More than 500 customers and other industry professionals attended Methods Machine Tools Inc.’s latest Machine Fest event earlier this month. Held at the company’s national headquarters complex in Sudbury, Mass., the two-day gathering showcased Methods’ capabilities and a host of innovative technical partnerships. It follows similar events earlier this year in Gilberts, Ill., and in Phoenix in late 2022.
“These shows are indispensable; they allow customers to talk directly with our product managers and engineers, asking questions and detailing exactly what type of equipment they need,” explains Brad Catyb, general manager for Methods' New England region. “Attendees get to see a wide range of machines and solutions in action, all in one place.”
The Sudbury show featured various three- and five-axis CNC platforms, multitasking lathes and separate rooms for automation, electrical-discharge machining and Zeiss metrology systems, as well as Methods’ service and support.
The lineup included a mix of solutions from Methods and its partners, such as Methods Plus E and Plus K systems teamed with FANUC’s ubiquitous RoboDrill technology. The Plus E RoboDrill has a fully integrated 32-pallet elevator system, while the Plus K offers 44 tool positions and a rotary carousel with 60 part/part carrier positions.
Among the other Machine Fest highlights were:
“Customers today want more and more engineering, automation and service support,” Catyb notes. “But they don’t always know exactly what they need. That’s where Methods’ expertise can really help identify the best solution for the job.”
This is especially true for small and medium-sized job shops. They want greater flexibility, as well as improved productivity and efficiency, Catyb adds.
“About 80% of our customers in New England are job shops. Whether they only have a handful of employees or a few hundred, everyone needs help to keep up with the ongoing advances in technology the industry is experiencing,” Catyb says, noting that Methods’ takes a coordinated approach to problem solving with more than 300 engineering and service experts. This includes early stage development projects at the company’s four-year-old Precision Center in nearby Acton, Mass., which houses Methods’ advanced engineering and R&D facility—including a climate-controlled lab where cuts are achieved to sub-micron levels.
In addition to Machine Fest’s onsite interaction, the event prompts a multitude of follow-up questions and increased customer engagement. Catyb estimates that the Sudbury event will yield about 20 new projects.
But that’s just the start. Over the next three to five years, Catyb expects Methods to continue to expand its business with existing and new customers, as well as develop new solutions with partners through its growing line of Methods-branded machines. “We’re targeting coordinated, structured growth in all areas—parts, services and engineering systems. Customer satisfaction is our top goal, and we know there’s always an opportunity for improvement.”
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