"We have to deliver a quality product and we have to do it faster than anyone else. The comprehensive Cimatron solution helps us do that. This separates and elevates our offering in comparison to the competition." - Ross Hoek, President and Founder, Impres Engineering

 
 The Challenge
 • Maintaining competitiveness by producing a diverse range of low volume, specialized products
 • Maximizing production efficiencies in order to ensure quick turnaround times (2-3 days)
 • Finding the right technology for high precision product development
 
 The Solutions
Cimatron’s MoldDesign, 5-Axis

The Results
 • Business expansion and competitiveness, aided by Cimatron’s integrated solution that covers the entire process, from quoting to design, NC programming and production
 • Reduced production setups owing to Cimatron’s 5-Axis machining capabilities, leading to significant time efficiencies and obviating the need for “trial and error”
 • Enhanced cutting capabilities, ensuring the manufacturing of products with a high level of quality
 
Impres Engineering was established in 1995 as a general machining business in Holland, Michigan. It undertakes low volume production of diverse parts for the marine, automotive, industrial, environmental, home, and scientific fields. The customer delivery time for Impres’ products is very short (often two to three days), and all products must reflect a high degree of accuracy.

Impres reviewed the system options available that would support its demanding and diverse operations. The integrated solution it selected for use in design and manufacturing was Cimatron. President and Founder Ross Hoek explains: “Cimatron has great surfacing capabilities, solid modeling capabilities, dimensioning, assembly processes, and mold design. Cimatron’s completeness enables us to provide a diverse range of products, which is extremely valuable to our business.”

An important feature of Cimatron for Impres is 5-Axis, which it uses to produce complex shapes in large scale models. As many of the fiberglass lay-up parts the business produces are very deep, 5-Axis facilitates cutting of the deep vertical walls using shorter tools. It also reduces the number of setups required.

Cimatron has assisted Impres in expanding its business, even as the industry as a whole has been under increasing pressure from overseas competition and a shrinking customer base. As Hoek notes, “We have to deliver a quality product and we have to do it faster than anyone else. The comprehensive Cimatron solution helps us do that. This separates and elevates our offering in comparison to the competition.”