Amramp Accessibility is a manufacturer of steel accessibility and wheelchair ramps and a franchisor of free standing locations for accessibility solutions. This grant will help Amramp purchase a custom robotic welding system to increase the efficiency of output for detailed parts. The system will be designed to weld assemblies on two single-axis positioners featuring custom-designed tooling presented to a six-axis welding robot, ensuring operator intervention is easy and safe. This system will allow Amramp to hire and train candidates not only in the welding arena, but also robotic systems operators and roles within the machining, powder coating, and shipping departments. With the design and integration of additional tooling, this system has the functionality and ability to handle future growth.

BostonSight is a woman-owned medical device manufacturing lab producing proprietary, custom contact lenses for patients with disease or damage to the surface of the eye that often cannot be otherwise treated. This grant will help BostonSight purchase a new DAC ALM lathe with an autoloader and precision blocking system. The lathe manufactures scleral contact lenses from rigid gas permeable plastic buttons, which can be customized to meet the unique needs of each individual patient. The autoloader is a robotic assembly system and will be the first of its kind at the BostonSight manufacturing facility, serving as their entry into emerging digital technologies that will position them for future success and innovation.

Den Mar Company is a full-service sheet metal fabricator that serves architectural millwork companies, restaurant equipment contractors, and industrial accounts. This grant will allow Den Mar to meet the high demand in production they are experiencing by purchasing three state-of-the-art robotic welding systems. These new robots will replace their current tract robots, which are more than 30 years old. Deploying newer robots showcases the company’s commitment to more efficient operation and will help them hire new entry-level employees.

F.H. Peterson Machine Corp. is a precision and general contract machining firm that is primarily focused on the defense industry but serves a wide range of markets. This grant will allow F.H. Peterson to advance in the field of defense contract machining by purchasing a large vertical CNC machining center, which can precisely machine parts weighing upwards of 10,000 lbs. Additionally, the company will purchase a large CNC Mill-Turn “Live-Tooled” Lathe, enhancing capabilities of multi-axis applications. These purchases will allow the company to improve efficiency in its processes, keep up with demand, and train all co-op and apprenticeship machinists using the latest advanced methods of machining in the industry.

G&F Precision Molding Inc. is a contract manufacturing company specializing in thermoplastic and silicone injection molding for the medical device, pharmaceutical, and defense industries. G&F will use this grant to purchase a coordinate measuring machine, which determines three-dimensional measurements quickly and without moving axes or fixturing in a complex manner. CT scanning capabilities will allow G&F to develop new products for their customers at a better quality, faster pace, and reduced cost. Currently, all CT scanning work is outsourced to a company in Florida. This equipment will allow G&F to bring this work back to Massachusetts.

Helfrich Brothers Boiler Works manufacturers, repairs, and installs boiler pressure parts for major utility and renewable energy companies in Massachusetts and across the country. Additionally, the company fabricates ASME pressure vessels for the semiconductor, battery production, additive manufacturing, advanced robotics, and aerospace industries. This grant will help Helfrich Brothers keep up to date with emerging technologies by adding robotic welding to their production capabilities. The collaborative robot will be deployed alongside a trained employee to automate the welding of attachments to tanks and tubes. By bringing on this new technology, Helfrich Brothers will provide an opportunity for their employees to stay current with new manufacturing trends and continue to build their skillsets.

J&J Machine Company manufactures precision components from metal, plastic, and other materials for the medical, aerospace, and scientific sectors. J&J will use this grant to create complex parts with increased precision and efficiency through the purchase of a Haas VF-4SS milling machine with a five-axis Trunnion. Additionally, J&J will purchase a coordinate measuring machine, which can be programmed to automatically inspect complex parts with high accuracy. Using their current technology, complex parts may require p to seven operations, with each step requiring set-up and inspection, introducing opportunities for error. Five-axis technology will eliminate multiple set-ups, reduce waste, improve cycle times, and provides a high level of repeatability.

Proto XYZ offers cloud-based manufacturing services using emerging technologies and disruptive innovations. Utilizing 3D printing technologies, CNC machining, and artificial intelligence, Proto XYZ provides quality parts and components to engineers and designers across industries including defense, microelectronics, medical device, and robotics. This grant will allow Proto XYZ to expand the production of metal components using CNC milling, CNC turning, and laser cutting. The additional equipment purchased through funding will result in lower costs and reduced lead-times by using the best manufacturing process for the specific products in their customer’s order.

Sinicon Plastics is an injection molding and precision machining manufacturer specializing in molding highly engineered resins for the medical, pharmaceutical, and aerospace industries. In the last four years, they have expanded capabilities to include metal machining. This grant will enable Sinicon to further improve their machining capabilities by adding a 4+ axis vertical and horizontal machining center. By upgrading their current equipment, Sinicon will be in a position to absorb a larger amount of highly technical jobs to match the growing demand. Additionally, Sinicon will be adding precision measurement systems to ensure quality outputs.

