Category: Blog

Digital Systems: Scaling Through Technology

A Fully Connected Digital Thread: Excellerant + Paperless Parts + ProShop + High QA

To scale responsibly—and maintain the level of quality aerospace and defense demand—we’ve unified our operations with a single digital ecosystem that connects quoting, scheduling, machining, inspection, and real-time performance.

Paperless Parts — Faster, Smarter Quoting

Accelerated RFQ turnaround
Built-in manufacturability insights
Seamless communication with engineering and buyers
Cleaner handoff from quoting → programming

This is where the customer relationship begins—and now it begins faster.

ProShop ERP — Total Shop Control

Live job tracking from contract review → shipment
Tooling, BOM, setup instructions, and router control
Real-time scheduling tied directly to machine availability
Complete traceability for AS9100D + ITAR compliance

ProShop is the operational backbone that keeps every job aligned and visible.

Excellerant — Real-Time Machine Insight

Automated cycle time & part count tracking
Downtime alerts and bottleneck diagnostics
Operator tablets for instant data capture
Machine state visibility across the entire floor

This gives us a live pulse on production so we can react in minutes, not days.

High QA — Inspection, FAI, and In-Process Quality

Ballooning, PFQ, and AS9102 first article automation
Centralized inspection planning
Live in-process checks tied to ProShop
Faster, traceable documentation for customer reporting

It closes the loop between machining and quality so feedback flows instantly.

Together: A Scalable, Risk-Reducing Digital Spine

By fully integrating these systems, Marzilli Machine Co. now runs on a true digital thread—eliminating tribal knowledge, reducing variability, and increasing throughput without sacrificing precision.

Customers benefit from:

Shorter lead times
Higher quality consistency
Faster quoting and communication
Real-time visibility and traceability
A more resilient, scalable supply chain

Meeting Marzilli – The Quality Manager

Quality at Marzilli Machine Co. is built into every step of the process, and Rich W., our Quality Manager, plays a key role in making that happen.

Rich’s days are fast-paced and varied. He spends his time training team members, programming the CMM, inspecting parts, supporting in-process inspections, writing procedures, and verifying gauges. His work touches nearly every corner of the shop, helping ensure parts move through production accurately and efficiently.

The part of the job Rich enjoys most is CMM programming. He’s especially proud of integrating CMM inspection data directly into High QA, strengthening traceability and giving the team real-time insight into quality performance. He also takes pride in how far he’s come as a CMM programmer.

Rich’s manufacturing career began in high school at Old Colony RVTHS and continued at Acushnet Tool, where he programmed milling machines to produce molds. Along the way, his father had the biggest influence on his career, shaping the work ethic and standards he brings to MMC every day.

Today, Rich continues to sharpen his skills — focusing on management while constantly improving his CMM programming. He’s also interested in expanding into Mastercam in the future.

Outside the shop, Rich enjoys 3D printing, video games, and hiking. What keeps him motivated at MMC is seeing immediate results from his efforts.

To Rich, “precision customer service” is simple: shipping good product. And one value he sees throughout the MMC team is a shared drive to be the best at what we do.

That commitment to quality is why customers trust MMC — and why Rich’s role is so important to our success.

Protecting Your Parts Every Step of the Way

When you send work to Marzilli Machine Co., precision isn’t just something that happens on the machine. It continues through packaging, shipping, outside processing, and delivery. That’s why our Shipping Manager, Kim, spent time this week building a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to protect your parts beyond our doors.

While preparing components for anodizing, she documented the entire process—from how each part should be wrapped and secured, to how we label, track, and record documentation in ProShop. By converting her work into a visual step-by-step guide, Kim made it possible for anyone on our team to ship your parts exactly the right way, every time.

What does that mean for you?

Consistently protected parts during transit and finishing
Reliable documentation uploaded directly into your job record
Repeatable handling standards for every order, not just from one person
Reduced risk of scratches, dents, or mishandling

At MMC, we believe quality isn’t a department—it’s a system. And documenting how we ship your product is just one more way we protect your investment.

Your parts deserve precision from start to finish. And we’re building the processes that guarantee it.

Women Who Power Marzilli Machine Co.

At Marzilli Machine Co., great work starts with great people. And we’re lucky to have a team that includes seven women who help keep this shop running strong. In an industry where women make up less than 30% of the workforce, their presence here really stands out.

As an Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (EDWSOB) led by our CEO Lee Marzilli, representation isn’t something we talk about — it’s something we live every day. Lee’s leadership sets the tone for the culture at MMC: inclusive, disciplined, and focused on excellence.

