondary Operations and Shipping departments to move. Both areas worked throughout the weekend to move product, tools, equipment and work stations, enabling production and assembly to continue as scheduled the following Monday.

Both teams will continue to reorganize their departments to prepare for CNC machines and plastic injection molders to be moved from our current production facility in mid-September. Industrial racks have been built in two areas of the new facility, finished goods and mold maintenance, to better assist teams in their organizational processes. Management has incorporated new LEAN initiatives including designated hardware racks, which will allow for easier accessibility and movability of finished parts and molds through the facility.

As Phase 1 wraps up, we look forward to moving our CNC machines, tool room, and plastic injection molders starting on Sept 19^th – Oct. 2^nd. All machines will have to be disconnected, moved, then re-connected and calibrated over this specific time period. Once completed, Phase 2 demolition started on Monday, Oct. 7^th.

Phase 2 of the expansion is estimated to be completed late 2019. It will include the demolition of our current plastics facility to build our paint department, QA lab, training and lunchroom area, employee lockers and restrooms, offices and facility entrance/lobby. Other important expansion details include:

• •An additional 80,000 sq. ft. in our plastics division
• •Expansion of our plastics press size range
• •Broadened secondary operations, improving flow and ergonomic assembly
• •Installation of a state-of-the-art vertical paint system
• •New research and development center
• •Implementation of multiple collaborative robots (cobots)
• •An additional 2,000 sq. ft. for CNC machines and equipment within our metals division

As the expansion project concludes, we expect to create over 100 new jobs spanning over the next five years within the Tacoma-Pierce County region. The Work Start Grant from Governor Inslee’s Strategic Reserve Fund will assist in training of new employees and advance the skills of 50 incumbent employees. Employment opportunities are listed on our career page and are continually updated with positions ranging from full-time opportunities in machining, molding, assembly and engineering areas.

To receive more information on our expansion process and on-goings at Tool Gauge, sign up for our quarterly newsletter, here.

The post Facility Expansion Update – Summer 2019 Part 2 appeared first on Tool Gauge.