Operations Manager, Randal Leach and RPI president Hernan Ricaurte can see everything going on all 26 of RPI’s advanced machining centers from any of the workstations throughout the plant. Each display shows real time data from Datanomix (top) and ProShop (bottom) 24/7.
Call Santa Ana, Ca. based Ricaurte Precision Inc. (RPI) for high precision 5 axis milling. Call RPI for their live tooling, twin turret lathes, EDM, and Swiss turning. Call RPI for new product introduction. Call RPI for all your flight critical metal and plastic components, but please, don’t call them a machine shop. From humble beginnings as a mom-and-pop machine shop to its current stature as a leader in high-precision manufacturing, Ricaurte Precision Inc. stands poised to meet the most exacting requirements of its clientele. With a reputation for delivering unparalleled precision components to a diverse range of industries RPI is leveraging state-of-the-art technology to cultivate business for years to come. RPI’s commitment to excellence starts and ends with automation, digital technologies, and accountability.
RPI president Hernan Ricaurte didn’t follow the career path of most second-generation business owners. He didn’t grow up sweeping floors after school, or deburring parts on summer vacation. He didn’t take interest in the business his father started in their garage in 1986, but he did know that it was a strange thing calling it a “shop.” “I didn’t understand how what he was doing as a manufacturing company was the same as the convenience store down the street, or the place they took the car,” explains Hernan Ricaurte. “In high school and through college I had no clue what he was talking about with shop. I personally feel companies like RPI that are AS9100/ISO9001 certified, and embracing innovative technologies are better called something more representative of the services they provide.”
Hernan’s background is economics, and he had a travel heavy profession in medical device/healthcare before RPI. His sister worked in pharmaceuticals and finance, and neither were tied to the notion of taking over the family business. It wasn’t until he was in his forties and their dad wanted to retire that they even considered RPI as something they wanted to be a part of. “We crunched the numbers, put together a plan, and bought the business in 2016 because we saw an opportunity for growth,” tells Hernan. “It’s been nonstop improvements and reinvestment into RPI since. We began with automation, but more recently we’ve been maximizing efficiencies through digital technologies.”
Left RPI’s 5 axis Matsuura MAM72-35 has 32 pallets and a 320-tool changer. It offers exceptional capabilities and excels in machining complex, high-precision parts with tight tolerances. Right – RPI’s Matsuura MX330 is a versatile and high-performance 5 axis vertical machining center with a compact footprint and a 10-pallet pool that doesn’t compromise on capabilities.
Since 2016 everything RPI purchases must have a bar feed, pallets, or advanced multi axis machining features. No exceptions, even their Robodrills have 4th or 5th axis capabilities. When selecting a machine tool or software, they consider two major criteria, does the technology suit them, and how is the post-sale service and support. It’s a balancing act between the two. “The most perfect technology wouldn’t be of value to us if the service and support were not great too,” explains Hernan. “Same for service being fantastic and a sub-par product. I lived and worked in Japan for over a decade so when it came time to look for advanced milling centers we focused our efforts on Japanese brands. All the research we did, and from my experience in Japan, Matsuura was a name that kept coming up. When I balanced in the pallet system, the size of the work envelope, and Selway Machine Tool’s support, Matsuura was a clear choice.” RPI has two Matsuura pallets systems, a MAM72-35V and a MX-330. The Matsuura MAM72-35V is a 5-axis machining center renowned for its precision, speed, and reliability. With its robust construction, large work envelope, and a high-speed spindle the MAM72-35V offers exceptional capabilities and excels in machining complex, high-precision parts with tight tolerances. Equipped with a tilting rotary table and a sophisticated control system, the MAM72-35V enables simultaneous 5-axis machining, allowing for intricate geometries and complex contours to be machined in a single setup. RPI has theirs outfitted with 32 pallets and a 320-tool changer. The Matsuura MX-330 is a versatile and high-performance 5 axis vertical machining center with a compact footprint that doesn’t compromise on capabilities. With its advanced spindle technology, the machine delivers precise machining even in the most challenging applications. The MX-330 also features a spacious work envelope and a high-speed spindle, enabling it to handle a wide range of materials and machining operations with ease. RPI’s is equipped with 10 pallets. Additionally, both have advanced features such as tool management systems, high-pressure coolant delivery, and thermal stability control, ensuring optimal performance and efficiency. Their automation allows for 24/7 lights out manufacturing. RPI likes them and Selway so much the eventual goal is to have all the milling department Matsuura blue.”
