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13 Sep20170

What are the Highest Ranked Mechanical Engineering Schools in the U.S.?

adminCNC Automation Manufacturing, Manufacturing Processcnc machine shops, cnc machining, cnc manufacturing, denver cnc manufacturing, denver manufacturing, machine shops colorado, machine shops denver, manufacturing in usa, mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering schools, top mechanical engineering schools

Though it’s a broad field of engineering, mechanical engineers are generally tasked with the design, construction and testing of everything from thermal sensors to engines to heavy-duty equipment and machinery. But before mechanical engineers can enter the workforce and contribute to the revitalization of U.S. manufacturing, it’s first essential for them to acquire the professional skills and knowledge required by employers. By earning a degree from one of the nation’s prestigious mechanical engineering schools or U.S. manufacturing schools, students will have the necessary know-how on essential skills like CNC manufacturing, CNC automation and CNC machining to propel them to success in the workforce. With that said, here’s a look at the highest ranking mechanical engineering schools in the U.S.

Top 5 Highest Ranking Engineering Schools in the U.S.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): Engineering education is somewhat synonymous with MIT. And when it comes to mechanical engineering, the school is the top ranked, according to a report from College Factual, which lists it No. 1 out of 270 colleges with such programs. In fact, at MIT, nearly 15 percent of all undergrads are working toward a mechanical engineering (ME) degree. But first you have to get in – and getting into MIT is highly competitive. According to U.S. News, only about 8 percent of all applicants are admitted.
Georgia Institute of Technology: College Factual slots the Georgia Institute of Technology, or GIT, as No. 2 on its list of schools with the best ME programs in the country. Like MIT, about 15 percent of all undergraduate students enroll at GIT to pursue an ME degree.
Stevens Institute of Technology: Located in the Hoboken, New Jersey, area, the school doesn’t just pride itself on having one of the safest campuses in the country, but with producing some of the best ME graduates in more of an intimate setting than the top two school on this list. For instance, in 2016, only about 150 students graduated with a degree in the program.
California Institute of Technology: One of the neat things about those who graduate with an ME degree from the California Institute of Technology is that they typically see a 12.6 percent average earnings increase compared to other ME graduates. Oh, and you can’t beat the Pasadena, California, location of the school, making for great year-round weather. Another great thing about the California Institute of Technology is its extremely favorable 3:1 student-faculty ratio.
Stanford: Stanford University rounds out our top 5 mechanical engineering schools list, as it offers both undergraduate and advanced degrees in the field of study. Stanford, an Ivy League school, also happens to be among the most prestigious colleges in the nation, coming in at No. 7 out of a possible 1,383 universities, per College Factual. It’s also the best university in the state of California.

Though we’ve detailed the top 5 mechanical engineering schools above, there are several more worth mentioning. Just think of these as our honorable mentions, a list that includes Kettering University (Flint, Michigan), the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, Michigan), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, New York) and Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania).

09 Aug20170

How can manufacturing employers find qualified machinists?

adminCNC Automation Manufacturing, Manufacturing Processcnc machine shops, cnc machining, cnc machinist, cnc machinists, cnc manufacturing, denver manufacturing, machine shop quality, machinists, manufacturing employers, manufacturing in usa, quality, tag team manufacturing

It is a common problem: there are jobs available for skilled workers in the manufacturing field, but there aren’t enough skilled workers to fill the jobs. When you hear reports about unemployment and jobs that are available in different fields, there is often a large discrepancy between the experience of those who are seeking employment, and the experience of employers who are seeking skilled employees. If there are so many people who are looking for work, then it ought to be easy to find someone who can fill your vacancy, right? Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.

In fact, in a survey of U.S manufacturing executives across a variety of different fields, including automotive, consumer goods, industrial parts, high-tech industries and electronics, it was found that finding qualified and skilled workers ranks as the number one or two issue facing manufacturing corporations today.

Why Skilled Labor Matters

The bottom line is that quality manufacturing can only happen when you have qualified workers. Unfortunately, the most difficult jobs for manufacturers to fill are the ones that are most necessary. CNC machine shops, CNC production, and CNC automation are all dependent on skilled labor. As a manufacturing employer, if you don’t know where to recruit skilled labor, then you may be faced with an issue of not being able to fully staff your manufacturing operation.

Old-fashioned methods of spreading news about a job vacancy doesn’t work anymore. You can’t rely on word of mouth or a newspaper post to bring you the candidates that you want. If you want the best people for the job, then you need to advertise the job where the best people are already looking. This means taking advantage of the internet, but more specifically than that, this means developing an online hiring strategy for your quality manufacturing facility.

