Tips, Tricks, & Training

Doubt can be uncomfortable and stressful. We’re wired to want certainty. Certainty provides confidence and drives decision making in both our personal and professional lives. Risk management plays a big role in creating and developing certainty.   SWOT and PESTLE are two different analyses that can help guide you through risk management and move you…

We all want to make improvements to optimize within our business, small and big. We may know where we want to end up, but the journey there can seem expensive or even intimidating. We all want to make improvements to optimize within our business, small and big. We may know where we want to end…

Over the course of the next ten years, more than 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will be vacant in the United States. Here are five ideas on how to fill the jobs you have open. Over the course of the next ten years, more than 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will be vacant in the United States,…

Here are 10 tips to keep your plant equipment in good working order and your operation running smoothly. Performing routine maintenance on the manufacturing equipment that companies rely on to produce goods and meet their customers’ tight deadlines may not sound exciting – but it may well make the difference between meeting and missing a…

Edgebanding is a critical yet time consuming part of woodworking operations. Finding the most efficient way to accomplish this task without reducing the quality of the finished product is essential for improving overall workflow. According to Woodworking Network, some firms are finding that investing in hot air edge banders over laser ones is providing this advantage for them…

As intelligent machinery continues to become more complex and advanced, machine communications may not always be clear to all users. A perfect example of the unclear communications are “alerts” or “error codes” on manufacturing equipment. An error code does not necessarily mean there is an error, rather it could be a warning to help you…

There are an abundance of CNC machine options available to the woodworking industry today, and they each have their own place in the market. Just as there are different categories of cars, there are different CNC routers. The key is knowing what category CNC you fall into now and what future requirements you anticipate. Until…

Plan Today to Save Tomorrow Preventative maintenance is one of the smartest business decisions you could make this year.  No matter the brand, machines are man-made and will require repairs at some point. The amount of moving parts in operation and the number of pieces being produced daily takes a toll on even the toughest…

Maybe it’s time you considered an upgrade.     Enhance your capabilities with: Grooving Special software for laminates Fast, simple angle cuts Label printing You can: Get the latest technology, the latest software Increase your production speed Work smarter and add flexibility Reduce your down time, reduce your maintenance costs We can: Finance your new…

This module is a description of the�basic�necessary steps when calibrating a Weeke Machining Center with MCC and�does not�contain specifics about each machine model or configuration. Pre-requisite: It is highly recommended that before executing this procedure that a Stiles Education faculty member or a Stiles Field Service Representative (FSR) demonstrate the steps. CAUTION: Prior to performing any…

Manufacturing Small Parts on Machining Centers Manufacturing small, individual components on large CNC machining centers which utilize vacuum pod systems has always been a challenge. Using one vacuum pod to secure small parts will not hold the piece firmly enough to prevent the part from moving or vibrating during machining. Furthermore, ineffectively securing small parts…