Manufacturing high-quality products for the U.S. military

D. Gillette Industrial Services Inc. (DGI) is a third-generation Women Business Enterprise in Easton, Pennsylvania specializing in the design, fabrication, repair, and assembly of parts and equipment. Dee Spencer – who got into manufacturing in the 1980s by working with her grandfather – founded DGI in 2002. The company entered government contracting in 2015 and has since grown into a leader in Department of Defense (DOD) manufacturing.

“As a business owner and a woman-owned small business, we take great pride in competing in a man’s world,” Spencer says.

Spencer leads 16 employees including her son, quality engineer Paul Gillette, and lead machinist Richard Bruno. DGI has more than 100 contracts with high-profile organizations such as the U.S. Navy, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), and U.S. Army.

When Spencer started the company, she used a different manufacturer for CNC equipment to cut steel and aluminum but was unhappy with the durability. According to Gillette, DGI would have had to replace their old machines every few months due to the heavy-duty material used in some DOD contracts.

“We felt the machines were light and almost disposable. We wanted something to go for the long haul,” Spencer explains.

As they searched for an upgrade, Takumi CNC machines’ capabilities sold themselves, Gillette says. DGI ultimately chose Takumi for three main reasons: durability, consistency, and accuracy.

DGI now has five Takumi machines, including two VC1052 machines, and has yet to replace one. Spencer is impressed with the consistent results.

“We’ve had no complaints about the quality of our products, and we have the highest amount of inspection because the government comes out and inspects them at our facility here,” Spencer says. “And if there was a problem it would be caught immediately, and we’ve had 100% acceptance on our products, so we’re really proud of that.”

The Takumi V Series CNC machines are equipped with boxways for rigid and stable cutting. Bruno described it as “a beast. It’s amazing how it handles these cuts, and you don’t hear as much hesitation of the machine.”

Bruno says Takumi’s cooling system allows DGI to consistently manufacture high-quality products in blistering conditions. “The heat in the shop is going to be ungodly hot, and with the cooling systems, I’ve never had to make an adjustment in the offsets, which is amazing to me,” Bruno says. “Other brands, the second the temperature goes up you’re constantly adjusting, but with these machines I’ve yet to make an adjustment.”

Takumi’s accuracy saves DGI time and effort. Direct-coupled ball screws and motors increase accuracy while providing a faster start-up. The VC Series and V Series CNC machines incorporate pre-tensioned ball screws to minimize thermal growth, while the H Series machining center uses linear scales for repeatability and accuracy.

D. Gillette Industrial Services Inc. https://dgindustrialservices.com

Takumi USA https://www.takumiusa.com