Staub Precision Machine, Inc. https://staubinc.com/ Precision Machining Company Buffalo, NY Thu, 07 Aug 2025 19:28:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://staubinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/cropped-favicon-s-32x32.png Staub Precision Machine, Inc. https://staubinc.com/ 32 32 238801491 Advancing Metalworking Precision with Cutting-Edge CNC Technology https://staubinc.com/news/advancing-metalworking-precision-with-cutting-edge-cnc-technology/ Thu, 07 Aug 2025 19:28:14 +0000 https://staubinc.com/?p=15456 Few tools have redefined modern metalworking so profoundly as the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) system. This technology has become the cornerstone of precision work at machine shops, enhancing accuracy and efficiency while producing superior quality. Advanced CNC precision metalworking now accounts for a significant portion of work in many industries that rely on the exactness […]

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Few tools have redefined modern metalworking so profoundly as the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) system. This technology has become the cornerstone of precision work at machine shops, enhancing accuracy and efficiency while producing superior quality. Advanced CNC precision metalworking now accounts for a significant portion of work in many industries that rely on the exactness inherent in this technology.

The Role of CNC Technology in Modern Metalworking

As industrial technology has advanced, CNC precision metalworking has largely replaced manual processes with automated systems that provide greater consistency and accuracy. Modern CNC milling and turning machines are designed to handle components with complex geometries and tight tolerances, reliably and quickly delivering finished workpieces with every production run. Cutting-edge CNC technology has become essential for industries where precision is essential, such as in the aerospace, auto, defense, and medical sectors. The use of advanced precision metalworking helps machine shops fulfill high-volume orders, while also ensuring the exactness that manual machining processes cannot readily provide.

CNC Milling Pushes the Boundaries of Precision

Since the initial development of numerical control systems in the late 1940s, and the computerization of this manufacturing technology in the 1970s, multi-axis milling has significantly advanced. CNC precision metalworking today requires machines that can perform on multiple axes to achieve tight tolerances and complex contours, which conventional methods would find difficult or even impossible. Such advanced control systems enable repeatable processes down to the micron level, with multi-axis milling equipment capable of producing flawless finishes and intricate geometries.

CNC Turning Results in Superior Operational Efficiency

CNC turning processes focus on cylindrical and rotating components, complementing modern milling methods. Advanced CNC precision metalworking relies on these turning processes to produce threaded, grooved, and other intricate features to produce high-quality parts quickly. High-volume production relies on the efficiency of CNC turning equipment, which optimizes cycle time and minimizes tool wear to deliver consistent quality. Advanced turning techniques reduce lead times and manufacturing costs, while also delivering precision parts on tight delivery schedules without compromising quality.  

Meeting Diverse Requirements with Advanced CNC Precision Metalworking

The combination of CNC milling and turning allows machine shops to tailor their approach to producing precision parts by varying their processes to meet the needs of customers. This allows advanced CNC precision metalworking methods to meet diverse specifications, from single prototypes to large-scale production runs, and from simple parts to highly complex assemblies. Additionally, modern CNC equipment is adaptable enough to handle a range of alloys, including aluminum, copper, titanium, and other metals.

How Staub Pairs Precision Engineering with Innovation

Staub Precision Machine has continually invested in cutting-edge CNC technology, becoming a machine shop that’s become known regionally as one of the most advanced. CNC precision metalworking in our shop now incorporates real-time monitoring systems to ensure consistently exceptional results. Our company also integrates CAD and CAM software, which allows us to develop manufacturing processes that support seamless manufacturability from the design phase through final finishing work.  

However, Staub’s commitment to quality goes beyond the technology we use. Behind our advanced CNC precision metalworking is our commitment to hiring and retaining skilled engineers and machinists who understand the nuances of CNC technology. Staub understands that no machine shop, regardless of its level of automation, can operate effectively without human expertise, which, when combined with cutting-edge CNC technology, yields an impeccable finished product.

Staub Case Study

Our capabilities are evident in how Staub addresses challenges. For example, a customer in the medical industry approached us when sales for one category of their products increased rapidly over a short period. It required significant agility to scale their production quickly to meet demand, which their existing supply chain couldn’t react quickly enough to satisfy. Additionally, the company’s upper management requested a reduction in the production cost per part.

Our Solution

When Staub engineers looked at the customer’s part, they suggested eliminating the forging process it used.  Instead, they suggested machining it with our DMU-60 5-axis mill, pairing it with a robotic loading cell. After redesigning the part for optimum manufacturability, we demonstrated to the customer how the efficiency of our 5-axis machining process negated the advantages the forging route offered them. Staub was able to meet their demand in eight weeks, while adjusting to increased demand in just four weeks later in the year.

Results

The simplified supply chain, along with Staub’s automated processes, helped our customer fulfill a crucial order, enabling them to meet demand. Additionally, they reported better part quality, decreased costs, and an overall increase in profits.

The Staub Advantage: Driving Progress Through Precision

Staub delivers cutting-edge solutions that define the future of advanced CNC precision metalworking. By blending state-of-the-art automation with the expertise of our skilled engineers, we ensure innovation and excellence in every project. Discover more about our capabilities and what sets us apart.

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From Precision to Profitability: How Staub Ensures Customer Success https://staubinc.com/news/from-precision-to-profitability-how-staub-ensures-customer-success/ Thu, 07 Aug 2025 18:21:14 +0000 https://staubinc.com/?p=15451 Precision isn’t enough for parts manufacturers that face increasingly aggressive competition from other companies. Meanwhile, the product manufacturers who are their customers demand consistent outcomes, which in turn drive the profitability of both businesses. Staub Precision Machine understands that precision is only the beginning of the process of making parts for products. Behind the high-performance […]

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Precision isn’t enough for parts manufacturers that face increasingly aggressive competition from other companies. Meanwhile, the product manufacturers who are their customers demand consistent outcomes, which in turn drive the profitability of both businesses. Staub Precision Machine understands that precision is only the beginning of the process of making parts for products. Behind the high-performance machining the company performs are all the services Staub offers that are aimed at helping product manufacturers succeed.

Taking a Holistic Approach to Precision Manufacturing 

From optimizing processes to delivering precision parts in high volumes, everything Staub Precision Machine does is done to better meet customer needs. Focused on contract manufacturing, Staub’s holistic approach to parts manufacturing involves advanced manufacturing techniques that integrate automated technology with quality control while building solid relationships between all stakeholders. These values embody how Staub deals with its clientele.

Integrating Advanced Technology and Automation

Cutting-edge automation is at the core of Staub’s precision manufacturing. The use of advanced CNC machines, robots, and other automated systems boosts profitability. Automation touches every activity on the shop floor, from loading to unloading, and from assembly to inspection. These automated processes that began decades ago have since morphed into a fabrication philosophy known as “lights-out manufacturing”.

A key element to its success, Staub’s approach to automation has governed Staub’s growth, enabling unattended production without the need for onsite supervision. This, in turn, maximizes consistency and efficiency while reducing labor costs and limiting variability. Everything the company does relies on the integration of automated machinery that mills, turns, cuts or finishes parts with precision for the aerospace, defense, medical, and other industries.

