Failure to do such will not allow machine shops in North and South America to meet the quality expectations of modern aerospace engineering and design, nor the severe pricing demands placed on second- and third-tier suppliers. Increased performance from customers generates cycle time mandates to turn around parts and production in a shorter period of time, if not “just-in-time” (JIT). And, the investment in new technology gives an operation the upper hand in cycle time reduction that is simply not possible in farming such production out globally.

One such company, Leesta, has been able to reduce time and costs through high-quality production while meeting ever-changing technological advancements. They decided they had to make worthwhile investments in technology, which they have done since 1988. At that time, they purchased their first Makino wire EDM machine.

Since then, Leesta has added several Makino machines that has not only allowed them to compete globally, but has allowed them to be a global force themselves. And, this has made them an award-winning performer in the aerospace market.

Becoming a Competitor

Leesta has been family-owned since beginning in Ernest Staub Sr.’s basement in 1964. The company has grown substantially over the years, constructing its current facility in 1987 and building on a reputation worldwide as a first-class manufacturer of high-precision aerospace products, hydraulics and engine components.

They produce numerous inconel, stainless, aluminum and titanium assemblies, balancing weights, thin-walled components and bearing housings for Pratt and Whitney Canada. These parts range from larger 2-foot x 1.5-foot assemblies to smaller 1/8-inch x 3/16-inch precision pieces.

From their 20,400-square-foot plant in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Leesta also manufactures landing gear and hydraulic actuators for Goodrich. Hydraulic actuators and landing gear component assemblies for Bombardier Aerospace Regional Aircraft are manufactured and assembled for direct shipment to Bombardier production operations.

The relationship between Leesta and Makino dates back to the late ’80s just as the company was settling into its new facility. Leesta was in the market for its first high-precision wire EDM machine and was interested in a machine built by a Makino competitor. However, the machine builder didn’t take Leesta’s needs seriously, so Makino was called upon.

		“We have saved our customer hundreds of thousands of dollars while also trimming the cycle time from 32 minutes per piece down to 16 minutes.”

“We needed these tracks to be cut into one of our parts, and one of Makino’s competitors said, ‘No problem, we can do that,’” Staub explains. “I arrived at their plant and they had nothing. I had sent them the fixture and part drawing, and they hadn’t looked at them. By the end of the day, they still were unable to solve my problems.

“I went to Makino the next day, and they were able to make all but two of the cuts on the EC-3025 wire EDM before I left. When they finished the piece, they sent it to me by overnight courier. Being a small shop at the time, it was a pleasure receiving that level of treatment from a machine manufacturer.”

Becoming the Competition

Since then, Leesta has put 12 more Makino machines into service, including two flexible manufacturing systems that handle several pallets simultaneously. Many of the machines, including the Makino A88 and A77 located in two automated Makino Machining Complex (MMC) cells, run unmanned to let the company competitively produce assemblies that take up to three and one-half hours to precision mill.

The HMCs with Super GI.3, Makino’s proprietary control software, enhances high-speed machining and permits higher feedrates with measurably superior accuracy over entire part routines. This includes intricate corners and distinct tool path changes, all with shorter total cycle times. Leesta can manage 16 different pallets between the two HMCs on the MMC, allowing nearly non-stop production on such items as titanium bearing housings.

“We were convinced that there were a lot of operations that didn’t require people to run the machines,” Staub says. “We positioned 65 percent to 70 percent of our workforce on the first shift and reduced it to about 30 percent on the second shift. This allowed us to put our top operators on the first and second shift, with the third shift basically running unmanned.

“We only need a couple of operators to load parts. It is a tremendous help to have these Makino HMCs. We do not have to stop for a change in setup, and the pallet system runs all day and night without ever breaking down.”

Their technological investment is not limited to horizontal machining centers (HMCs) and flexible manufacturing systems. Leesta has also invested in Makino vertical machining centers (VMCs), wire EDM machines and Ram EDM machines, allowing the company to reap further benefits of unattended machining time.

The Proof of Performance

Staub says that theory and discussion is fine, but with Makino the real proof is in the performance. And Makino performance has allowed them to build strong relationships with several aerospace customers.

