American Precision Gear (APG), a provider of fine-pitch, high-precision gears for aerospace, defense systems and medical applications, has strengthened its manufacturing capabilities with the installation of the MZ 1000 D-Drive gear hobbing machine from Helios Gear Products. This investment not only improves throughput, but also elevates quality and precision machining capabilities, reinforcing APG's reputation as an industry leader in precision gear manufacturing.
"At APG, quality is non-negotiable. We spend more time inspecting parts than we do operating machines," explained Jarrod McClendon. "Every component is checked multiple times before leaving our facility. Customers rely on us for quality, and we take that responsibility very seriously."
The MZ 1000 D-Drive has been a game-changer, allowing APG to maintain its meticulous standards while significantly improving cycle times, operational efficiency and overall productivity. Previously, a single gear could take 4-5 minutes to process manually. Now, with advanced automation and the streamlined workholding, the same job can be completed in just seconds, often running lights-out through the night.
The MZ 1000 D-Drive has improved APG's ability to handle complex parts with extreme tolerances.
"Some of our parts are so demanding-AGMA 12 and above, with near-zero tolerance on test radius-that they were incredibly challenging to produce at scale," explained Jarrod. "The MZ 1000 D-Drive completely transformed that. It holds tolerances down to a micron with remarkable consistency, making even our toughest jobs not only possible, but now the easiest jobs in the building."
Prior to this upgrade, APG relied on manual set-ups and extensive in-process inspections, leading to workflow bottlenecks. With the MZ 1000's synchronized headstocks and universal rail system, APG has streamlined operations, reduced set-up times and improved tool life by 200-300%.
"What used to take weeks now takes days, and what took days now takes hours," said Tyler, a lead gear machinist at APG.
APG credits its success to a culture of community and continuous improvement. "Our collaborative leadership and focus on quality in the machine shop sets the tone for the entire company," said Jarrod. "The machinists collaborate, cross-train and focus on the little things that ensure quality and throughput. Our gear shop has followed their lead, and our partnership with Helios has only strengthened that."
Deburring, one of the most challenging aspects of fine-pitch gear manufacturing, has also contributed to their dedication to quality.
"Our deburr team is detail-oriented and uncompromising," added Jarrod. "Many of them are family or close friends, so they naturally help each other find solutions." With the MZ 1000 reducing required deburring needs by 80-90%, the deburring team can process more parts with the same meticulous attention to detail.
Beyond machining, APG's shipping and admin teams take ownership of final inspections, ensuring that every part meets stringent requirements before leaving the facility.
"It can be a monotonous job at times, but they make it fun and keep the company running smoothly, breathing life into the entire organization," Jarrod said.
Helios Gear Products has been an invaluable partner in APG's journey. "They did not just sell us a machine, they proved it would work for our needs," said Jarrod. "Their transparency and support were second to none. When we faced challenges, they sent engineers, connected us with other users and even facilitated remote troubleshooting directly with Monnier + Zahner in Switzerland. That kind of support is rare, and so valuable to us."
Helios' expertise in precision gear manufacturing helped APG seamlessly integrate the MZ 1000 D-Drive, optimizing their process for high-accuracy, high-volume production.
"This machine breathes life into our capacity," said Jarrod. "It allows APG to produce small, precision AGMA 12-13 quality parts in volume with absolute ease; something very few shops can do," added Willie Taylor of Helios Gear Products.
With the MZ 1000 D-Drive fully operational, APG is poised for continued growth. "We want to keep investing in technology that makes the difficult jobs easier for our team," said Jarrod. "The goal is increased throughput with less effort, so our people can focus on collaboration, problem-solving and maintaining our industry-leading quality."
For more information contact:
Helios Gear Products, LLC
635 Schneider Dr.
South Elgin, IL 60177
847-931-4121
sales@heliosgearproducts.com
www.heliosgearproducts.com
American Precision Gear
365 Foster City Blvd.
Foster City, CA 94404
800-554-3150
sales@amgear.com
www.amgear.com