How Staub’s Automation Drives Efficiency and Scalability

With automated precision manufacturing, Staub’s customers receive results from lower production costs and fewer human errors. The ability to run operations around the clock with minimal additional operational expenses results in faster turnaround times and lower costs per unit. This, in turn, allows greater manufacturing scalability without compromising quality.

Comprehensive Quality Control

At every stage from design to delivery, Staub’s manufacturing processes involve quality control, with mitigation often able to happen in real time. The company’s AS9100 and ISO 9001 certifications show how Staub follows the strict standards required for aerospace, medical and other sectors that require parts made with precision. Manufacturing profitability is also boosted by the reduction of human error that automated quality control offers. These certifications in turn show how the company has committed to continually improving quality in all of Staub’s processes.

Delivering Higher Quality, Consistency & Compliance 

By employing advanced machinery like Swiss lathes for turning processes or 5-axis milling machines for achieving extraordinarily tight tolerances, Staub’s machinists can effortlessly make intricate components with complex geometries through precision manufacturing. Profitability stems from lower waste and fewer production delays as production becomes more consistent, along with fewer defects leading to lower return rates. This higher quality also helps Staub to better comply with regulatory requirements, in turn avoiding recalls or the need to redesign.

Collaborative Partnerships

The relationships Staub develops with customers, employees and vendors are integral to the company’s success. Prioritizing collaboration and respect, Staub works closely with clients to optimize designs and overcome challenges to ensure greater efficiency. Its Design for Manufacturability and Assembly (DFMA) helps clients plan more cost-effective solutions, balancing cost, quality and speed to streamline production.

Collaborating with Staub means working with a partner that supports its customers’ manufacturing goals. Using state-of-the-art design software, Staub’s in-house engineering team in turn tailors manufacturing solutions to address specific needs of a project. This collaborative approach ensures that customer goals are met for both cost and performance. Optimized designs also result in better products with quicker turnaround times.

Continual Improvement and Innovation

Staub proactively improves and continually innovates its precision manufacturing. Profitability ensues from refining processes and investing in custom automation tailored to suit customers’ needs. These include customized automation, such as robotic assembly and material handling stations, that help optimize processes to enhance efficiency and sustainability. It’s this forward-looking mindset that ensures Staub continues to adapt to the evolving demands of the industry.

From strong and lightweight aluminum alloys for aerospace applications to intricately cut components for medical devices made from titanium, Staub’s machinists constantly hone their machining techniques. For example, innovative systems like the company’s chip control systems enhance efficiency and lower costs for high-volume precision manufacturing. Profitability stems from these advanced solutions, which benefit from Staub’s ongoing pursuit of the best solutions.

Dedicated Workforce

When it comes to producing parts with tight tolerances, it takes more than state-of-the-art machinery to achieve the necessary precision. Manufacturing profitability stems as much from the dedicated employees who oversee Staub’s automated systems as it does from these systems themselves. It takes skilled personnel dedicated to doing quality work in a professional manner to bring it all together. While repetitive tasks are automated, Staub’s staff can focus on higher-value assignments that promote quality and optimize processes. It’s this human-centric attitude that contributes to Staub’s mission to its customers.

Flexible Processes

Machine shops like Staub must adapt their machining methods to meet the specific needs of various industries, including aerospace, defense, entertainment, medical, and others. Serving these diverse sectors requires considerable flexibility. Staub’s holistic approach to precision machining means the company can fabricate everything from intricate components for medical devices to large sections of aircraft. The company’s machines and processes can also be adapted to work with aluminum, stainless steel, titanium, and other materials, while maintaining high standards.

Combining Precision Manufacturing & Profitability in Practice

At Staub Precision Machine, our holistic manufacturing approach combines advanced automation, rigorous quality control, collaborative relationships, continuous innovation, and an employee culture dedicated to delivering precision manufacturing. Profitability is the ultimate outcome for manufacturers who partner with Staub, as they reap the tangible benefits of the company’s expertise. Staub’s reputation as an automated precision machine shop with in-process quality control means less reworking and waste. To learn more about our capabilities and how Staub pairs precision manufacturing with profitability, contact us today.

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How Automated 5-Axis Milling Transforms Production https://staubinc.com/news/how-automated-5-axis-milling-transforms-production/ Wed, 06 Aug 2025 21:19:40 +0000 https://staubinc.com/?p=15449 The quick pace of modern manufacturing requires that precision machining facilities achieve greater efficiency and precision. From the aerospace sector to makers of medical devices, industries are increasingly demanding complex components with tighter tolerances. To support advanced machining technologies like 5-axis milling, a high degree of automation must be utilized to achieve a level of […]

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The quick pace of modern manufacturing requires that precision machining facilities achieve greater efficiency and precision. From the aerospace sector to makers of medical devices, industries are increasingly demanding complex components with tighter tolerances. To support advanced machining technologies like 5-axis milling, a high degree of automation must be utilized to achieve a level of precision and complexity not attainable through either means. The introduction of 5-axis milling techniques has revolutionized production by automating workflows and boosting performance to new levels.  

Understanding How 5-Axis Milling Works

Less sophisticated CNC technology, like 3-axis mills, operates on the X, Y, and Z axes. At the same time, 5-axis milling incorporates two additional rotational axes, usually known as A and B or B and C. These two additional rotational axes allow cutting tools to approach workpieces from just about any direction. This capability enables operators to machine complex geometries with minimal downtime, and sometimes in a single setup. With milling machines that operate on fewer axes, precision machining will require repositioning the workpiece and using multiple tools to achieve the same results.

5-axis machining enables lights-out production, a manufacturing method that allows machines to run without immediate supervision. It transforms the machining process, allowing greater automation while increasing quality. For precision machine shops, 5-axis milling allows manufacturers to push the boundaries of what’s possible. Automated multi-axis machining also helps businesses reduce costs and machine more intricate workpieces, while making their operations more easily scalable and competitive.

Advantages of 5-Axis Machining

The main advantage of 5-axis milling is its ability to support automated processes. This alone gives these machines more versatility than machines that operate on fewer axes, and it’s what makes 5-axis milling a key machining technology for fully automated facilities. In fact, 5-axis machining supports a variety of capabilities, like automated tool changers and in-process metrology, along with software that uses real-time data to adjust tool paths.

