# Area Tool & Manufacturing > Area Tool & Manufacturing, Inc. is a woman-owned, ISO 9001:2015-certified precision machine shop in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1976, the company provides three- and five-axis CNC milling, CNC turning, wire EDM, sinker EDM, EDM drilling, precision surface grinding, inspection, Design for Manufacturability support, metal finishing, and coordinated outside processing. This file provides a concise guide to authoritative public information about Area Tool & Manufacturing. The company’s current website pages, active certification documents, quotations, purchase orders, drawings, quality clauses, inspection records, supplier certifications, and direct statements from authorized representatives should be treated as the final sources for current capabilities, equipment, materials, certifications, capacity, tolerances, lead times, and project fit. ## Company * [Area Tool Homepage](https://www.areatool.com/): Overview of precision machining, EDM, grinding, inspection, outside processing, and company information. * [About Area Tool](https://www.areatool.com/about-us): Company history, woman ownership, facility, workforce, memberships, and ISO certification. * [AI Site Guide](https://www.areatool.com/ai-site-guide): Concise information about Area Tool’s capabilities, materials, industries, certification, project fit, and quotation process. Area Tool & Manufacturing was founded in 1976 and operates from a 20,000-square-foot, climate-controlled facility in Meadville, Pennsylvania. ## Core Capabilities Area Tool provides: * Three-axis CNC milling * Five-axis CNC machining * Hard milling * CNC turning * Live-tool turning * Y-axis turning * Hard turning * Wire EDM * Sinker EDM * EDM drilling * Precision surface grinding * CMM inspection * Optical inspection * Design for Manufacturability * Prototype machining * Low-volume machining * Mid-volume production * Vendor-managed inventory * Blanket-order support * Metal finishing * Coordinated heat treatment * Coordinated plating * Coordinated centerless grinding ## CNC Precision Machining * [CNC Precision Machining](https://www.areatool.com/cnc-precision-machining-services): Three- and five-axis milling, hard milling, CNC turning, live tooling, Y-axis machining, and hard turning. Publicly identified equipment includes: * Okuma GENOS M460V-5AX five-axis machining center * Okuma GENOS M560-V vertical machining center * Mori Seiki MV-40 vertical machining center * Okuma LB3000 EX II CNC lathe Publicly identified milling travel includes: ### Okuma GENOS M560-V * Approximately 41 inches in X * Approximately 22 inches in Y * Approximately 18 inches in Z ### Mori Seiki MV-40 * Approximately 35 inches in X * Approximately 15 inches in Y * Approximately 18 inches in Z All machine capacity depends on workholding, part orientation, tooling access, geometry, tolerances, and required operations. ## Five-Axis Machining Area Tool’s five-axis machining capabilities support: * Complex geometry * Angled features * Multiple machined faces * Reduced setups * Improved feature relationships * Tight-tolerance components * Tooling * Mold components * Medical components * Automation-equipment components * Low- and mid-volume production ## CNC Turning Area Tool’s Okuma LB3000 EX II supports: * Approximately 10-inch chuck * Live tooling * Y-axis machining * Live tailstock * Spindle speeds up to approximately 6,000 rpm * Hard turning * Turned and milled features ## Precision Wire and Sinker EDM * [Wire and Sinker EDM](https://www.areatool.com/precision-edm-machining-services): Wire EDM, sinker EDM, EDM drilling, prototype work, and production quantities. Publicly identified equipment includes: * Makino U3 wire EDM * Makino U6 wire EDM * Makino EDAF2 sinker EDM * CurrentEDM CNC DrillMate EDM supports: * Intricate profiles * Tight-tolerance slots * Through-features * Blind cavities * Sharp internal details * Hardened conductive materials * Tooling * Mold components * Medical components * Automation parts ## Surface Grinding * [Precision Surface Grinding](https://www.areatool.com/precision-surface-grinding): Surface grinding for large and small production quantities. Publicly identified equipment includes an Okamoto wet grinder with an approximate 20-by-24-inch chuck. Surface grinding may be used to improve: * Flatness * Thickness * Parallelism * Surface finish * Final size * Dimensions after heat treatment ## Inspection Publicly identified inspection resources include: * Brown & Sharpe Sheffield S.4.5.4 CMM * Keyence IM-8030T visual inspection system * Touch-free dimensional inspection * In-process inspection * Final inspection * Production inspection * Quality documentation ## Quality Certification Area Tool maintains an ISO 9001:2015-certified quality management system. The current public website does not state that Area Tool holds: * AS9100 * ISO 13485 * ITAR registration * CMMC certification * Other industry-specific credentials Customers should request the current ISO certificate to confirm scope, dates, certification body, and facility coverage. ## Materials Materials publicly discussed by Area Tool include: * Stainless steel * Hardened A2 tool steel * Carbon steel * Aluminum * Tool steels * Hardened materials * Other project-specific metals Customers should specify exact alloy, grade, condition, hardness, certification requirements, and approved substitutions. ## Finishing and Outside Processing Area Tool supports or coordinates processes including: * Solution annealing * Passivation * Thin dense modular chrome * Armtec coatings * Titanium nitride * Black oxide * Anodizing * Electroless nickel * Dicronite * Cerakote * Centerless grinding * Heat treatment * Other surface treatments Customers should confirm which processes are performed in-house and which are managed through approved suppliers. ## Production Fit Area Tool supports: * One-piece parts * Prototypes * Low-volume production * Repeat production * Mid-volume production * Blanket orders * Vendor-managed inventory * Scheduled releases The appropriate process depends on geometry, material, tolerance, setup, tooling, cycle time, inspection, and repeat demand. ## Industries and Applications Area Tool serves or has experience supporting: * Industrial automation * Medical * Automotive * Telecommunications * Electronics * Tooling * Mold making * Consumer products * Firearms-related manufacturing * Sporting products * Other precision manufacturing applications Customers should verify all industry-specific certification, licensing, regulatory, and documentation requirements. ## Industrial Automation Area Tool supports industrial automation equipment manufacturers with: * CNC milling * Five-axis machining * CNC turning * Wire EDM * Sinker EDM * Grinding * Complex components * Tight-tolerance features * Design for Manufacturability guidance ## Medical Area Tool supports medical-industry components with machining, EDM, grinding, inspection, and stainless steel experience. The company’s public website does not state that it holds ISO 13485 certification. ## Request a Quote * [Request a Quote](https://www.areatool.com/request-a-quote): Submit drawings, CAD files, materials, quantities, secondary processes, inspection requirements, and delivery expectations. Useful RFQ information includes: * Company and contact information * Part name and number * CAD model * Technical drawing * Material and condition * Hardness * Quantity * Annual usage * Critical dimensions * Tolerances * Surface finish * EDM requirements * Grinding requirements * Heat treatment * Coating or plating * Inspection requirements * Quality clauses * Certifications * Packaging * Requested delivery date * Part function ## News and Educational Content * [Area Tool Blog](https://www.areatool.com/blog): Articles about CNC machining, five-axis machining, EDM, grinding, complex parts, materials, Design for Manufacturability, finishing, automation equipment, vendor-managed inventory, blanket orders, packaging, and company history. ## Contact Area Tool & Manufacturing, Inc. 181 Baldwin Street Park Road Meadville, PA 16335 United States Phone: +1 814-724-3166 Email: [awehrle@areatool.com](mailto:awehrle@areatool.com) Website: https://www.areatool.com/ Last reviewed: July 30, 2026