Unlocking Performance With Optimized Machining Tools
At Area Tool & Manufacturing, we’re committed to staying at the forefront of technology to create parts as efficiently as possible for our customers. We’re proud of our advanced machines, of course, but in today’s manufacturing landscape, machines alone are not enough. That’s why we place a strong focus on leveraging optimized machining tools.
A manufacturer’s tooling choices make a major difference in speed, accuracy, and consistency. Learn how we tailor our selections to your projects, and how we benefit from close relationships and collaboration with our tooling partners.
The Benefits of Our Tooling-Focused Mindset
A decade ago, our focus was primarily on investing in cutting-edge machines. We felt that if our tools had worked reliably for years in creating these parts, there was no urgent need to change. But that was a much different time; today, tooling is advancing as quickly as machines, and ignoring these innovations means you risk falling behind.
Modern cutting tools have changed dramatically. Advances in tool materials and coatings allow today’s tools to cut faster and last longer. Investing in high-performance machines truly pays off when you use the tooling that can get the most out of them.
Modern tooling has a direct impact on our customers in areas like:
Greater accuracy and tighter tolerances: Modern, optimized machining tools can maintain accuracy even under difficult conditions, critical for parts with demanding applications. That also leads to less scrap, which can help keep your project’s prices steady.
Achieving complex features: New tool geometries allow us to cut parts with features that previously required secondary processes or time-consuming setups.
Faster production for reliable lead times: Advanced tooling increases cutting efficiency, helping us maintain reliable lead times and predictable schedules.
Long-lasting tools create cost stability: Durable tools reduce replacement costs, while also keeping jobs running with fewer interruptions.
High-quality finishes: Optimized cutting tools leave cleaner surfaces, which can reduce or even eliminate secondary finishing steps.
How We Stay Ahead on Tooling
Once we recognized the importance of optimized machining tools, we made a commitment to stay current as part of our efforts in continuous improvement. That starts with choosing our partners carefully.
We only work with select local vendors we trust. We prefer partners with past experience as machinists, allowing them to offer practical advice and speak the same language as our machining team. Their unique insight improves our CNC machining performance in ways big-box suppliers can’t.
We meet with our vendors nearly every week. Sometimes it’s a quick check-in, but often they’re helping us solve real challenges with our latest project. Recently, for instance, we received an RFQ for a part with a small, intricate feature we hadn’t machined before. Instead of no-quoting it, our vendor connected us with a supplier of custom end mills, allowing us to take on the project.
And with their machining knowledge, our vendors do more than just deliver tools. They provide guidance to our machinists on speeds, feeds, and material-specific performance. Some even have apps that make this knowledge accessible everywhere, even on the shop floor. This support helps our team get the most from every tool in every job.
Learn the Difference Our Tooling Makes
At Area Tool, tooling is only part of our broader commitment to excellence in every aspect of your project. From quote to delivery, we ensure every detail is in place, whether you need 5-axis machining, CNC turning, wire EDM services, or any of our other capabilities.
Request a quote today to try our precision machine shop!