The advantages of 5-axis milling include: 

  • Better skill utilization: As repetitive tasks, such as quality checks and part handling, are automated, skilled workers can focus on more complex tasks, like programming tool paths, optimizing processes, and innovating in other ways.
  • Decreased labor costs: Automation naturally reduces the need for manual labor, thereby decreasing the need for human employees and lowering costs.
  • Fewer errors: The automation of 5-axis milling systems eliminates most human error, producing consistent results across batches.
  • Flexibility: The advanced software used for 5-axis milling allows operators to easily and quickly switch between projects with minimal downtime.
  • Less waste: Not only can automation be used to speed production, but the precision of 5-axis milling machines reduces the amount of scrap produced, in turn lowering the need to rework workpieces.
  • Lower cycle times: Automated equipment, such as robotic arms and pallet changers, minimizes the need for manual intervention, reducing downtime between batches and enabling lights-out production.
  • Precision: The software, integrated with 5-axis milling machines, allows for self-correction in real-time, enabling automatic realignment of processes and correction for tool wear.
  • Reduced setups: Even complex components can be machined in a single setup, dramatically cutting production time.
  • Repeatability: The programmed movements of a 5-axis milling machine enable production of identical workpieces, whether manufacturing blades for optical components, orthopedic implants, wind turbine blades, or some other product.
  • Scalability: From mass-produced products to the fabrication of a single unique prototype, 5-axis milling allows machine shops to scale their operations up and down quickly.

These advantages of 5-axis milling are what make it the future of smart machining.

The Future of Smart Machining

Known by phrases like Industry 4.0, the future of smart machining has arrived. The CNC techniques inherent to 5-axis milling machines are part of what makes intelligent manufacturing possible. 5-axis milling technology plays an integral role in this, supporting data-centric production on connected machine shop floors.

Playing a pivotal role in modern manufacturing, smart 5-axis milling systems utilize process probing to collect data from manufacturing processes, ensuring accuracy. They can also detect and manage wear to ensure a longer tooling lifespan. Smart systems also integrate automated subsystems, including autonomous robots that move workpieces, pallets, and fixtures between workstations.

5-axis milling allows machine shops to cut intricately shaped workpieces in just a single setup, each doing the work of 2-3 less sophisticated CNC milling machines as well as multiple skilled human workers per machine.  Further, 5-axis milling machines do this work with greater precision and speed, enabling production of high-quality products more quickly.

These systems also enable predictive maintenance, allowing operators to perform maintenance tasks more efficiently. 5-axis milling techniques utilize IoT (Internet of Things) technology, which involves connected sensors linked to monitoring software that work in tandem to gather production data. In turn, cloud-based analytics programs collate this data to adjust production in real-time, thereby enhancing performance and optimizing processes.

Real-World Application: A Staub Precision Machine Case Study

Staub Precision Machine has extensive expertise in 5-axis machining, which enables us to help our manufacturing partners produce their products more efficiently. One example of this can be seen in how we approached a medical client who was unexpectedly receiving many orders for 6061 aluminum manifolds. Their established suppliers couldn’t respond to this additional business quickly enough, so they asked Staub to step in to fill the gap.

Previously, this client had these manifolds forged rather than machined, though we knew that the efficiency and precision offered by our 5-axis milling machines could deliver a superior product more quickly. On top of this, the medical company’s upper management also demanded that the per part cost be reduced.

Our solution aimed to eliminate the forging operations, instead machining the component with our DMU-50 5-axis mill. Staub’s engineers also redesigned the part to more optimally machine it. This resulted in an increase in efficiency compared to the previous forging process. In fact, we reached the initial order of 250 parts per week after just eight weeks, and later in the year, we adjusted this upward again to produce 400 parts weekly after just four weeks.Staub Precision Machine continues to invest in advanced technologies to support our 5-axis milling and other automated machining. We constantly strive for greater efficiency and the highest quality in all our work. To learn more about how we can assist with your project, contact Staub today.

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Why Quality and Reliability Are Non-Negotiables in Manufacturing https://staubinc.com/news/why-quality-and-reliability-are-non-negotiables-in-manufacturing/ Fri, 01 Aug 2025 12:42:33 +0000 https://staubinc.com/?p=15437 When manufactured products perform consistently, as expected and according to industry standards, they exhibit both quality and reliability. In manufacturing, higher-quality precision machined parts have fewer defects, require less reworking, and produce smaller amounts of waste. Reliability refers to a product’s ability to function as intended over time, a critical factor for aerospace, automotive, medical […]

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When manufactured products perform consistently, as expected and according to industry standards, they exhibit both quality and reliability. In manufacturing, higher-quality precision machined parts have fewer defects, require less reworking, and produce smaller amounts of waste. Reliability refers to a product’s ability to function as intended over time, a critical factor for aerospace, automotive, medical devices, and other applications where failure can have severe consequences. Quality and reliability in manufacturing are foundational to the success of businesses that trade in a wide range of assembled products, enabling companies to reduce operational costs, enhance their reputations, and avoid legal liability.

How Staub Supports Quality and Reliability in Manufacturing

Staub Precision Machine delivers superior quality and reliability in precision machined parts for our customers. The company does this through advanced automation, thorough quality control procedures, and the principle of continual improvement. Staub’s automated systems and integrated robotics enable the company to achieve precision in its high-volume production while minimizing variability.

The combination of these capabilities enables Staub to produce precision parts through a production technique known as lights-out manufacturing. Involving machinery that operates without direct supervision, this production philosophy reduces the likelihood of human error while also enhancing efficiency as it can run unattended. It enables Staub to produce consistent, repeatable results that assure quality and reliability in the manufacturing of precision parts.

Committing to stringent industry standards is integral for parts manufacturers in many industries. This is why Staub has pursued and achieved both AS9100 and ISO 9001 certifications, both of which promote quality management standards. The former is specifically geared towards the aerospace industry, while the latter is a general standard that encourages quality and reliability in manufacturing processes. When manufacturing precision parts, Staub’s certifications ensure that customers meet their requirements for the products.

The Foundation of Staub’s Quality & Reliability

To achieve the highest quality and reliability in manufacturing, the company utilizes advanced technologies, including coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), laser scanners, and machine vision systems. Staub also utilizes Bluetooth-enabled devices at its in-process inspection stations to accurately measure and collect data, thereby enhancing the ability to trace quality through all stages of production. These quality assurance tools monitor quality in real time by taking precise measurements that detect and correct variations in workpieces that deviate from these standards.

Assembly

While Staub is a precision machine facility that pursues the highest standards of quality and reliability in manufacturing precision parts, the company also has assembly capabilities that go beyond typical CNC machining work. The same quality processes that help guarantee the reliability of machined components are also in place during assembly of the final product. The technology Staub uses to achieve consistency and repeatability in its automated assembly processes can be applied to anything from full system assembly to installation of single components.

Automated Manufacturing

A key ingredient of the company’s production is automation, the lifeblood of Staub’s facility. The robots and other automated systems on the shop floor help the company achieve greater efficiency and lower variability, often without requiring any direct human supervision. Continuously running projects often run overnight without the need for operator involvement.

Staub’s automated systems include: 

  • Articulating robots for unloading, washing, drying, and packing parts from CNC turning centers.
  • Assembly robots that perform tedious tasks without variability during assembly operations.
  • Automated vehicles that transfer components and other workpieces to and from various machines along a guided pathway.
  • Collaborative robots that reduce labor and variability while working alongside human workers.

Precision Machining

Staub operates as a contract manufacturer, specializing in recurrent, high-volume production and where customers can obtain a multitude of services under one roof. They machine component parts for manufacturers across the country. Their state-of-the-art equipment allows them to operate a manned first, second, and third shift that is completely automated and unattended—and they are always looking for ways to advance processes and exceed customer demands.

