Just enough automation - Automated gantry loaders helped this shop make the transition from job shop to product line manufacturer

摘要

Oil wells use lots of pumps. At almost every step in drilling or operating an oil well, pumps are needed to get various materials in and out of the ground. All of these pumps require numerous valves to control the flow of these materials, many of which are highly abrasive or corrosive. As a result, these valves and the seats they mate with wear out and need to be replaced. Novatech Corporation is in the business of manufacturing these replacement components. This 19-person shop in Dallas, Texas, was making many of these parts before it became a pump valve company with its own product line. Novatech started out as a job shop, with precision turning as one of its specialties.