A Tax Policythat HelpsMachine ToolSales

www.charmillesus.com

Spring 2003

Charmilles & Tech Tool: More than Moldmaking

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A Tax Policythat HelpsMachine ToolSales

Charmilles &Classic Wire Cut

Medical IndustrySuccess

Charmilles &Classic Wire Cut

Medical IndustrySuccess

WESTEC/EASTEC 2003WESTEC/EASTEC 2003

CharmillesEmployeeServes thisCountry

CharmillesEmployeeServes hisCountry

Customer Response FormHow is Charmilles doing?

Can we help you with any concerns related to Charmilles?If we can be of assistance, please fill out the form below and mail, fax, or e-mail to:

Charmilles Technologies

Attention: Quality Manager

560 Bond Street

Lincolnshire, IL 60069-4224

E-mail: enid.herrmann@charmillesus.com

Fax: 847-913-5340

Machine Model Number: ____________________________

Serial Number: ____________________________________

Description of concern or customer need: Date: __________________

At your company, whom should we contact? _____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Company name ___________________________________________________________________________________

Phone number ( ____ ) _____________________________________________________________________________

Your name _______________________________________________________________________________________

CHT 14200 5/03 8M

This form is also available on our website at

www.charmillesus.com/contact-response.cfm

Spring 2003

www.charmillesus.com

We Push the Limits of EDM

Charmilles & Tech Tool & Mold:

More than moldmaking

One such partner is Charmilles. But Tech Tool wasn't always a

Charmilles customer…

“I knew we could cut the parts Tech Tool needed better and

faster than the machines they were using,” said Jim Nagle,

district sales manager for Charmilles. “So I asked them to give

me their toughest test parts, and let us prove it.”

The first test part was a “christmas tree” insert tensioner with

0.0070O/0.0080O ribs using C axis only. The Charmilles

Roboform 35P performed the burn in 22 minutes per piece

compared to previous process at 50 minutes per piece.

The second cut was a 0.7000O deep rib tapered 0.0160O at

bottom, up to 0.0320O at the top. The part took 11 minutes

on the down setting and just 11 more to orbit and finish. The

same part took 44 minutes with Tech Tool’s previous process

on the down, and several more minutes to orbit cut-- over

half of the total EDM time.

Tech Tool currently uses several Charmilles machines including

a Robofil 4030SI, Robofil 310 wire EDM machines, and a

Roboform 35P ZAC (High Speed Rib cutting feature) with a

16 position toolchanger, and Roboform 35P ZAC with an inte-

grated Quick Change Robot (QCRi) handling 90 electrodes

and 4 pallets.

“We look for suppliers that can add technical value and cost

New Ideas in EDM

ON THE SURFACE, TECH TOOL & MOLD PROVIDES HIGH PRECISION

TOOLING AND MOLD BUILDING, INCLUDING ON-SITE ENGINEERING

AND DESIGN, FOR INTRICATE PRODUCTS USED IN INJECTION MOLDING.

Looking deeper, Tech Tool is a product development partner

specializing in total project management and engineering

services for high tolerance and highly precise connector parts.

Bill Hanaway founded Tech Tool & Die in 1973. As time went

on, the company focused more on precision machining for

the mold making industry, and the name was changed to Tech

Tool & Mold. Tech Molded Plastics, a sister company, was cre-

ated in 1980 at the same facility to provide full-service mold-

making and plastics production.

Tech Tool serves a diverse group of industries, specializing in

automotive, consumer products and electronics.

“It was at one time a matter of quality, delivery and price,”

said Mark Hanaway, director of marketing for Tech Tool.

“However, times have changed and keeping customers happy

means adding significant value to the entire product lifecycle.”

Working closely with suppliers and customers to develop

innovative manufacturing processes, Tech Tool could be

considered just as much a research and development

company as it is a job shop.

Tech Tool does add significant value to quality, delivery and

price by partnering with their suppliers and customers to

enhance engineering and design services, which in turn

improves quality, speeds up delivery, and reduces cost in a

lean certified environment.

