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  • April 15, 2021
  • Reata

The Advantages of Working with a Digital Machine Shop

The Advantages of Working with a Digital Machine Shop

Want to reduce cost and lead time on your next project? Tired of the stop-and-go reality of getting a part made?

Find a digital machine shop that automates more than just the shop floor.

Reata Engineering is proud to implement digital processes from the moment customers request a quote on our website all the way through part delivery.

We know what you’re probably thinking: “It’s 2021 and most contract manufacturers have at least partly digitized their workflows. What makes Reata so special?” It’s a completely fair question.

Here’s exactly what sets our digital processes apart:

Quoting for Complex CNC Machining

The standard process for quoting involves using paper and pencil to calculate figures, though more high-tech shops probably use Microsoft Excel. Project managers will open an old filing cabinet to review past jobs and see what they charged for similar projects. As you can imagine, this approach is inconsistent and inefficient.

Reata Engineering has gone a step (or 10!) further than spreadsheets, implementing a simple and straightforward digital process via the Paperless Parts quoting platform.

In just hours, customers can:

  • Send a quote request
  • Receive a quote
  • Place an order

If we have the materials on our shelf, we can even get your parts running in less than a day.

Design for Manufacturability

Engineers know all too well what Design for Manufacturability (DFM) entails at an average contract machining shop: the manufacturer will mark up your 2D drawing, take a picture, email it over to you, and get you on the phone to clarify aspects of your design. Then you’ll have to make necessary changes, email the 2D drawing back to the manufacturer, and wait for them to review and accept the updated design.

Who has time for that lengthy process? Not us, and not our customers, either!

At our digital machine shop, we work with customers on a shared online model featuring a comment or chat option for easy, real-time communication. We’re a customer-focused company above all else, so we still like to get engineers on the phone, but discussing a 3D model is much more effective than a 2D drawing.

You don’t even need 3D software to view our real-time models—all you need is a smartphone. So if you’re away from your computer when you receive our phone call, we can still have a productive conversation.

Machining

When it comes to machining, many machine shops still use old-school programming software that requires excessive manual work to align programs with machines. But the team at Reata Engineering has invested in cutting edge software to streamline the entire machining process:

  • Esprit: Esprit simplifies programming, reducing setup and cycle times. This model-based CAM software eliminates the need for editing a program at the machine.
  • Machine Metrics: Machine Metrics provides real-time production and condition monitoring for machines. It optimizes workflows for manufacturers and customers, delivering data-driven insights to increase efficiency.

Quality

While standard machine shops measure part dimensions individually and manually input information into a Coordinating Measuring Machine (CMM), Reata Engineering’s automated CMM quickly and accurately verifies a match between the part and the model the customer provided.

Not only is our automated CMM faster and less prone to human error, it’s also proactive: our team can identify issues in real-time and correct them quickly.

If you’re ready to fill the downtime that typically occurs during manufacturing and get your parts back faster, let’s work together. Request a quote and you’ll see just how quickly we move!

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7822 South Wheeling Court,
Suite AEnglewood, CO 80112

(303) 936-1350

(303) 936-1350

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