Staub’s capabilities include: 

  • 5-axis machining: For customers who need just-in-time ordering facilities, Staub’s 5-axis machining cells allows them to provide anything from single deliveries to long-term orders spread over several months or more.
  • CNC milling: Staub’s automated mills include horizontal mills with adaptable fabrication systems to provide greater flexibility.
  • CNC turning: For high-volume recurring jobs, Staub’s automated CNC turning centers enable the production of complex components without the need for direct supervision.
  • EDM machining: For particularly difficult-to-machine materials, Staub has electrical discharge machining (EDM) capabilities.
  • Finishing: With the company’s finishing services, Staub has the ability to produce parts that are ready to use upon delivery.
  • Laser/waterjet cutting: Staub offers both cutting capabilities, with laser cutting for greater precision and waterjet cutting for thicker workpieces.
  • Mill turn machining: Hybrid CNC mill/turn machines enable Staub to produce complex workpieces with a single setup.

To learn more about how Staub Precision Machine can help you achieve better quality and reliability in manufacturing your products, contact us today.

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Celebrating 50 Years of Innovation and Excellence at Staub https://staubinc.com/news/celebrating-50-years-of-innovation-and-excellence-at-staub/ Fri, 01 Aug 2025 11:46:30 +0000 https://staubinc.com/?p=15435 Staub Precision Machine has come a long way, from its humble beginnings in a garage off New York’s Route 75 to an industry leader working with cutting-edge CNC machining technology. This year, the company celebrates fifty years of innovation and leadership in the machining industry.  Throughout the past half-century, the company has evolved considerably, though […]

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Staub Precision Machine has come a long way, from its humble beginnings in a garage off New York’s Route 75 to an industry leader working with cutting-edge CNC machining technology. This year, the company celebrates fifty years of innovation and leadership in the machining industry.  Throughout the past half-century, the company has evolved considerably, though it continues to maintain a commitment to excellence that’s created enduring business partnerships and customer relationships.

The 50-Year Journey of Staub Precision Machine

In 1975, Tony Staub founded a machine shop then known as the Staub Machine Company in his garage in Hamburg, NY.  Tony Staub’s entrepreneurial vision continues to inspire, while the company he founded has grown and carries on as an industry leader. In large part, Staub Precision Machine’s investments over the years have focused on new machining technology that add to the company’s capabilities. Investment in cutting-edge equipment, staff training and innovation are at the center of Staub’s success throughout this past half-century.

An Investment in Advanced Technology

Staub was adding technology and developing automated systems at a time when machine shops were only grudgingly adopting such advanced technology. This gave Staub an advantage over other shops, even enabling a nascent form of lights-out manufacturing back in the 1980s.

Integrating automated machinery and robots to conduct tasks without direct human involvement increased the amount of production the shop could do. However, automation was about more than just increasing system uptime. It pushed employees to learn and grow with the company as it stayed on top of progress within the machining industry. This constant drive to optimize operations still stands at the core of Staub Precision Machine’s development to this day.

Growing Pains: The Early Years of the Company

While Staub started with a Bridgeport mill, drill press and manual lathe in a garage, the idea was initially a simple one: bring in enough business to pay the bills. So Staub took any work that was available, though these jobs were all initially for local customers. In the early years, money from jobs largely went back into the business.

By 1980, the business outgrew the garage and the machine shop was relocated to larger premises across town on the Allendale Parkway. By the mid-1980s, however, the machine shop had become reasonably successful, allowing him to hire employees while also investing profits in new equipment and technologies. By 1995, Staub’s rapidly increasing business allowed the company to move into an even larger facility on Lake Street, formerly the site of a Super Duper grocery store.

Investment in Cutting-Edge Technology

Staub was an early adopter of 4-axis CNC milling and live tool lathes, but implementation of automation accelerated at the cusp of the 21st century. The company came to purchase its first linear pallet pool (LPP) system in 1998, followed by a second and third LPP system in 2005 and 2009 respectively. These automated pallet handling systems optimize production by enabling multiple machine tools to share use of the pool of pallets. This streamlines production by making loading and unloading of workpieces more efficient, while in turn reducing equipment downtime.

With these purchases, Staub became the biggest user of LPP technology in the region. Now seen as a pioneer throughout western New York because of Staub’s increasing use of cutting-edge technology, the company was on a roll. The LPP systems greatly improved efficiency and output, bringing in even more work. The expanding business purchased two properties about a mile away from their Lake Street machine shop in 2010 to make room for an even larger facility on Grimsby Drive, which was later renamed Staub Drive. By the end of 2011, Staub was making over 3 million parts annually.

But investing in technology doesn’t always provide a straightforward line to greater profitability. The company discovered this when they bought a million-dollar 5-axis machining center, which saw no use for a year after its purchase. That said, after a year the machine was working 95 hours per week on one job, with a second project lined up for an additional forty hours. All this was done with minimal labor costs, proof enough that the use of innovative technology still holds true over time.

Investing in Quality & Employees 

In March 2015, Staub achieved ISO 9001 certification, a standard for quality management systems that’s recognized globally. With Staub’s certification, customers were now assured of the company’s commitment to consistently produce quality parts for their products. While ensuring that customers’ needs and expectations would come first, companies certified under ISO 9001 also look to continuously seek ways to improve performance and processes.

In conjunction with this quality management certification, Staub has always been dedicated to creating an expert workforce by investing in employee training programs. By increasing their skills, Staub’s workers are what help the company maintain its competitive edge. This later led to Staub obtaining their AS9100 certification in 2021, allowing them to ensure regulatory compliance in the aerospace industry. This certification, combined with improved operational efficiency, continuous improvement in their quality management systems and enhanced reputation in market, Staub has been able to grow their business and customer base within the aerospace industry.

Collaborating with & Solving Problems for Our Customers

Staub’s business model relies on customers’ success, as the company doesn’t produce or sell its own products. Rather, the parts they produce must work exactly according to their customers specifications, which is why it’s so important to build long-lasting relationships. Understanding their needs enables Staub to provide customized solutions to each customer’s unique challenges. Their customers trust them enough to give Staub a seat at their table, and it’s this collaboration between Staub and its manufacturing partners that have helped make the company a success.

For example, one of Staub’s larger customers, an aerospace company, approached Staub in the early 2000s with a project. A much larger company, they sought out Staub due to the company’s reputation for providing precision parts in quantity. Like many customers, this large company came with a problem that required a solution. As a company building systems for high level commercial and government clients, the work involved extraordinary levels of confidentiality, an uncommon requirement for most customers at the time.

Additionally, this new partnership required Staub to provide services that were on the fringe of the company’s capabilities. This included complete finishing of parts, which included deburring, helicoiling, painting and plating. Early in the relationship, this customer pressed Staub and its employees to constantly improve to meet their partner’s goals. This customer saw the potential in Staub’s operation, encouraging the company and sending personnel to provide assistance.