RPI’s turning department is more of a mixture with a variety of different brands like Okuma, Nakamura and the newest being a Citizen Miyano BNE-51MSY. “We are working on building more automation into our turning department too,” continues Hernan. “It’s been a slower process, but we are moving more and more into multi turret machines with live tooling. Honestly, we love the performance, service, and support of the Citizens. We have a Citizen Cincom 5M8 Swiss turning center and a new Citizen Miyano BNE-51MSY. The Miyano is a twin-spindle, twin-turret design equipped with live tooling capabilities and Y-axis functionality on both turrets. This machine can simultaneously machine complex geometries and features on multiple sides of a workpiece, reducing our cycle times and improving overall efficiency. The controls are super-fast, the spindles are high speed, and the tool changes are rapid. All this allows for quick setup and fast production cycles.”
Left – Matthew is using Paperless Parts on his primary display with Datanomix running on his secondary. Middle – Everyone using Paperless Parts, ProShop, HighQA and Datanomix in the Planning Department. Phasing out paper has led RPI to achieve leaner and more accountable workflow. Right – Jeremy uses HighQA and ProShop simultaneously to ensure Quality Risk Assessments and In Process Inspection plans are properly captured and available digitally to RPI’s machinists. The Quality team is able to monitor In Process Inspections throughout the facilities from any workstation.
Automation was a great place to begin, but Hernan and his team realized right away that there were also large gains to be made from outside the production floor. “We’ve invested a lot in our digital technologies since 2016,” explains Hernan. “My perspective is you can buy the greatest machine tools out there, but if you are not scheduling and managing all the data coming out of them and using that data to make good choices on the factory floor and for your business, you are not leading effectively. We rely heavily on our digital partners Paperless Parts, ProShop ERP, HighQA quality management solutions, and Datanomix production monitoring. We hired a business analyst whose job is to interpret all the data we collect and help everyone from machinists, quality, production, assembly, and management make more informed decisions.”
“Paperless Parts is no less than awesome,” tells Hernan. “We implemented it two years ago. Prior to using Paperless Parts we were using spreadsheets, putting stuff in folders, getting quotes for outside processes, collecting emails, it was a big mess. With their platform we store everything digitally with links. Their messaging feature is wonderful. We hate interrupting each other and it’s now a policy for us. If one of our programmers is busy programming, don’t break in. Send the information or question via the Paperless Parts chat. They get an email notification and as long as we get a response within 24 hours, it is all good. Our communication and all the data are collected in one place.” “We’ve found that Paperless Parts has improved our accuracy and efficiency too,” adds Randal Leach, Operations Manager. “Our communication has been simplified between designers, engineers, and our manufacturing teams. The remote collaboration has reduced the need for meetings. Digital files can be easily versioned and tracked, ensuring that the latest revisions are always used in the manufacturing process. We want to completely rid ourselves of paper and Paperless Parts put us well on the way to a leaner and more accountable workflow.”
The ProShop work orders include Tool Lists, Work Instructions, CNC programs and other details related to each operation, along with machine set up and run times. All information related to the part is accessible through the digital interface.
RPI is no stranger to ERP systems, but they found their previous system to be stale. Finding one to fit their workflow was a challenge. They discovered Washington based ProShop to be a fresh and innovative solution, bringing the front of the house together with the back of the house for a more companywide management system. “ProShop ERP software offers companies like ours a suite of features that help improve efficiency, quality, and compliance,” explains Randal. “These modules include comprehensive shop management, integrated quality management, compliance assurance, real-time data and analytics, streamlined communication and collaboration.” “ProShop is going gangbusters right now,” adds Hernan. “They just got a huge influx of funding and are excited to expand their platform. They had their own CNC manufacturing facility and designed their own ERP system to fit the needs of our industry. They sold the manufacturing side of the business and are now focused 100% on the software. We put all work instructions, tool lists and pictures of machine set ups on a digital monitor with access anywhere you go with digital signatures, driving efficiency and accountability. It’s been working great for us and has plenty of flexibility as we grow.”