Across the shop, the women of MMC keep work moving and standards high. In the front office, Sarah keeps operations organized and the entire company in line. Out on the floor, Crystal manages our tool crib with precision, making sure machinists have what they need to stay on task. Kim leads shipping and logistics, getting finished parts out the door accurately and on time. Lauren plays a key role in deburring, adding the finishing touches that ensure every part meets MMC’s standards for quality and craftsmanship. In Quality Control, Heidi helps uphold the accuracy and consistency our customers expect. And representing the company to the outside world, Emily drives our sales and marketing efforts, supporting growth and communication with customers.

Together, they bring skill, problem-solving, patience, precision, teamwork, and a whole lot of personality to MMC. They don’t just do important jobs — they help shape the way we work, support each other, and serve our customers.

We’re grateful to have them here and proud of what they bring to the shop every day. The future of manufacturing looks a lot like this team: diverse, driven, and built on talent.

To the women of MMC — thank you!

Meeting Marzilli – The Office Manager

This week we’re proud to highlight Sarah C., whose work plays a key role in the consistency, communication, and customer experience our partners rely on. As Marzilli Machine Company’s Office & Human Resource Manager, Sarah oversees the HR, accounting, and administrative systems that keep our operation aligned, organized, and responsive—ensuring our team can stay focused on delivering quality parts on time.

Sarah’s early passion for building and problem-solving shows up every day in the way she supports our workflows and strengthens the structure behind our production processes. By improving internal systems and communication channels, she helps create the environment where machinists, programmers, inspectors, and leadership can perform at their best—directly impacting the speed and reliability of the work we deliver to our customers.

She continues to expand her skills in financial and business analysis, sharpening the tools that allow us to plan more efficiently, communicate more clearly, and operate with greater transparency. Outside the shop, Sarah is a proud mom of two and is currently editing her novel with hopes of publishing.

What Sarah values most about MMC is the leadership’s commitment to investing in people. That culture—one built on accuracy, consistency, and reliability—is reflected in how we serve our customers every day. Her definition of “precision customer service” perfectly captures our approach: lead with excellence, stay dependable, and always keep quality at the center.

We’re fortunate to have Sarah supporting the foundation of MMC. Her work behind the scenes helps us deliver the level of service and precision our customers expect.

A New Era of Quoting at Marzilli Machine Co.

We’re excited to announce a major step forward in how we serve our customers: Marzilli Machine Co. has fully implemented Paperless Parts across our estimating and quoting workflow.

This investment enables us to deliver faster, cleaner, more secure quoting—and make it easier for our customers to get answers and place orders.

At MMC, our mission is simple: produce world-class components and make the customer experience frictionless end-to-end. Paperless Parts supports that mission.

What This Means For You

Faster quotes.
We’ve eliminated manual steps and disconnected spreadsheets. RFQs get processed faster, quotes go out quicker, and you get answers sooner.

Secure collaboration.
Paperless Parts is ITAR registered, CMMC aligned, and runs on AWS GovCloud—the same infrastructure trusted by the DoD. You can securely communicate with our team inside the platform with free encrypted messaging.

Smarter manufacturability insights.
The platform can automatically flag features that affect lead time, cost, and complexity—right from your model. This helps avoid issues early in the process and helps us price more accurately.

More transparent digital quotes.
Your quote will now show pricing right alongside your part files, including quantity breaks and expedite options. No black box. Just clear numbers, clearly presented. You can approve right from the platform.

We believe this shift will completely change the quoting experience—less waiting, less guessing, and more clarity.

Ready to see the difference?

Submit an RFQ here → Link to RFQ

Meeting Marzilli – The CEO

Welcome to Marzilli Machine Co’s third installment in the Meeting Marzilli series, today we talk with Lee Marzilli, the CEO of Marzilli Machine Co. Learning more about the owner of the company. Lee’s entrepreneurial journey starts in college, where she attended the University of Rhode Island, earning her Masters of Business Administration, as well as an undergrad in Psychology. In this blog we dive into Lee’s early ambitions before becoming a business owner, we then talk about the effect the business has had on her, and her future goals for Marzilli Machine Co. During our conversation, Lee also reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped her leadership style and the challenges she faced in the male-dominated manufacturing industry. As we cover her personal and professional growth, we get valuable insights into the evolving industry of CNC Machining.