2

QCRi, and there is no need to do

anything at the machine.”

In particular, Tech Tool admired the precision of the

Roboform 35P ZAC. The Roboform 35P features a

fast, highly adaptive generator, a drop tank design,

linear glass scales, an easy-to-use control, and can

produce a polishing surface finish of 0.5 mm. When

you add ZAC to this combination it becomes very well

suited for the small, intricate cavities Tech produces.

With the QCRi, the 35P becomes more efficient with one

CNC for machine and robot. Compatible with all major

brand tooling, the QCRi easily changes electrodes and

workpieces.

When looking to purchase EDM, Tech Tool looked to

Charmilles not only because of the quality of the machines

and proven service, but also because of the knowledge

Charmilles brought to the table in terms of application ex-

pertise.

“Bill McClearn and Donnie are Tech’s foremost experts

in electrical discharge machining with almost 25 years of ram

EDM experience between them. We wanted a connection

with a supplier that was more than just an occasional phone

call. We wanted a supplier that can really stand by their

promises,” said Dale Pringle Operations Manager for Tech

Tool. Jim Nagle has more than provided that. “He has made

several trips to our facility, and made himself available by

phone and voice mail almost anytime we need his assistance.”

“I made a trip to Charmilles in December, and met several

of the people I talk with over the phone, and I will say that

all those people genuinely care, that as a customer, you are

receiving all their efforts to make your business more

competitive,” said Donnie Schanz.

For more information on the company’s other products and

services, please call 1-800-CTC-1EDM or visit

www.charmillesus.com.

For more information on Tech Tool, please call 814-724-8222

ext. 229 or visit www.ttmp.com.

savings to the research and development process.

To maintain our position as a leader in innovative

machining concepts, we needed a machine suppli-

er that can continually rise above and beyond

today’s manufacturing standards. Charmilles was

the obvious choice to help us to carve out that

competitive edge,” said Hanaway. “Charmilles is

not only consistent in terms of machine perform-

ance and reliability, but also in terms of leading

the way in software and

www.charmillesus.com

3

technology. The combined benefits of off-line programming,

QCRi and cutting edge processes have provided Tech Tool a

second and third shift lights-out operation that dramatically

cut delivery times, improved performance and made us a

global contender.”

In fact, Tech Tool is currently testing a new offline software

prototype for Charmilles. It enables the operator to program

the entire capacity of the QCRi in a very short amount of

time. “Before it took up to 2 hours to program jobs using all

90 electrodes. Now we can do it as little as 20-30 minutes,

and with the help of Eric Ostini at Charmilles, we are finding

ways to make it faster,” says Donnie Schanz Tech EDM opera-

tor. Tech now has the ability, with the addition of a C.M.M.

(Coordinate Measurement Machine), to do all its set-up off-line.

Touching the parts, which are on pallets, and picking up elec-

trode offsets are the duties that can now be performed while

the machine is running unattended. “The new software allows

us to plan any aspect of the job or jobs, as it may be with a

New Ideas in EDM

CharmillesDisplays Machines

on Both Coasts

4

2 0 0 3WESTEC EASTEC

With the introduction of the Robofil 240/440cc, Charmilles is

bringing the technology of high-speed EDM to the wire EDM

market. The cutting speed in tool steel can reach a high of 37

square inches an hour in the contour, smashing the top speed

barrier, which had been about 30 square inches an hour.

The CC generator is a digital generator based on high-tech

components. From roughing to finishing, the CC generator

reaches better surface finishes with less skim passes. As a re-

sult, users of the 240/440cc receive the fastest cutting speed

on the market plus anti-electrolysis in rough and skim cutting.

The cutting speed increases apply even when a tall part is

being cut, up to 15.75Oon the 440cc.

The key to the 240/440cc’s speed is Charmilles’ new spark

design. The maximum ignition voltage has been increased by

25%. The maximum amplitude has been tripled from 400

amp. to 1,200 amp.

Also on display were the Robofil 390 and the Roboform 44.

