A large medical device manufacturer was facing exorbitant tool costs in manufacturing their stainless steel trauma plate used for implants in orthopedic or trauma surgery. They produced 5 parts per end mill, using 2,800 end mills annually. With the cost per end mill running at $49 each, the manufacturer’s annual tooling cost was over $137k. The customer was looking for a solution to drastically reduce costs but maintain the tool life of the end mill since they weren’t getting the exact results they were looking for.

GWS introduced a customized 4-flute PYSTL end mill specifically modified for the trauma plate application. By tailoring the corner radius for an ideal fit, we matched the existing tool life, enabling 5 parts per end mill. The breakthrough came when this new, customized tool reduced tooling costs by 75%, lowering the price per end mill from $49 to just $12. This adjustment delivered an annual savings of over $100,000 in tooling costs for the medical device manufacturer. Impressed by these results, the customer had us look at other applications within their production process to identify additional cost savings while maintaining or enhancing tool life.

Interested in finding out more information about our custom tools? Consider contacting the experts who make Custom Come Standard, and let us find the perfect cutting tool for you. Just send us an email at sales@gwstoolgroup.com to get started!