“One project required us to produce 350 parts weekly from castings, so it was an ideal high-speed machining job,” Staub says. “Because of the advanced technologies, namely the Super GI.3 on the A77 and A88, and some new processes that we learned from Makino, we were able to reduce our pricing quote by 30 percent and were still able to draw a profit. Technologies like that enable us to compete on prices with shops in both Europe and Asia.”

A combustion chamber produced by another company on other machinery had developed significant cost, quality and scrap problems. Leesta solved this problem using Makino machinery and processes. “The customer needed a number of such parts, and since they were large and complex stainless parts with a 0.040-inch wall thickness and contoured surface, the cost of each part was nearly $35,000,” says Staub.

“The previous scrap rate was nearly 50 percent due to the lack of quality achieved through a complex process. As they are now milled entirely on a Makino HMC, there is absolutely no rework or bench work necessary, and the quality is phenomenal. Plus, we have saved our customer hundreds of thousands of dollars while also trimming the cycle time from 32 minutes per piece down to 16 minutes.”

Another feature on the HMCs that Staub gives credit for Leesta’s success in global aerospace part production competition is the spindle load monitor. “We use that on every tool that is used in those machines and it is very helpful when machining expensive parts.

“Material for a part can cost around $5,000, and adding all of the work that goes into the part and you might be looking at a $12,000 part. When you have to drill a couple of holes into the part, you don’t want to break that drill at the last moment. The monitor provides us better control over the spindle in extreme circumstances.”

Latest Award Pushes Leesta to the Top

Leesta’s 40-year commitment to its customers was recently exhibited as Pratt & Whitney Canada named Leesta as Best Supplier for 2002. Even after serving Pratt & Whitney Canada for more than 25 years, Leesta continues to provide on-time delivery and high quality products that help Pratt & Whitney Canada meet the objectives of its Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) program.

The criteria for the award covered on-time delivery, part quality, cost savings and the ability to support management initiatives in Pratt and Whitney’s ACE program, which is equivalent to a Six Sigma quality control effort.

“For Pratt and Whitney Canada, we machine everything from tiny balancing weights to large titanium bearing housings,” says Ernie Staub Jr., vice president of Leesta Industries. “We were named Best Supplier because we were able to help them drive costs out of their operation by providing quality parts and design changes that supported the company’s ACE initiative.

“In today’s business environment, we recognize the importance of working closely with our customers and providing them with all the support they need to be successful,” Staub said. “It’s an honor to be given such an award. Our Makino flexible machining systems (MMC) play a critical part in our service to Pratt and Whitney Canada. We’ve used it to reduce costs and meet their stringent quality standards in a timely fashion.

“We’ve always appreciated the support given by the people at Makino as well as their distributor, UBJ in St. Laurent, Quebec. Part of the reputation of a great product is the people who stand behind it,” Staub says. “They have all been very professional. As a customer, I will always give Makino the first look.

“You just can’t compete with European and Asian competition and their low labor rates without having a top-of-the-line machine like Makino,” says Staub. “You must invest in high technology to be a worldwide player. At least that is our global vision.”

Enhanced Precision

To further that vision, Leesta continues to invest in new technologies, recently adding a Makino EDNC43S Ram machine to its EDM department in order to machine precise and intricate details onto parts. Equipped with HQSF™ (High-Quality Surface Finish) technology, the EDNC43S has opened the door to many new projects they previously may not have been able to produce.

“Right now, we are using the EDNC43S to burn a stainless steel honeycomb inside a bearing housing. The HQSF™ technology leaves a beautiful finish on those parts. Before we acquired that machine, we would have never been considered to manufacture such a part,” Staub says.

“Nor would we have been able to produce flow divider units with small diameters and tight tolerances. We are now able to run as many as 6,000 such high-precision parts without any scrap or quality problems, which simply amazed our customer. This technology has created new opportunities to serve our customers and the aerospace market.”

The company prides itself on quality craftsmanship and employing state-of-the-art machining technology that allows it to efficiently produce even the most complicated aerospace components. This vision and the many relationship-building steps taken over the years, such as with Makino, have Leesta flying high into its fourth decade of business.

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