Henry Ford once said, “To need a machine and not buy it, one will ultimately discover, that you have paid for the machine and don’t own it.” We should take note of Ford because in 19 years almost seventeen million Model T Fords were built, half the world’s automobile production.
In the wood or stone trades, machinery is vital, especially in a mass production environment. Some highly skilled woodworkers may be able to command huge sums for bespoke work, let us say for Parliament House or some 5-star hotels, but for most, competition means lowering costs with the use of technology that like in the days of Henry Ford, led to his company offering double the wages of his competitors and Ford himself amassing what today would be a 200 billion dollar fortune. Ford had his issues and in later life made a few mistakes, but his manufacturing prowess arguably changed the lives of everyone.
The astonishing manufacture rate of Model T’s was made possible by the most advanced production technology conceived at the time. Ford and his engineers put into place a system that by 1914 was able to deliver parts, subassemblies, and assemblies with precise timing to a constantly moving main assembly line, where a complete chassis was finished every 93 minutes compared to the 728 minutes formerly needed. The subdivision of labour and coordination of a large amount of operations produced huge gains in productivity. Integral to this was Ford’s use of technology that greatly increased the rate at which quality parts could be produced on a repetitive basis.
The Case for Technology
A static woodworking or stone machine still relies on a human to operate it, and in today’s climate of skills shortages, their output in terms of volume and quality depends mostly on the operator. On the other hand, CNC machines will perform repetitive operations all day long with the same guaranteed quality standard. There are situations where a CNC machine can operate unattended throughout the night, in the dark with not a single person looking after it, except maybe the security guard and his dog. Cutting tool wear is measured and tools changed when required. A robot feeds the machine and stacks the finished parts and if you think this is only possible with panel materials, consider that a children’s furniture manufacturer in Switzerland achieved this twenty years ago. And if something goes wrong the machine stops and the manager gets a text message.
Here in Australia our isolation has allowed us to maintain our small industries until now. While our larger manufacturing industries such as automotive are going offshore, the furniture, and particularly the cabinet making industry that includes stone bench tops, is surviving with the only competition coming from fellow Australian companies. Overall the balance of trade between Australia and our biggest trading partner China doesn’t look too bad with China exporting $7.36B and importing $11.1B from Australia in December 2022. However, around 60% of our exports come from the mining industry and that figure is falling. Furniture imports from China amount to $157 million and almost no measurable amount of furniture leaves Australia for China.
There is no doubt that the competition for furniture and cabinet sales will come from within Australia from domestic competitors, and this is where your technology could play a pivotal role in establishing your position within the industry. If you are able to produce a quality product with minimal human input; with flexible delivery and desirable product options such as customer focused design and colour for a competitive price, you will win more sales than you lose. CNC machines, robotics and modern materials handling equipment can achieve these outcomes and there is an increasing number of Australian companies that are fast approaching the automation of European cabinet making companies, maybe not on sheer scale but certainly on technological innovation.
A Sound Investment
Like the automotive industry, the more advanced players will usually survive at the expense of those that, like in the days of Henry Ford, took eight times as long to produce a similar product. There are few companies that will not benefit from the infusion of some CNC equipment or automated processes into their manufacturing system. It will take some effort, investment and maybe some sleepless nights but is worth the initial pain. Your preferred supplier is ready and able to assist you in getting the right equipment for your specific manufacturing requirements, and providing the backup support, parts and training you need to make it all work.
The CNC machine was invented in 1952 to support the aircraft industries, especially those producing military aircraft where exacting tolerances (quality) was vital. That was seventy years ago last year and we have come a long way since then. One cannot imagine a manufacturing situation where technology, both in machinery and tooling, and now software; does not play a major part. Over a hundred years ago Henry Ford used technology to change the way people lived, in 2023 and beyond the possibility for success based on technology is no less a reality.