Today, Staub Precision Machine routinely provides thousands of these same components while turning a profit, thanks in large part to taking on this project. And those additional capabilities have become central to Staub’s offerings today. This collaboration saw Staub expand its capabilities while giving a customer exactly what they needed. In turn, the efforts our company put into this project paid off, as this same customer returned to us to help them solve another problem, meaning years or even decades worth of additional business.  

When the Latest Technology Isn’t the Answer

While Staub Precision Machine touts its technological capabilities, we’ve also learned that using the latest CNC technology isn’t always the best solution. This might seem odd coming from a machine shop that takes pride in its cutting-edge CNC setup, but sometimes the most advanced technology isn’t the most cost-effective means to solve a problem. They discovered this when approached by a customer that approached them with a new opportunity that involved the drilling and countersinking of holes into customized aluminum workpieces.

With a goal of half a million parts produced annually, Staub saw that using the latest high-end CNC automation would make the project uneconomical. So, the team dealing with this problem came up with a more flexible solution, developing a customized drilling machine that ended up delivering double the necessary throughput, which in turn made the job profitable. In the end, it wasn’t technology but rather the creativity and expertise of Staub’s team that made this a successful venture.  

A 50-Year Journey: Milestones of Staub Precision Machine 

  • 1975: Tony Staub founds Staub Machine Company in his garage off Route 75 with a Bridgeport mill, drill press and manual lathe.
  • 1980: The machine shop moves from the garage to 4149 Allendale Parkway.
  • 1980s: Over the course of this decade, the building on Allendale doubles in size.
  • 1995: Staub moves to an even larger space at 206 Lake Street, the location of the former Super Duper grocery store.
  • 1998: Staub’s first LPP system was also purchased in this year.
  • 2005: Staub adds a second LPP system.
  • 2009: Staub adds a third LPP system.
  • 2010: Two properties on Grimsby Drive – later renamed Staub Drive – are purchased to expand Staub’s operational capacity.
  • 2011: Staub surpasses production of over 3 million parts annually.
  • 2013: Production more than doubles from 2011 to reach 150,000 parts per week.
  • 2015: Staub achieves ISO 9001 certification to support its commitment to quality and consistency in production.
  • 2018: Purchased 5-axis machining center
  • 2019: Purchased second 5-axis machining center
  • 2021: Integrated new automated mill-turn center
  • 2021: Staub achieves AS9100 certification, ensuring their regulatory compliance with requirements for the aerospace industry
  • 2022: Staub purchases land at the end of Staub Drive and announces plans to expand its Staub Drive facility.
  • 2024: Construction of a new, 60,000-square-foot building at Staub Drive begins,  consolidating some operations under one roof, with construction finishing in 2025.

Staub Precision Machine: Into the Future… 

Staub Precision Machine’s success lies in the ongoing relationships and collaboration with customers that makes the company what it is. While Tony Staub passed the baton on to a new generation of engineers and operators with the private sale of the company several years ago, the deep understanding and commitment between Staub and its customer base remains strong. The future going forward is a bright one filled with continuous innovation as they continue to streamline production.

Staub will continue to promote efficiency in their operations by integrating advanced technologies that increase automation, reducing the chance of human errors. In an ever-evolving manufacturing environment, the emphasis on building enduring partnerships with their customers will continue as before. Staub Precision Machine is more than our ultramodern machinery. Staub’s ethos relies on developing relationships with people, whether it’s developing employees through ongoing training or collaborating with customers to produce exactly what they need.The vision of Staub Precision Machine in many ways remains the same as it was from the start: delivering high-quality precision parts with high-tech equipment at high volumes, while coming up with the most efficient solutions to do so. For new, old and potential customers of Staub, they stand ready to engage with customers about how we can assist with their project. To learn more about their capabilities, we invite you to contact the machining experts at Staub today.

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Scaling Up Production with Automated Solutions in Communications Manufacturing https://staubinc.com/news/scaling-up-production-with-automated-solutions-in-communications-manufacturing/ Mon, 09 Jun 2025 18:53:01 +0000 https://staubinc.com/?p=14822 Scaling Challenges for Making Communications Equipment and Solutions  Regardless of how it’s conveyed, physical mechanisms facilitate data transfers, emails, instant messages, spoken communications or other modes of transmitting information. As the complexity and capabilities of these instruments advance, older models often become obsolete. This in turn shortens their useful lifecycles, while forcing manufacturers to constantly […]

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Scaling Challenges for Making Communications Equipment and Solutions 

Regardless of how it’s conveyed, physical mechanisms facilitate data transfers, emails, instant messages, spoken communications or other modes of transmitting information. As the complexity and capabilities of these instruments advance, older models often become obsolete. This in turn shortens their useful lifecycles, while forcing manufacturers to constantly tweak their techniques while keeping abreast of new technologies. 

Modern society now relies heavily on devices that augment communications. With automated machining solutions, manufacturers can more rapidly and reliably manufacture physical components for devices used in communications. Automated solutions offer manufacturers the ability to truncate turnaround times, enabling them to bring items to market more quickly.

Precision machining is needed to produce many of the constituent parts that make up communications equipment. Automated machining solutions help operators meet exacting standards necessary to ensure end product quality, as any lapse can reduce consumers’ trust and, as a result, affect profits. Automation also largely removes the risk of human error while helping streamline production processes.

How Automation Tackles Manufacturing Challenges

What has often been referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution relies on the seamless integration of robots and smart devices into production systems, all controlled via software. These technologies work together to automate the manufacture of machined parts. Solutions involving automation reduce bottlenecks and other inefficiencies while also creating largely error-free processes.  

Programmable CNC machinery gives parts manufacturers greater flexibility when designing and fabricating precision parts made for communications. Automated solutions utilizing CNC technology aid operators in programming pathways to provide consistency in workpieces. Additionally, with the help of CAD and CAM software, adapting designs becomes far easier. This allows companies to quickly change designs according to customer needs.

How Automated Solutions Benefit Communications Manufacturing

When constructing precision parts or products used for communications, automated solutions augment efficiency, deliver consistent quality, ensure better performance, offer greater flexibility, and provide cost savings over time. Automated solutions shorten delivery times while allowing manufacturers to meet ever-increasing demand. Automating quality control systems allows manufacturers to detect defects in real time and optimize other processes by integrating IoT devices into the production system.

Automated solutions can provide the following benefits:

  • Higher quality parts with more consistency
  • Better resource allocation
  • Decreased labor costs
  • Faster production
  • Greater uniformity of components
  • Guaranteed performance
  • Increased productivity
  • Less reworking of workpieces
  • Lower operating expenses
  • Reduced lead times

These advantages allow manufacturers greater flexibility when fabricating components for next-generation communications.

Implementing Automated Solutions

It’s important to identify the best technology for the job, which involves careful assessment of production bottlenecks to determine which types of automation to use. For example, advanced software streamlines workflows through precise programming of toolpaths, while it also helps with prototyping, real-time monitoring, and scalability. Meanwhile, AI-driven manufacturing systems enable process optimization, predictive maintenance, and data-driven analytical insights while reducing downtime and improving quality control.

