The aluminum columns are corrosion resistant, and Nishimura says rigidity and stability are excellent. Also, most of the columns are cored through the base for improved chip disposal. Partnering with customers Joe Boone, western regional manager for Makino, states that the company's goal is to partner with its customers. At the Aerospace Tech Center, the emphasis is on the transfer of technology and Makino wants new owners of its equipment to experience all the machines' capabilities. Abbott's approach to giving customers just what they need is similar, according to Tom Mason of the company's engineering services department.
Customers get a variety of options when purchasing a tooling column.
Depending on the application, more often a specific hole patterns is more useful. Abbott offers more than 60 different configurations of tombstones, each with various base sizes to fit specific pallets. And, Mason says, the company stocks raw tombstone castings to quickly respond individual orders for a customized tombstone without the traditional long lead times normally required for specialized tooling. Current users of aluminum fixturing include aerospace, industrial, commercial, and medical manufacturing facilities throughout North America.