Quality control is the make-or-break function in precision machining. Swiss Precision Machining’s quality control team is responsible for ensuring that our customers get exactly what they want. Quality control is a way of life here and something that we are very passionate about. We took a few minutes to talk with Gabriela Baker, quality control expert at SPM, to get her take on our relentless pursuit of perfection. Can you tell me a little bit about your role and responsibilities…
Precision manufacturing is the execution arm of precision engineering. Precision engineering focuses on the design and development of highly accurate components. Precision manufacturing takes the original intent and design and converts it into a workable component part. High dimensional accuracy is its chief concern characterized by ever smaller parts with very high tolerances. Engineering focuses on the size and role of the component part in the device while precision manufacturing is concerned with the creation of the part as designed…
Manufacturing drives the world around us. Many of the highest tech industries can legitimately say that they are moving at the speed of manufacturing. Each day in a modern manufacturing plant is supersonic, complex, and innovative. At the center of all this productive energy is the manufacturing engineer. On any given day, manufacturing engineers are expected to provide expertise in the entire production process from first quote to finished piece. In short, it’s a challenge from beginning to end —…
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), more commonly known as brittle bone disease, is a genetic disorder that causes soft bones. Children with this condition have bones that break easily or don’t form normally and they usually experience multiple bone fractures during their lifetime. Recent advances in pediatric orthopedic implants are improving the quality of life for these children. The story of Ismael illustrates the challenges children born with OI face. He suffered his first broken bone when he was 13 months old…
Was Rosie the Riveter a good role model for women in manufacturing or not? The jury may still be out on that one. On the one hand she represents strength, optimism, and opportunity. On the other, she communicates some outdated ideas of manufacturing as exhausting, dirty work. Today’s manufacturing jobs are highly skilled in clean facilities with state-of-the-art equipment. They pay well, offer opportunities for advancement, and allow people to play an important role in the success of the company. …
As famous as the Disney company is now, there was a time when they were struggling to make ends meet. But Walt was convinced that investing in his employees would give him the edge he needed to set the standard in animation. “The first thing I did when I got a little money to experiment,” Walt recalled, “I put all my artists back in school.” Walt was an unconventional thinker for his day. A generation or two ago, career paths…
The Willemin 408MT is a multi-process machining center dedicated to machining parts with complex geometry from bar stock or slugs. We spent a few minutes talking with Willemin expert, Scott Goudie, to learn why the Willemin is so efficient and what advantages it brings to SPM’s customers. When did you get your first Willemin? Exactly 2 years ago in 2018. We were trying to get into some of the more intricate medical parts. It gives us a little better edge…
Severe scoliosis, left untreated, leads to significant spinal deformity resulting in pain and damage to internal organs. It is caused by an abnormal development of the bones of the spine and nearly always requires surgery. The surgical treatment for scoliosis begins in our shop in Wheeling, IL. Our work starts with the spinal hooks, bone screws, and implants that must be made with body-friendly, but often difficult to machine materials. Before bones in the spinal column are attached to a…
For years numerical control machines made the automatic control of machining tools possible in a basic way. They were controlled by G-codes that positioned the tools, but it wasn’t possible to change the parameters which limited the features of the end product. The first computer-aided machining systems became available in the 1970s and by the 1980s, CNC machines were standard on shop floors. Today, recent advances in smart manufacturing and AI are transforming the way precision parts are manufactured. The…
COVID-19 Press Release from Swiss Precision Machining, Wheeling, IL For Immediate Release Date: March 17, 2020 Contact: Joseph A. Haupers, Sales Director jhaupers@spmswiss.com C. 847.530.7689 O. 847.647.7111 Protective Measures in Response to COVID-19 As we address the challenging and rapidly changing circumstances caused by COVID-19, our top two priorities at Swiss Precision Machining (SPM) are the safety and well-being of our employees and minimizing the impact on our customers’ businesses where we can. Many of our customers supply critical medical…