CHANGING SHAPE IN ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY

With the current economic downturn well underway, the effects of recession are palpable and hang heavy in the air, until the plain front door of Proteus Manufacturing (Woburn, MA) opens wide and you are struck fully by the drone of high speed equipment and the smell of machined metal. Then you realize that despite the economy, some shops are still thriving, thanks to automation and the demand for highly precise parts in industries such as defense.

In Greek mythology, ?Proteus? was a sea god who had the ability to change shape at will. Judging by the nature of the work here in this plant, bolstered by the flexible, progressive attitude of the owner and his employees, this 30+ person precision machine shop lives up to its namesake.

SHAPING A FUTURE THROUGH QUALITY
Operating inside a 20,000 sq ft facility headed up by president John Tamulynas III, whose love for cutting metal and taking on challenges began in the late 1980s when he was an independent machinist/contractor making prototypes. Tamulynas explains how the company has indeed changed shape over the past ten to 20 years: ?In 1990 (as JT Engineering) we got our first CNC milling machine. We originally did a lot of prototype work and small quantity production.?

?Over the years we grew steadily and took on precision manufacturing, which is prevalent in our market ? especially for the medical industry,? says Tamulynas. ?The medical sector is not only a staple in New England; it is a highly competitive market. As we grew in the precision area, we started accepting other high-tech prototype work, such as sophisticated optical devices used in the defense industry.?

That?s when the company ?made a big breakthrough,? continues Tamulynas. ?At first we were doing a few of these parts, then 20 to 30 a week, which quickly and dramatically increased. In 2001 we moved into a 5,000 sq ft facility. We?ve since added 16 employees over 14 years and the defense industry has kept things booming.? In 2008 Proteus moved into their current Woburn facility, where they now run two shifts plus overtime, even amid the down economy.

Some of the primary defense components the company manufactures are mechanical housings for optical cameras, lenses and assemblies. This work is very intricate, requiring extreme precision machining of primarily aluminum to tolerances that are routinely in ten thousandths of an inch. Of course, this kind of precision requires extensive testing, inspection and quality control.

Quality cannot be overemphasized at Proteus. It is a constant thread running throughout the organization at all stages. Their comprehensive quality audit program utilizes a full complement of equipment and procedures, with every job followed via a job jacket that moves through the shop every step of the way.

?Our quality is excellent,? states Tamulynus. ?We take a great deal of pride in the parts we make. If you place a part we made beside one of someone else, you can see the difference in the details and finish. Even if our parts are going to be hidden within a final assembly, we want those components to shine as a matter of principle.? He adds, ?We go above and beyond the call for our customers. We provide full assembly services and take pride in applying a high level of personal attention to our business, even to the point of delivery. In fact, whenever possible we hand deliver parts to our customers.?

The success of this proactive approach is reflected by company claims of being consistently at the top of their customers? quality ratings. ?I am very proud of our employees,? smiles Tamulynas. ?We have a great team that is very self-motivated and devoted to excellence. Our results are proof of that.?

LEAPING HORIZONTALLY
Success, however, does come with its share of challenges. With increased orders, Proteus faced logistical problems that demanded manufacturing more products without hiring more people or without purchasing more equipment, such as vertical machining centers to perform the multiple operations required on their parts.

?We were really at a crossroads and wondered how to address this problem,? recalls Tamulynas. ?We discussed our situation with our machine tool supplier, Methods Machine Tools Inc. (Sudbury, MA), who we have relied on heavily throughout our company?s history. They recommended that we transition from multiple VMCs to an automated horizontal machining center. At first we were concerned that a move to a horizontal might be risky. How much throughput could we achieve? How much set up time could it reduce? How difficult would it be for our machinists to run? And so on.?

Tamulynas states, ?Methods really knows our operation inside out. They were convinced that a KIWA Japan KH-45 horizontal machining center would take us to the next level. To my surprise, the full-featured performance package of the KIWA horizontal solution was more affordable than I had anticipated. We have always trusted their advice, so after further review and demonstrations, we decided to take the leap to horizontal and had the new HMC installed in late summer 2008.?

Although Proteus purchased a KH-45 full 6 APC model, they reviewed the option of investing more conservatively in KH-45 horizontals by utilizing their exclusive in-the-field expandable tool and pallet technology that allows a shop to easily expand as their business grows. For example, Proteus could have started with a base two-pallet machine having 120 tools, then expanded later to a six or eight pallet machine with 220 tools. ?We currently use 60 tools and four pallets, but we already plan to fully utilize all six pallets for increased production,? says general manager Bill Burris.

Using 400 mm pallets in a work envelope of 29.5 in diameter x 39.4 in height with an X-Y-Z stroke of 25.2 in x 24 in x 26.8 in, the new HMC offers exceptionally large travel and clearance for manufacturing versatility. Its rigid, stepped-base column casting design, box-type bed, over 1G acceleration, 12,000 rpm spindle and exceedingly fast tool changer provide the speed and agility to reduce cycle times for Proteus: the manufacturer claims a tool-to-tool time of 0.9 seconds and chip-to-chip time of 2.8 seconds.

The KH-45 engages a hydraulic posi-lock pallet clamping system to ensure reliable clamping and accurate machining. The equipment is run with an industry-standard Fanuc Control for operator ease of use and familiarity.

LESS TIME, MORE OPPORTUNITIES
As it turns out, Proteus was very pleased with their horizontal leap, primarily due to how the KIWA H-45 has reduced cycle times, moved them into lights-out automation and freed up more spindle time for other previously strained operations.

According to Burris, ?in the first two roughing operations on one of our primary machined aluminum components, the new HMC reduced our cycle time by over 30 percent and the pallet system enabled us to go from one part to four parts at a time and run lights out. We?ve witnessed an incredible difference in the roughing procedure ? it?s like night and day. And we don?t need to clean chips out like we do in our vertical machines. The conveyor system on the HMC works great as well.?

The KH-45 uses a clever, efficient chip conveyor disposal that is designed to be fed from the front or side to continuously remove chips from the machining envelope. Burris explains that the transition into horizontal machining has been fast and easy, reducing set up time and providing a much more efficient way to make parts. ?With the horizontal we do multiple operations on different stations on all four four sides of the tombstone. We load more in the machine and utilize our tooling better. By placing four to five jobs on one machine, we opened up other spindles on other machines to create more overall versatility and increased productivity throughout our shop,? adds Burris.

Tamulynas, who is preparing for more growth on the horizon through other new project developments, is thrilled as well.?The new horizontal is now doing the work of three VMCs and has been extremely reliable ? a phenomenal success,? he beams. ?Now that we have gained more hours, we can grow into new areas. We plan to purchase a second KIWA as well, and we?ve only had the first one in production for a few months.?

After pressing Tamulynas for more details on new growth areas, he imparts some exciting news: more challenging opportunities are being scoped out in the microwave field and high-end filters for the wireless industry, as well as thermal imaging optics for homeland security. When leaving Proteus, your attitude is adjusted and you feel inspired again. For some, manufacturing is alive and the future is shaping up to be great after all.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Proteus Manufacturing Co., 44 6th Road, Woburn, MA 01801-1759, 781-939-0919, Fax: 781-939-0921, www.proteusmfg.com .

Methods Machine Tools, Inc., 65 Union Avenue, Sudbury, MA 01776, 978-443-5388, www.methodsmachine.com .