Industry Blog

At Cass Precision Machining, we believe that taking care of our people and taking care of our customers are connected priorities. When we take care of our employees, we build stronger, more resilient teams. Stronger teams create the continuity that lets us keep delivering the quality and reliability our customers expect. Minnesota Paid Leave, which … Read more

In industries where precision is critical, even the smallest dimensional variation can affect performance, safety, and product reliability. Medical devices, aerospace components, defense applications, and other high performance products often require parts manufactured to extremely tight tolerances while maintaining consistent quality across every production run. Swiss machining has become one of the most effective manufacturing … Read more

A design flaw discovered after production begins can cost thousands of dollars in rework, delay product launches, and disrupt supply chains. Even seemingly minor issues involving tolerances, assembly fit, or manufacturability can create significant downstream costs once a part enters production. Rapid prototype machining helps manufacturers identify and correct those issues before they become expensive … Read more

The manufacturing industry is facing a growing labor challenge as experienced machinists, engineers, and production specialists retire faster than new talent enters the workforce. For small and mid-sized manufacturers, competing for skilled labor in 2026 is no longer just about offering competitive wages. Companies must create environments where employees feel valued, supported, and invested in … Read more

In today’s manufacturing landscape, precision, efficiency, and reliability are non-negotiable. Businesses across industries depend on machining partners who can deliver consistent, high-quality components while simplifying the production process. That is where integrated machining becomes a powerful advantage. At Cass Precision Machining, integrated machining is not just a capability. It is a comprehensive approach that brings … Read more

Supply chain disruptions have become a constant concern for businesses that rely on precision-machined components. From fluctuating tariffs to global conflicts and rising transportation costs, manufacturers are facing challenges that can impact production timelines and profitability. Building supply chain resilience is no longer just a strategic advantage. It is a necessity for maintaining consistent operations … Read more

At Cass Precision Machining, we understand that First Article Inspection serves as a key component for quality control and risk mitigation, helping ensure that precision-machined parts meet exact requirements before full production begins. Understanding why this inspection matters can help manufacturers and buyers alike protect timelines, budgets, and end-use performance. What is First Article Inspection … Read more

Design for Manufacturability, often called DFM, plays a critical role in the success of precision machining projects. Even the most advanced equipment and skilled machinists can be slowed down by designs that are difficult or inefficient to produce. When design decisions do not align with real-world manufacturing capabilities, the result is often increased rework, longer … Read more

Successful product developers know that material choice can make or break performance—long before the first cut. The right metal or alloy influences every stage of production and determines whether your final product succeeds in its intended application. Choosing the appropriate material requires understanding its properties: strength, corrosion resistance, machinability, and thermal conductivity. An incorrect choice … Read more

Swiss machining delivers tight tolerances at rapid cycle times, making it a proven method for high-volume, complex, and thin components. This article explains how Swiss machining enhances efficiency across setup, cycle time, quality, and total cost. You will learn where Swiss excels, what drives its speed and precision, and how to leverage it for reliable, … Read more

Modern precision machining has revolutionized industries by enabling the production of components that require extreme accuracy and consistency. At Cass Precision Machining’s Micro-Fab division, our advanced machining capabilities stand apart from the competition due to our uncompromising focus on quality, innovation, and efficiency. Whether it’s a mission-critical aerospace component or a medical device requiring adherence … Read more

The agriculture industry faces constant challenges, from feeding a growing global population to dealing with extreme weather conditions and sustainable farming practices. At the heart of overcoming these challenges lies innovation, with a significant portion of it powered by advanced technology. Advanced machining, in particular, has become a critical enabler for modern agriculture, helping farmers … Read more

The aerospace industry thrives on innovation. From designing cutting-edge aircraft to building spacecraft capable of exploring uncharted territories, this field requires precision, reliability, and advanced technology. One of the key drivers behind these advancements is precision machining. At its core, precision machining empowers aerospace engineers to create high-performing parts and components with unparalleled accuracy and … Read more

Precision machining is essential for manufacturing high-quality parts across countless industries. Among the most advanced techniques in this field is Swiss machining, also referred to as Swiss-style turning. For manufacturers requiring extreme precision and efficiency, Swiss machining stands out as an industry leader. But what exactly is Swiss machining, and what unique advantages can it … Read more

When selecting a machining partner, quality, reliability, and trust are critical factors. Collaborating with an ISO-certified and AS9100-compliant machining partner offers a host of benefits that extend beyond mere stamp approval. At Micro-Fab, a Cass company, we understand the significance of certifications like ISO 9001 and AS9100. They represent a partner’s dedication to quality management, … Read more