Wirefab Inc. specializes in scalable wire and metal manufacturing, engineered design, customizable fabrication, and efficient supply solutions. This grant will enable Wirefab to purchase a customized automated wire forming cell. The machine is a state-of-the-art CNC 3D wire former with synchro technology configured with a turret head coupled with three rotary satellite benders. The cell will allow for full automation of secondary operations including complex bends, sorting, and packaging. Additionally, the integration of this cell into Wirefab’s operation will increase workforce safety, allowing workers to oversee the automation rather than handle heavy and dangerous parts. This would be the first fully automated cell on the production floor, moving the company towards Industry 4.0.

New Hires: 2-6

Summary: Adhesive Applications is an innovative manufacturer and developer of pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes used in various industries including healthcare, automotive, aerospace and general industry. This grant will enable Adhesive Applications to make upgrades to a hot melt coating machine by adding UV acrylic capability and automation. As a result, the upgrades enable Adhesive Applications to grow its business in the medical, microelectronics, EV battery, and aerospace industries with local workforce talent.

New Hires: 8-18

Summary: AIS will purchase a new CNC router to provide increased production capacity and improvements to cabinet production by combining machining operations thus removing handling, extra secondary operations, potential for damage and material waste. The customer demand for wood products have increased significantly. The addition of this machine will free up some of that work load and provide more hiring opportunities and higher skill requirements to staff it.

New Hires: 15-28

Summary: Artaic customizes, designs and fabricates award-winning mosaic tile installations for commercial and residential architecture projects worldwide. Artaic proposes to purchase a commercial digital printer and a customized next-generation mosaic production robot for digital Print-On-Demand personalized sales utilizing a more automated, efficient manufacturing process.

New Hires: 2-6

Summary: Boston Centerless in Woburn is an industry leader in the manufacturing and distribution of precision ground bar materials. Its bar materials are used to manufacture products such as medical implants, fuel injection seat guides, and aerospace valves. With these dollars they are purchasing equipment to straighten and cut coil to prepare for centerless grinding.  Moving this process in house will help with quality and flexibility to meet customer demands.

New Hires: 11-22

Summary: Brownell Boat Stands is a steel fabrication company, manufacturing storage and handling products for boats stored out of the water. The company is in the process of transitioning to a new facility in Dartmouth. This move will require significant capital expenditures on a variety of fronts, but will allow them to streamline processes and grow the business.

New Hires: 4-12

Summary: Custom Machine is a world leader in the precision manufacturing of aerospace, medical, semiconductor, and commercial components and assemblies. The MMAP grant allows them to purchase a 5-Axis Vertical Machining Center to help them streamline operations to remain cost competitive, particularly in the aerospace and defense industries.  This will also require upskilling of employees to become more efficient and versatile. 

New Hires: 20-32

Summary: Davico is a key supplier of aftermarket catalytic converters for the automotive industry and regularly competes with major manufacturers across the globe. Davico is seeking to purchase an additional welding robot with scanner sensor technology from Scalable Robotics (another Mass.-based company) to scale and balance their robotic welding department, and a Haas Automation CNC Machining center to shape steel that will be welded by the robot. The equipment purchase provides advanced manufacturing (4.0) advantages over traditional welding and fabrication.

New Hires: 4-12

Summary: Multiscale Systems will use the MMAP dollars to purchase a contact-free non-destructive computer vision quality management system to help them upgrade from short-run productions to full-scale production for a project in which they are under contract with NASA. In addition they are planning to purchase additional property to expand manufacturing capacity in Worcester. 

New Hires: 6-12

Summary: Quabbin Wire & Cable plans to expand R&D and manufacturing capability by purchasing an automatic balunless testing unit, extrusion line, dryer and wire braiders.  This equipment purchase represents another step towards automation and Industry 4.0 across their facility. 

New Hires: 5-15

Summary: NE-XT Technologies (formerly VSS) is a precision machining shop looking to expand its business in aerospace.  It will be investing $3.5m in a NPI cell (New Products Integration) to develop and create processes for parts for aero engines, airframes and ground based power systems. This cell contains numerous machines to cover a wide variety of capabilities (5 axis mills, 4 axis horizontals, multi-tasking lathes, etc). In combination with in-house training programs, this capital will push VSS to be a world class solutions provider at the forefront of industry 4.0.

New Hires: 2-6

Summary: Ward Process is a fabricator of thermal insulation products. The MMAP dollars will be used to invest in a new oven which will be deployed into the manufacturing process of high transmission loss acoustical products that are used to “block” sound within various customer applications. The oven will improve processing speeds by 10-15%, thus improving overall output without investment in labor or manufacturing overhead.  

New Hires: 3-9

Summary: Worthington Assembly is an electronics contract manufacturing company. To continue to meet the unique specification of the ultra-miniature semiconductor and electronics in medical, defense, energy and robotics, Worthington is investing in a pick and place robotics system. This equipment is built on the CFX Industry 4.0 standard enabling ‘plug and play’ IoT communication across the manufacturing environment, where all equipment, manufacturing processes, and transactional stations can communicate without the need for specialized software. This will enable the next generation of manufacturing jobs and support the Massachusetts advanced semiconductor ecosystem.