The Robofil 390/690 saves time and money in a wide variety

of applications. With a mechanical design that delivers preci-

sion, ruggedness, and reliability, the Robofil 390/690 is well

suited to support a multitude of stamping tools, mechanical

engineering applications, and plastic injection mold inserts.

ALTHOUGH ATTENDANCE WAS DOWN DUE TO THE WAR

IN IRAQ, WESTEC 2003 WAS A SUCCESSFUL SHOW FOR

CHARMILLES. STEALING THE SHOW WERE THE ROBOFIL

240/440CC AND THE ROBOFORM 44.

“Visitors to the booth were impressed with the 37 inch2/hour

cutting speed of the 240cc,” said Gisbert Ledvon, Charmilles’

marketing manager. “The new diesinking machine, the

Roboform 44, which is produced in Owosso, Michigan also

generated attention.”

The annual exhibition, held from March 24-27 at the Los

Angeles Convention Center, gave Charmilles the opportunity

to introduce the new Robofil 240/440cc to customers on the

West Coast. The Robofil 240/440cc uses the new CC genera-

tor to dramatically improve machining speed while preserving

the surface integrity of the machined material.

Equipped with the CT-Millennium CNC, a Windows-based

numerical control, the Robofil 390/690 delivers instant

cutting action without the need to fill or drain the work tank.

The EAF-Technology (Enclosed Adaptive Flushing) also pro-

vides easy loading and ready access to the workpiece for

improved productivity. And, the Robofil 390/690 also im-

proves efficiency and lowers costs since it has

no filling pump and requires no tank seal

maintenance.

Designed to deliver exceptional value for

money, the Roboform 44 combines a host of

advanced features recognized as unequalled

in the industry for its category. User-friendly,

intuitive and practical, the Roboform 44 now

allows access to reputed Charmilles tech-

nology at a reasonable price.

The Roboform 44 comes standard with

integrated dielectric tank, short C frame and

moving cross table with X, Y and Z travel

(500x350x350 mm/19.7x13.8x13.8 in).

Now available with each Charmilles product,

the new Roboform 44 also comes with stan-

dard linear glass scales with close loop posi-

tioning feedback on all axes over the entire

axis length.

The Roboform 44 features a 6-position tool

changer and a servo controlled C axis. With

an axis speed of 30 mm/sec (70 in/min),

setup and dry run times are shortened for

greater productivity.

The 240cc and the new Brother HS70A

will also be on display at EASTEC in booth

#5333. This show will take place May 20-22

at the Eastern States Exposition Grounds in

West Springfield, MA.

www.charmillesus.com

Charmilles’Preventive

MaintenanceProgram Helps

EliminateDowntime

6

New Ideas in EDM

HOW DOES CHARMILLES’ PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM HELP IN-

CREASE PRODUCTIVITY? By eliminating downtime — or at least that’s

what it has done for Ashland Precision Tooling in Ohio.

“Downtime does not exist,” said Steve Englet, president of

Ashland. “We have never missed a due date because of a prob-

lem with a machine. We practice preventive maintenance and

these things (machines) keep on running.”

Charmilles Technologies has been offering preventive mainte-

nance to its customers since 1997.

" "

Charmilles offers a variety of service programs to best suit cus-

tomers’ needs:

• One visit per year

• Two visits per year

• Four visits per year

• Secured service call program

The primary goal of a good preventive maintenance program is

early detection of impending failures. However, customers may

not realize that preventive maintenance also increases machine

life and optimizes speed, accuracy, and surface finish.

“We have a Robofil 400 with over 70,903 cut hours and it’s still in

operation,” said Englet. “That’s phenomenal!”

With the preventive maintenance program, customers are also

assured that only Charmilles Technologies approved parts are

being used. Additionally, having documented maintenance

records helps ensure the highest resale or trade in value for

the machine.

Parts included in the preventive maintenance program (excluding

the Secured Service Call version) include most consumable items

such as contacts, air filters, belts, etc.