CNC machining has been a cornerstone of modern manufacturing for decades, offering precision, efficiency, and scalability to industries such as aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and beyond. Its ability to produce complex parts with incredible accuracy has made it indispensable. But CNC technology is far from stagnant — it is evolving rapidly to meet the demands of … Read more

Manufacturing precision parts for defense applications requires unwavering compliance with stringent industry standards, advanced technical expertise, and a dedication to quality. The defense sector demands precision, reliability, and durability — in every component, for every mission, under the most demanding conditions. For this reason, trusted partners like Cass Precision Machining and its division, Micro-Fab, play … Read more

Rapid prototyping has become a crucial process in product development. It enables engineers and designers to quickly create physical models of their concepts, refine designs, and accelerate time-to-market. At the heart of this innovative process lies an important question — what materials are best suited for rapid prototyping? Choosing the right material can define the … Read more

Certifications and compliance play an essential role in high-stakes industries such as medical, aerospace, and defense manufacturing. For enterprises operating in these sectors, adhering to stringent quality and regulatory standards is non-negotiable. At Micro-Fab, a Cass company, a strong focus on certifications like ISO 9001 and compliance with AS9100, ITAR, and CMMC Level 1 ensures … Read more

“Cost Analyst” is a bit of a broad title but that’s by design. My role was created at the end of 2023. The leadership team at Cass had a lot of ideas about what they wanted out of the role, so they left it open-ended. I am technically part of the “administrative” team, which also … Read more

When I was a senior in high school, I had a teacher who, for the sake of his privacy, I will be referring to as Walter. Walter was an English teacher and a wildly energetic guy, despite the cool demeanor he kept. There was a lot about him that I admired, but more than anything, … Read more

The world of machining technologies has undergone remarkable transformations since its inception. From the foundational screw machining techniques of the 1940s to today’s sophisticated Swiss machining operations, these technological advancements are driven not simply by innovation for its own sake but by the need to meet changing customer demands. For Cass Precision Machining, this evolution … Read more

For manufacturers and engineers, selecting the right machining process is critical to balancing cost, quality, and production efficiency. Swiss machining and traditional CNC machining are two distinct approaches that have evolved to meet specific manufacturing needs. At Cass Precision Machining, our advanced capabilities in both methods enable us to deliver high-quality results tailored to varied … Read more

In the manufacturing world, there is a demand for high-quality, precision-engineered components. CNC machining can automate complex processes, making it a significant player in modern industries. Despite its impeccable output, there is still a need for quality control to maintain precision, consistency, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness at all times. CNC Machining Quality Control CNC machining plays … Read more

My dad is a writer but not really on purpose. In 1997, he crashed a small airplane into a cornfield in Valparaiso, Indiana. As you might anticipate, the crash did a lot of damage to his body—legs, ankles, and feet broken, scars all over his body, metal plates all around his skull—a veritable “whole nine … Read more

Rapid prototyping has revolutionized the way businesses bring their products to market. It’s one tool that has helped many find success and a competitive edge due to the reduced time to market. This article explores how it is done. What is Rapid Prototyping? Rapid prototyping is the process of creating functional models that can be … Read more

Some industries require absolute accuracy when it comes to the way their parts and components fit in their application. Any variance could impact the overall product and, in some instances, could have serious consequences. Choosing the right machining type is crucial. Swiss machining excels at creating highly accurate parts and components, regardless of how intricate … Read more

The Great Minnesota Get-Together Gives 56,000 Fair Goers a Glimpse Into Manufacturing The Minnesota State Fair, better known as the Great Minnesota Get-Together, is more than pickle pizza, cheese curds, cold beverages, and every kind of food deep fried and served on a stick. It is a 12-day showcase of what Minnesotans are doing in … Read more

In the dynamic world of manufacturing, efficiency and reliability are the cornerstones of success. One strategy that has gained increasing recognition in recent years is the consolidation of a supply base. By reducing the number of suppliers and fostering strong partnerships with a select few, manufacturers can unlock a multitude of benefits. At Cass Precision … Read more

In manufacturing, where innovation is paramount, and quality is non-negotiable, Cass Precision Machining is proud of its ability to provide a true partnership with our customers. As a partner you can depend on, Cass provides a collaborative force that amplifies success through our value-added services, nurturing a relationship that transcends conventional supplier-client dynamics.  Partnering for … Read more

In recent years, the manufacturing landscape has witnessed a remarkable shift, with an increasing number of companies recognizing the benefits of onshore manufacturing. This strategic decision to bring production back to the United States has proven advantageous for both businesses and the local economy. Cass Precision Machining, a renowned leader in U.S.-based precision machining solutions, … Read more

As we move forward through 2023 Cass is embarking on an exciting time in our history.   From our asset acquisition of TCR in 2020 and the purchase of the Micro-Fab division in 2021, Cass is positioned in 2023 to make even bigger investments in our people, our facilities, and our equipment for the benefit of our customers. … Read more

