Since acquiring latest CNC milling software, a mould maker reports ten times the flow of work and that higher cutting speeds and more accurate toolpaths are reducing benching time by 50%.

Michigan, US-based Eifel Mold and Engineering combines 30 years of experience with advanced CADCAM and machining capabilities, including Delcam's PowerMILL cam software and new high-speed machine tools, to provide tier-one automotive suppliers with comprehensive product design and mouldmaking services. President Rick Hecker claimed, 'We're not simply a mouldmaker or a design house. We deliver the whole package for tier-one suppliers who need a project taken quickly from start to finish.' Eifel founder Josef Hecker emigrated from Germany to North America in 1957.

He worked as a pattern- and modelmaker in the automotive and aircraft industries for more than fifteen years before beginning his own company in 1973.

Customers still benefit from that long tradition of craftsmanship, precision and detail.

Meeting short lead times is Eifel's specialty.

'Usually we are involved with things that have to be turned around quickly.

We used to be happy when we got 16 to 18 weeks to make a typical production tool.

Now the time isn't there anymore,' Mr Hecker said.

Eifel's quest for speed and efficiency includes using the machine operators to create toolpaths for the company's milling machines with PowerMILL directly on the shop floor.

CNC machinist Gary Schulz explained, 'A lot of people create programs up in a CAM room but toolpaths are so much faster when they are programmed by the operator who knows the tools, knows how to cut steel, and can manipulate the set-up to make the machine do what he wants.' 'We've used PowerMILL on five different machines for many years,' Hecker added.

'We're very happy with the software.

You don't have any issues like gouging, and it's pretty easy to use.' Confidence in the toolpaths generated by PowerMILL enables Eifel to maximise machine utilisation through unattended, overnight finish machining operations.

High speed machining is becoming a key factor in Eifel's work, because it offers benefits in both productivity and product quality.

'The new technology in controllers and machines is remarkable,' noted Hecker.

'With our new machines, I'm putting out ten times the flow of work,' he said.

'I'm also getting high accuracy and better surface finish as well.' The high cutting speeds and accurate toolpaths are reducing benching time by 50%.

'Previously, we'd spend 30 man hours on a full wheel mould to get it to match up perfectly,' Hecker remembered.

'Now, we can do it in 10 hours or less.' High speed machining also enables Eifel to cut many features it used to burn with EDM.