Universal Robots – Tool Gauge https://toolgauge.net Thu, 09 May 2024 16:33:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.24 Facility expansion update – Fall 2018 https://toolgauge.net/tool-gauge-aerospace-manufacturing-facility-expansion-update-fall-2018/ https://toolgauge.net/tool-gauge-aerospace-manufacturing-facility-expansion-update-fall-2018/#comments Wed, 17 Oct 2018 13:41:43 +0000 https://toolgauge.net/?p=1366 Our Tacoma aerospace manufacturing facility expansion is going according to plan! Our building demolition phase was completed by the end of September 2018 and we are on track to break ground on new construction in October 2018. Our new facility’s first floor will feature a customer lobby featuring historical Tool Gauge story boards, pictures, and […]

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]]> Our Tacoma aerospace manufacturing facility expansion is going according to plan! Our building demolition phase was completed by the end of September 2018 and we are on track to break ground on new construction in October 2018. Our new facility’s first floor will feature a customer lobby featuring historical Tool Gauge story boards, pictures, and artifacts, as well as employee lockers and a lunch area. The second floor will house two conference rooms, six offices, and 14 work spaces. Our key expansion objectives are as follows:

 

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

 

Once our new facility is complete, we expect to create between 100 and 150 new jobs over the next five years for the Tacoma-Pierce County region. We will grow from 135 employees currently to approximately 235 by 2024, adding full-time, apprenticeship, and internship positions in machining, molding, assembly, and engineering.

 

Just like many businesses going through such an extensive company expansion, we have learned a few lessons along the way, including:

 

  • • We visited other local peer aerospace companies to verify best practices.
  • • We found out that plans take longer than projected.
  • • We learned to not delay – we need to hire now for the future.
  • • We need to continuously think automation and LEAN practices.
  • • We created new benefits package to attract new talent.
  • • We implemented key performance indicators (KPIs) measuring safety, quality, delivery, cost, and training – measure, report, share in Plastics and Metals Operations, Tool Maintenance, and Secondary Operations.
  • • We immediately integrated change into our evolving culture.

 

Estimated expansion timeline

 

  • • June 2019: Phase 1 of construction complete
  • • Late 2019: Phase 2 of construction complete
  • • Fall 2019: Inauguration of new manufacturing facility

 

Follow live expansion updates

 

We invite you to follow our construction progress on our live workzone cam at .

 

To discuss your plastic and metal assembly manufacturing needs, please email our General Manager Jim Lee.

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]]> https://toolgauge.net/tool-gauge-aerospace-manufacturing-facility-expansion-update-fall-2018/feed/ 1 Tool Gauge evaluates cobots https://toolgauge.net/tool-gauge-evaluates-collaborative-robots-for-2019-facility-expansion/ https://toolgauge.net/tool-gauge-evaluates-collaborative-robots-for-2019-facility-expansion/#respond Thu, 12 Apr 2018 18:13:46 +0000 https://toolgauge.net/?p=1258 Today’s smaller aerospace manufacturers face challenges on many different levels. They have difficulty hiring due to a wide shortage of factory floor talent to carry out assembly work or tend to machines. To remain competitive on the global stage, they need to keep their manufacturing costs under control, especially as new aircraft programs come online. For […]

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]]> Today’s smaller aerospace manufacturers face challenges on many different levels. They have difficulty hiring due to a wide shortage of factory floor talent to carry out assembly work or tend to machines. To remain competitive on the global stage, they need to keep their manufacturing costs under control, especially as new aircraft programs come online. For many, the best growth path forward is to embrace automation and mechatronics to be able to continue to offer competitive value for the global aerospace supply chain.
Robots have become more affordable and can be configured to do a wide range of operations across the enterprise which preserves margins and makes ROI faster and much more attractive. Aerospace manufacturers will be adding more skilled positions supporting robotics and automation that will change the production line landscape and encourage assembly workers to increasingly adapt to evolving technologies. Robotics provide compelling advantages on the hiring front, offering training opportunities for young people out of high school or technical school who have an interest in mechatronics and automation.
To prepare for this automation transformation, Tool Gauge has started evaluating the medium-sized UR5 collaborative robot (or cobot) designed to work in close proximity with humans by Danish manufacturer Universal Robots. It promises quick, easy set-up and multiple applications without the constraints of traditional industrial robots. It is easy to program and has the ability to sense when a person comes in close proximity in which case it either slows down or stops completely. As part of our 2019 Tacoma manufacturing facility expansion, we foresee using collaborative robots on injection molding machines, CNC metal machining, and in secondary operations for a wide range of applications, specifically repetitive motion work, load / unload, assemblies, etc. Our three main application areas will be larger presses, so we can make all interior aerospace parts, integrated paint line, and robotics themselves as a way to provide a more attractive work environment for our employees. This will enable us to keep our operations in Tacoma, Wash. as well as continue to create living wage jobs and contribute to the economic development of the South Sound region.

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