For a machine shop serving the defense industry, the equipment list tells a story. It speaks to what kinds of parts you can produce, how many you can make and how much control you have over the process. Our shop floor has some heavy iron that makes defense work possible.
The heart of our operation is the Mazak Flexible Manufacturing System. Six horizontal machining centers are linked together by a 38-pallet rail-guided vehicle system that moves parts around automatically. The pallets measure 800mm and can handle workpieces up to 1450mm tall. The FMS keeps the spindles spinning around the clock, which matters when a defense contractor needs parts delivered on a schedule. The system runs lights-out, meaning you can load it up at the end of the day and come back to finished parts in the morning.
For 5-axis work, we run a pair of Mazak FMS machining centers that can handle parts up to 1450mm in diameter and 1600mm tall. These machines can mill, turn, bore and drill in one setup. A part that would have moved across five different machines in the past now stays put while the tool changes. That means fewer chances for error and tighter tolerances.
Our horizontal machining center lineup is extensive. Beyond the six FMS machines, we have 2 smaller 400mm units, 27 machines in the 630mm class and 19 of the 800mm variety. The 800mm machines are particularly suited for bulkier defense components like housings, bearing caps and suspension parts.
Our lathe department is equally capable. Five horizontal lathes handle shaft work up to 39 inches long. A vertical lathe and four vertical spindle lathes with 75 horsepower each turn parts up to 39.37 inches in diameter. Three more vertical spindle lathes handle work up to 43.3 inches and a pair of vertical turn centers push that capacity to 49.2 inches. For complex parts that need both milling and turning, the Doosan SMX2600 ST with a tool changer can do both in one setup. There is also a Smart Lathe with robotic loading from Halter, which keeps the machine running without an operator standing there feeding it.
Having the machining capacity is one thing. Verifying that every feature lands where it should is another. We have inspection equipment to match the size of the work. Our CMMs include a Brown & Sharpe unit with a measuring envelope of 1200mm by 1500mm by 1000mm, plus another of the same size.
The Sheffield RS-150 comes with a 5-axis REVO head and a larger measuring range of 1200mm by 2000mm by 1000mm. We also have a DEA Scirocco and two Global Advantage CMMs that can measure parts up to 2000mm by 1300mm by 1000mm. Our largest Global Advantage unit handles parts up to 2000mm by 3300mm by 1500mm. When a complex defense component leaves our shop, it comes with a dimensional report showing exactly where every surface landed relative to the model.
ITAR and Defense Work
The International Traffic in Arms Regulations control the export of defense-related articles and technical data. For a machine shop, ITAR registration means the facility can handle controlled information and manufacture components for programs that require that level of security.
We officially registered with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls on October 20, 2025. The registration marks a formal step in our expansion into defense manufacturing. We have operated under ISO 9001:2015 certification since 1999, which provides the quality management foundation that defense contractors look for. The ITAR registration adds the security piece. Controlled facility access, defense-grade data protocols and employee training on compliance requirements are already in place.
Defense work changes how a shop operates. It requires end-to-end traceability on every part. Every piece of material has to be accounted for. Every inspection has to be documented. We have to know exactly where every part came from and where it went. Our supplier compliance programs and inspection protocols were already aligned with defense requirements before the registration was finalized.
For prime contractors and OEMs, finding a shop with both the machining capability and the regulatory compliance is necessary. The government requires ITAR compliance to flow down through the entire supply chain. A prime contractor cannot award a contract to a shop that cannot show it is compliant. Our registration gives us the ability to bid on those contracts. Our 145,000 square feet of manufacturing space and more than 80 CNC machines provide the capacity to handle large production runs.
The defense industry does not tolerate guessing. A part that is out of tolerance by a few thousandths of an inch can cause problems down the line. Our equipment, our inspection gear and our compliance framework all have to work together to deliver parts that fit the first time. We have been building that capability for over 50 years and the ITAR registration opens the door for that capability to be applied to defense work. Our machines are on the floor. Our quality systems are running. The doors are open for defense contracts that need a domestic manufacturing partner.
