For a busy job shop, balancing precision and productivity can define success.
At Northwood Industries, rising demand for complex, high-tolerance parts pushed the team to improve throughput and reduce repetitive setups.
To stay competitive, they needed to machine faster while maintaining consistent quality across every order.
Client Snapshot
Based in Perrysburg, Ohio, Northwood Industries manufactures precision-machined component parts, assemblies, and engineering designs for customers across North America, Europe, and Asia.
More than half of its projects serve the coatings and solar-energy industries, where reliability and turnaround speed are critical.
The company had already implemented Mastercam across its operations, using Mill, Lathe, and Dynamic Motion toolpaths to manage complex work efficiently.
Over the years, this long-standing partnership with Mastercam has supported continual improvement in machining accuracy and workflow integration.
The Challenge
When a coatings-equipment customer requested 50 trigger parts for commercial spray-gun handles, Northwood Industries faced tight delivery expectations.
The design had been refined only two months earlier to improve ergonomics, leaving little time to program and machine the parts at full production scale.
The team needed to accelerate machining without compromising the surface finish or dimensional accuracy of the newly redesigned components.
The Solution
With Mastercam already integral to daily operations, Northwood Industries leveraged its capabilities to streamline this project further.
Using Model Prep to clean and prepare geometry and Dynamic Motion to optimise cutting paths, engineers reduced the job from two operations to one.
The OptiRough strategy allowed the roughing pass to achieve a near-finished surface, removing the need for a secondary finishing step.
Key improvements achieved
- Consolidated two setups into a single operation.
- Continuous tool engagement reduced cycle time and heat buildup.
- Verify simulation enabled safe, accurate runs before machining.
Results
“It was the Dynamic Motion technology that really helped us achieve shorter lead time and faster production time. OptiRough made it easier to polish the part right there, eliminating the finishing step. We got the job done and out the door in no time.”
Kevin Carter, Turning Operations Leader, Northwood Industries
The improvements were immediate. Machining time fell by 25 – 75%, cycle time by 5 – 10%, and tool life increased as much as tenfold.
Owner Kurt Miller noted that Dynamic toolpaths and Verify simulation help machinists start cutting with confidence, resulting in faster setups and higher-quality outcomes.
Why It Matters
Northwood Industries demonstrates how long-term use of Mastercam can drive continuous improvement.
Dynamic Motion and OptiRough toolpaths allow manufacturers to complete more work in fewer setups, reducing wear and enhancing productivity.
For precision-focused job shops, these features provide a reliable way to balance speed, accuracy, and repeatability.
The Bottom Line
Northwood Industries continues to evolve its machining strategy with Mastercam.
By optimising toolpaths and consolidating setups, the company meets demanding lead times and maintains the precision its customers expect.
Contact MECAD Manufacturing to explore how Mastercam can streamline your production workflow and deliver measurable time savings.
Content adapted from the original case study published by Mastercam.
