In the past few years, the metalworking industry has changed its focus to allow several aspects of engineering to be done concurrently, instead of one step at a time. This new focus was spurred by technological advances, downsizing, and just-in-time manufacturing.

Carr Lane Mfg. Co., which provides parts for design, manufacturing, and other areas, has now made its CAD/CAM tooling library available free for downloading on the Internet, aiding the process of concurrent engineering.

Carr Lane is well known in dozens of industries, including automotive, aerospace, appliance, and medical, and has made extensive changes in the past few years to prepare for the challenges and opportunities this technological era has created. The Internet is the most all-encompassing change of the past five years, with 95% of businesses now online.

Carr Lane is part of this evolution, offering an ever-increasing amount of information on its web site, at www.carrlane.com.

Carr Lane’s 600-page catalog of more than 100,000 workholding, tooling and assembly

components is now online and searchable, with price and availability checks and links to free, downloadable CAD/CAM drawings of products.

Other Carr Lane web pages provide a distributor locator, answers to frequently asked questions, new items, an archive of magazine articles, and a bookstore. In addition to the Internet, Carr Lane has made massive computer upgrades, switching to an Oracle integrated application system for order processing, inventory, and purchasing; achieved ISO 9001 certification; introduced a CD-ROM version of its 600-page catalog; and installed a new telephone monitoring system to help increase customer service. Carr Lane. Your concurrent partner in the new millenium.