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in order to accomplish two things: identify a fluid that would extend tool life, particularly in lights-out situations, and that could also be used across a broad spectrum of machines and applications in order to minimize inventory. By considering all of these factors in advance, a machine shop can be assured that the lathe of their choice delivers the power necessary for the intended application and that the tooling will perform as expected. The Benefits Abound When it comes to lights-out machining, it is fairly easy to imagine the many benefits associated with running a machine unattended, especially for companies involved in production manufacturing. Increased productivity is the primary reward, but there are other things to take into consideration as well. As Mr. Brock has mentioned, investing in a dependable, high-quality bar feeder will provide a return on investment in a matter of months, depending on the degree to which the machine is kept up and running. But there are other benefits as well, including the ability to fill unexpected orders or increases in the customer's estimated annual usage (EAU). Slim Haney had a customer that estimated ordering 4,000 parts in the first year, only to end up needing approximately 40,000 in the first three or four months. Lights-out machining made it possible to meet this welcome, yet unexpected, increase in the scale of production. Another advantage of lights-out involves resource allocation, meaning how and when particular projects are assigned to different machine tools. Lights-out machining provides the flexibility a machine shop requires when last-minute orders arrive, or when a customer requests a rush job on a batch of parts, small or large. Knowing a Swiss lathe can be run unmanned throughout the night makes other machines available to tackle unscheduled or emergency orders. And let's face it, everybody wants to keep their customers happy, and nobody wants to turn down a lucrative order. But the process still provides what it was originally developed to deliver: e ability to remain competitive in an increasingly crowded marketplace. To be able to keep filling parts bins long after the work crew has gone home for the evening can mean the difference between landing a new job or assigning it to the "no bid" file, and the advances in machine design, safety features and related CNC turning technologies has brought this process within range of almost any job shop, no matter the size of the operation. For more information from Slim Haney Machining Inc., call 918-274-1082 or visit slimhaney.com. When We Say "LIVE TOOLING" We Mean It! 16 E. Piper Lane • Suite 129 • Prospect Heights, IL 60070 847-749-0633 • info@heimatecinc.com • www.heimatecinc.com Preben Hansen, President When We Say "LIVE TOOLING" We Mean It! Heimatec, a name you may not know…but you soon will. Great reputations have a way of spreading. A leading German supplier of live tooling, Heimatec offers a wide assortment of tools for CNC lathes and machining centers, plus the U-TEC ® quick change system, toolholders, multi-spindle drilling heads, specialty tools and more. Application engineering, dealer and end user training from our Chicago headquarters, plus a nationwide network of quality machine tool reps and dealers to serve you. NEW…LITERATURE DOWN- LOADS ON LIVE TOOLING FOR BRAND-SPECIFIC MACHINES… OKUMA, MAZAK, HAAS, NAKAMURA AND MORE! Lights-Out productionmachining.com :: 35 :: The ideal part for lights-out machining is made of brass and within a family of parts resembling bolts. For a related article on this topic, visit : A Checklist for Lights-Out Manufacturing Here are some pointers for shops of various sizes that are interested in learning more about this super-productive process. LINK :: short.productionmachining.com/nolights