For more information call 1-800-CTC-1EDM or ask your

local service engineer.

www.charmillesus.com

Charmilles to Host Open House to Launch New Product

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Open House Schedule

The economy and the industry may

be in the midst of a slump, but

Charmilles is committed to helping you

succeed. Surviving and Thriving in

Difficult Times has been developed to

bring you the information and

knowledge necessary to move forward.

The open house will be a combination

presentation, demonstration and dedica-

tion as Charmilles plans to merge six dif-

ferent lecture topics with the introduction

of their remodeled Technology Center

and the debut of the Roboform 350 CNC

Diesinker. The two-day event will have

you ready to meet the challenges of

today and tomorrow.

7

SS NN EE AA KK PP RR EE VV II EE WW

Difficult TimesDifficult Times

New Ideas in EDM

BRETT BANNERMAN OPENED CLASSIC WIRE CUT IN 1984 AS A

SMALL EDM SHOP–A FAR CRY FROM THE 30,000 SQ. FT. FACILITY

HE AND HIS 80 EMPLOYEES NOW OCCUPY.

How has he managed to

grow his business to this

level? It's simple—good

business sense and savvy

specialization.

Sounds simple enough…

In all reality, Classic Wire

Cut has grown by leaps

and bounds because of

Bannerman's attention to

detail and innovative busi-

ness strategy. And, with

$11m in annual sales, his

strategy is solid.

Classic specializes in mini-

mally invasive surgical in-

strumentation, and is cur-

rently one of the world's

largest suppliers of

arthroscopy products.

Specifically, Classic pro-

duces the instrumentation

that allows surgeons to

perform procedures arthroscopically, and implants such as

bone anchors, maxillofacial and cranial fixation devices. In

fact, Bannerman made certain that Classic could perform any

and all aspects of manufacturing that would be required by

the medical industry.

Still not satisfied, he went one

step further…

“We used to just make prod-

ucts per our customers’

specifications,” said

Bannerman.

“However, as our un-

derstanding of the medical in-

dustry grew, we soon realized

that we could actually improve

many of these products and

medical procedures.”

In fact, Bannerman started a

second company in 1999,

Surgical Solutions, which spe-

cializes solely in the develop-

ment and direct distribution of

proprietary medical products.

Currently, only five percent of

Classic's sales are pure job

shop work.

As Classic has moved into this

new realm of design and

manufacturing, accuracy and repeatability have become in-

Charmilles and Classic Wire Cut: Partnering for Success in

the Medical Industry 8

Randall Kenyon, a Classic Wire Cut wire EDM operator, displays a medical part.

www.charmillesus.com

creasingly important. The parts Classic makes often

require the accuracy only EDM can provide and

Bannerman utilizes Charmilles to get him there.

“We purchased our first Charmilles EDMs sever-

al years ago, a Robofil 2020 and a Roboform

40,” said Bannerman. “We recently added five

Robofil 240s to our arsenal. The 240 cuts so consis-

tently and predictably that it has enabled us to add

robotics for lights out manufacturing.”

A submerged machine, Charmilles’

Robofil 240 features a new

Windows® based CNC control, and

can handle workpieces up to 39.37O x

21.65O x 8.66O. Its linear glass scales ensure

lifetime precision. The 240 also offers 30 degree

taper capability up to the full workpiece height of

8.66O, and features collision protection on all axes.

This prevents high repair costs and machine down

time in cases of a program or operator error.

However, two features of the 240 stand out to

Bannerman in particular. First, the submerged process

and proven CT-Expert Systems ensure predictability

of machining results.

“With the 240s, we don't have to do a lot of test

cutting or adjustment," said Bannerman. "The parts

are in tolerance the first and every time.”

The CT Thermo-Cut® system for fast threading also

appealed to Classic.

“One of the most valuable features of the 240s is its

wire threader. The wire threader on this machine is

unbelievable and it’s allowed us to run work un-

attended,” remarked Bannerman. In fact, during

installation and initial setup, operators at Classic

actually tried to wear out the threader, to test it es-

sentially. Classic threaded the wire through .017O di-

ameter holes, multiple parts with air gaps between

each part, and it never missed.

