AMBA Launches 2018 AMMA Grant Program The AMBA Board of Directors is proud to launch the American Mold Manufacturing Advancement Fund (AMMA Fund) for 2018. It was created by the American Mold Builders Association (AMBA) to invest in the advancement of the industry. In its second year, the purpose of the fund is to support AMBA members in programs and projects that fall within … [Read more...] about Association News

By Chris Hetzer, CEO and partner Gilman Precision If a spindle breaks down, what is your company’s plan of action? Is it the most practical and efficient way to deal with a down spindle? Spindles need maintenance at varying intervals, based on the length and design of their operation. Normal use of any machine will cause wear and tear, the spindle being the component that … [Read more...] about Establishing an Effective Machine Tool and Spindle Service Program

By Ashley Burleson, analytics manager AMBA As of now, 81 percent of moldmakers report that current business conditions are positive. However, these conditions will likely plateau or even decrease throughout 2018, as only five percent of mold manufacturing executives anticipate substantial increases in business over the next 12 months, according to the 2018 Business Forecast … [Read more...] about Challenges Give Insight into 2018’s Moldmaking Industry

By Michael J. Devereux II, CPA, CMP, partner Mueller Prost Against the odds, the Republican-led Congress and President Trump were able to pass the Tax Reform & Jobs Act of 2017 (The “Act”). As such, most mold builders will see a drop in their tax bills, beginning in 2018. Many of the provisions mold builders rely upon to compute their federal tax liability were … [Read more...] about Tax Reform Implications for the Mold Building Sector

By Harvey Lemire, sales and technical specialist CGS North America, Inc. I still remember hearing of “5-axis CNC machining” as an apprentice, more than 20 years ago. It was going to be the “future,” saving companies thousands of dollars in time and labor. The concept itself was exciting to me, but I only understood how revolutionary the 5-axis CNC process actually was when … [Read more...] about Making the Move to 5-Axis Machining

By Nancy Cates, contributing writer The American Mold Builder Every manager has done it: Look at the P&L sheets and analyze production. Consider customer comments and complaints. Prep for the meeting. Invite all the players to gather in one room. Review strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Brainstorm. Put ideas on the board. Stir the pot. Swap out this … [Read more...] about 4DX Strategy Pushes Ideas to Goal Execution at GreenLeaf Industries