Larson Tool Blog

PMA’s METALFORM EDU Provides Training and Education Towards Career Advancement

The good news: the manufacturing industry is robust, and the outlook remains positive. Troubling news: many U.S. manufacturers are dealing with a sizable skills gap (which we recently wrote about). Better news: there is a rise in trade school enrollment. The best news: Larson is already involved in an active training program that educates people in the skills necessary to serve the metal stamping industry—let alone help them improve the quality of their individual lives.

How Larson Successfully Implements PMA’s METALFORM EDU

No doubt about it, there is a skills gap in U.S. manufacturing. Ironically, the latest advances in manufacturing technologies—artificial intelligence, robotics, automation and the internet of things (IoT)—have been blamed, incorrectly, for taking away jobs.

Being SMEs on SQMs

You already have a full-time job; keeping up with the regulations of all the regulatory agencies—as changeable as they may be for any given part or project—doesn’t need to be its own full-time endeavor. When your vendor has a good supplier quality management program, you won’t have to bear the burden alone. It’s why we are meticulous with our SQM program.

Because the Production Part Approval Process Reduces Risk!

Imagine waking up one morning to hear that your metal stamping components are part of the design of a product that expects to exceed 70 million recalls by the time all the numbers are in. Tragically, those aren’t the only numbers tolled in the equation—there are deaths and injuries among them. More numbers: seven high-volume, global manufacturers (and their vast supply chains) have been impacted. Gulp.

Does Your Deep Draw Stamping Cost More? 

Steel tariffs: a very hot—and confusing—topic on the minds of many people in diverse industries. The uncertainty in the markets and supply chain is unsettling. An argument bolstering the need for the tariffs is that they equalize the flood of aluminum and steel from overseas producers—even at the possible economic disadvantage of smaller, regional American-based manufacturers. It’s anyone’s guess whether a global trade war will ensue with retaliatory tariffs on a variety of goods.

Collaboration for Longevity, Dependability, and Growth  

Larson’s longevity is due, in large part, to the valuable relationships we foster with employees, customers, suppliers, and strong partnerships with our equipment suppliers. We seek out collaborations with companies that hold these same standards and are top in their trade. Founded in 1897, Nidec Minster has built a reputation for precision, solid quality, and reliability in their presses, and Larson has built a strong partnership with them over the years.

Top 3 Questions to Ask and Details to Consider When Moving Tools

Here’s a reality we hope you haven’t experienced: your sizeable investment in tooling has been rendered unproductive by the actions of your metal stamping vendor. Because your metal stamping die depends on a cooperative and competent supplier to produce good parts, there is much to consider in this situation. 

Vetting Your Supplier—an Interview Checklist for the Buyer

When choosing a deep draw stamping and precision metal stamping company, Quality. Delivery. Price. Three basic things every buyer wants to be promised. But what assurance does a buyer have that those commitments will be met, time and time again, over the length of the program?

AQP in Action within the Entire Organization

We often think the words “process” and “nimble” are mutually exclusive—especially when we think of launching a product in the precision metal stamping (or any manufacturing or production) environment. What comes to mind when we hear that something is in “process” involves a slow, encumbered, multi-layered mire of circumstance. Nimble, on the other hand, denotes quickness and agility that offers responsive, definitive solutions. What if you could have both?

Building New Relationships to Support Existing Ones

One of the benefits of having longevity in any business resides in the reliable, trusting relationships that are formed over the years. These relationships exist externally—with loyal customers, and internally—with dedicated, expert staff members.