by Lindsey Munson, editor, The American Mold Builder

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ….and we have lift off! The American Mold Builders Association (AMBA) is excited to announce the launch of the AMBA Work Capacity Tool – an innovative resource now available to help mold manufacturers share and fill capacity when needed. Designed specifically for AMBA member shops, this online, members-only tool allows a mold builder to locate open capacity in over-capacity situations and conversely, fill open capacity when work is needed, thereby helping to fuel sustainability and growth.

Conversation to Concept
One year ago at the AMBA Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a group of AMBA members started a conversation on a common struggle faced in their companies – the need for a means to even out the ebbs and tides in their operations, and according to AMBA President Don Dumoulin of Precise Tooling Solutions, Columbus, Indiana, that is how the capacity tool concept was conceived.

“If we could develop a tool where individual shops could share needs or wants of machining, polishing and EDM – all of the things it takes to make a tool in today’s environment – then we could level out the capacity for all of our shops,” Dumoulin recounted.

Concept to Reality
The newly designed, user-friendly AMBA Work Capacity Tool allows mold manufacturers to log in open capacity over a 90-day period in over 50 areas of operation, including special machines and additional services. Members are encouraged to update capacity every 30 days, with automatic reminders sent to help keep the information current. From 3-, 4- and 5-axis milling (including the ability to select size ranges) to EDM, polishing, design and more, a simple click of the button connects members with shops that meet their needs, with direct links to email for quick communication and rapid results.

“Our ability to quickly find open capacity we need help with will be a valuable resource to help provide more continuity during busy stretches. Conversely, if we have the open capacity to fill, being able to advertise that inside of a trusted network is equally valuable to our business,” said Tyler VanRee, Legacy Precision Molds, Inc., Grandville, Michigan,

Shops searching for open capacity simply hit the “Search Work Capacity” button on the AMBA homepage, log in and search by date(s), areas of operation, location and/or multiple states. The search engine instantly pulls up the matching results, including company address, capabilities and contact information (through a linked email) for immediate access.

Tom Barr, TK Mold & Engineering, Inc., Romeo, Michigan, commented with excitement, “Currently we have a small group of mold shops that we can pick up the phone and ask what their capacity is. The Capacity Tool will open us up to the ‘best of the best’ in our industry!”

The AMBA team has worked diligently over the past year to bring this new resource to its members and has created a ‘how-to’ tutorial located at AMBA.org/member-resources/work-capacity-tool/ for ease of implementation. “Sharing best practices, benchmarking operations and discussing challenges have long-been the hallmarks of the AMBA network,” stated Kym Conis, AMBA managing director. “The new Capacity Tool now enables members to share work, resources and even personnel more easily and with greater resolve.”

Lastly, Dumoulin added, “The best part of this is that it is our industry helping our members. It’s the best way to make our industry strong in the face of global competition.”

To learn about the new members-only AMBA Work Capacity Tool or to learn more about the AMBA network, becoming a member and gaining access to this new resource, visit www.AMBA.org.