One of our best customers, a highly successful midwest manufacturer recently called. They needed an expedited shipment of our ArcTime™ Brand Hybrid Formula, “Multi-Use” Non-radioactive Tungsten Electrodes. (They have tested all available materials from a variety of suppliers/manufacturers and found ArcTime™ works best for their welding application but that’s another post)
I was sure that Tim was mistaken. That he had gotten a crank call…. why would you put tungsten electrodes in a vending machine?
Turns out our customer uses a CribMaster Vending Machine. This innovative solution to inventory control allows the manufacturing engineer to track which TIG welders use which tungsten and how much they use. It is becoming a highly effective management, quality control and cost saving tool.
Someone still has to place the orders, however, which may bode well for the tool crib manager. Otherwise, I can just imagine him (or her) down at the local bar telling his buddies how his job was outsourced by a vending machine….