Craftech uses technology upgrades to help grow business

Anaheim, Calif. — Custom injection molder Craftech Corp. pays attention to the details in advancing its business.

Craftech has invested in operational excellence and moved numerous sophisticated secondary operations to labor-saving in-line press-side procedures at its facilities in Anaheim and Tijuana, Mexico. Craftech specializes in low-to-medium high-mix volume runs.

“We target a one-piece flow and have moved to secondary operations for about 70 to 75 percent of our parts” including press-side work for the more complex items, Peter Weisel, vice president of business development, said during a visit to the Anaheim plant.

“We are trying to develop more detailed development software in order to track projects closer,” said John Ayers, vice president of engineering with responsibility for project management. Craftech uses aspects of the software internally now and plans to plug in with its stakeholders, clients and some suppliers.

In addition, Ayers and his team work closely with customers in the early optimization of engineering requirements for incoming jobs.

Recently, Craftech has absorbed in-house proprietary work from a customer in California and another in Mexico. “Craftech took over the molds,” Weisel said.

Craftech demonstrated creativity with multiple engineering changes in establishing a work cell with six injection molds to manufacture a robust product barcode scanner in three stages.

“It's really a mobile computer” for a long-time customer, Weisel said. The technical concept was envisioned in early 2015, and production began in late 2015.

First, Craftech molds the substrate of Sabic polycarbonate in a single-cavity tool for 45 seconds.

Next, a 350-ton Sumitomo electric press with a special injection unit simultaneously overmolds two identical handles using Covestro thermoplastic polyurethane in a 90-second cycle. The cell runs with Yushin robots.

Third, encapsulation of the scanner's glass laser exit window occurs in a single-cavity mold with a 45-second cycle.

In another advance, Craftech virtually eliminated visible weld lines and minimizes the need for secondary finishing operations using “hot-cold molding” technology initially installed to resolve issues in producing an electronics enclosure.

For controlling temperature, Craftech uses an Alternating Temperature Technology temperature control system from Single Temperiertechnik GmbH of Hochdorf, Germany. Craftech obtained the ATT system in early 2013.

“We have the ability to hide wall-section transition cosmetics and produce resin-rich surfaces with filled amorphous materials,” Weisel said.

“Molds need to be set-up for the technology up-front, but it's minimal,” he said. “We have been successful in retrofitting some existing tooling.”

In boosting information technology advances, “we've added a number of enhanced features including our real-time large-format shop display, tool tracking/status module and development of real-time monitoring for secondary operations,” Weisel said.

The display board enables machine operators to monitor how work is progressing. The tool tracking capability helps the tool room crew identify each mold's condition and need for cleaning in preparation for running a job.

The monitoring capability was developed in-house in conjunction with enterprise resource planning modules from IQMS.

In addition, a lock-out detection system enables quality verification for part insertion, pad printing and sonic welding functions. Craftech's internal lock-out concept was delegated to an outside supplier for the final design.

And Craftech acquired two multi-color Trans Tech-brand pad printers from the industrial decorating solutions division of Illinois Tool Works Inc. in 2015.

“Since the beginning of our lean journey in 2013, we've knocked down internal scrap about 0.65 percent, which really made a difference with complex, expensive assemblies,” Weisel said. “Through utilizing lean and automation we've turned many complex jobs from batch production to one-piece flow at the machine.”

Craftech craftsmen continue to make new molds in-house and handle engineering changes. Five persons in Anaheim and one in Tijuana deal with mold maintenance and repairs.

In addition, Craftech contracts to acquire tooling from mold makers in Taipei, Taiwan, and Dongguan in China's Guangdong province, Ayers said.

Craftech has trimmed back on its mold-storage warehousing requirements and reduced its Anaheim space needs to 50,000 square feet from 75,000 square feet.

One customer had used 630 molds over 25 years, Weisel said. Now, that storage is down to 125 molds.

During 2014, Craftech discarded more than 200 molds after establishing a three-year criteria for retention.

“Few customers picked up their molds,” Weisel said.

The Anaheim plant operates 32 Sumitomo, Arburg and Van Dorn injection molding presses of 12-700 tons including 18 electrics. A 380-ton Sumitomo hydraulic with a special screw and barrel was delivered in December.

In Anaheim, Craftech installed and certified a Class 100,000 clean room of 900 square feet in 2014.

During 2005 in an initial foray into Mexico, Craftech and a Power-Sonic Corp. unit jointly established a molding and assembly venture that operated until 2008 as Craftech Plasticos in Tijuana.

Starting in September 2008 and through November 2012, the corporate shelter service business of Right Hand Synergy Inc. of Bonita, Calif., administrated the Tijuana site while Craftech controlled operations.

The operation became known as Craftech de México in 2014, and Craftech is moving toward the site's designation under Mexico's maquiladora program, possibly by late 2017.

The Tijuana operation is growing rapidly. In October, Craftech de México doubled its leased space to 52,000 square feet. The Tijuana plant has 17 JSW and Sumitomo injection molding machines of 35-308 tons including three electrics and has pending Sumitomo orders for two 75-ton electrics and one 350-ton hydraulic presses.

In Tijuana, the firm is investing in a white-room assembly area to do a medical filter.

In a set routine, Craftech prepares Craftech de México injection molding jobs in Anaheim, develops the quality criteria, translates work instructions into Spanish and transfers the project to Tijuana. Qualification occurs on the press in Tijuana.

“Most Craftech de México production in Tijuana stays in Tijuana,” Weisel said.

Craftech employs 255 including 180 in Anaheim with an average tenure of 21.3 years. “Craftech engenders longevity and loyalty from its customers,” Weisel said.

The Tijuana headcount has grown to 75 persons from 30 in January 2015.

Craftech had sales of $33 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016 vs. $30 million for the preceding fiscal year.

End market sectors include electronics with 46 percent, medical 38 percent, consumer 10 percent and automotive 6 percent.

“We are seeing good growth in the medical and electronic enclosure sectors,” Weisel said.

Over two years, “we've been able to grow sales 13 percent while keeping overall headcount the same,” Weisel said. “With the growth we've experienced in Mexico, we've had to add people down there, but we've reduced the operator count in Anaheim.”

John Butler founded the business exclusively to make molds in 1979 and remains Craftech president and chief executive officer. Craftech obtained its first injection molding machine in 1986.

Other Craftech owners are Weisel, Ayers, operations vice president Steven Lawson and tooling manager Doug Barker.

Craftech evaluates operating problems as they emerge, systematizes solutions and aims to keep the issues from occurring again. Examples might include use of an insert detection apparatus to sense missing inserts in a part and application of RJG Inc.'s eDART technology to monitor injection molding cycles and maintain consistency.

Craftech is a longtime user of IQMS manufacturing and enterprise-resource-planning software systems.

The Orange County Register recognized Craftech among top mid-sized workplaces at a Dec. 8 banquet. The newspaper surveyed 35,000 employees at companies in the county to identify the 2016 award winners. Craftech also received top workplace recognition in 2010.