Hydraulics manufacturer finds productivity savings of 50 percent and "the price was right."

Modern Machine Shop, Dec, 1991

Hydraulics Manufacturer Finds Productivity Savings Of 50 Percent And "The Price Was Right"

Four years ago, like many growing businesses, Mico West, Inc., manufacturers of hydraulic components had a limited budget but was developing a need for sophisticated machining. The first machining center Mico looked at, with the specifications they were looking for, was over their budget. However, the company did not have to look far before they discovered the YAM CNC-3A, manufactured by Yang Machine Tool, Co., 4920 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim, CA 92807. This vertical machining center had similar specifications to the more expensive model but at a significantly lower price.

Mico West purchased the YAM CNC-3A to manufacture brake drums for off-highway earth movers. The brake drums are made of cast iron, an extremely abrasive material that is hard on machine tools.

Using pallet changers, the YAM CNC machine ran non-stop and virtually problem-free for two shifts, every day for four years. Mico was so pleased with the YAM's performance that within six months they purchased another YAM machining center, the MV-3A. This is an upgraded version of the CNC-3A, with a hydraulic cam and drum-style tool changing mechanism. The company feels that in addition to increased productivity, these machines provided a learning curve for them. Even after continuous use, the machines performed to the company's specifications.

When asked why Mico decided on the YAM machines, Michael Hubbard, manufacturing engineer at Mico replied "The price was right. We needed a machining center with a faster tool changer, and both increased magazine capacity and table travels. Only YAM could meet our requirements."

Mr. Hubbard states "We never had to wait more than 24 hours for either service or spare parts. Even though service components are seldom required, YAM design makes use of readily available locally-sourced parts such as limit switches, fuses, relays, proximity switches, etc., which makes replacement easy when necessary."

Mico has seen more than 50-percent improvement in productivity. The company feels Yang's installation and aftermarket service were "first class." Excellent documentation was provided and parts and mechanical diagrams were easy to understand. Additionally, the machines come with a two-year warranty. YAM machining centers met all of Mico West's requirements, and at an affordable price. The machining solution Mico West previously thought was too expensive has now become cost-effective.

PHOTO : Mico West has seen a greater than 50-percent increase in productivity since installing YAM machining centers.