All of this resulted in decreased downtime, reduced

setup times and increased productivity at Classic, a

must for Bannerman’s growing business.

For more information on Charmilles’ products, please

visit www.charmillesus.com, or call 847.913.5300.

For more information on Classic Wire Cut,

please call 661.257.0558.

9

10

Mikron Bostomatic Corporation and Charmilles Technologies

Corporation, subsidiaries of Agie Charmilles, the Manufacturing

Technology Group of Georg Fischer, have established a strate-

gic sales organization to offer total system solutions to the North

American tool and mold making market. The integration of

Mikron Bostomatic Sales with Charmilles Sales brings together

the strengths of two world leaders. Mikron, the leader in high

speed machining (HSM) technology and Charmilles, the leader

in electric discharge machines (EDM) will provide the market-

place with comprehensive access to the technology of the

world’s leading lines of HSM and EDM.

In making the announcement, Harry C. Moser, newly-

appointed President of Mikron Bostomatic Corporation (and

ongoing President of Charmilles) commented, “investing in the

creation of this highly focused sales and distribution network is a

demonstration of our commitment to provide North American

manufacturers with the very best, most appropriate machining

technology to improve their competitive position in a global

economy.”≈

The new sales organization is aligned into three geographical

territories covering the East, Midwest and West regions of

United States and Canada, with all sales districts reporting to

Martin Gorski, Sales Vice President. Technical sales support for

all Mikron products will be led by Mal Sudhakar, Mikron

Bostomatic Vice President. Gisbert Ledvon will serve as

Marketing Manager for both companies.

The allied sales enterprise includes the relocation of the Mikron

Bostomatic Midwest demonstration center to the Charmilles

New Ideas in EDM

Charmilles and Mikron

Merge SalesOrganizations

demonstration center in Lincolnshire IL. It also includes the

incorporation of Charmilles EDM machines into the Mikron

Bostomatic demonstration center in Holliston, Mass. These

state-of-the-art technology centers are staffed by Company

application engineers, expert in multi-axis machining and EDM

technologies for a wide range of applications in industries such

as die or mold making, medical, aerospace, and automotive.

Combining two independent organizations into a single, unified

business group provides customers with the benefit of shared

knowledge, increased efficiencies and broadened awareness of

how best to apply the advantages of high speed machining and

EDM to their operations.

The technical and service support for the Mikron and Bostomatic

Brands will remain headquartered in Holliston, Mass., under the

direction of Mary Pascal, Director of Customer Services. The

Toll free number for parts ordering, technical support and field

service is (800) 777-7527. Mikron Bostomatic service engineers

are strategically located throughout the United States and

Canada to meet all customer service needs.

Mikron Bostomatic Corporation provides sales, service, parts

and technical support of Mikron and Bostomatic high speed,

high performance machining centers, the industry's widest range

of machines, with travels ranging from 15 through 54 inches,

spindle speeds up to 60,000 rpm, in a multitude of three-, four-

and five-axis configurations for die/mold, job shop, aerospace,

medical, electronic and other high precision applications.

For more information on Mikron Bostomatic products, contact

Mikron Bostomatic Corporation, 560 Bond Street, Lincolnshire, Ill

60069. Telephone: (847) 913-5300; fax: (913) 913-5340;

E-mail: info@mikronus.com. Additional details are also available

at the company's website, www.mikron-us.com.

%THE JOB CREATION AND WORKER ASSISTANCE ACT OF 2002

ESTABLISHED A FIRST YEAR 30% EXPENSING ALLOWANCE FOR NEW

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING NEW MACHINE TOOLS. Many of

our US customers have taken advantage of this more

favorable tax treatment to help justify new, more productive

EDMs. In fact, one Charmilles distributor salesman reported

that of his ten fourth quarter 2002 orders, three were highly

motivated by the tax change and four were moderately

motivated by it.

