Strong medicine for growth: A New Jersey shop that specializes in medical work combines the latest hardware with innovative software to gain a competitive edge

Modern Machine Shop, Jan, 2002 by Bill Dundas

To achieve this flexibility in an expanding market, it's very important for medical machine shops to be located near important customers. In response to this need, Mr. Tarantino has opened a second EDM shop in northern New Jersey and soon will open a third machining facility in Cleveland, Ohio.

A Program That Programs

Perhaps the most innovative way that Mr. Tarantino meets his competition, however, is the software system he uses to control his shops' operations. Using programming experience gained during a previous job at Hewlett-Packard, Mr. Tarantino wrote this control program from scratch using Fortran language. Essentially, the program is an automatic post processor that eliminates the need for the shop to have engineers or operators continually rechecking data and programming machine tools.

The software automatically interprets both the geometry and textual notations in a customer's part data or blueprint. After this data is received by the system, the program automatically performs an error check and generates red circles that identify any incorrect or missing information. It also analyzes and identifies any conflicts in the data that will affect machining of the part. Because many of Mr. Tarantino's jobs involve precision alignment of holes or edges, his program's capability to automatically compensate for nominal setup variations saves a considerable amount of time when parts are loaded.

Besides removing the possibility of human error from programming, this software system also eliminates the need to maintain redundant CNC and CAD databases. New Jersey Precision keeps only a single database, and the shop doesn't need to save any part programs because the operating software automatically generates and error-checks programs each time they are downloaded to the shop's local computers for transfer to MCUs. Because the software streamlines his overall production process by eliminating a substantial amount of programming work, Mr. Tarantino enjoys an important advantage in a very competitive industry. For this reason, he prefers to keep his invention as a proprietary resource, and he has no plans to market it.

Preparing For Tomorrow

Training is a very important component in the success of the shop's 25 employees. The company participates in a state-certified apprentice training program that provides basic instruction for new employees. Additionally, all employees receive training in current good manufacturing practices (CGMP). Every two months, the company supplements this training by sending each employee on a "field trip" that may involve visiting a customer's production facility or perhaps attending an industry tradeshow. This experience helps employees understand the connection between their work and customers' needs, and it also enables them to keep abreast of new developments in metalworking that can improve productivity.

As a measure of his confidence in the company's future, Mr. Tarantino is firmly committed to job security for his employees. He bolsters this security and expresses his long-term business plan by continuing to invest in innovative machine tools and software development. Beyond the sphere of medical machining, this same attitude characterizes metalworking professionals in all types of shops who will be well-positioned for success when the economic pendulum reverses direction.