Much like the aerospace industry, the medical industry has strict standards for precision machined parts. And while the AS9100 certification we possess here at Focused on Machining is specific to the aerospace industry, the processes we developed to maintain our status as an AS9100 machine shop enable us to meet the demands of the medical industry, as well.
In an attempt to save money, one of our OEM customers recently ordered 5 complex gear housings from an on-demand parts marketplace. They planned to have the parts shipped to Focused on Machining for assembly. There was just one problem: the housings we received from the budget marketplace arrived with serious quality and accuracy issues. The threaded holes hadn’t been deburred, and the press-fit holes were too small for the hardware.
Firearms users rely on picatinny rails to mount accessories like tactical lights, bipods, and laser sights—but these versatile mounting brackets aren’t only for guns! At Focused on Machining, we specialize in machining picatinny rails for major OEM firearms manufacturers. We love making these parts and want to share some of the other applications where we’ve seen them in use. Who knows, maybe you’ll come away from this blog with an idea for the next great picatinny rail product.
Remember when we shared that we were in the process of getting AS9100 certified? Well, we’re thrilled to announce that Focused on Machining is now officially an AS9100 machine shop!
Top Shops data indicates that only 45% of machine shops have quality certifications like ISO 9001 and AS9100, and we’re proud that our Denver machine shop is part of this elite group.
Our Colorado CNC machine shop is in the process of pursuing CMMC 2.0 compliance, which will prove to the US Department of Defense that we meet rigorous cybersecurity standards. Now that we’re several months into the process, we’re here to provide an update on our status—because transparency and accountability matter to us.
A recent trend in aerospace machining is that parts are becoming so complex that traditional equipment and approaches are no longer sufficient. Aerospace buyers often need parts with exceptionally tight tolerance features on opposite or multiple sides, which can be difficult to achieve with a standard CNC mill. At Focused on Machining, we’ve found great success leveraging multi-axis machining with zero-point fixturing to take on the most challenging aerospace machining jobs.
If you find yourself placing repeat orders for the same parts multiple times in a year, consider establishing a long-term contract with your manufacturing partner. Not all shops provide contract manufacturing services, but those that do are almost always open to discussing this option with customers. That’s because long-term contracts benefit buyers and precision machine shops alike.
Many shops view source inspections as a necessary evil. Source inspections can indeed be cumbersome for shops whose processes are still mostly manual—there’s no denying that. Fortunately, at Focused on Machining, our robust ERP system allows us to facilitate source inspections easily. In fact, we’ve even come to really appreciate source inspections and the customers who require them.
Reducing the costs of machined parts can be as easy as having a conversation: always communicate with a shop about your purchasing intentions. If you plan to place a particular order on a recurring basis, the right contract manufacturing services partner can talk to you about opportunities to obtain the best costs over time with a long-term contract.
When you’re looking for a shop with more than just a single CNC table and a lathe machine in Denver, CO, count on us. Our scope of machinery enables us to take on jobs of all types, producing results that help us set the standard for customization and precision. From quantity 1 to 1,000 we can meet your prototype to production needs.
Give us a call at 303-922-3076 or Request a Quote
