The right technology is a must for defense work

According to Bob Faxon, president and co-owner of Faxon Machining Inc., there’s a lot more involved than just making parts when working in the defense industry. Along with serving various other customers and industries, Faxon Machining and sister company American Flow Form and Machining are prime contractors for the government/Department of Defense (DOD) and must maintain a whole host of requirements much more stringent than typical general machining customer requirements.

He says it’s not uncommon for Faxon to provide the pedigree of every part – from where the raw material originated to how the parts are machined and packaged for shipment. The shop also must fulfill several requirements centering around material, computers for cybersecurity, continuous documentation, and other aspects of its operations.

“It takes a different type of staff to manage a government project,” Faxon says. “That’s why we have a wider breadth of talent on hand than we did as a job shop. This is necessary to successfully complete such tasks as having documentation prepared for customer meetings, fulfilling contractual obligations, successfully managing suppliers and sub-suppliers, managing material availability and costs, risk mitigation, and the list continues. For this, we have program managers that oversee all aspects of a program and interact with customers. They, among many other things, act as our in-house customer advocates.”

To succeed in such a challenging industry, Faxon embraces a business/manufacturing strategy it refers to as the factory of the future. That strategy hinges on managing current challenges and keeping in mind what the next three to five years are going to be like in the industry while always aiming for the future.

“As part of our strategy, we match up the right opportunities with the right equipment,” Faxon says. “When we want to win new work, we look at the parts we aren’t making for existing customers, then in most cases acquire the right equipment to go after that work once the work is awarded. We don’t go into it with the mindset of ‘we’ll figure it out later’.”

He says Faxon prioritizes pursuing sticky programs and/or projects – meaning they’ll run for years – to justify its investments in capital equipment. Often, the shop will pitch for a job before it has the equipment as well as when it does have the equipment.

“Sometimes you win a project by showing you’re willing to invest in the right equipment for it,” Faxon says. “Currently, there’s enough advanced manufacturing technology available that shops can typically find the right machine for a particular job.”

Investing in the right technology

For Faxon, that advanced technology has included the acquisition of several machine tools from Mazak throughout the years. Those machines have increased in sophistication from machines performing a single process to those providing full 5-axis and multi-tasking DONE IN ONE part processing.

This shift to more sophisticated machines is in line with the shop’s forward-thinking factory of the future strategy.

“If we’re going to be competitive in the next 5 to 10 years,” Faxon says, “we must initiate action today, and that includes, among other things, the incorporation of Mazak advanced machine tool technology. Our customers need to see us as a supplier that’s constantly moving forward and evolving.”

Faxon’s lineup of Mazak machines – most of which were acquired from Mazak distributor Knox Machinery – includes an HCN 4000 horizontal machining center and INTEGREX i-400, INTEGREX e-670 H, and QUICK TURN 450MY multi-tasking machines, among others. Its most recent Mazak is a VARIAXIS i-800 T multi-tasking machine combining multiple-surface, simultaneous 5-axis milling with advanced turning capabilities allowing Faxon to productively process highly complex parts in minimal setups. With a trunnion-style tilting table and 50-taper spindle, the machine helps reduce the inaccuracies occurring when moving parts across multiple workstations, eliminate work-in-process inventory, and boost Faxon’s overall throughput.

The VARIAXIS i-800 T is equipped with Mazak’s MAZATROL SmoothAi control giving Faxon artificial intelligence (AI)-powered programming for even its most complex parts. The control and associated software packages deliver powerful digital enhancements adding efficiency and value throughout the machining process with the power of AI, machine learning (ML), and advanced data management technology. The control also incorporates a variety of advanced programming functions giving Faxon complete ease of use and ensuring high-speed, high-accuracy machining performance.

“Our ability to perform the least amount of operations to produce a completed part is critical for us,” Faxon says. “Mazak is a pioneer in machine tool technology that allows us to accomplish that. We like that they continue to prove themselves as a leader in machine tool innovation and advancement.”

Manufacturing for more than one market

In addition to defense work, the shop makes parts for the oil & gas, medical, and aerospace sectors. For all the jobs it runs, especially those long-running ones, Faxon continuously looks for ways to improve processes, which often involves new machine tool technology. The other avenue where Faxon deploys technology is determining the best method and technology to produce prototype projects.

Most of the shop’s work has the residual benefit of repeating or being one of several projects for the same customers. The shop does a lot of prototype work, and a good amount results in getting the contract for full production runs. The key, according to Faxon, is understanding what the customer needs and how Faxon can fulfill that need. Solving problems for customers makes the shop more valuable to them.

“By maintaining a variety of in-house capabilities along with a fully vetted and capable group of vendors, we can manage complete, complex programs,” Faxon says. “We’re committed to providing the shortest lead time, best quality, and competitive pricing to meet the needs of our customers.”

Faxon is often involved in developmental programs with customers where it helps marry the design perspective to the manufacturing aspect, giving technical support on manufacturability and how small design changes and suggestions might help improve performance, streamline production, and lower costs.

“There’s no need to design a part more complex or costly than it has to be,” Faxon says. “We focus our attention on simplifying, where applicable, to make the part highly manufacturable and at the lowest cost possible.”

Various parts at Faxon involve a lot of turning operations along with milling and drilling. Tolerances and other requirements continue to be demanding. For instance, parts can weigh up to 60,000 lb, call for drilled holes as deep as 33ft, or need to be turned up to lengths of 45ft.

Parts require tight tolerances and are often made from extremely tough-to-cut exotic materials, so machine tool strength and rigidity are essential. Some of the parts Faxon makes are very high in value, and for some, the raw material alone, before it’s even loaded in a machine, can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Scrapping a part is very costly and detrimental to maintaining deliveries. Avoiding this starts at the engineering stage where the manufacturing process is created.

“While we’re excited and proud of the work we do today, we realize the situation isn’t going to last,” Faxon says. “The industry is changing more rapidly than ever, with part requirements becoming more demanding and lead times shortening. But at Faxon, we’re preparing now to meet those challenges head-on.”

“Our factory of the future strategy hinges on matching the best people with the right equipment, providing the best value for our customers, and maintaining our sustainability for decades to come,” says Faxon. “We’re here for the long term, and Mazak machine tool technology will continue to be a crucial component of our longevity.”

Faxon Machining Inc. https://www.faxon-machining.com

Mazak Corp. https://www.mazakusa.com IMTS 2024, booth #338300