Here are a few tips to help you find the right candidates for your position:

Advertise on employment websites. Pushing your vacancy to the top of the list via a sponsored advertisement can dramatically increase your applicant pool.
Be specific about the requirements. Don’t be vague when posting your job requirements. Let the applicants know what you are looking for, this way your applicant pool is full of qualified candidates who you may want to consider.
Utilize a social network. Over 80% of adults use social media, so it makes sense to reach out to your potential applicants where they already are. You don’t want to directly poach employees from a competitor, but by letting more people know about your vacancy you may encourage someone to apply who hadn’t thought about leaving their current job.
Work with local schools. By partnering with a local school, you can ensure that students are gaining the skills that you are looking for, and then you can create a candidate pool of fresh graduates who are already trained in your areas of need. Schools are often interested in working with potential employers, as it encourages students to enroll if they know there are job opportunities at the other end.

If you want skilled workers, you need to put your job advertisement out there where the skilled workers are going to see it. Finding the right candidates can reduce your training costs significantly, helping you to focus more on production and sales, which is what is going to help your business grow.

28 Jun20170

What OEM expectations from vendors have changed in the past 5 years?

adminCNC Automation Manufacturing, Manufacturing Processcnc machine shops, cnc machining, cnc manufacturing, denver manufacturing, machine shops denver, OEM, oem expectations, original equipment manufacturer, tag team manufacturing

As competition increases in machining across the world, it is essential to pay a great deal of attention to OEM standards – both minimum regulations and market standards. Over the past five years, OEM expectations from vendors have changed quite dramatically. Here are just a few of the modifications that you should keep in mind when you are assessing your quality control variables.

Quality Assurance

Led by the luxury automobile industry, the proliferation of precision automation manufacturing has created a higher standard for quality in OEM parts in many industries. Deliverables are now expected to maintain an extremely high rate of integration with factory parts, and OEM manufacturers are always competing to lower the error rate in batch deliveries.

Most quality assurance errors occur in high-volume production lines; however, as automation takes over for other forms of machining and general manufacturing, you can expect the QA standard to move up for bulk orders as well. In heavily regulated industries such as medicine and the automotive industry, vendors are becoming hardline about remaining in compliance with their various industry standards. Before choosing an OEM company within these industries, it is recommended to fit that company for an understanding of regulatory policy.

Continuous Improvement

Chief among new expectations from vendors is a dedication to continuous improvement. Fully accessible big data is now the norm for even the smallest startups in all major industries. It is a simple thing to quickly survey vendors on their opinions and quantifiable problems with a delivery. OEM companies now also have the luxury of surveying vendors ahead of time to take the temperature of market conditions and new product iterations.

Savvy OEM partners are gearing up for production runs on new product iterations years in advance, sometimes concurrently with the original manufacturer. When two sets of eyes are sharply focused on the market under the banner of continuous improvement, the result is usually much better for the end client.

High Volume Production

Being able to handle high volume production while maintaining a time to market and QA standard that is competitive in an industry is a feat not to be underestimated. When volume ramps up, small problems quickly become big problems. Close interdepartmental cooperation is necessary to ensure that a product does not veer off course before production takes its course.

Design Capabilities

More than ever, OEM partners need to have fit-for-purpose design development capabilities. The tenants of precise QA and continuous improvement can be quite a shock to a traditional production system. It is not enough to locate problems more quickly; the production capabilities of a company must be robust and flexible enough to handle any changes that need to be made on the fly.

The total capabilities of an OEM company become even more prevalent during high volume seasonal orders that require a high degree of precision. Vendors are being held to a just-in-time standard more often than ever, and they must demand it of their partner companies as well.

31 May20170

What factors impact the cost of raw material pricing?

adminCNC Automation Manufacturingcnc machine shops, cnc machining, denver manufacturing, manufacturing costs, pricing costs, raw material, tag team manufacturing, usa costs, usa manufacturing

Raw material, whether wood, minerals, crude oil or even meat, all often have varying price points rising and dropping like the stock exchange. There are many variables at play causing this to happen. Each variable affects the price point of raw materials, causing it to increase or decrease for manufacturers, distributors and consumers. Here are several contributing factors to the shifting price of such materials.

Sourcing the Material

One of the most expensive aspects of obtaining and distributing raw materials is sourcing it. If a mine runs low on the source material, if a harsh winter kills crops or if a forest fire takes down acres of lumber, readily available material is reduced, which in turn causes the price of raw material to go up. The demand remains, but as the supply is reduced, prices increase.