Unlike industrial robots, automated cobots (collaborative robots) work safely and efficiently alongside humans, giving automated facilities greater flexibility while also lowering labor costs and enhancing productivity. Additionally, custom tooling for CNC machines can improve processes, so this should also be considered. However, there’s still a role for skilled workers in automated facilities.

Creating a hybrid environment where humans oversee operations is often the optimal strategy. Phasing automation into precision machining and manufacturing systems should always be strategic, with long-term return on investment a primary goal. In this way, communications equipment manufacturers and other industrial customers can better scale their operations and gain competitive advantages over the competition.

Real-World Automated Solutions for Communications Manufacturing

Staub Precision Machine has ample experience collaborating with manufacturers involved in making products and parts used in communications. Automated solutions for their partners include helping a customer in the medical industry that was unexpectedly inundated with orders. Their previous suppliers were unable to keep up with demand. Originally a forged component, Staub recommended utilizing our DMU-60 5-axis mill paired with a robotic loading cell to meet their needs. This resulted in better precision, while also meeting the customer’s demand.

In another cooperative effort, an aerospace company needed tolerances for micro-components of communications devices that were between +0.001/-0.000 inches (+25.4/0.000 microns) with 100 percent inspection, while dimensions tighter than +/-0.001 inches (+/-25.4 microns) needed to be reported. At the time, Staub’s quality control system couldn’t keep up with inspections during working hours, so they implemented an automated inspection system with a customized computer-aided robotic loading system, or CARL for short. This resulted in fewer defects and higher customer satisfaction.

When it comes to communications, automated solutions from Staub can help you scale production. Automation brings better consistency, higher efficiency, and improved quality. To learn more about our capabilities, contact Staub’s precision machining experts.

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The Future of Automated Manufacturing in Aerospace https://staubinc.com/news/the-future-of-automated-manufacturing-in-aerospace/ Wed, 07 May 2025 13:51:00 +0000 https://staubinc.com/?p=14642 Aerospace manufacturing demands precision, efficiency, and repeatability. As the industry pushes for lighter materials, tighter tolerances, and faster production cycles, automation continues to reshape how components are made. At Staub Precision Machine, we have invested heavily in automation to improve consistency and scale production for aerospace applications. How Automation Advances Aerospace Manufacturing Aerospace automated manufacturing […]

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Aerospace manufacturing demands precision, efficiency, and repeatability. As the industry pushes for lighter materials, tighter tolerances, and faster production cycles, automation continues to reshape how components are made. At Staub Precision Machine, we have invested heavily in automation to improve consistency and scale production for aerospace applications.

How Automation Advances Aerospace Manufacturing

Aerospace automated manufacturing has evolved to include robotic machining, automated inspection, and unmanned production cells. These technologies help reduce variability, lower costs, and increase throughput. We integrate robotics with CNC machines to streamline operations, allowing us to run high-precision jobs with limited manual intervention.

Automation improves part quality by reducing human error. Our CNC equipment, paired with robotic loading systems, maintains tight tolerances without interruptions. With multi-axis machining centers operating alongside automated guided vehicles (AGVs), we can move raw materials and finished parts efficiently across the shop floor.

Meeting Aerospace’s High Standards with Automation

Automated processes help us comply with aerospace industry standards, including AS9100 certification. This certification demands strict quality control measures and traceability throughout production. With automation in place, we can document every step of the manufacturing process while maintaining a consistent output.

High-precision machining is essential for aerospace components that must perform under extreme conditions. Our robotics minimizes material waste by optimizing each cut, ensuring that forged titanium or aluminum billets are used efficiently. The result is high-quality parts produced in less time and with fewer defects.

Precision Through Robotics and Smart Technology

Traditional machining requires constant supervision, but automation allows us to run lights-out production. Our automated manufacturing systems handle loading, unloading, washing, and inspection without operator input. This approach not only reduces labor costs but also improves repeatability in every batch.

We use vision-guided robotics for real-time quality control. High-speed measurement systems check dimensions as parts come off the machine, eliminating potential errors before they reach final assembly. Automated inspection ensures that aerospace components meet exact specifications before they move to the next stage of production.

The Role of Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Flexibility is essential in aerospace production since parts come in various sizes and complexities. Our flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) allow us to switch between jobs without lengthy setup changes. By using palletized automation with 5-axis machining, we complete multiple operations in a single setup, reducing downtime between runs.

With robotic workpiece handling and intelligent scheduling software, we optimize production across multiple machines simultaneously. This approach helps us meet the growing demand for aerospace components while maintaining short lead times.

What’s Next for Aerospace Automation?

The future of aerospace automation will focus on even smarter robotics and AI-driven decision-making in manufacturing processes. Cobots—collaborative robots—will likely play a larger role in handling complex assemblies where full automation isn’t yet possible. Advancements in additive manufacturing may also integrate with automated machining for hybrid production methods.

At Staub Precision Machine, we continue to invest in new technologies that shape the future of aerospace machining. Our goal is to push efficiency further while maintaining the precision required for mission-critical applications. As aerospace demands evolve, automation will become even more indispensable in meeting the industry’s exacting standards.

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Precision Medical Device Production with Advanced Equipment https://staubinc.com/news/precision-medical-device-production-with-advanced-equipment/ Tue, 22 Apr 2025 13:41:00 +0000 https://staubinc.com/?p=14637 Medical device production requires strict attention to precision, consistency, and quality. At Staub Precision Machine, we combine advanced machining technologies with automated manufacturing to create reliable components for the medical industry. Our experience in high-precision manufacturing ensures that every part meets demanding specifications while maintaining efficiency and repeatability. Precision Machining for Medical Devices Medical components […]

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Medical device production requires strict attention to precision, consistency, and quality. At Staub Precision Machine, we combine advanced machining technologies with automated manufacturing to create reliable components for the medical industry. Our experience in high-precision manufacturing ensures that every part meets demanding specifications while maintaining efficiency and repeatability.

Precision Machining for Medical Devices

Medical components often require tight tolerances and complex geometries. Our precision machining capabilities include CNC turning, CNC milling, 5-axis machining, and EDM machining. These processes allow us to create intricate features while maintaining accuracy across high production volumes.

To meet the medical industry’s rigorous standards, we use cutting-edge equipment designed for consistency and reliability. Our rotary transfer machining and automated milling systems help reduce variability, ensuring each component meets exact specifications. Whether producing surgical instruments, prosthetic parts, or diagnostic equipment components, we maintain strict dimensional accuracy throughout production.

Our experience with various medical-grade materials, such as stainless steel and titanium, ensures that each part meets the required performance and durability standards. From complex implantable components to disposable medical device parts, we apply precision machining techniques to achieve the right balance of strength and accuracy.

Automation in Medical Component Manufacturing

Automated systems increase efficiency and reduce human error in medical device manufacturing. Our automated manufacturing solutions include robotic loading, automated inspection, and precision cleaning processes. These systems enhance consistency while accelerating production timelines.