We start today off discussing Lee’s education, then moving on to life before the business, what it was like starting Marzilli Machine, and any future goals she has for the company. As mentioned earlier, the first thing I discussed with Lee was her college education. I learned that she attended the University of Rhode Island. Where she earned her Masters of Business Administration, as well as her undergrad in Psychology. Following college, she planned on joining her mother in running the family bookkeeping business, Lee always had the goal of starting her own business, it runs in her blood. However, the bookkeeping business didn’t pan out the way she expected. Her mother wasn’t the only one in her family who had experience running a business. Lee’s grandparents owned a shop, and were active in CNC Machinery sales, introducing her to the industry at a young age. During her college studies, Lee secured a position as a Rite AID store manager, where she was able to start sharpening her team leadership skills from a young age, far before Marzilli Machine Co. would become a thing. This would eventually lead to her college graduation in 2013, where she would ultimately leave Rite AID, and join her husband, Jamie Marzilli, in leading Marzilli Machine Co. Onboarding into the manufacturing industry is not an easy task for anybody. The possibilities of CNC Machining, are seemingly endless, and always evolving, making it a notoriously difficult industry to master. However, in just three short years, Lee knew the industry like it was the back of her hand. She was able to learn and retain everything necessary to turn a piece of stock, into a complete part. I wanted to learn more about her onboarding process, as someone relatively new to the industry myself, I too know about some of the difficulty that comes with CNC Manufacturing. She made it clear that her biggest struggles when learning manufacturing were working drawing related. Deciphering complex prints can be extremely difficult, even for engineers, so it’s no surprise this was mentioned. Yet she was still able to pick this skill up, as well as everything else necessary, in that three year time frame. A true testament to her quick learning abilities.

We then moved on to discussing her work today, and how running the business has evolved over the years. When I asked her about her day-to-day focus, she went into depth about her accounting responsibilities. Lee always has her eyes on the numbers, and is constantly thinking about ways to take Marzilli Machine Co. to the next level. She is responsible for things such as in house finance, & payroll. Things that leave zero room for error. Not only does she handle this, but she also plays a huge role in the businesses quoting process. She has also been training the internal sales team to learn how to help her out with quoting, as the business is more demanding now than ever before. In fact, when I asked Lee about how being an entrepreneur has effected her personal life, she explained that she always feels like she is working, and now has little to no time to enjoy external activities. She stated that she enjoys her work, and is following her dream, so it doesn’t bother her, but it definitely took an adjustment period. I could only imagine how tiring that could be. I wondered what possibly could keep an individual so motivated, so naturally that had to be my next question, what keeps you going every day? Lee had an instant answer, almost before I finished asking the question! She said, without a doubt, her kids and family are the reason she’s so driven. She stated that she loves the fact she has free time to raise her children, and is not bound by a work schedule, as she is able to work from home as well. And she mentioned how it’s nice being able to bring the families dog to work, to spend time with the crew in the office. I switched up the conversation at this point to learn a bit about the future of the business. Lee had lots to say, making it clear to wants to improve the life of employees as much as possible. She is looking to add an in house daycare, to help decrease the living costs for employees. Not only a daycare, she also mentioned an in house gym, and even an in house school for machining, to allow employees to further their industry knowledge. Lee also put emphasis on how important the upcoming expansion is, so we can have enough space to add these amenities to the facility. The expansion is looking to be completed by spring 2024! During this expansion Marzilli Machine Co. is looking to heavily improve on automation skills, capitalizing on lights out machining to improve employee satisfaction and virtually delete some of the tedious tasks operators may have to deal with. Stay tuned for next weeks blog where we will be taking a deeper look at the upcoming expansion.

The Benefits of CNC Turning

The CNC lathe machine rough cutting the metal shaft parts with l

CNC Lathe about to begin turning operation

First and foremost, CNC turning enhances precision and accuracy. The computerized control of the machining tools allows for consistently tight tolerances and exacting specifications, reducing errors and minimizing material waste. Furthermore, CNC turning increases efficiency. With automated tool changes and continuous operation, it significantly reduces downtime, resulting in higher productivity and faster turnaround times for production runs. CNC turning also facilitates complex and intricate designs. The ability to create intricate shapes, threads, and profiles with ease enables the production of sophisticated components and parts. Cost-effectiveness is another advantage, as the process requires minimal manual labor and reduces the risk of errors that can lead to costly rework or scrap. In this blog, we will dive into each of these advantages, to find out how CNC Turning can personally benefit your CNC Manufacturing projects.

Live tooling in action during CNC Lathe turning operation.

Precision: CNC lathes are highly accurate and capable of producing intricate parts with tight tolerances. They can consistently repeat the same operations with minimal variation, leading to high-quality, reliable components.

