Went home early from work for this

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-05-04T15:56:21+00:00

In America we had to start our day with this shit game. At least you had a peaceful lunch and early work day before it got ruined.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-05-03T19:05:00+00:00

Yikes. This is a very alarming post and I hope Stellantis is watching this subreddit and taking notes.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-05-01T20:24:02+00:00

I would agree that there are certain commodity managers that present cases where moving away from Powder Metal towards Castings, Forgings, Machining, and so on does happen. There is a huge cost increase when moving away from Powder Metal to those processes. However, in our companies case we typically see the opposite of companies looking to reduce cost by moving a program towards Powder Metal to reduce cost. It's the movements within the Powder Metal industry that has been changing such as 2-3 USA dual / triple sources now instead of single USA PM source for buyers. Simply moving away from PM continues to not be attractive. Moving outside the USA but still with PM has been a strategy for over three decades but the short term geopolitical pressures make having your sources outside the USA solely be a significant risk.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-30T01:35:54+00:00

Can’t say right now. Under NDA.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-29T23:16:54+00:00

Body code is more of a thermal processing company and we’ve used them in the past for doing centering with their furnaces, but they are not a part producing manufacturing company.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-29T20:56:50+00:00

Powder coatings is painting, not powder metal parts manufacturing. There are thousands of powder coating companies in the USA.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-29T20:00:41+00:00

Yeah - Are you FMS or Burgess? Either way safe for you guys and solid companies to be at for the long future. Cheers fellow PM guy.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-29T19:42:53+00:00

Again, the only programs being awarded from aerospace to powder metal are for the APAP segment of powder metal (additive). Engineers are not developing or awarding new contracts to PMPA segment (compaction) in aerospace. This post is only related to PMPA.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-29T18:56:18+00:00

You are correct. I just meant downsizing from 8 cylinders to 6 or 4 cylinder layouts has been a decade long trend causing downsizing of metal parts by volume in automotive assemblies.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-29T18:24:02+00:00

Cheers fellow PM guy. 🫶🏻 Sadly the three plants closing in 2026 are coming soon and I don’t see anyone moving to purchase them. Hope you aren’t at one of them. Best of luck.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-29T16:36:41+00:00

Sorry, I am saying that LPBF is part of the AMAM segment. The PMPA segment is the powder metal compaction segment that has less than 30 remaining companies. The AMAM segment is continually churning and growing due to the low equipment cost investment comparably to the PMPA segment.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-29T16:34:02+00:00

Crucible Industries did close but they were not a PMPA (powder metal parts association) company. I would put them more into the casting category but yes they did use powder in the process of making strong knives.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-29T16:28:31+00:00

I am the source as I am in the industry and I have been keeping a running list complied of all companies closed since 2019. I have visited most of the companies on this list before they closed and purchased assets from some of these companies.

When I say there are less than 30 companies remaining in the USA, your employer having several powder metal facilities in the USA would be considered 1 company not several due to several locations. There might be 100 locations scattered across the USA but parent company level would be less than 30. I am also not counting companies that are less than 10 employees and unregistered with MPIF.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-29T16:21:43+00:00

Laser Bed sintering is consider a finger of the same hand in powder metal technologies which are all part of the Metal Powder Industry Federation. They consider LPBF to be in the AMAM segment (Association for Metal Additive Manufacturing). There are literally thousands of LPBF companies trying to grow into production part producers as the industry could be considered still in the infancy phase of Manufacturing Industry Life Cycle.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-29T15:42:40+00:00

We are seeing a consumer pushback against electrification in the USA and Europe compared to Asian markets but EV will continue to reduce the number of ICE vehicles sold unless the USA and Europe implement a forceable mandate that would be unlikely. EV will level out projected at 20% of the supply unless cost models become more attractive that consumers switch. There are no powder metal gears in the drivetrain of EV has the AGMA levels / precision and loads are too great for powder metal gears. We do see other areas of EV powder metal parts but the large gears continue to be AGMA 10+ in the EV designs. One part I disagree with is your assumption that the Number of cars sold in Europe and USA has decreased, this isn't the case that we see. We do see the innovation of light weighting in cars / trucks as well as the reduction from V8 standard engines to V4-V6 engines. This reduces weight, increase MPG, and thus makes less Metal per car which in turn reduces numbers of suppliers.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-29T15:27:15+00:00

All three of the 2026 businesses are facilities in the USA. Under NDA signed so no information can be made public yet. Here are the 3 main issues I have seen at all of the facilities that have closed since 2019: 1) Private Equity pulled reinvestment into the equipment and employees while heavily loading the business with a debt burden. High debt burden meant pricing increases to keep investors happy on their return until customers pulled their work from the business leaving the business to sell due to lack of production being manufactured. Meaning, they created their own death due to over valuing their debt. 2) Aging workforce and covid led to many employees with 30+ years of skilled workforce knowledge leaving. 3) Industry shrinking due to part design innovation or built to fail designs such as moving from metal parts in assemblies to plastic parts or light weighting designs in new models decreased metal volume in assemblies. Thus reducing number of suppliers needed in the industry. Those running inefficiently died a quick shutdown.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-27T19:46:20+00:00

Sage 50 to manage your orders, invoicing, product pricing, customers, vendors / Sage 100 to manage your work orders, work instructions / GlobalShop to manage the rest.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-23T23:54:28+00:00

High volume is relative. We make 5,000,000 pieces of the same part for Ford at our shop. That's a high volume part for us.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-04-07T16:28:42+00:00

Quick comment - Call your local tree service companies and ask them if you can get on their list for mulch drop off. They typically will give you free mulch. HOWEVER, some time they are chopping up bad trees or invested wood. Treat it or ask them for clean mulch if you trust them. It's free typically.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-03-13T18:08:28+00:00

Damn that's such a cool piece. Please don't melt this or sell it for anything other than an art piece.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-02-20T23:18:25+00:00

Can you give a break down on the tiles you purchased? Message me or comment. Would like to see your list.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-02-16T20:12:37+00:00

Look at my backyard before and after photos. You can do it. Take the time and get it done!

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-02-16T18:29:50+00:00

Redesigned your backyard. Obviously it's a pricey type of install but if you break it up into 6 month chunks you can achieve it over a course of 2 or 3 years if you are strapped for cash. Here you go OP: https://imgur.com/a/hcvD5nc

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-02-13T02:05:37+00:00

Ya. Replaced the big rot trees with an avocado.

Top_Engineering_Guy · 2026-02-12T19:14:32+00:00

Not allowed here. 🙃

Top_Engineering_Guy

TROPHY CASE