According to Investopedia.com, “throughput” is defined as “the amount of a product or service that a company can produce and deliver to a client within a specified period of time.”
At Sirois Tool, we’re always looking for ways to increase throughput. Our strategies include workflow and value stream mapping, process control systems, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, automation, and much more.
But sometimes these efforts aren’t enough, and when this happens, we must consider making a capital investment to speed production.
We had to do this recently in response to the increased demand in our Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) department, most notably with our GF AgieCharmilles Cut P 350 EDM machine. We purchased it in July of 2020, and it quickly become one of our busiest machines.
So busy, in fact, that we added another one this year.
Our newest AgieCharmilles Cut P 350 arrived in late February and it’s already increasing throughput. With maximum workpiece dimensions of 31.5” x 21.65” x 8.66, it accommodates larger parts, and its X,Y, Z and U, V axes can cut up to 9.8 feet per minute. The full specs are on pages 26 – 32 of this GF Machining Solutions brochure if you’d like to learn more.
This is the seventh new machine we’ve purchased to increase throughput since February of 2019. Here’s the full list:
- 2024 – AgieCharmilles Cut P 350 EDM
- 2023 – Supertec EGM-350 Dual Spindle Grinder
- 2022 – Zeiss Contura CMM
- 2022 – Grob G350 5-Axis Universal Machining Center
- 2020 – AgieCharmilles Cut P 350 EDM
- 2019 – Haas DS-30Y Turning Center
- 2019 – Zeiss Contura CMM
This equates to a new machine purchase every 8.6 months over the past five years, and it demonstrates our commitment to optimizing throughput.
Minimizing our customers’ lead time is just as important to Sirois Tool as managing cost and quality. We know that even the most competitively priced, perfectly machined parts will quickly lose their appeal if our customers can’t have them when they need them.
As 2024 progresses, we’ll continue to monitor our production areas for optimal throughput, and we’ll take any steps necessary to ensure we maintain it.
Contact Us if you’re not getting timely delivery from your current supplier.