RAD Torque Systems keeps its workforce intact with new automation system

RAD Torque Systems needed help in their company’s reshoring efforts so they enlisted Fastems, West Chester, Ohio, to be their automation partner. Rad Torque Systems are now a well-known manufacturer of industrial torque wrenches and accessories, providing the energy, aerospace, railway, and manufacturing industries with reliable tools. The company also produces its wrenches’ accompanying software and electronics, and even the gearbox bearings.

That equipment they decided to include iss a Fastems ONE flexible manufacturing system (FMS) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software to keep the company’s two Okuma MB-4000 horizontal machining centres running. This was set up at the company’s original shop. The company’s newest shop also features a Fastems FMS to keep four more Okuma MB-4000 machines operating smoothly.

Greg Doughty, mechanical production manager, shared that the No. 1 reason for bringing on the Fastems system was to reduce setup times. He acknowledges that automation was an investment, but a necessary one.

“The number of people we would need on the floor and the number of vertical machines we would need running constantly—the footprint would grow exponentially to keep running at the volume we want to,” he said.

The automated setup is overseen and directed by a Fastems MMS. The MMS plans and schedules production according to priority and resource availability; organizes tools and materials by project; and provides easy-to-read, comprehensive production KPI reports. The reporting functions include machine status monitoring, remote alarm, production history, and a dashboard.Read more about RAD Torque Systems and their automation journey