INCS Inc.
Digital Tooling Service, a division of INCS Inc., has a clearly stated business idea. Faster than any other company, and regardless of destination, Digital Tooling Service aims to supply the mould tools that manufacturers of mobile telephones require for their prototypes.
INCS is a young company. It considers that the world is facing a new industrial revolution. In expressing its thoughts, the company talks about "Information Industrialization", the breaking down of production processes and the standardisation of process stages – all the way from design to finished product. This can result in up to 1,000 process stages. The effect is an almost explosion like increase in productivity.
A computer hall? Hardly, this is the milling shop in K2. Rows of special machines, each with Dynafix served spindles.
In-house information, production and process technologies, as well as external consultancy assignments, are the cornerstones of INCS's operations. The putting into practice of the company's ideas is the province of the Digital Tooling Service (DTS) division.
DTS operates two factories, K1 and K2, both of them in the Ota-ku district of Tokyo. This is a district full of small and specialised factories. Most of these are subcontractors supplying high-quality products to Japanese industry.
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DTS has now been operating for five years. It has a total of 100 employees, 24 of these being operators. The company has something over 50 machines. A few of these are EDM machines and jig drilling machines, the rest are high-speed milling machines. This means that, working a three-shift system, just eight operators take care of all the machines, twenty-four hours a day.
Manabu Takano, Engineering Group Manager, comments: "Compared to traditional mould tool manufacturers, we approach things differently. We produce precision parts. Typically, they are one-offs. The parts are put together to form sub-assemblies and, in the end, mould tools. We are currently producing 150 mould tools a month. We are very quick. Two weeks after the 3D data arrives here, the tool is delivered, along with injection-moulded samples, for the customer's evaluation."
DTS started with the standard machines that were then on the market. However, these did not produce up to expectations. Consequently, a machine manufacturer was approached with an order for special versions of ten high-speed (50,000 rpm) milling machines. Made to INCS specifications, the machines also used software developed by INCS. The machines were installed and the order was repeated.
Manabu Takano: "Speed is absolutely crucial."
Takano continues: "Our tooling times were also too long. We installed the Macro and Dynafix systems and managed to bring the times down by four fifths." Asked why System 3R was chosen to supply the pallet systems, the answer was quite simply that, especially as regards milling, the products had proven their superior performance. The throughput time was now down from 45 to 6 days and there was still more to come.
A few years ago, DTS opened its new factory, K2. Here, the special machines were developed even further. Amongst other things, the milling head and workpiece were turned "upside down". This involves fixing the workpiece (on its Dynafix pallet) up on the machine spindle and the cutting tool at the bottom of the machine. The chips now fall directly through the machine onto a conveyor. This serves an entire machine line and takes the chips to a container outside the building!
Manabu Takano: "We are now down to a throughput time of 45 hours of machining for a complete tool. There are always parts for around 40 tools in circulation around the workshops. This means keeping track of 6,000 parts. On top of this, each part has to go through several separate machining operations. Here, it is a question of leaving as little as possible to the human factor. No human brain is able to keep track of every single part."
The workpiece on the Dynafix-pallet up on the machine spindle, and the cutting tool at the bottom of the machine
Powerful, networked computers are the core of operations and it is enormously important that all those involved are meticulous in the execution of their duties. Manubu Takano concludes: "Our own information, production and process technologies, partnered with special machines and efficient pallet systems, make us exceptionally productive. No one is faster than us. Believe me."
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