Those looking to learn the skills required to full fill a real job working as an apprentice in the machine shop industry.

1. Basic Knowledge About
Machine Shop Services
MACHINE SHOPS: JUST WHAT DO THEY DO?

2. Quick Overview:
 Learn what customers are looking for from
machine shops and how to get your foot into
the door to learn how to become a machinist.

3. A Brief History of Machine Shops:
 In the US, the machine shop industry has around
22,000 companies. Their combined revenue amounts to
$30 billion a year. There is no single large company that
dominates the industry, since it is largely fragmented. 15
percent of the revenues come from the 50 largest
companies.
 This is a very large indicator that competition in the
industry is big, and is also a good place even just for
machine shops that are just starting out. The demand for
machine shops would largely depend on the
manufacturing activity in the country.


4. Customers look for machine shops that
are experts in their craft.
 It is also important that they are efficient in operating and turning over
products. Large machine shops are able to invest in more advanced
manufacturing equipment. However, this does not make the smaller
companies at the losing end. In fact, they can compete just by being
effective in providing services to their customers.
 It is important that small machine shops are able to build good working
relationships with their customers. They may create their niche by
providing engineering services to their loyal customers. It is important
to note that no matter how machine automated the industry is turning
out to be; it is still much dependent on labor. Hence, the skills of the
people working in a company would still be able to set it apart than
other others, more than the technology used.

5. Machine shops are actually involved in the
production of metals.
 A machine shop would usually receive a job
assignment to finish a metal part or create
something out of raw materials that come from
manufacturers. They therefore have to perform
different processes.

6. Continued:
 Machine tools are able to perform different
metalwork's, depending on the needs of the clients
and customers. Processes need to be done with
precision; else the products would not be usable.
Most often than not, such processes are done
through computerized machines that are able to
execute exact processes in exact measurements.

7. processes that involve the
need for the expertise of
machine works:
• DRILLING
• TAPPING; THIS INVOLVES CUTTING THREADS IN A HOLE
THAT IS DRILLED.
• BORING; THIS PROCESS INVOLVES ENLARGING A HOLE.
• THREADING; THIS IS A PROCESS WHEREIN THREADS ARE
CUT ON A BOLT.
CUTTING
• GRINDING; THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST OPERATIONS THAT
ARE DONE ON METAL PRODUCTS.
• MILLING; THIS IS THE PROCESS OF REMOVING METAL
FROM A CERTAIN SURFACE.

8. A machine shop usually operates through
four major actions.
 There is the pre-production, followed by the machine
setup, followed by the actual production, and lastly,
the quality control.
 These processes have inner processes. Of all the
processes, machine setup is the most time-
consuming part of it. Also, it is the most expensive of
all the processes.

9. Machine shops give much attention to this
process, so that they can deliver products in
the best way they can.
 Actual costs of machines that they use should be less
than the profit that they would get. If not, they would
just be wasting all their investment on expensive but
inefficient machines.