Previously, many of the unenlightened manufacturing companies, having purchased an expensive and sophisticated new machine tool, considered cutting tool technology as very much an afterthought and supplied little financial support, or technical expertise to purchase these tools. Today, tooling-related technologies are treated extremely seriously, as it is here that optimum production output, consistency of machined product and value-added activities are realised. Often companies feel that to increase productivity – to offset the high capital investment in the plant and to amortise such costs (. pay-back), is the most advantageous way forward. This strategy can create ‘bottlenecks’ and disrupt the harmonious.
