Four Matsuuras in Three Years to Manage Complex Specs and Short Lead Times

RSJ Machining, located in San Jose, has delivered precision machining for the semiconductor manufacturing, medical equipment, and fiber optic industries since 1982. Complex specs and short lead times are the way of life in Silicon Valley, so to meet these tight deadlines and the requirement for precision quality, RSJ Machining invested in the Matsuura MAM72-100H Horizontal Machining Center.

Importance of Rigidity and Accuracy

“I chose Matsuura for the rigidity and the accuracy of their machines,” said Richard Jones, President of RSJ Machining. “We bought the MAM72-100H for the fact it’s a horizontal, a 50 taper with a lot of power, and it is really accurate for being such a big machine.”

Incorporating decades of Matsuura expertise in machining center design and technology, the Matsuura MAM72 Series features high-accuracy, complex, 5-axis machining that meets the need for cost-effective unmanned operation.

Another reason RSJ considered the Matsuura MAM72-100H is they required a larger envelope, along with high rigidity to machine very large parts.

“The MAM72-100H is really accurate for being such a big machine,” “We can machine parts of 40-inch diameter by 30-inches tall, a great big piece of material.”

“It’s super accurate-we’ve made some parts that are quite accurate using the entire volumetric size of the machine, and it has been within like two tenths accuracy of location, within about half dollar without a true position, so that’s like super close.”

“Actually, the accuracy, we don’t even have to really be concerned, as long as the programming’s done right, the parts always end up right.”

Answer to Labor Shortages

Matsuura’s original automation and unmanned running systems provide solutions for organizations facing labor shortages by utilizing working hours effectively. With the deficiency in skilled labor to operate CNC Machines, automation provides the potential for expanding production and increasing profit while decreasing employment costs.

“I really wanted to be able to run overnight since you know it is true, we’re having a shortage of good help, but now you can have your good people run two or three of these machines and pay them a lot more,” Jones added. “We get them trained and they’re happier than ever, we need less people, and we make more parts.”

The MAM72 Series delivers long periods of unmanned productivity and provides versatility in the machining of very small to very large components.  Matsuura has a high performance MAM72 solution for every industry.

Through lights-out operation, RSJ Machining increased production capacity and enabled process integration, while maintaining their commitment to customer service and excellence in quality.

“The Matsuura really did open our eyes to be able to automate a lot of the parts that we were making and reduce setups, where before it would take four or five operations, now it’s one or two,” Jones added.

Reduction in Operations

“The reduction in operations obviously builds in accuracy and add the fact that you can let it run overnight, this built in a better delivery schedule,” Jones concluded.

RSJ has purchased four Matsuura machines in only three years and Jones is considering even more.

High Quality, High Speed Simultaneous 5-Axis Machining

“We have good confidence in our Matsuuras, they do run 24 hours a lot of times all week,” Jones added.

The Matsuura MAM72-100H 5-Axis horizontal machining center allows cutting on all five sides in one operation and can achieve process integration and high-accuracy complex 5-Axis machining to meet the need for unmanned operation.

Like all of Matsuura’s 5-axis machines, the MAM72-100H provides high quality, high speed simultaneous 5-axis machining. Designed utilizing FEM analysis for maximum rigidity, the MAM72-100H offers a uniquely stable machining platform when compared to machines in its capacity class range. Ideally designed for varied lot machining, the MAM72-100H can process a wide array of materials and offers users advanced, proven unmanned operations.

“The way that the machine’s built, it monitors even the temperature of the coolant, the hydraulic fluid temperatures, and  it takes care of collecting all the mist out of the machine,” Jones explained. “It means it’s really built for 24-hour service, and it is nice to have a machine that’s really built to run 24 hours.”

Machining Versatility

The MAM72-100H is the 5-axis platform for the most arduous environments where quality and sustained performance is paramount. The MAM72-100H is the largest in the MAM72 series and is the company’s largest state-of-the-art 5-axis in terms of capacity and size.

“This MAM72-100H has 245 tools and the versatility of that means it’s effective in so many ways,” Jones explained. “You can have multiple jobs set up and not have to break the tools down.”

“It’s nice to have all of Matsuura’s preventative and precautionary systems built into the machine, including the scheduling, everything is just so nicely done-all one package and put together nicely,” Jones said.

Matsuura Machinery’s exclusive distributor network works alongside Matsuura to define the ideal manufacturing method and automation solutions. We oversee the complete project – from concept to production, from training to after sales technical and service support.

Local Distributor Selway Machine Tool

“Selway has always been very good to me, and very helpful with other machines before I bought the Matsuuras,” Jones said. “The team at Selway is always respectful, always trying to go the extra step, and really prioritize to make sure my machines are running.”

Selway Machine Tool is the exclusive distributor of Matsuura products on the West Coast, offering a wide variety of manufacturing solutions including machine tools, accessories, automation, service and application support.

“During my experience with Selway, I learned about the Matsuuras, and Selway is one of the reasons why I ended up going with the Matsuura,” Jones concluded.

Selway Machine Tool was founded in 1963 by Roy Selway. The company began representing Matsuura products in 1978.  Many of the Matsuura 5-axis machining centers sold by Selway Machine Tool are producing parts for the Aerospace, Medical and Semi-conductor industries. The company continues to expand its operations, functioning in the same performance driven environments as its customers, focusing on providing value added products and services.

Selway Machine Tool sold the first Matsuura Horizontal with Multi-pallet System in the U.S., and has installed thousands of Matsuura Machining Centers on the West Coast.

Learn more about Matsuura Distributor, Selway Machine Tool, at: https://www.selwaytool.com/

“This is our 40th year in business and I really wish I would have done the automation step of this sooner,” Jones concluded. “But I’m really glad we’ve done it and having Matsuura and Selway as team players is really working out well for us.”

Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc., located in St. Paul, MN is the U.S. subsidiary of Matsuura Machinery Corporation in Japan. Since 1935, Matsuura has been the forerunner in designing innovative technology and manufacturing solutions to a variety of industries around the globe. Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc. delivers unmatched excellence in 5-axis, vertical, horizontal, linear motor, multi-tasking CNC machine tools and machines with a powder bed metal AM platform with machining capability. Matsuura Machinery USA, Inc. provides the service, applications and technical field support that have always been the Matsuura standard for business.

For more information on Matsuura products, contact: [email protected].