THE Right Fit IS IN THE Fixtures: Custom engineered workholding fixtures are key to the effectiveness of an unusual Automated Production System (APS) recently installed at Kurt Manufacturing

摘要

It helps that one of this company's specialties is custom engineered workholding fixtures. Most shops know Kurt Manufacturing for its extensive line of machinists' vises. If you have a machine tool and need a vise for rigid workholding, Kurt's catalog most likely includes a product to fit the application. These standard products are a big part of the company's business. This part of its business, however, faces the most pressure from the so-called low-cost producers overseas. On one hand, having components or entire products manufactured offshore is an attractive option (or compelling necessity) for any company striving to maintain competitive pricing for its product lines. On the other hand, no matter where production takes place, Kurt has to compete with knock-off versions of its standard products from other off-shore producers.