The 2002 tax law increased the first year depreciation from

14.29% to 40% of a machine tool’s purchase price for assets

ordered prior to September 11, 2004 and placed in service

prior to December 31, 2004. For companies with current

taxable income or taxable income in years to which tax losses

can be carried back, this increased depreciation creates a

substantial cash advantage in the critical first year of

ownership.

Charmilles can help you evaluate the benefits of the current

tax law via a spreadsheet that shows, for new equipment fi-

nanced with our leasing program, there can be a positive

cash flow in the first full year even if the equipment is not

utilized. Futher, a new machine has a more attractive first

year cash flow than does a much lower priced used machine.

President Bush has proposed tripling the special small business

expensing allowance (Section 179) to $75,000 and not phas-

ing out Section 179 until $400,000 of total annual capital ex-

penditures. This change would be a significant improvement

for smaller job shops and I strongly support it; but all of our

customers - regardless of their size - need the productivity-

enhancing benefits of better depreciation allowances.

Congressman Terry Weller III (Republican, IL) has now intro-

duced HR771 which would provide 100% depreciation, or full

expensing of the equipment, in the year of purchase/install. I

encourage everyone in manufacturing to contact their US

Congressman to support HR 771.

The U.S. needs much faster machine depreciation now. The

slow economy is largely due to the fall off in capital spend-

ing. U.S. manufacturers with outdated equipment cannot

compete with developing countries that have lower wages

and more modern equipment.

For more information on how your tax savings can be more

than your first year lease payments, please contact Charmilles

or your local distributor.

www.charmillesus.com

1130% is good,

but 100% would be better!

A tax Deduction that helps you afford

new equipment:

By Harry Moser, President of Charmilles

Minneapolis hosts thePrecision Micro

Machining Technologyand Applications

Technical Conference

12

New Ideas in EDM

IN A TIME WHEN MOST COMPANIES ARE FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON

SALES AND MOVING MACHINES, CHARMILLES MAINTAINS ITS

COMMITMENT TO SUPERIOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.

Charmilles’ customer service is unmatched in the industry, and

we are proud of our commitment to ensure that each and

every customer receives the level of support and service ex-

pected from Charmilles.

CharmillesMaintains SuperiorLevel of Customer

Service

Service Phone Calls

% of calls taken live by a trained service engineer 97%

average on-hold time 31 sec.

Field Service

# of locations in US & Canada 33

# of service engineers with 5 or more years experience 36

Parts

% of orders shipped complete same day 98.3%

Additionally, Charmilles machine users can submit

service and applications questions via our website at

www.charmillesus.com/faq.cfm.

EVERYONE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT MICRO

MACHINING TECHNOLOGY SHOULD MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO ATTEND

THE PRECISION MICRO MACHINING TECHNOLOGY AND

APPLICATIONS TECHNICAL CONFERENCE IN MINNEAPOLIS, MN

(JUNE 11-12). This conference will bring together industry

professionals to discuss the entire industry, specifically topics

such as cutting tools, big machines vs. small machines,

achieving better finishes, and EDM and ECM.

With over 50 years of experience in EDM, Charmilles has

been asked to present during the discussion. Charmilles’

Gisbert Ledvon will present a 45-minute discussion highlighting

• Wire EDM cutting of micro gears (800 microns) with accuracy of 0.5 microns

• Microerosion using Diesinking EDM; holes as small as 0.004O

Minneapolis hosts thePrecision Micro

Machining Technologyand Applications

Technical Conference

• Smaller parts, new application areas (plasma screens, computer components, medical)

• A consistent and predictable process

This conference has been designed for anyone creating micro

features on micro or macro parts. Attendees to the Minnesota

conference will be able to explore the numerous processes

that are available to make their job easier. They will also ob-

tain insightful information on cutting-edge technology, learn

techniques and applications to be used in daily operations,

discover techniques to improve part quality and lower pro-

duction costs, and enjoy the opportunity to have specific

questions answered and problems solved by industry experts.

