All That and a Pallet Jack

Machining cells are sometimes impractical for small- to mid-sized shops that run a variety of jobs in small batches. Those businesses are often forced to divide each job into several independent operations that might require multiple machines and multiple setups. In some cases, an operator might simply stand idle waiting for a machine to complete each cycle, which increases per-piece labor costs. Shops facing these situations can likely benefit from a portable second-op machine like this one from Southwestern Industries. It’s said to be the first CNC machine tool designed specifically for second-op work.