As the business world continues to recalibrate itself in a myriad of ways due to the global pandemic, one factor that became obviously clear in the manufacturing sector is the importance of supplier managed inventory. Supply chain issues arose like never before and forced organizations to assess and improve the resilience of their supply chains … Read more

At Cass Precision Machining we give quite a few tours of our plant to both customers and prospective customers. These tours are something Cass enjoys doing and it’s always fun to see the “WOW” factor when visitors see just how impressive and effective screw machines can be. Cass believes that offering tours of our six … Read more

While no one in manufacturing would say that workflows have “returned to normal” in the post-COVID world, many agree that a “new normal” has taken hold heading toward the end of 2022. At Cass Precision Machining we’ve settled into our new normal as far as our workflow and our customers go. Several changes have emerged … Read more

The hallmark of any machine shop is the quality of the parts they produce. While quality is supposed to be a given, the pandemic led to plant shutdowns and slowdowns, including difficulties for manufacturing shops to attract new employees even with competitive pay and benefits. COVID-19 brought on other challenges, including workforce vaccination, travel restrictions, … Read more

The manufacturing industry continues to suffer from an acute labor shortage. By the end of 2021, employment across the industry was down by nearly 400,000 personnel from pre-pandemic levels. Beyond causing stress, the lack of skilled workers has heightened workplace injury, product liability, and property damage risk for these businesses. And the pandemic isn’t the … Read more

Manufacturing Looks Brighter in 2022 But Challenges Persist. Volatile market conditions have created significant challenges for the manufacturing industry since the pandemic began. Manufacturers have been forced to reexamine nearly every step of their process and look for ways to improve efficiency with their data, resources, and workforce. The last two years brought some unique … Read more

Cass Precision Machining is Proud to Announce James Larson as Its New President! Cass is proud to announce that it has named James Larson as its new President. James is an experienced business leader who has been optimizing the customer experience, driving operational excellence, and developing new products for more than 30 years. Larson’s work history … Read more

As we wrote last year, the global supply chain crunch will continue to impact pricing, lead times and deliverables well into 2022 and beyond. Prices paid to U.S. producers posted a record annual increase of almost 10% in November, a surge that will sustain a pipeline of inflationary pressures well into 2022. The producer price … Read more

The Cass Precision Machining website contains a page entitled “Industries Served.”  On the page, we talk about our continued investment in new technology that leads to the best products at the greatest value.  Our history dates all the way back to 1945, and over the years, we’ve worked hard to build a reputation as a … Read more

China’s Battle with Decarbonization Poses Business Risks In Assessing Supply Chain Shortages in 2022, Climate Change is a major factor in the equation.  In August UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the report released by the UN’s Panel on Climate Change, “A code red for humanity.”  The report says that humans are unequivocally warming the planet … Read more

Cass Precision Machining announced that it acquired Micro-Fab, a precision machining company based in Brooklyn Park, MN, on July 1, 2021. Micro-Fab will operate as a division of Cass Precision Machining, serving the aerospace, defense, and medical industries.

As the global economy slowly recovers from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the worldwide supply crunch is intensifying, spreading from one country to another and from one industry to another. Breaking Down the Supply Crunch When the pandemic spread in the spring of 2020, there was a lot of panic buying by consumers who … Read more

Companies need to develop and introduce new products faster to remain competitive in this fast-moving modern-day consumer market. Since faster product development and technology innovation are key to a company’s success, rapid prototyping becomes the most important element of new product development. Industrial rapid prototyping bridges the gap between concept design and manufacturing for production. … Read more

Are you feeling underappreciated and under-stimulated at your current job? Were your hours cut, or did you lose pay because of the pandemic? If so, we have good news for you, as Cass Precision Machining has machining job openings, with both operators and machinists wanted. Cass can be the great change in careers you’re looking … Read more

The industrial manufacturing industry is responsible for the fabrication of products intended for industrial use from raw materials. When asking the question, “what is industrial manufacturing?” one has to look at the output itself (the products produced) which ranges from large machinery like bulldozers and cranes to smaller products such as wheelchairs and circuit boards. … Read more

In 2020 Cass Precision Machining launched C-RPM (Cass Rapid Proto Machining), a new service that supports Cass customers with build-to-print rapid prototyping parts. The response from customers has been exceptional and Cass has now produced over 30 prototype parts. The goal of C-RPM is to supply customers with machining expertise and design for manufacturing engineering consulting … Read more

Sometimes a job is about far more than the bottom line. Cass Precision Machining was honored to recently volunteer their time, material, and machines to produce a part for the Commemorative Air Force Airbase, located in Mesa, Arizona. The Commemorative Air Force are flight museums dedicated to the education and enjoyment of present and future … Read more

