How job shops remain competitive
The supply industry is a fundamental part of the value chain in the manufacturing sector. The backbone of this industry is made up of job shops, small and medium-sized service providers that supply core industries such as aviation & space, medical, and mobility with high-precision components. The challenge lies in fulfilling increasingly demanding orders under growing cost and deadline pressure. Productive machine run times, stable processes, and reduced changeover costs are therefore key success parameters. The trend toward increasingly complex components and smaller batch sizes also requires enormous technical expertise and a high degree of flexibility. Well-trained employees and versatile, high-performance manufacturing technologies are therefore essential to remain competitive.
Promoting skilled workers, shaping the future
With regard to competitiveness, several areas have emerged in which job shops can invest specifically in order to remain competitive in the market in the long term. Since success depends on good personnel, the promotion of skilled workers deserves special attention. Demographic change opens up opportunities. Young talents in particular can be inspired to pursue technology-based manufacturing professions. Digital work environments, modern learning systems, and flexible working models make CNC professions more attractive. Job shops that invest in training and qualification position themselves as preferred employers and secure a long-term knowledge advantage.
Integrate, automate, and digitize processes
Investments in the transformation of the industry also play a decisive role in future-oriented manufacturing. Five-axis simultaneous milling and six-sided complete machining on turning/milling centers are now an important basis for efficient and quality-oriented manufacturing processes because they drastically reduce throughput times. Whereas in the past several machines were required to manufacture complex workpieces, today more and more processes are being integrated into a single clamping – turning, milling, gear cutting, grinding, and measuring, to name just a few examples. Job shops benefit from optimal machine utilization, higher precision due to eliminated changeover processes, and sustainable energy efficiency. This is because, given the high variety of components, setup times can account for 30 to 50 percent of machine time without well-thought-out standardization strategies.
In many cases, the modernization of machinery is followed by automation. Pallet and workpiece handling or robot-based manufacturing systems extend production into unmanned shifts. This creates space in which skilled workers can pursue qualified activities in work preparation or quality control. Similar effects are achieved through the end-to-end digitization of software solutions for clear order planning, innovative software tools in programming, and monitoring systems that support quality control and maintenance.
From manufacturing service provider to strategic partner
With optimized personnel and technological capacities, job shops have an ideal framework for further developing their range of services—from classic parts manufacturers to competent partners throughout the entire product development process. One example of this is design for manufacturing, an approach that takes machining options into account as early as the design stage. Comprehensive documentation of the manufacturing process is also becoming increasingly mandatory. Job shops secure their competitive position through sophisticated quality management and appropriate certifications.
The transition from a parts supplier focused on quantity to a flexible solution partner helps job shops continue to grow in an increasingly tough and globalized competitive environment. The focus on the continuous development of personnel, manufacturing technologies, and business models also makes small businesses more resilient to influences such as climate change or geopolitical developments.
DMG MORI as a partner for progress in small and medium-sized businesses
Job shops make up a significant portion of DMG MORI's customer base. That is why the machine tool manufacturer is very familiar with the requirements of these companies. At the same time, it is shaping the future of machine tool manufacturing itself. This is because DMG MORI's entire portfolio is geared towards Machining Transformation (MX). Process integration, automation, Digital Transformation (DX), and Green Transformation (GX) are the cornerstones of this concept and the answers to precisely the challenges that job shops also have to face.
DMG MORI supports job shops with practical advice and customized manufacturing solutions ranging from compact universal machines to highly networked manufacturing systems, including suitable automation solutions and end-to-end digitization. In addition, comprehensive training programs enable meaningful further development, while the global service network ensures high machine availability. This creates a holistic ecosystem that enables job shops to combine quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness at the highest level and to become a driver of innovation in the industrial value chain.
