Mold maker Westminster adds capacity, technology for medical devices

PLAINFIELD, Conn.—Westminster Tool Inc. has invested in new technology to meet demand for high-precision molds from medical customers following a growth spurt that started a few years ago and accelerated during the pandemic.

The investment represents more than 10 percent of 2020 sales, according to company officials, who say machining capacity was doubled and automation added.

Founded in 1997, the mold maker is experiencing unprecedented growth from medical device manufacturers that need complex molds. The company helps injection molders with initial part design, simulations, mold sampling and part quality.

"The largest portion of our sales growth has come from surgical devices," Westminster Tool Vice President Hillary Thomas said in an email. "Our medical injection mold building growth started in 2018. Most of this growth came from carving out a niche as a solutions provider that rolls up their sleeves to get intimate in helping our customers produce the complex components they need."

Company officials put some of the sales increase toward updating, replacing and expanding equipment to keep up with demand from its customers, who came under increased pressure last year to meet new needs related to the pandemic.

"We did not directly work on any COVID-related projects, but due to the dramatic increase, our customers had to not only maintain their existing business, but also launch new devices and testing devices within months for COVID, (and) we received a surplus of the existing work," Thomas said.

"We found that in 2020 specifically, there was more work than local mold builders could keep up with, forcing many companies to expand their approved mold supplier lists," she added.

The primary value of the latest investments at Westminster Tool boost capacity and will make it possible to reduce lead times. The company added three high-speed 3-axis machines and one high-speed 5-axis machine to its single Mikron HSM500, increasing the shop's milling capacity by over 400 percent.

The expanded machining capabilities and advanced automation is letting Westminster Tool bring in more work, according to Westminster Tool President Ray Coombs.

"The 5-axis capabilities, for example, open us to more intricate types of jobs because we can now hit complex geometries and angles difficult to achieve before," Coombs said in a news release. "And this will have major long-lasting benefits for how we do business."

On the automation end, Westminster Tool is going with a new pallet handling system (Mikron HSM_400U LP) to reduce set up and move toward a lights-out operation. Once installed, the pallet pool attachment will be able to run almost entirely unattended.

Westminster Tool has 38 employees working mostly a single shift from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and then there's a small second shift that work nights and weekends as needed, according to Thomas.

"We have focused the majority of our efforts on increasing unattended time through use of robotics and pallet systems that can keep a machine running for the hours while we are home," she said.

Overall, the investments are creating jobs at the company.

"It will allow us to convert hard machining from a one-person role to a two-to-three-person team. It also opens up more cross-training opportunities, which helps us create a CNC team that is more dynamic team and can manage multiple machines and operations," Thomas said.

Westminster Tool bought another wire electric discharge machine (Sodick ALN 400G) in anticipation of a 30 percent increase in aerospace production in 2021. The extra machine also gives Westminster Tool production workers a chance to cross-train and improve their manufacturing skills to join other areas of the shop.

Until it was installed, the company had enough work to keep the single mill running 24/7, leaving few opportunities for training. One hard mill apprentice, Amy Skrzypczak, doubled her training progress in just three weeks, company officials said.

"Cross-training is a critical part of our culture here, but sometimes production requirements made it hard to use the machines for that training," Thomas said.

The shop was completely reconfigured to house all the new technology. All milling equipment is in a single, centralized cell. The electrode milling machines also were moved closer to the new 5-axis machine with hopes of combining the two departments by mid-year.

"We spent weeks planning and re-imagining what operations would look like here with the new equipment," Thomas said, adding the goal was to optimize the shop's workflow.

Westminster Tool typically tries to reinvest 10 percent each year but it is not always into equipment, Thomas said, pointing to facility upgrades, including repaving and a new roof, made in 2019 along with the purchase of a Sodick wire EDM, 2 HAAS machines, and an EDM hole popper.

"In 2019 we did invest approximately 5 percent into equipment as a start to address our growing demands," Thomas said.