High Speed Machining Precision Tooling - Indobiz.biz

Editorial
CUT TO THE CHASE – LET’S GO PRECISION
Today, precision, productivity and production capability
are the driving forces in every part of the world
manufacturing. As tolerances get tighter and cycle
times become the difference between profi t and loss, tool
users need ever higher skills, equipment and solutions to
be successful. The cutting tool industry is responding with
new tools of their own: Advanced technology, education and
collaboration.
Over the past decade, Asian machine shops have been
through a competitive gauntlet involving too little business
to go around and relentless pressure from imports. Survival
demanded exponentially greater productivity, an improvement
only available with advanced tooling. In these plants, fewer
operators ran more machines, leaving no time to nurse
inferior tools through a day’s work. To survive, Indonesia
industry had to concentrate on decreasing and/or eliminating
machining operations and cycle times. The fi rms that have
made improvements are now positioned to take advantage of
economic changes that are creating new opportunities.
For example, offshore outsourcing, one of the manufacturing
trends over the past decade, is losing much of its luster as
costs and complications reduce its appeal. The demands of
growing Asian domestic economies have not only created
competing demands for shipping, but resulted in rising costs
for materials and energy and rising labor costs for contract
manufacturers. Language barriers and the diffi culties of
implementing in-process changes have taken their toll in
production and delivery losses.
European manufacturers have continued to invest in
technology and successfully adapt to competitive pressures
from all over the world. North America has the technology
available to compete straight up with Asian and European
competition, but needs better access to technology and
supporting education. There is a disparity in the knowledge
pool because mechanical engineers and machinists have not
always had the resources at their disposal to keep up with
new technologies in machining and cutting tools. But this is
changing rapidly with the advent of new technology centers
and closer working relationships between manufacturers and
toolmakers.
We can, and should, be making machined products in this
country and we should be continuously adapting in the
technologies required to make them more effi ciently and
of higher quality. Sometimes, new technology is expensive,
but it allows you to do things faster and more precisely. Over
the past fi ve years, there has been a revolution in Indonesia
manufacturing based on the ability to make things faster and
more cost effectively. We are poised for a similar revolution
in machining. This is why education in the latest advances in
tooling, materials, parts design and CNC machining is vital to
our industry.
Recognizing the importance of demonstrating the value
of advanced tooling and machining methods, cutting
tool manufacturers are reaching out to the users of their
products, inviting them to make their requirements known
and collaborating with them on creating solutions and
demonstrating the value of new technologies and methods.
By investing in technical education, and advanced tool
development for the latest machining methods, we are
helping Indonesia tool up for future success.
Edwin Widjaja
Editor in Chief
PT IndoBiz Connection
Gedung Hero II 8 th fl oor
Jl. Gatot Subroto Kav. 64 No. 177A Jakarta Selatan - Indonesia
Telp. : +62-21-657 00 022
Fax : +62-21-266 45 463
Contact :
Melissa Ng
Edwin Widjaja
sales@indobiz.biz (advertisement)
editor@indobiz.biz (articles/editorial)
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6
indometalworking news Vol. 2 / 2008