When Cass Precision Machining rebranded itself just over three years ago, we added a pretty simple tagline that speaks volumes: Consistent. Reliable. Trusted. Those are three personality traits that we all look for in the most important people in our lives—our parents, teachers, coaches, significant others, and our closest friends. What it comes down to … Read more

At Cass Precision Machining we hope the end of the year finds you and your business safe and healthy. We are encouraged to see that, according to Deloitte Insights, the global manufacturing sector performed exceptionally well in November. The global manufacturing PMI (purchasing managers’ indices) increased to 53.7, a 33-month high and one of the … Read more

That collective sigh of relief you hear is that 2020 is winding down. Let’s be honest, some words nobody ever wants to hear again include pandemic, unprecedented, protocols, and coronavirus. 2020 was a rough year for a lot of different reasons, but as always, a new year brings with it a renewed optimism and new … Read more

Cass Precision Machining is proud to unveil Cass Rapid Prototype Machining (C-RPM), a new independent business unit operating within our five-building campus. C-RPM significantly ramps up our ability to serve you with prototype build-to-print contract machined parts services with accelerated delivery responsiveness. Operating as a business within a business, C-RPM’s “high touch” service connects you … Read more

Cass Precision Machining is excited to announce that Derick White has joined Cass as the Director of New Business Development. Derick has a successful background in marketing and sales, along with developing strong sales organizations. “Derick and I have known each other for over eight years and have combined efforts in the past to strengthen … Read more

We had a blast teaming up to support the North-Suburban Emergency Assistance Response (NEAR) organization in Brooklyn Center, MN with our 1st annual food drive. Cass invited associates to bring in non-perishable food items or monetary contributions to donate to NEAR. We collected the items and added the monetary donations into the mix ($1=1 pound … Read more

For many of us, a large portion of our days are spent at work; in fact, the average person will spend 90,000 hours at work over a lifetime. So, it’s probably safe to say your job can make a huge impact on your quality of life. What’s more, without our employees, we don’t have a … Read more

In today’s manufacturing environment it is harder than ever to maintain your competitive position, and keep the right parts in stock that support your production floor. Partnering with your suppliers to manage your inventory and forecast your future requirements are the cornerstones of Just-In-Time (JIT) production planning and inventory management.  If JIT is not integral … Read more

Change can be good for a company – be it small tweaks in the way you do things or big operational shifts. As we said in Part 1 of this blog series, taking an honest look at what’s working for your business and identifying opportunities for improvement is always a good idea. As you approach … Read more

It was a real pleasure to welcome students back to Cass Precision Machining on Thursday, October 4th.  Last year’s participation in Minnesota’s Dream it. Do it. Minnesota Tour of Manufacturing Day was so successful that we decided to reach out, in coordination with our sister company, Ajax Metal Forming Solutions, to a few of our … Read more

What is High-Volume Production? The term “high-volume production” can mean many things to many people, from both a supplier and a customer perspective. What does “high-volume production” mean to us here at Cass? We’ve prepared an overview (View PDF) that illustrates the types of parts we run on a daily basis. Our hope is that … Read more

At Cass Precision Machining we’ve been humbled and honored to receive our share of recognition and awards over the years. The recognition is always nice, and it makes us proud of our company and our team—but it’s the knowledge that our customers are happy and satisfied with the work we do that gives us the … Read more

We recently celebrated Steve Brown’s 51-year tenure at Cass Precision Machining! Cass President Jim Garvin is seen here shaking hands with Steve (the guy with the big smile on the right) following a special presentation that Jim delivered at our year-end meeting on December 18th 2017. Steve started at Cass Precision Machining as an inspector … Read more

Another holiday season is upon us, which, of course, brings us near the end of another calendar year. While 2017 can only be described as “tumultuous” from a news headlines perspective, we hope the past year has been productive and successful for your business. It was a big year for us here at Cass Precision … Read more

Thursday, October 5th was a fun day for us at Cass Precision Machining. Our participation in Minnesota’s Dream it. Do it. Minnesota Tour of Manufacturing Day resulted in Cass hosting about 100 10th through 12th grade students and 10 faculty members from local schools. After welcoming students to the Cass campus, Cass President, Jim Garvin gave opening … Read more

Hello and welcome to Cass Precision Machining’s new website! After completing an extensive research study that gave us outstanding feedback on our name, brand, and all the ways that we can best support your machining needs, we are proud to announce that we have rebranded the company as Cass Precision Machining.

As we cut over to our new name, we hope the completed FAQ’s below will address most of your concerns and questions regarding doing business with Cass. In the event you do not see the answer(s) you are looking for below, please feel free to address your question(s) to us via posting a message in … Read more