b'H ow materials and parts are handled can improve productivity.By Christopher Tate ever, machine shops are seekingmust find more creative solutions.ways to increase productivity and re- Military science presents the con-M achine shops large and smallduce costs without additional labor. cept of a force multiplier, which is de-are struggling with unprece- Machinists and engineers usuallyfined by the Cambridge Dictionary dented labor shortages and eco- respond to the need for improvedas something that increases the ef-nomic pressures. productivity and lower costs by try- fect of a force. Modern shops need If governmental publications areing to machine parts faster. Weto find tools and technologies that correct, we will continue to faceoften default to new drills, endmillsallow machinists to complete more labor shortages into the foresee- or other tools that make chips morevalue-added work without increasing able future because not enoughquickly, and most of the time thesethe necessary resources. We need to skilled craftspeople are in the pipe- things provide productivity gains. find force multipliers. Taking advan-line to support demand. However, machining faster sel- tage of them at a machine shop is the Economic pressures as a resultdom closes the entire cost gapmost effective way to reduce costs of inflation and bottlenecked sup- and has almost no impact on laborthrough improved productivity.ply chains are driving up costs, pull- constraints. If we are going to sig- Everyone knows that the only ing down margins and exacerbat- nificantly impact productivity andtime a machinist is productive is ing labor shortages. Now more thanclose labor gaps, machine shopswhen a machine makes chips. Chip ctemag.com/cteguide.com29PartsHandling.indd 29 11/15/22 2:30 PM'