Northwest Aerospace News August | September Issue No. 4 | Page 10

F
ounded in 1966, Tool Gauge has been Washington
State’s best-kept aerospace industry secret. Located in
Tacoma, Washington, the company manufactures complex,
high-value plastic and metal assemblies for global origi-
nal equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Jim Lee, General
Manager for the company, likes to joke that journeymen
CNC machinists could not find a better environment for job
diversity — the shop is a “machining Disneyland.”
“We have a total of 20 CNC machines
and every one of them is doing some-
thing different. We run every type of
material, from plastics and aluminum
to stainless and titanium,” Lee explains.
Jim Lee
General Manager
Soon, this machine shop may be even more reflective of
Walt Disney World, as the company looks to add automa-
tion and robotics to the factory floor. In summer 2018, Tool
Gauge will break ground on a new plant, that will double
their manufacturing capacity to over 100,000 square feet
with the addition of a new building.
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