Web-exclusive Industry News: Moldmaker invests in precision, speed

American Tool & Mold (Clearwater, FL; www.a-t-m.com) recently installed two Charmilles CNC machines—a Mikron HSM 600U 36,000-rpm/five-axis milling center and a Roboform 550 CNC EDM—to shorten job setups and run times, and to improve surface quality and geometry. The acquisitions represent an investment of about $750,000.

"We’re looking forward to a good 2004 and have a number of promising growth opportunities before us in the global packaging market," says Jerry Seidelman, sales manager. "Our owner, Demetre Loulourgas, likes to stay ahead of the curve."

ATM employs more than 80 moldmakers and builds tools with up to 64 cavities. Its sister company, American Technical Molding, presently runs five Krauss-Maffei presses ranging up to 465 tons.

Working in the five-axis mode, ATM’s new mill can machine workpieces on five sides and five axes at the same time. And its new CNC EDM has a generator module said to dramatically reduce burn time.

Both systems can thoroughly track job evolution and completeness. This capability allows ATM to keep its customers up to date on accountability and repeatability, while saving time and materials.

The new CNC machines complement this 25-year-old moldmaker’s leading-edge capacity with automated palletization to increase speed and operator efficiency and reduce production time. ATM can prepare up to seven pallets outside the work area in tandem with other functions.