HighQA is RPI’s digital Production Quality Planning (PQP) system. It provides comprehensive quality management solutions tailored to the needs of companies like RPI by streamlining quality control processes. “We are all about process improvements,” continues Hernan. “HighQA is a time saver on everything from ballooning and inspection plans to FAI/APQP/PPAP, ensuring on-time, on-budget, and on-quality production. We find the automated bubble printing and digital in-process inspections to be especially useful. Like Randal mentioned, not using paper makes us leaner and more accountable because people can’t hide from the information, everything they need is just a click away.”
Here Datanomix (top) shows real time data for the Matsuura MX330, a 5-axis mill with 10 pallets. You can easily compare each part’s run cycle, each tool’s cutting time and either dig deeper into the details of each part or review total averages from throughout the day with the system’s intuitive interface.
Datanomix production monitoring empowers CNC machining companies like RPI to optimize their operations, improve quality, and make data-driven decisions, ultimately driving greater efficiency and profitability. “Datanomix is awesome because everything is in real time and easy to understand,” describes Hernan. “It dumbs everything down and puts everything into a visual representation of colors. Datanomix reads machine spindle load, not just spindle movement so we know how long it takes for our machines to start cutting material. It is smart too. Datanomix takes data from previous times you ran the part and gives you a score. Then it scores the current run and compares them, showing where you gained or lost time and why. Datanomix predicts maintenance needs, automatically captures and documents production data, tracks machine utilization, downtime, and cycle times.” “Datanomix helps us identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in production processes,” adds Randal. “The more information we have the better we can be as a company. Datanomix is one of the most comprehensive, yet easier systems to understand. All our advanced machining centers have workstations with dual monitors displaying ProShop and Datanomix 24/7, making it easy for our operators to access the information they need.”
Keyence and Hexagon are two respected names in QC and important partners when it comes to RPI’s quality lab. Hexagon in 2023 was named as a Datanomix automated production intelligence partner, bringing even more integration into RPI’s digital workflow.
The progression of RPI has been a quick one, especially considering the almost 4 decades they have been in business. That put your money where your mouth is attitude is what helped bring Randal to the RPI team. “I’ve been here a few years and absolutely enjoy the work environment and challenges associated with this level of manufacturing,” explains Randal. “Hernan is one of the few who has a vision, sees the path, and executes it. It’s refreshing to be a part of an organization that doesn’t shy away from technology because it is new or expensive. If it makes sense, we implement it. Not all companies are like that, and it gives everyone here the chance to expand their skillset, and at the same time grow the company.”
RPI is always looking ahead for the next big thing, be it a new machine tool, AI driven technologies or software solutions. They find inspiration everywhere, but one way is by sharing what they know via their open-door policy. “We work closely with our digital and manufacturing partners and are always happy to have other companies come see how we utilize the different technologies at our disposal,” tells Hernan. “It’s rare that every couple of weeks someone doesn’t come by interested in what we are doing with HighQA, Paperless Parts, Datanomix, ProShop, Matsuura or Citizen. The industry is better when we share information. We learn a lot visiting other businesses and like to reciprocate whenever possible. It’s great to gain different perspectives. I’m not concerned with poaching clients because the manufacturing is just a part of the whole package we provide customers. Plus, if we are not always raising the bar and making improvements ourselves then what are we even doing.”
Through innovation and flexibility RPI is meeting and exceeding their annual goals, but more automation, additional data, and less paper are paving the way forward. “We have a lot of machining solutions under one roof with 5 axis milling, multi spindle, multi turret lathes, Swiss turning, and wire EDM,” concludes Hernan. “Customers like having a single point of contact and the variety of our advanced machining centers provides the ability to look at how best to manufacture a part and not just how we can best make it. Thanks to our manufacturing capabilities and being at the forefront of digital technologies we are well suited to service our customers now and for years to come.”