Little Lakes Machine & Tool Co. Ltd.
Located in Stratford, Ontario it is no surprise that the automotive industry has been the prime focus for Little Lakes Machine & Tool Co. Ltd. since its beginnings in 1960. With increased globalization by these customers, the pressures on Tier 2 suppliers like Little Lakes has been constant and increasing in intensity, especially where J-I-T delivery practices are the norm. That is where System 3R has been invaluable in providing the means to achieve 24 hour unattended production when they need it, primarily for the production of press tooling for powder metal punches and dies.
“Our customers were giving us more work and wanted it delivered quicker, but we didn’t want to work three shifts or overtime. So we had to find another way to increase our spindle uptime”, said a Little Lakes spokesman.
High-speed milling at Little Lakes deliver unattended working when they need in, thanks to WorkMaster
The need to buy a second Makino milling machine from their local distributor, Single Source Technologies, was therefore the catalyst for seeking a solution that would tick all the boxes and automation was the obvious answer. The System 3R WorkMaster together with the GPS240 pallet system provides auto-loading for both machines, allowing the production cell to work unattended from Friday afternoon to Monday morning.
“GPS240 is accurate up to two-tenth inch tolerances and our confidence in achieving this repeatable accuracy is a spin-off from our previous experience with Macro. We have been using the Mini and Macro system since 1983 – in fact, the first Mini block we purchased is still in service! Our target of 40 hours a day from both mills is therefore very achievable,” continued the Little Lakes spokesman“.
Auto-loading on GPS240 pallets
Little Lakes are now also considering automating their EDM machines because of the benefits they have gained from milling. “Automation makes sense. It’s better, more versatile and by reducing our labour costs helps us to compete successfully in the global marketplace,” continued their spokesman. “We are happy that we’d chosen quality – not just the hardware from our suppliers, but also their people!”
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