Transportation

The transportation of goods is another major expense to moving raw materials to different regions both within a country and around the world. This is especially true when importing or exporting the goods. As new levies and taxes are placed on goods brought in from other countries, the price for the raw material goes up. Additionally, if transporting lumber by truck or train, an increase in the cost of fuel will increase the cost to transport the goods, which causes the cost of raw material to shift.

Labor

Between transportation, sourcing the material, carrying for the material before it is ready to harvest or any other labor position along the way, if there is a shift in the work force there can be a shift in raw material pricing. If a union goes on strike, it affects raw material pricing as less of it can be transported or sourced from the earth. Other times, if the labor union reaches a deal and this includes an increase in pay, benefits or other aspects of their work, it in turn increases the price of raw material. Just about any shift in labor will have an impact on the cost of raw material.

Acts of God

Most other aspects involved in the shifting cost of raw material can, to some extent, be forecast. Acts of God typically cannot. This is a sudden and often devastating event that affects not just part of raw material sourcing and distribution, but an entire region, city or nation. The exact definition for an act of God may shift, depending on insurance purposes. But, typically, tornadoes, flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes, violent winds, volcanic eruption, tidal wave or near any other natural phenomenon that happens with little warning can shut down production and transportation instantly and for an extended period of time.

Forecasting the shift of raw material pricing is not an exact science. Like identifying a potential chance in a stock’s value, different variables are always at play. By understanding what factors impact the cost of raw material pricing, a manufacturer or user of the material can determine the best point of time in which to buy added material or when to hold off before buying additional supplies.

25 May20170

What are the Skills and Qualities Required to be Successful Machinists?

adminCNC Automation Manufacturingcnc machine shop, cnc machine shops, cnc machines, cnc machinist, cnc production, hiring cnc machinists, machinist, machinist qualities, tag team manufacturing

People tend to misunderstand what a CNC Machinist is and the skills they possess. Given that it takes at least seven (or more) years of technical tool and advanced manufacturing to become a certified machinist, summing up the qualities and skills required for the occupation can be difficult to explain in a simple sentence. So to give context brief to the occupation, a machinist is a person who performs techniques and operations without assistance in all facets of advanced machining techniques and operations. Much of their knowledge is gained through apprenticeship, which requires 576 hours of educational training and 8,000 hours of work learning all aspects of manual machining.

A Machinist’s Skill & Quality Set

Many individuals view machinists as people who operate by hardware and produce/cut materials into what is intended. However, this isn’t always the case as many industries utilizing Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machines. Some of the skill sets required for effective machinists are:

They must have the tolerance to gather and produce engineering parts that have been created from a wide range of materials. In addition to this, they should be able to work within size distinctions that are oftentimes only a hundredth of a single millimeter.
They must be proficient when handling the latest and current tools at their disposal, whether it be machine tools or measuring and hand paraphernalia. Machinists must also have experience and knowledge about laser cutting, screw machining, stamping, machine maintenance, machine building, machining, metalforming, and other techinical skills required for production.

When it comes to CNC machines, they are milling machines that are automated digitally. The main reason for CNC machine popularity is due to the fact that they reduce manpower, reduce time , and increase the quality of the product being produced. However, these machines do require machinist oversight in the event of failure. For example:

A CNC Machinist should be able to identify and interpret the 2D engineering blueprints/illustrations of the engineering machines or components. In addition to this, the CNC machinist must economically complete and plan the manufacturing of all components when utilizing the available equipment and time.

Aside from the technical aspects of the machine, the machinist must also know how to formulate procedures, set priorities, set schedules, and create a 3D image of the product mentally before it is created. This is a common quality found in expert machinists. Other important qualities include:

Paying careful attention to errors found in current manufactured equipment or components. If faults or errors are found, the machinist must correct them so the equipment or components can be used properly.
Maintaining a high level of craftsmanship. This is the most important quality a CNC Machinist can possess. They should have no problem finding safe, effective, and economical ways to improve productivity within a company or production.

Contact tagteammfg.com today by visiting the contact page or calling 303.841.5697.

30 Jan20170

What OEM’s should know about Quality CNC Machining

adminCNC Automation Manufacturingcnc machine shops, cnc production, denver manufacturing, machine shops colorado, machine shops denver, OEM manufacturing support, OEM partner, original equipment manufacturer, quality machining denver

Quality Machining Denver

Your quality manufacturing customers depends on you for quality. In today’s competitive OEM manufacturing environment, there is very little room for error. You certainly have choices when choosing a CNC machining shop. Because your customers demand quality, precision and timely delivery, you need to select the best CNC manufacturing and CNC production OEM partner available in the Denver area.

