Posted by Steiner Technologies, Inc. on March 14, 2016 Remember, the ultimate goal in today’s manufacturing is a safe efficient way to machine parts and still be profitable. This may be as simple as a process change on the shop floor or a new way to machine parts in fewer operations. Profitably manufacturing components quickly without sacrificing quality is often the challenge. The Autofacer was designed as a problem solving tool in the early 1970’s by Rudolph Steiner. Rudy owned a contract machine shop and was tasked with completing a variety of jobs that required either back spotfacing or flipping a part to machine the feature from the opposite side. Rudy was frustrated with the concept of sending an arbor thru a bored hole and locking a cutting head on the back side for each and every spotface or counterbore. This was not only a slow method of machining but also unsafe for operators who have to reach into the machines to perform this operation. Rudy thought that there was a better way of approaching the problem. What if he could design a tool that could eliminate the secondary operation by being mechanically operated? Rudy Steiner’s vision became a reality when he invented the first Autofacer. A fully automatic back spotfacer that eliminated the costly secondary operation involved in using two piece systems. He knew that changing the old way of solving his problem could save time and that change can be good. The moral of the story is that Rudy Steiner’s core belief that he could find a better way, that changing the way back spotfacing was being done could not only be profitable but that it could launch a successful business because of it. Steiner Technologies sells Autofacers to the people who are willing to take a closer look at their manufacturing processes and truly want to make their machining practices safer and more profitable. Though at times it may be hard to see, progressive change is a vital component to the success in a company, economy or life as a whole. In the words of Rudy Steiner, “It is always hard to see the forest through the trees.” Steiner Technologies has taken the same principle concept of change to streamline our processes to consistently make better engineered products. We would like to know what you think.
