The Advantages Of A Complete Tool Shop In The Extrusion Industry

Nearly every manufacturer has some sort of tool shop. It’s a necessity of running an efficient operation that meets the needs of a customer. 

This is especially true in the extrusion industry where the tools are the lifeblood of any operation.  Not all tool shops are created equal.  The quality of the shop your supply chain partner manages has a direct impact on the quality and delivery of the parts that enter your process.  Having a complete tool shop can mean the difference between profit and lost opportunity.

A traditional plastic extrusion operation starts the development process by mounting the die on the extruder, running compound through them, then making adjustments to the tools so the parts match the shape the customer wants.  These adjustments can be made with everything from an angle grinder to a 3 axis CNC machining center.  In many cases, a tool shop that has more sophisticated equipment means quicker adjustments with more accuracy.  This precision drastically reduces the time it takes a profile to go from concept to shipped part.

Perhaps the most compelling reason to qualify the capabilities of your plastic supplier’s tool shop is disaster mitigation.  While it goes without saying that every manufacturer considers the care and maintenance of their tools a high priority, production environments can create rigorous conditions.  In the event of catastrophic tool failure, a supply chain partner without a robust tooling department can leave you waiting for parts until new tools arrive.  Investment in this area of business is an investment in the future of a company’s customers.

Engineered Profiles prides itself in staffing a world-class extrusion die design and development team.  This team of engineers, designers, and machinists are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment including a trio of vertical CNC mills and 6 wire EDMs.  This combined with sophisticated extrusion modeling software make for one of the most complete tool shops in North America.  This gives Engineered profiles the technological edge to make better tools and produce better extrusions while providing supply chain continuity to their customers.  The next time you think about your plastic extrusion partner ask yourself, “How do they manage my tools?”  You might be surprised.