May 4th, 2010 by Ron Jr "Reg" Gustafson

Blogs can create community. This Clinkenbeard Blog seeks to go beyond community and create value for all of its participants. Clinkenbeard www.Clinkenbeard.com is a worldwide leader in the rapid production of complex castings and machined parts using a wide variety of metals and plastics. From five-axis CNC machining www.clinkenbeard.com/cnc-machining/capabilities to product design, development, prototyping and manufacturing in markets ranging from aviation and aerospace to automotive, heavy trucking and more, we have Clinkenbeard experts who will address best time-to-market solutions of the day. From issues like International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) www.Clinkenbeard.com/about/certifications-accreditations to
AS9100 Certification, our professionals will offer perspectives that will help you in your business decision-making. And finally, the Clinkenbeard Blog will be a forum for local Rockford, Illinois, business, economic and political leaders and media to offer their commentary and feedback on issues ranging from aerospace and aviation expansion in Rockford to area manufacturing to economic development.

Guest bloggers. In an effort to expand the depth and breadth of the information available at the Clinkenbeard Blog, we have invited many guests from the metal casting, product design and development, rapid prototyping, rapid manufacturing and CNC industries to offer their opinions on issues of the day. Similarly, we have asked several Rockford political, economic and business leaders and media involved in aerospace, aviation, manufacturing, commerce and government to offer their insights and outlooks as well.

Please comment on any and all blog entries you’d like. If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please email Reg@Clinkenbeard.com.

Enjoy and participate all!

November 19th, 2009 by Ron Jr "Reg" Gustafson

Companies serious about Speed to Market require good prototype and short run suppliers to support the effort. Production suppliers have a production mindset and are geared for production; it is difficult to cross the boundaries between the prototype and production worlds. Clinkenbeard has streamlined the prototyping process, from initial contact for quotation to shipping and tracking the package to your door. We eat sleep breathe the flexibility necessary to make things happen quickly. This includes taking HOT orders which change our personal and work schedules daily, implementing engineering changes throughout our business and manufacturing processes, and finding a way to get parts to your door Monday morning when they were just finished Sunday night. Believe it or not, we were just discussing parts which will be done this Sunday night, and need to take a trip to be delivered by 7AM Monday morning 4 states away. We are often involved in projects which Clinkenbeard is the dual source – to be sure that our customer has parts one way or another. Dual sourcing parts is an expensive insurance policy; companies who engage in this type of activity are very serious about Speed to Market.