St. Paul, MN (January 10, 2022) — In 1942, Jergens Inc. opened its doors and began its journey, growing into one of the world’s largest manufacturers of standard tooling components, vises and other workholding equipment. Built on a reputation of uncompromising quality standards, Jergens is committed to helping customers achieve leaner, more profitable manufacturing through the development of innovative products and engineered solutions for an integrated approach to manufacturing efficiency.
Partnering with Matsuura and Yamazen, Inc., Jergens installed a MAM72-35V in its 47-acre site in Cleveland, OH. The MAM72-35V 5-Axis Vertical Machining Center includes a PC32 tower, 320 tools, 20,000 RPM spindle, along with a tailstock. Ideal for machining small to very large products, the vertical machining center offers long periods of unmanned productivity.
Jergens also seeks flexibility in their manufacturing processes to maintain shorter lead times, competitive pricing, exceptional quality, and consistent on-time delivery.
“The flexibility of the machine itself has been fantastic for us. The 32 pallets have allowed us to put 5 different components in there at any given time and the flexibility to run during the day, as well as in the evening unattended,” said Randy Adams, Director of Operations and Sourcing for Jergens Inc. “We’re averaging at least 40 hours a week of unattended run, so the operator sets it up, he goes home, and the machine keeps on running for another eight hours, on average every day.”
Achieving process integration, complex 5-axis machining, and versatile functionality in all machining environments, variable-part variable-volume production and reliable extended unmanned operation are a standard feature of the MAM72 series.
The manufacturing industry continues to face shortages in skilled labor, causing machines to run for less time or be shut down more frequently. When machines aren’t running, it’s lost revenue and manufacturers are stressed because they cannot meet their production needs.
Matsuura has developed and manufactured cutting-edge machine tools since 1935. From high-speed machining to full 5-axis, vertical, horizontal, linear motor or multi-tasking CNC machine tools, Matsuura has spearheaded the design of automated, unmanned, high accuracy CNC machine tools for a wide range of industries.
“We like everybody else struggle through some Covid issues and people being out, but the thing is, the machine is so simple to run once you’ve been able to do some training on it,” Adams explained. “We’ve had other people come in and setup and run it, we had our supervisors and other operators come in to set this machine up on the weekend for unattended runs.”
“We’re actually getting additional hours now, that in the past, we would have lost entirely,” Adams added. “We’ve changed over our shifting strategies and added a 3-2-2 shift, where we’re running 7 days a week at least 12 hours a day.”
Matsuura’s automated, lights-out production enables many companies to take on low-volume jobs for various industries. With a wide variety of work, minimizing setup times is key to success.
An emphasis on quick changeover—the ability to quickly convert from running one product to another—is essential for a manufacturer that has a highly variable mix of product. True flexibility empowers manufacturers to stay in tune with their market, replacing rigid and static operating models with levels of control and responsiveness never previously possible.
“With 32 pallets and an average batch size of 5, and with 320 different tools in the tool changer, it allows us to have all the tools we need for any of the products we’re making,” Adams explained. “So, when you’re going from one job to another, you don’t have to stop and change out the tool and go back and forth.”
“More importantly, it allows us to set up redundant tooling, we have a secondary tool, a tertiary tool in there,” Adams elaborated. “During that unattended runtime, the machine can automatically go and grab that next tool and continue running, so you don’t lose just because a tool wears out or tool breaks.”
Matsuura Machinery is an innovator in the development of high-speed machining and the manufacture of automated, unmanned high-accuracy CNC machine tools providing automation solutions and new technologies that will boost production, minimize cost, increase quality, and reduce set-up and lead times.
“Our customers are requiring of us to continue to make better and better products and we’re holding very tight tolerances with the precision and capabilities of the Matsuura,” Adams said. “Because of the precision and accuracy of this machine, we’re able to design very tight products that are capable of holding tolerances time and time again.”
In 1942, Jack Schron, Sr., with his father Christy, responded to the needs of wartime production, and began to manufacture standard components to help American Manufacturers operate quickly and more efficiently.
“At Jergens, we have tried to stay on the cutting-edge and be a world leader, and you have to have sound equipment,” Adams explained. “The Matsuura has fit that bill for us exactly.”
“When you start looking at a lot of other machines, where there is a robot on the outside loading and unloading the machine, it works well for some,” Adams added. “On the MAM, the pallet change system and the machine itself are one, and always communicates with each other without hiccups. The Matsuura system works every time, we have never had an issue whatsoever with the integrated pallet system.”
At Matsuura Machinery USA Inc., we recognize that being successful means being available for our customers 24/7. With our diverse locations and capabilities, we combine the massive resources of an international company with the personalized service of a local business. Our global locations and our regional distributor network allow us to be available to our customer base all around the world.
Customers receive instant access to Matsuura’s service program. Matsuura Machinery USA’s comprehensive distributor network located throughout the United States provides complete service and a dependable, immediate response to keep machines running to their fullest potential. Our distributors are selected for their commitment to our customers.
“Our local distributor, Yamazen, has been there every step of the way,” Adams explained. “For example, one of our products was on the outer edges of tolerance, so we called our Yamazen Representative, Rick Brown.
“In 15 minutes, Rick had us in touch with Matsuura USA and their Applications Team,” Brown elaborated. “Leo Erler, Matsuura’s Applications Engineering Coordinator, came down from Minnesota to walk us through the application, and with his help, we were able to nail it.”
“Initially, this machine looks complex, but once you’ve got the machine setup, it runs so smooth, so seamless, and the repeatability is so high, that the operator that runs it will typically also be running 2 and sometimes 3 other machines,” Brown concluded. “The MAM72-35V has allowed our productivity to go so much higher and obviously keep our costs under control.”
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.
Learn more about Jergens Inc. at: https://www.jergensinc.com/
Visit here for more information about Matsuura’s MAM72 Series, or contact: [email protected].
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