By integrating robotics with CNC machining centers, we streamline repetitive tasks such as material handling and quality checks. Automated guided vehicles transport parts between workstations, while robotic arms handle loading and unloading operations. This allows us to maintain a seamless workflow that minimizes downtime and maximizes efficiency.

Automated wash systems remove contaminants from components before final processing to meet medical cleanliness standards. Coolant management systems further improve machining precision by creating stable operating conditions that reduce material inconsistencies. These automated controls work together to uphold strict industry requirements for cleanliness and part integrity.

Strict Quality & Inspection Standards

Every medical component must adhere to rigorous regulatory requirements. Our quality & inspection processes incorporate CMM machines, laser micrometers, and vision measurement systems to verify part accuracy down to a micron level.

We maintain ISO 9001 certification, emphasizing strict process controls and material traceability from raw materials to finished products. Every part undergoes multiple quality checks using advanced inspection techniques to ensure it meets exacting tolerances and specifications before shipment. By implementing automated inspection technology, we minimize variability and detect any defects before parts leave our facility. This commitment to quality helps medical manufacturers maintain compliance with industry regulations while delivering dependable products.

Supporting the Medical & Healthcare Industry

We specialize in high-precision manufacturing for medical & healthcare applications, including prosthetics, surgical tools, diagnostic equipment, and other critical components. Working closely with customers during the design phase, we help optimize manufacturability while improving cost efficiency and lead times.

Whether you need complex custom parts for implants or high-volume production runs for disposable medical devices, we have the technology and expertise to deliver accurate results on time. Our ability to automate production processes further minimizes costs while maintaining the highest levels of precision these applications demand.

Work With a Trusted Manufacturing Partner

Precision in medical device production is essential for performance and regulatory compliance. At Staub Precision Machine, we combine expertise, automation, and rigorous quality control to meet the demands of the healthcare industry. Contact us today to discuss your project requirements or request a quote to learn how our capabilities can support your manufacturing needs.

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Importance of the CNC Machining Industry to the Entertainment Sector https://staubinc.com/news/importance-of-the-cnc-machining-industry-to-the-entertainment-sector/ Mon, 07 Apr 2025 13:17:00 +0000 https://staubinc.com/?p=14622 The US entertainment industry is worth nearly $650 billion annually, covering concerts, conferences, film, television, digital streaming, live stage performances, speaking events, theme parks, and other events. The CNC machining industry has quietly become an increasingly important player within this vast sector. Performances of all types require equipment and rigging that depends on the accuracy […]

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The US entertainment industry is worth nearly $650 billion annually, covering concerts, conferences, film, television, digital streaming, live stage performances, speaking events, theme parks, and other events. The CNC machining industry has quietly become an increasingly important player within this vast sector. Performances of all types require equipment and rigging that depends on the accuracy provided by CNC machining. Industry insiders in the entertainment sector understand how CNC technology has become a vital yet largely unnoticed part of many performances and events.

Where the CNC Machining Industry & Entertainment Meet

CNC machines can form items from many different materials with incredible detail and precision, making them vital elements for stage and other entertainment events. For an array of parts used in various equipment and systems, the CNC machining industry has become integral for making components for the entertainment industry. Programmable CNC machines can readily reproduce items for events management as well as film and television productions. Additionally, CNC machines can work with alloys and metals, composites, plastics, or other materials to suit any production need.

Some of these entertainment industry applications include:

  • Camera tripods
  • Communications equipment
  • Crowd control barricades
  • Lighting, projection, sound, and video systems
  • Modular stage risers
  • Parts for fog, pyrotechnic, rain, smoke, snow, wind, and other special effects machinery
  • Permanent stage platforms
  • Rigging apparatus
  • Slip hinges and other hardware used for stage scenery
  • Stands for microphones

 

While digitized or 3D-printed props have their place in the entertainment sector, the CNC machining industry’s capabilities can streamline prop production. Its versatility makes it a go-to technology for all types of entertainment events and productions. CNC equipment like EDM(electrical discharge machining) and 5-axis milling machines provides an efficient means to fabricate molds for mass-producing injection-molded prop items, offering greater accuracy than those made with 3D printing.

CNC Machining Industry in Film Production & Management Events

Various movie productions have additionally relied on CNC machining over the past few decades. In 2014, for example, CNC machines were used to fabricate sets and props for Interstellar. The CNC machining industry is involved in more technical aspects of filmmaking as well, helping to bring a character’s action to life. The SnorriCam rig that attaches to an actor requires complex components with tight tolerances made by the CNC machining industry to create unique and dynamic visual effects.  DMG Mori DMU 60 eVO Linear 5-Axis Production Cell

CNC technology often hides in plain sight in events and productions. Precision machining of brackets, housings, mounts, and other complex components used in lighting systems ensures stage events go off without a hitch. Audio/visual equipment parts, like projecting devices or speaker casings, often require tight tolerances that other types of production, like 3D printing or injection molding, just can’t achieve.

Many of the components for the entertainment industry are made from less expensive metals like aluminum or its alloys. Aluminum is used not just due to economics but because it’s lightweight yet strong and is also suitable for CNC machining. In the entertainment industry, this work is often done with 5-axis CNC machines, which can produce large volumes of complex components quickly. These high-tech CNC machines need fewer setups, with their operation supporting longer tool life, closer tolerances, and better surface finishes.

The Staub Difference in CNC Machining for the Entertainment Industry

Staub Precision Machine Inc. provides a wide range of services. This includes CNC machining for the entertainment industry. Staub’s automated setup makes us especially adept at large-scale production, for which we can assist in the design phase through production, including finishing work. Staub can make a wide array of components for the equipment used for stage performances, political events, major concerts, and other large live events. To learn more about our capabilities, contact the machining experts at Staub today.

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Why 5-Axis Machining for Defense Components? https://staubinc.com/news/why-5-axis-machining-for-defense-components/ https://staubinc.com/news/why-5-axis-machining-for-defense-components/#respond Tue, 11 Mar 2025 11:29:30 +0000 https://staubinc.com/?p=10872 The defense industry relies on subtractive manufacturing techniques like CNC machining for much of the equipment used by various branches of the military and related defense contractors. In particular, 5-axis CNC machines are used instead of less advanced 2-axis, 3-axis, and 4-axis CNC equipment to make parts with more complex geometries, tighter tolerances, and better […]

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The defense industry relies on subtractive manufacturing techniques like CNC machining for much of the equipment used by various branches of the military and related defense contractors. In particular, 5-axis CNC machines are used instead of less advanced 2-axis, 3-axis, and 4-axis CNC equipment to make parts with more complex geometries, tighter tolerances, and better finishes. 5-axis machines provide components with tighter tolerances and better surface finishes with the need for fewer setups. Additionally, their ability to produce complex components accurately means 5-axis machining of defense components can be done better. This helps machine shops better comply with standards like the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and AS9100 certifications, both of which offer guidelines for military-grade products for the US military.  

Using 5-Axis CNC Machines for Military Applications

A truly 5-axis CNC machine can work on five axes simultaneously, while a 3-axis machine can only work three axes simultaneously, with two fixed axes that can only be used for positioning. Similarly, 4-axis machines can work simultaneously on four axes, with one static axis used for positioning a workpiece.  