OEM Manufacturing Support

That is exactly why we are in business; to help you meet your commitments to deliver on time, within budget and with absolute precision. We take our role as your OEM partner very seriously. We’ve been in business for over 30 years and we understand the CNC manufacturing environment and quality machining Denver better than anyone else in the area.

As you well know, CNC Manufacturing, or Computer Numerical Control, Manufacturing involves operating lathes, mills, drills, and other devices from a computer. That is the world we live in, every day. We are committed to your success.

OEM Partner

Here are some of the things you need to know when selecting your CNC quality machining Denver OEM partner:

Commitment to Excellence – How long has your potential OEM Partner been in business and what is their commitment to excellence? Do they have a proven track record when it comes to delivering high quality solutions on time and within budget?
Ability to Handle High Volume Production – Can your CNC manufacturing partner handle high volume production? Can they quickly ramp with you from prototype to production and are they available to quickly trouble shoot issues?
Staffing – Who are the people behind the solutions? Do they have proven expertise and demonstrated experience in delivering quality machining Denver solutions. Do they have the depth to support your efforts when working with both small and large customers?
ISO 9001 Compliant – Tag Team Manufacturing’s Quality Management System follows ISO 9001 guidelines and is fully quality compliant. We deliver quality product every time, on time and within budget. We use electronic billboards to communicate with our staff to deliver consistent results with minimal scrap and on time delivery.
Quality Management Program – Tag Team’s quality management program helps meet Customer, Statutory and Regulatory requirements, ensures consistency of product and adheres to specifically designed processes and procedures that are well controlled and easily repeatable.
Continual Improvement – We work closely with our customers and often with their customers to gain efficiencies in operating cost with less scrap while avoiding non- conforming product and delivering ultimate customer satisfaction.
Customer Service – service in the manufacturing industry is vital to your success and ours. We continually train our staff to have a sense of urgency and to deal with potential issues quickly and efficiently.

Conclusion

Tag Team Manufacturing is your best choice for a Quality Oriented OEM Partner in Denver. We’ve been providing quality OEM manufacturing support for over 30 years. We built our reputation as an OEM partner, providing CNC production and CNC manufacturing solutions to CNC Machine shops. Contact us today to learn how we can help you meet the demands of your quality manufacturing customers.

13 Jan20170

The Role Of CNC Automation In Modern Manufacturing

adminCNC Automation Manufacturingautomation manufacturing, cnc automation, cnc automation manufacturing, cnc machine shops, cnc manufacturing, modern manufacturing, robotic automation manufacturing, robotics manufacturing

No business can survive without adopting the most advanced technologies, and in manufacturing, there are few devices more important than CNC machines. CNC, or Computer Numerical Control, manufacturing involves operating lathes, mills, drills, and other devices from a single computer. Manufacturers program the computer with precise instructions for the products they want to make; the machines can then manufacture those products without any additional input. CNC devices dramatically improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness, and have thus become a mainstay of modern manufacturing.

The CNC revolution is only beginning, and with each year manufacturers develop new, more effective ways to use this technology.

Advantages Of CNC Automation

CNC automation has a wide range of benefits for the manufacturing process, including:

• Consistency

• Volume

• Intricacy

• Efficiency

• Safety

• Speed

• Simplicity

Compared to these advantages, the only significant disadvantage of CNC automation is the high up-front cost. By improving efficiency, reducing waste, and preventing mistakes, CNC machines quickly make up for their initial prices, providing long-term savings for manufacturers in a wide range of industries.

What Comes Next? The Future Of CNC Automation

The CNC revolution is only beginning, and with each year manufacturers develop new, more effective ways to use this technology. At present, experts are focused on ways to integrate CNC machines with with the robots used to move and pack finished goods. Doing so will streamline the manufacturing process, reducing waste and increasing simplicity. A single control panel may one day be enough to direct an entire manufacturing operation.

Another key development is the advent of the CNC 3D printer, which has made this type of manufacturing available to smaller businesses and even individuals. As these devices fall in price and grow in complexity, CNC manufacturing will become increasingly personalized and decentralized.

To learn more about modern manufacturing, robotics, and other hallmarks of manufacturing automation, contact Tag Team Manufacturing today.

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