H&D Precision Industry: Communications, Transport, Tools Location: The Netherlands

"Cimatron has all we need for the whole process in one software solution. You can find good CAD and good CAM solutions, and they work fine as long as you use them separately. Cimatron lets you switch from one environment to the other, providing you the tools you need at the right stage of the process."

The Challenge
H&D needed to refine their manufacturing process to accommodate a growing business, and to win more jobs in a competitive business environment.

The Solutions
CimatronE Master Solution, including MoldDesign and NC, and with such add-ons as QuickElectrode, QuickSplit and QuickCompare.

The Results
- 50% reduction in programming time
- 60% reduction in total production time
- Ability to manufacture more complex molds wins H&D more jobs
- 30% projected increase in output for current year

Dedicated to the design and manufacture of molds for the plastics industry, H&D Precision has become one of the most respected moldmakers in The Netherlands since it was founded in 1965.

When H&D set out to refine their manufacturing processes by investing in new CAD/CAM software, they had no idea what improvements lay ahead. In just a few short weeks, however, they realized significant gains in programming speed, reduction in manufacturing time, and accuracy well above expected rates.

Challenge: Keeping up in a competitive business environment
As H&D experienced rapid growth, it needed to update its software to complement its market-proven expertise and increasingly sophisticated machinery.

H&D faces pressure to create progressively more complex molds for demanding, industry-leading companies such as Heineken, Motorola, Nokia and Philips. Like most toolmakers, H&D operates in a very competitive environment, where time-to-delivery is crucial, and the race to acquire new customers and jobs is intense.

Solution: Increasingly complex demands require better, more sophisticated solutions
H&D is a long-time Cimatron customer, so they were already familiar with the capabilities of Cimatron’s Modeling, Drafting, 3-axis Milling, 4-axis Wire EDM, QuickSplit and QuickCompare applications.

Recently, the need for continual improvement of process control led the company to upgrade the system with CimatronE MoldDesign and QuickElectrode. As it turns out, even a loyal Cimatron customer could be surprised by the tremendous benefits still to be gained with CimatronE’s integrative solution and best-in-class mold and electrode design capabilities.

Results: A complete solution for toolmakers – from Quoting to Delivery
H&D now uses CimatronE for the entire moldmaking process, from generating quotes to manufacturing and assembling molds.

“Before, programming time took twice as long. Cimatron eliminated hours of manual programming, reducing production time by up to 60%,” comments Ad Prins, H&D Managing Director. “CimatronE has a very strong NC engine, especially its HSM tools. And it’s easy to learn – takes less time than any other 3D software. Today, when I quote on jobs, I have every confidence that we can program the parts quickly.”