5ME, a newly developed business comprised of the non-machinery units of the former MAG IAS, has been launched to help manufacturers, regardless of size, harvest hidden profits from production operations. Led by President Bill Horwarth, and other top managers, engineers, and employees from the former company’s tooling, services and software businesses, 5ME brings a proven suite of capabilities to industry, solely focused on increasing customers’ manufacturing efficiency as a means of building profitable, competitive and sustainable businesses. The company has management operations in Cincinnati and Detroit. Detroit is also the home of 5ME’s new technology center, showcasing its breakthrough capabilities in cryogenic machining, tooling/fixturing, process development, asset monitoring and enterprise software, as well as embedded assistance.
According to Pete Tecos, 5ME’s Executive Vice President for Marketing and Product Strategy, the company’s mission is unique and more critical than ever because of the global challenges facing all manufacturing-based companies. “While manufacturers are under increasing pressure from agile competitors, capacity constraints, material cost increases, and skilled labor shortages, there are still significant opportunities to improve existing operations and return lost profit to the bottom line,” he said. “Cost reductions of any magnitude from direct labor, material, or inefficient processes, can yield a substantial boost to the bottom line.”
5ME addresses five critical components – the five “M’s” of man, material, machines, methods and metrics – to improve a manufacturing enterprise’s efficiency (the “E”). Its suite of technologies, hardware, software and services is applied as an all-inclusive solution, according to Tecos. “This is a comprehensive, analytical approach to manufacturing that results in higher productivity, improved quality and lower working capital. We are brand and process agnostic, and therefore able to work with all types of machinery and manufacturing systems,” he added. “This gives us the independence to render our best solution and work freely with different system suppliers upstream, as well as end users downstream.”
5ME addresses the five “M’s” of man, material, machines, methods and metrics to improve a manufacturing enterprise’s efficiency (the “E”). Its suite of technologies, hardware, software and services is applied as an all-inclusive solution. “This is a comprehensive, analytical approach to manufacturing that results in higher productivity, improved quality and lower working capital,” said Pete Tecos, Executive Vice President for Marketing and Product Strategy. “We are brand and process agnostic, and therefore able to work with all types of machinery and manufacturing systems.”
Among 5ME’s core technologies are cryogenic machining, Freedom eWARE™ Asset Monitoring Software, CYCLO CUT® brand tooling, CYCLO COOL® brand cutting fluids, and Lean/Six Sigma implementation. The company’s 40,000 sq. ft. technical center houses a variety of machining systems equipped to demonstrate its breakthrough cryogenic machining technology and new process concepts, as well as an array of hardware, software and services.
5ME’s unique, multi-patented cryogenic machining process is a breakthrough technology that enables higher cutting speeds for increased material removal and longer tool life by transmitting liquid nitrogen at 321°F through the spindle/turret and tool body, direct to the cutting edge. Advantages include a significant environmental ROI from the elimination of water-soluble or oil-based coolants,reduced energy consumption due to the elimination of the associated coolant pumps and the fact that it produces dry chips versus wet, which eliminates the need for centrifuge management systems utilized in conventional machining.
“As an independent business, we’ll be able to offer our patented, award-winning cryogenic technology to a larger base of machine tool OEMs and end users in an effort to cast a wider net in our marketing, particularly to the energy, agriculture, construction, aerospace, automotive, and medical device industries, where efficient machining of challenging materials – such as titanium, stainless and hardened steel, composites, nickel-based alloys, and nodular or compacted graphite iron (CGI) – is a chronic issue.”
Tecos emphasizes 5ME has an impressive portfolio of customers and an extensive legacy of success in industry. “Our side of the business was not as visible as MAG’s machinery business, but we are well known to leaders such as Caterpillar, Lockheed Martin and others,” he explained. “Our eLOG™ software, for example, has made Caterpillar’s manufacturing assets – and its production potential – completely transparent in real time to all levels of management, complete with performance metrics. Freedom eLOG’s proven technology is also fully integrated and supported on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The software’s initial installation at Caterpillar’s Aurora facility produced generous productivity gains on targeted assets. Likewise, our breakthrough cryogenic machining technology has been instrumental in meeting cost reduction goals for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The benefits of cryogenic machining technology that have already been realized by heavy industry (cycle time reduction and extended tool life) can also be leveraged in other industries, such as medical devices, where additional advantages may emerge due to its inherent residue-free cleanliness.
The Freedom eLOG™ software makes manufacturing assets – and their production potential – completely transparent in real time to all levels of management, complete with performance metrics. The software’s proven technology is also fully integrated and supported on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The software has been field-proven to produce generous productivity gains on targeted assets.
“Our target customers will be those working with expensive or difficult-to-machine materials, employing a large number of assets, with high costs for consumables and energy, and committed to cultural/organizational change,” Tecos added. “Our successes to date prove there is vast potential for us to improve the competitiveness of North American manufacturers.”
Background on cryogenic machining
5ME’s unique, multi-patented cryogenic machining process is a breakthrough technology that enables higher cutting speeds for increased material removal and longer tool life by transmitting liquid nitrogen at 321°F through the spindle/turret and tool body, direct to the cutting edge. “In addition, customers will see a significant environmental ROI from the elimination of water-soluble or oil-based coolants,” Tecos added. “Energy consumption is reduced due to the elimination of the associated coolant pumps. Furthermore, the cryogenic machining process produces dry chips versus wet, which eliminates the need for centrifuge management systems utilized in conventional machining. Cryogenic technology makes new installations less expensive, reduces energy consumption, and provides an improved working environment for worker health and safety.”