The less time spent repositioning a workpiece also decreases human errors, along with lower lead times and production costs. Even projects that require only three or four axes can be done more quickly and efficiently with a 5-axis CNC machine since cutting tools remain close to the cutting surface to allow greater material removal with every pass.

Advantages a 5-axis CNC machine working on five axes include:

  • Accelerating machining times due to constant control of the pathways tools follow.  
  • Allowing a workpiece to be held with a single chuck significantly decreases the need for multiple setups.
  • Creating better clearance for tools to lower restrictions on shaping a workpiece by enabling tilting of the chucking device.
  • Enabling the production of highly complicated geometries.
  • Helping maintain optimal positions for cutting tools to lengthen their life, while also lowering cycle times.
  • This improves surface finishes, as the cutting tool has closer access to the workpiece, reducing vibrations that can affect the finish.
  • Minimizing greatly the chance of collision between machine, tools, and workpieces.
  • Optimizing efficiency and decreasing lead times through the need for fewer operator interventions.
  • Permitting undercutting without the need to reposition the machine, as cutting tools can approach a workpiece from every direction.
  • Determining the cumulative effects of various tolerances in a workpiece, also known as “stacking up” tolerances, can reduce scrap while also improving quality.

The ability to machine on five axes simultaneously has created incalculable potential for the defense industry. 5-axis CNC machines help machine shops more efficiently produce military-grade products. Yet, though many machine shops advertise their capabilities for machines that work on five axes, 5-axis CNC machines’ capabilities cannot be achieved by machines that only operate on three or four axes. 

Why Use a 5-Axis CNC Machine

The distinct advantages of 5-axis CNC machines over less sophisticated machining equipment include greater accuracy and complexity, fewer setups, capabilities for machining on multiple axes, lengthening the life of tooling, and improved surface finishes.

Greater Accuracy & Complexity

Like their civilian counterparts, the jets, helicopters, and other aircraft used by the military require incredibly complex components to ensure they perform as they should. Through their ability to better position and move workpieces, 5-axis CNC machines enable more accurate cutting. This leads to superior precision, facilitating more complex geometries. Also, with less manual interaction between a machinist and the CNC equipment, there are fewer opportunities for human error.  

CNC machines that work on only three or four axes would require multiple setups and other human intervention to create these types of parts. A 5-axis CNC machine can complete these features in a single pass, consistently improving accuracy. The continuous maneuvering on five axes allows precise machining of arcs, angles, holes, sculpted surfaces, and other specialty structures without requiring multiple setups or additional equipment.

Reduced Setups

With a 5-axis CNC machine, tooling can reach almost all the surface area of a workpiece, except for the clamped area. This means less downtime to reposition items during machining, often limiting this to a single setup. As each new setup requires a recalibration and reset of the CNC machine, it adds to the cost and time it takes to produce components. This improves a machine shop’s overall efficiency, while also reducing the risk of misaligned workpieces or other errors during setup.

Multi-Axis Machining

While a 5-axis CNC machine can do everything a 3-axis or 4-axis machine can, neither offers simultaneous machining along five axes. Two axes with 3+2 movements or one axis with 4+1 movements remain immobile in these approaches, requiring more workpiece repositioning. The 5-axis CNC machines allow cutting tools to contact any part of the workpiece from nearly every angle without repositioning.

Longer Tool Life

Using a 5-axis CNC machine extends the life of tools in numerous ways, mostly due to simultaneous machining on multiple axes.

5-axis CNC machines optimize tool life by: 

  • Augmenting the removal of chips from cutting, which in turn reduces the buildup of heat and resulting wear.
  • Orienting and maintaining an angle to the workpiece that reduces tool wear.
  • Providing continuous movement to provide consistent wear across the tool’s surface, thus retaining the cutting edges of tools for longer.
  • Reducing the need for manual repositioning, which can lead to misalignments caused by human error.   
  • Requiring fewer restarts avoids wear from the reengagement of the tool with the surface of a workpiece.
  • Speeding up cycle times through automatically repositioning the tool or cutting table to optimize the position of the workpiece.
  • Stabilizing the cutting process with greater precision reduces imbalances, decreasing vibrations that lead to wear.

By optimizing tool use, 5-axis machines prevent tools from becoming dull and ineffectual prematurely. This, in turn, lowers operational costs while improving quality and productivity.

Better Surface Finishes

As a workpiece rotates on the A and B axes, it‘s brought closer to the cutting tool. This permits machines to use shorter tools, which are less vulnerable to the vibrations resulting from higher cutting speeds. These vibrations directly affect the surface finish, with the improved ability to position workpieces decreasing or even eliminating the need for secondary finishing processes.

Military Applications for 5-Axis CNC Machines 

Though not all 5-axis CNC machines are used for military applications, many of the products produced with this technology involve contracts or projects for the US government. A 5-axis CNC machine can do everything CNC equipment operating on fewer axes can do, but more quickly and with greater accuracy. Further, their ability to form complexly shaped components quickly makes them ideal for an assortment of applications.

5-axis CNC machines are used in the making of military components that include: 

  • Bearings and bushings
  • Bolts, bushings, clamshells, connectors nuts, end plugs, pins, plates, retainer rings, rivets, screws, shafts, tubes, and other basic components within military equipment
  • Buttons, dials and other terminal components
  • CAMS (control and monitoring systems) components
  • Couplers, heatsinks, and other aerospace components
  • Flanges for aircraft ducting
  • Frames for aircraft seats
  • Gun, rifle, and other weapon barrels
  • Hoist components for munitions
  • Military vehicle components for safety brakes and transmissions
  • Missile components
  • Naval engines, structural systems, and vessel components
  • Optical sensors
  • Rotor hubs and other helicopter components
  • Tire valve stems
  • Track hubs for tanks and other tracked military vehicles

Although many of these items can be made via less advanced CNC and even traditional machining, military manufacturers benefit from the accuracy and speed that 5-axis CNC machines can provide.

The Staub Difference: 5-Axis CNC Machining for Military Components

5-axis cnc milling machineStaub Precision Machine Inc. understands the need for precisely machined components and other assemblies for the defense industry. As a partner, Staub is intimately familiar with the need for durable components for military equipment. We understand the rigors of the battlefield and the harsh treatment the parts and components we make for the defense industry must endure. With Staub’s 5-axis CNC machines, we can help our customers provide robust and dependable products to the defense industry.  

Examples of what Staub’s 5-axis CNC machines can make include: 

  • Blade cutters for cutting through cabling
  • Cable clamp components in aircraft systems
  • Parts for optical signal encoders

These are just a few components Staub has the capability to produce. The defense industry requires flawless parts for its equipment, which must withstand all the rigors of the battlefield and other extreme environments. For this reason, manufacturers like Staub need to register with the US State Department’s ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) and maintain compliance with other standards used within the defense industry, like AS9100 and ISO 9001:2015. To learn more about Staub’s 5-axis CNC machine capabilities in manufacturing for the military and other industries, contact us today.

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