Anyone interested in learning more about Precision Micro

Machining technology will benefit from the technology up-

dates and networking opportunities available at the Precision

Micro Machining Technology and Applications Technical

Conference, June 11-12, 2003 in Minneapolis, MN. For more

information about the conference visit www.sme.org.

www.charmillesus.com

Included in the layout is a new automation cell featuring

the Roboform 35P and System 3R Workmaster robot and

Brown & Sharpe CMM machine.

Also included in the renovation project were Charmilles’

training classrooms, cafeteria and restrooms.

Renovation of the new demo center took several months.

The new demo center will also be the site of Charmilles

next product launch in June.

(See related article on page 7)

CHARMILLES RECENTLY REMODELED ITS DEMO CENTER LOCATED IN

THE CHARMILLES US HEADQUARTERS BUILDING IN LINCOLNSHIRE,

ILLINOIS. While it might not sound exciting to the average

citizen, machinists understand the importance of a well-

planned, comfortable and user-friendly demo center…

Especially for the people visiting the demo center monthly—

Charmilles usually hosts between 40-60 visitors each month.

The new demo center features new epoxy flooring in the

machine area, reflecting the machine colors, as well as new

carpeting. The machines are positioned in such a way to

allow maximum visibility and ease of use.

Charmilles Remodels Lincolnshire Demo Center

13

Dave Fisher ReturnsFrom Uzbekistan

Dave Fisher ReturnsFrom Uzbekistan

14

WHEN THE U.S. MILITARY SENT FORCES TO AFGHANISTAN, THEY

ALSO SENT A CHARMILLES EMPLOYEE. It was cold, wet and dan-

gerous, but for three months, Dave Fisher served our country

at an air base in Uzbekistan.

On September 13, 2001, his security forces unit (stationed at

Selfridge ANGB, Michigan) was activated. Dave was asked

to replace a reservist in a role he had never performed.

“Even though security wasn’t my normal duty, (weapons in-

structor) I went. It was kind of amusing because I had never

done anything like that my entire career, so here I was the

oldest

rookie

going

over.” He

explains

further,

“we were

performing

close-in se-

curity for the airfield. The airfield itself and the taxiways were

under our security. A typical day was in a Humvee maintain-

ing vigilance in 12 hours shifts.”

Dave never encountered any enemy hostility, but was con-

stantly reminded why he was there. “One time I was waiting

for them to load some Humvees onto one of the transport

aircraft and so they asked me to move over and out of the

way of the aircraft, off the pavement. I must have stepped a

little too far, when one of the guys familiar with that area told

me not to go beyond a rock he pointed to. They still have a

lot of mines and unexploded ordinance and chemical

weapons. It wasn’t the safest area in the world.”

Technical Sergeant Fisher left that part of the world

December 23, 2001. He returned to Michigan ready to re-

sume his former life. He was married three days before he

shipped out and never really got a chance for a honeymoon.

He was also ready to get back to being a field service engi-

neer for Charmilles. Dave credits Charmilles for making his

departure and return easy. “They were super. They were real-

ly supportive.” He continues, “when I came back they let me

drop in right where I left off. There were a lot of things they

did that they didn’t have to do.”

With no notice he was activated and with little notice he left

his job. Fisher said, “I was happy to support my country, and I

was glad that there was something I could do.”

So is Charmilles, Dave. Thank you.

New Ideas in EDM

TThhee CChhooiiccee IIss YYoouurrss..

One System PartnerCorporate Headquarters: 40-D Commerce Way, Totowa, NJ 07512 • PH: 973-785-8200 • FAX: 973-785-9612

For The Latest system 3R Product Developments, Visit Us On The Web at: www.system3Rusa.com

GEORG FISCHER Manufacturing TechnologyGF

560 Bond St.Lincolnshire, IL 60069

www.charmillesus.com

Tel: (888) CTC 1EDM

AGIE CHARMILLES Group

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GEORG FISCHER Manufacturing TechnologyGF

560 Bond St.Lincolnshire, IL 60069

www.charmillesus.com

Tel: (888) CTC 1EDM

AGIE CHARMILLES Group