Job Shop for Work that Can’t Be Jobbed Out

An assortment of parts produced at the Warner Robins shop

Some of the more interesting job shops we find are not technically “job shops” at all. They are the captive shops that exist to run parts that few independent job shops would take on. Like a commercial job shop, these shops face an unpredictable mix of short-run parts. But unlike a commercial job shop, these shops are not limited just to parts that can be run at a reasonable profit.

One such shop is staffed by the machining team at Warner Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. Military aircraft in need of service or repair fly to this base from missions all over the world. The “job shop” here quickly machines whatever replacement parts a plane needs. High speed machining is crucial. Even with this capability, few private, independent shops would care to face the combination of complexity, small quantities and tight lead times that are typical of the Warner Robins work.

Question: Does your company machine work internally that cannot reasonably be contracted away? What special capabilities or disciplines does your shop apply to this unusual work?
E-mail your reply.