Forest City Gear Bolsters Capabilities with New Machine Investments
Forest City Gear, a family-owned manufacturer of fine- and medium-pitch custom gears since 1955, has made two significant equipment investments aimed at strengthening both its machining and inspection operations.
New DMG MORI CTX Beta 450 TC Expands Turning and Milling
The company recently purchased a DMG MORI CTX Beta 450 TC, bringing advanced multitasking capability to its shop floor. The machine allows turning, milling, and gear operations to be combined into a single setup—reducing handoffs, tightening tolerances, and improving lead times on the complex part configurations that are Forest City Gear's specialty.
The CTX Beta 450 TC also comes equipped with DMG MORI's full suite of gear software, including skiving capability, further expanding the company's capacity for producing complex gear geometries with tighter control over critical features.
"This machine gives us the ability to do more in one place," says Jared Lyford, Director of Operations at Forest City Gear. “By combining turning, milling, and gear operations, we can streamline processes that previously required multiple machines, without sacrificing precision.”
KAPP NILES KNM 4X Strengthens Inspection Capacity
Forest City Gear has also added a KAPP NILES KNM 4X analytical measuring machine to its inspection department. Designed for small- to medium-sized components up to 450 mm in diameter and 500 kg, the KNM 4X features advanced rotary axis alignment capabilities that use software-driven probe alignment to remove mechanical misalignment before measurement begins, resulting in cleaner, more reliable inspection data.
The machine also supports a broader company initiative to standardize its inspection platform, with the goal of eventually programming inspections offline and deploying part programs across multiple networked machines for improved throughput and consistency.
"As we continue investing in top-tier equipment, the KNM 4X helps us close the loop on inspection—giving our customers confidence that every part leaving our floor meets the highest standards of precision and consistency," says Lyford.
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