Questions with Michael Minton

1. Before starting discussions with a potential machine tool builder (MTB), what should you do?

Before engaging with a prospective MTB, assess the type of engagement, involvement, and customer service you and your manufacturing team will need and want to be successful. Establish criteria for evaluating your MTB partner. When you meet with the MTB, share information about your current manufacturing equipment, production process, w materials, and challenges. This lets them understand your current process and provide a solution that meets your expectations.

2. What should you expect from your machine tool supplier?

The MTB you select should focus entirely on your success and the components you produce. During the discovery phase, ask the MTB about advantages of partnering with their company and using their solutions in your manufacturing process to achieve your business goals. Learn more about their equipment design and application engineers’ experience. Have the MTB describe the level of engagement. Review their products, support, and services helping achieve goals and positively impacting production.

Based on the knowledge obtained during the meeting, the MTB should discuss and offer technologies that’ll be most impactful. Ask them to explain how these technologies work independently and collaboratively. They should explain how your team will implement features. This enables the MTB to focus on a solution, not just the machine tool.

4. How does the MTB support our company in gaining the advantages of new technology?

Standard and included in the machine’s price should be a week of on-site application engineering startup assistance, including machine calibration and training personnel to calibrate machines. Feature demonstrations and personalized instruction help customers understand the advanced technologies purchased with the equipment, enabling them to perform these functions in the future. The MTB should provide your company with a focused approach to using the machine.

The MTB should engage your team shortly after accepting the purchase order. This engagement will be an in-person or remote meeting, depending on the requirements. During this meeting, the MTB should take you on a deep, technical dive into the equipment, preparing you for delivery. They should provide you with documentation to support post-processor development, machine manuals, and other pertinent information about your purchased equipment. This meeting should conclude with the MTB defining what you should expect from them.

Having a strategy before engagement provides value for the partnership developing between you and your MTB. Developed properly, this partnership will provide a great customer experience and value far beyond the initial investment in the equipment.

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