“It is the story we love to tell: a traditional job shop takes the leap by investing in new CNC machinery, and they discover easier and faster setups, simpler operator training, more reliability, less scrap, better quality, and you know the rest. It truly is an investment in the company’s future,” said Adam Gimpert, president of Helios Gear Products, referring to the recent expanded capabilities of Wisconsin Gear & Machine Works Inc.

The manufacturer, a full-service gear and machine shop located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has served the region and beyond for over 75 years with a wide range of capabilities for splines and spur, helical, and worm gears up to 88” outside diameter. Said Jeff Kamps, third-generation owner of Wisconsin Gear: “We focus on mining, machinery builders, packaging, paper, and agriculture industries, so much of our work falls between 4” and 15” outside diameter. Over the last few years, we have upgraded our machines for faster and better quality of the product.” Before, Wisconsin Gear was hobbing on a variety of machines that included brands such as Gould & Eberhardt, Lees-Bradner, and Barber-Colman.

Said Jason Spitzer, regional sales manager for Helios who helped lead the project: “I love the opportunity to equip a gear manufacturer with today’s technology. Jeff and I reviewed Wisconsin Gear’s parts to identify where Helios could offer the most bang-for-the-buck. Our Hera 350 was an ideal solution: Fanuc-CNC hobber, up to 15” capacity, from-stock delivery, and a dedicated team of engineers to ensure 100% successful application.” Added Kamps: “I found the Helios Hera to be the best solution because it packed wide capacity perfect for our parts at a price point that made it a no-brainer.”

Today, Kamps and his team use the Hera 350 to cover 70% of their external gear cutting. “The machine has made life so much easier, which means we can be even more competitive. As we look ahead to next year, staying competitive is key. Our turnarounds are even faster, and we can offer our repair, prototype, and production services at a lower price while growing margins,” said Kamps. “Our customers will benefit from our new capabilities.”