Category: CASE STUDY

Understanding the unique technical requirements of the client’s wafer processing, Gromax engineered a custom precision tooling system designed for repeatability, accuracy, and seamless integration into their production line.

Key Aspects of the Solution:

✅ Fully Custom Tooling Design – Since no existing tooling met their requirements, we designed a completely new system from scratch, tailored to their exact needs.
✅ High-Precision Slicing & Positioning – The tooling allowed for repeatable slicing of silicon wafers within XX tolerance, ensuring consistency across production runs.
✅ Integrated 90-Degree Rotation Mechanism – We built a mechanism to precisely rotate each wafer without misalignment or positioning errors, enabling seamless vertical placement.
✅ Non-Contact Handling Design – To prevent contamination and damage, the tooling incorporated carefully controlled contact points and minimal force application, reducing risk of wafer defects.
✅ Prototyping & Testing for Perfection – Before final production, we prototyped, tested, and refined the tooling to validate accuracy, repeatability, and ease of operation.

By engineering an innovative, high-precision solution, we enabled the client to achieve repeatability and reliability in their wafer handling process—eliminating previous inconsistencies.

Gromax took on the challenge that others had failed to solve by:

✅ Applying Advanced Problem-Solving Expertise – Even though we don’t specialize in plastic mold making, we leveraged our precision manufacturing experience to develop a scalable, repeatable solution.
✅ Refining the Process Over Six Months – Instead of a trial-and-error approach, we worked closely with the client to refine the design and process, ensuring it met manufacturability, cost, and quality targets.
✅ Optimizing the Print for Production – We collaborated with the client to redesign key features of the mold, improving its geometry for better manufacturability while maintaining strict functional and aesthetic requirements.
✅ Developing a Specialized Coating Application Method – The mold required a highly technical release coating, which we tested, refined, and perfected for consistent, defect-free part ejection.
✅ Delivering a Scalable, Production-Ready Tooling Solution – Once optimized, we delivered high-quality, production-ready molds, eliminating the client’s long-standing supplier issues.

By focusing on design refinement, process optimization, and precision execution, we transformed a seemingly unmanageable production issue into a scalable success story.

At Gromax, perfecting the “secret sauce” for complex parts is in our wheelhouse. We took on the challenge of figuring out, optimizing, and documenting the entire production process to ensure a seamless transition from prototype to production.

Key Steps in Our Solution:

✅ Developing a Scalable, ITAR-Compliant Supply Chain – We identified, vetted, and trialed suppliers with ITAR-certified capabilities to handle each stage of production.
✅ Optimizing Multi-Step Manufacturing – We established a production-ready workflow incorporating:

• Raw material sourcing – Securing ITAR-compliant materials with full traceability.
• Chemical machining – Ensuring precision without compromising material integrity.
• Wire EDM & stamping – Optimizing part geometry with high accuracy.
• Heat treating & laser welding – Enhancing durability while maintaining tolerances.
• Plating & special packaging – Meeting defense-grade finishing and packaging specifications.
  ✅ Trialing & Documenting the Process for PPAP Approval – We conducted rigorous trials and first-article inspections to refine the repeatable process required for successful PPAP submission.
  ✅ Full Production Integration – Once perfected, we transitioned the part into scalable production, ensuring consistent quality, traceability, and regulatory compliance.

By figuring out the secret sauce, documenting best practices, and managing the entire supply chain, we provided a turnkey solution that no other supplier was willing to take on.

To provide a cost-effective, high-volume domestic production solution, Gromax designed and built a custom progressive die that:

✅ Met high-volume production requirements – Engineered to handle 5+ million units annually, scaling with future demand growth.
✅ Optimized for longevity – The tooling was built to last over 5 years, minimizing maintenance costs and maximizing efficiency.
✅ Improved supply chain resiliency – With dual sourcing in place, the client gained geographical diversification and reduced dependency on overseas suppliers.
✅ Reduced lead times – Domestic manufacturing eliminated international shipping delays, ensuring faster production cycles.
✅ Mitigated tariff and trade risks – Manufacturing in the U.S. shielded the company from unexpected tariff increases and import restrictions.

With this new progressive die in place, Gromax provided a stable, long-term domestic solution that ensured consistent part availability while reducing supply chain risks.

To address these inefficiencies, we redesigned the tooling system and implemented a high-efficiency progressive die solution that:

✅ Replaced manual feeding with fully automated progressive dies – Eliminating the need for operators to hand-feed blanks, reducing labor costs significantly.
✅ Increased production output – The new tooling produced multiple parts per cycle, dramatically improving efficiency.
✅ Optimized material usage – The progressive dies reduced material waste, cutting down on overall costs.
✅ Lowered per-piece costs – The higher efficiency and labor reduction enabled the client to achieve their customer’s cost targets.
✅ Provided a fast return on investment – The new tooling was designed to pay for itself in under 20 months through savings in labor and production costs.

By moving to automated, precision tooling, we helped the client increase production speed, reduce costs, and improve overall manufacturing efficiency.

To ensure a smooth tooling transfer and production ramp-up, Gromax developed a structured project management playbook to guide every phase of the transition.

Key Steps in Our Solution:

✅ Comprehensive Tooling Assessment & Reconditioning – We evaluated all existing tooling, identified necessary repairs, and optimized dies for peak performance in our stamping presses.
✅ Seamless Tooling Transfer & Installation – The client’s tooling was safely transferred to our facility, installed, and precisely calibrated for immediate production startup.
✅ First-Article Production & Quality Verification – Trial runs and first-article inspections ensured that parts met or exceeded previous in-house quality standards.
✅ Secondary Operations Management – We took over plating, finishing, and additional processes, streamlining end-to-end production and reducing supplier dependencies.
✅ Production Ramp-Up & Capacity Scaling – With a turnkey solution in place, we scaled production to meet demand without delays.

By leveraging our expertise in precision tooling, manufacturing efficiency, and supply chain integration, we eliminated the risks associated with in-house stamping transitions and ensured a seamless shift to outsourced production.

To address these challenges, our engineering team completely redesigned the client’s tooling approach, replacing five progressive dies with a single high-efficiency progressive die system.

Key Features of the Solution:

Single Progressive Die Consolidation – Instead of five separate dies, we engineered a single progressive die that produced the entire circuit breaker assembly in one process.
Multi-Coil Material Integration – Re-designed to simutaneously handle multiple materials in a single die, reducing handling time and material waste.
In-Die Thread Tapping – Eliminated the need for secondary tapping operations and hand riveting, saving labor hours and improving consistency.

Fully Assembled Output from the Press – The part exited the press completely formed and assembled, removing manual assembly steps.
Hard Tooling for Precision & Consistency – Ensured that every part met exact specifications, eliminating defects caused by manual processes.

This solution transformed the client’s production method, allowing them to scale operations efficiently while maintaining exceptional quality standards.