News

STANDARDIZING ON CONFIGURABLE PARTS REWARDS MACHINE BUILDERS
WITH TIME AND COST SAVINGS, HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY 

Reducing reliance on custom-built components is a proven strategy for cutting engineering, machining and production time and costs - resulting in higher profit margins and faster time-to-market.

Many machine builder customers of Misumi USA, Inc., a subsidiary of Misumi Corporation, part of Misumi Group, Inc. (Tokyo: 9962), report that the company's vast array of readily available configurable components have made it possible to reduce their reliance on custom-built components, even for production of highly customized machinery and automation systems.  In many cases, aggressively pursuing a strategy of part standardization has resulted in significant time and cost savings - often up to 50 percent.   

Patrick Esposito, Marketing Manager of Misumi USA, explains:  "In today's economic climate, machine builders are pressured to contain costs while keeping prices competitive and continuing to deliver the quality their customers require.  Misumi customers have reported that standardizing machine parts wherever possible, using precisely configured mechanical components instead of custom-made, has helped in these efforts.  We see this trend growing across the industrial manufacturing spectrum - especially in the automotive, semiconductor, medical device and packaging markets."   

How Part Configuration Works

Mechanical components are integral to the manufacture of machinery and systems for industrial automation and motion control - from production machines, to assembly equipment, conveying systems, standalone work-holders, and quality inspection and control equipment. 

Traditionally, in designing custom machines, engineers would create drawings to model the individual parts needed and, if no such product existed, they would specify custom parts be made and/or machined to precise specifications.  This could be a time-consuming and costly process, whether the parts were made by an internal machine shop or outsourced.  In addition to increasing overall production costs, custom-built and custom-machined parts typically take longer to procure, which can delay delivery of customer orders. 

Today, however, there's another option: that of specifying "configurable" components.  This means that design engineers can select a wide variety of components (e.g., single axis actuators, linear motion units and guides, shafts, steel plates, aluminum extrusions, etc.) in different sizes, dimensions, construction materials and finishes - and with extremely precise tooling modifications that fit their application needs.  It's an approach that is working well for many machine builders.

For example:

• Genesis Automation, St. Charles, Illinois.  This custom designer/builder of automated assembly and testing equipment, reports that configuring parts online and downloading native CAD files has saved hundreds of hours of project design time and eliminated the need to create additional engineering drawings.  And, the cost of purchasing configured parts from Misumi can be considerably lower than producing the parts in their own machine shop.
  
  
• Orbitform Group, Jackson, Michigan.  In customizing mechanical parts, this manufacturer of standard and custom forming, fastening and assembly equipment, now specifies many of Misumi's precision configured components, including shafts, couplers, bearings and sheet metal. As a result, the company has realized 15 to 40 percent cost savings, and time savings in the 50 percent range.

In addition to reporting significantly reduced project design/engineering and production costs, many machine builders also report benefits such as improved cash flow and higher levels of customer service due to shorter lead times, as well as better product quality due to increased standardization of components.

About MISUMI USA, Inc.
Located in Schaumburg, Illinois, MISUMI USA, Inc. was established in 1988 as a Subsidiary of Misumi Corporation, a part of the Misumi Group (TOKYO: 9962). MISUMI USA, Inc. is a leading supplier of fixed and configurable components such as single-axis actuators, linear shafts, aluminum extrusions, linear guides, XY stages and other components for factory automation and various machine builds.  For a complete list of available components, please visit https://www.misumi-ec.com/eusaen/mech/.

MEDIA CONTACT

COMPANY CONTACT
MISUMI USA, Inc.
Patrick J. Esposito
Marketing Manager
P. 847-843-9105
F. 847-592-5922
E. pesposito@misumiusa.com