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American Manufacturer Establishes Singapore Operations
- Industry: Aerospace
- Process: Milling, Turning
- MGI Division: The Robert E. Morris Company
- Builder Tool: Okuma MA-600H
- Outcome: Successful transfer of machine tool technology to produce aerospace components in Singapore. Today, the customer is manufacturing several part numbers, and we are supporting them remotely using the Internet and Okuma’s advanced THINC CNC Control.
» Challenge
Help a customer of The Robert E. Morris Company transfer manufacturing technology to its new Singapore facility. The company needed to manufacture spare parts for the Southeast Asian market.
» Solution
We assessed the project and broke it down into smaller tasks. The first was to identify the necessary equipment. Since they were making the same parts in America and were happy with the Okuma 600 mm HMCs, VMCs, and large 4-axis lathes, we specified the same models for the Singapore facility and arranged all the shipping logistics. We sent an engineering team there for two two-week periods to get them up and running. They were pleased with Okuma's P200 THINC control, particularly with its ability for us to remotely connect to any of their Okuma machines through an Internet intermediary program. We opted to use Webex, which is simple for both parties to use. We simply establish a session number, dial in by phone, we are given permission to "join" and can access each individual machine control and resolve any issue that might be surfacing. Singapore is 12 hours ahead of Eastern US time.
» Assessment
Our customer forged a joint venture with an Asian company to produce spare aircraft engine parts to support the Asian aerospace industry. They chose Singapore to establish a brand new facility. The Robert E. Morris Company has enjoyed a business relationship with this particular customer for decades. They have come to rely on our equipment and our support, and as an outgrowth of that relationship, we became the preferred machine tool supplier to outfit their Singapore operation and to provide ongoing technical support.
» Results
We successfully transferred the machine tool technology to make the spare parts in Singapore. As more parts and the project scope expanded, we added more Okuma machining centers and lathes. The customer is manufacturing several part numbers today, and we are supporting them remotely using the Internet and Okuma's advanced THINC technology.
