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Stencil Cutters

Views: 4527

#57336

Stencil Cutters | 19 November, 2008

Hi, we are a low volume high mix contract shop. My boss wants me to investigate getting the necessary equipment to make our own stencils. Would anyone know a good source for this type of equipment? Or any thoughts about getting into this process. Thanks.

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#57338

Stencil Cutters | 19 November, 2008

You should set up a tour of a respectable stencil manufacturer and take your boss with you. My guess is it'll change his tune immediately.

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#57341

Stencil Cutters | 19 November, 2008

It is not as easy as just buying a Laser machine. There is much more involved in bringing this in house. With the price of stencils these days, you would have to be consuming a very large amount of stencils to justify such an investment. Steve is right, pay a visit to a full service stencil house, not a two man and a Laser operation and you will get a realistic idea of what it takes to do this right.

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#57344

Stencil Cutters | 19 November, 2008

As one stake in the ground, a good stencil shop needs to produce 20 to 30 stencils day in order to justify itself being around.

Why does your boss want to consider getting into the stencil cutting business?

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#57351

Stencil Cutters | 20 November, 2008

The process materials alone will cost you more than a half dozen stencils. Not to mention the labor involved. Then the cost of all the equipment involved? Jeez, how do people like this make it to power?

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#57354

Stencil Cutters | 20 November, 2008

If your boss is willing to spend that kind of cash, check out the new MY500 from MyData.

I receive no compensation from MyData for this, and am not currenly using the MY500. But I am trying to figure out how to work it into my budget for next year :)

cheers ..rob

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#57356

Stencil Cutters | 20 November, 2008

And the labour involved is not just the machine operator. The data has to checked out, tweaked and the input file for the machine created. And you probably don't want a minimum wage person doing that.

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#57357

Stencil Cutters | 20 November, 2008

"Jeez, how do people like this make it to power?"

lol...there goes Hussman, saying what everyone else is thinking.

I do like robgd3's line of thinking. If you want to spend money, why not spend it on a machine that replaces* stencils instead of one that makes them?

*if, in fact that's what they'e capable of. I don't have any interest so haven't even looked at the numbers.

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#57359

Stencil Cutters | 20 November, 2008

Don't forget the value of being able to blame everything from bridging, solder balls,tombstoneing , traffic jams, the price of gas, the demise of the american auto industry and everything else on your stencil supplier. That would now be you!

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#57396

Stencil Cutters | 24 November, 2008

The Mydata machine is very cool. It is a bit slow but is perfect if you want to do small prototypes. But I don't think a manager that spouts crapulants like that will buy a machine like this. Too forward thinking for his brain.

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