Versatility: CNC lathes is capable of creating anything from simple to complex geometries. It’s suitable for producing prototypes, one-offs, and mass production runs, making it versatile for almost all industries and applications.
Efficiency: CNC turning is an efficient process that can run 24/7 with minimal human intervention, reducing labor costs and increasing productivity. Automated tool changes and tool path optimization help streamline the manufacturing process.
Consistency: CNC turning ensures consistent part quality and dimensional accuracy throughout a production run. This consistency is crucial when interchangeability and precision are essential.
Rapid Prototyping: CNC turning is suitable for prototyping because it allows for quick design changes and adjustments. This enables us to test and refine your designs before full-scale production.
Cost-Effective for Production: CNC is a cost-effective solution for large production runs due to its efficiency, consistency, and low labor requirements.

Integration with CAM Software: CNC Lathes machines can be easily programmed using our in house Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software, which simplifies the design-to-production workflow and reduces the potential for errors.
Design for Manufacturing: Design for Manufacturing (DFM) in CNC turning allows us to work with your team to streamline the design process, minimizing complexity, reducing the risk of errors, and optimizing tolerancing & material selection. These benefits ultimately lead to a cost-effective manufacturing process and higher quality parts.

Brief History

CNC Turning hasn’t always been what it is today. The industry shifted from punched cards, to Computer Numerical Control (CNC) in the 1950s, paving the way for incredible precision and automation. CNC Lathes could now complete complex designs with ease, making it a staple across various industries including aerospace, medical, firearms, defense, and many more. As tech continued to progress, so did the capabilities of CNC Turning. Lathes began to adapt to new materials like composites, and alloys. Today, CNC lathes have evolved into highly complex and intricate machines. They now have capabilities such as multi-axis control, real time monitoring, and live tooling. Not only did this increase efficiency for CNC turning, but it created new possibilities in terms of design complexity and production speed. In conclusion, the history of CNC turning continues to be innovative and exciting. From manual lathes to the computer controlled facilities we have today, these machines have come a long way, shaping the world of modern manufacturing. Be sure to stay updated on the blogs as we continue to cover upcoming industry innovations, as well as all the modern technology we use on a day-to-day basis to complete your manufacturing needs with ease. Contact us today to find out how we can help with your CNC Turning projects. Marzilli Machine Co. currently has 4 lathes, as well as live tooling and bar feeding capabilities. Call us today at 508-567-4145 or request a quote.

Meeting Marzilli – The President

Welcome to Marzilli Machine Co’s second installment in the Meeting Marzilli series, today we talk with Jamie Marzilli, the President of Marzilli Machine Co. Learning more about the owner of the company. Today’s post begins with us discussing life before the business, we then talk about things like the impact the business has had on him, as well as what the future holds for Marzilli Machine. We go into detail about the upcoming expansion, and how it will change the business substantially. As well as why he started machining, and what the trade means to him. Stay tuned for next week when we discuss CNC Turning in the next installment of Marzilli Monday!

We will start today off by talking about Jamie’s early professional life, What he did, and how he got to where he is today. One of the first things I asked him about was his education, and how he learned about machining & manufacturing. Jamie started high school at Tiverton High School, he then transferred to Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School after his freshman year, hoping to get into carpentry. After learning that the carpentry shop was full, Jamie’s choices were limited, as transfer students can’t explore all the trades at Diman such as regular applicants. Ultimately Jamie chose Machine Shop, his decision being driven by the fact that he knew people in the trade who were doing well for themselves, and he thought manufacturing was interesting. After a few weeks in the shop, he was hooked, and learning new things daily. After graduating from Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, Jamie went on to start his career as a job shop machinist. He spent most of his career at one shop, climbing the ranks into management. After a while, he became dissatisfied working with people who weren’t machinists, fueling the desire to start his own business. That was until one day, Lee Marzilli, Jamie’s wife, and CEO of Marzilli Machine Co., dared Jamie to start the business, in a game of truth or dare. This decision led us to where we are today. When I asked Jamie how his day to day has changed, he had a ton of answers for this one question. He talked a lot about his schedule, and how he feels as if he is always working. Even when away from “Work”, Jamie states that he is “always thinking about what’s required to get to the next level”. He’s always looking for ways to make himself better at what he does. I asked Jamie what he enjoyed most about owning a business, to which he replied “The freedom to choose my own path”. He talked about the drive he has to teach the next generation, and how he wants to have a lasting impact on the future of manufacturing. He is very thankful to have been given a unique skill set that allows him to help the next generation grow. And he feels an obligation to pay it forward.

I then changed the conversation to find out how he feels about being a business owner, asking him things such as how he stays motivated, and how the business affected his personal life. When it comes to motivation, Jamie had a lot to talk about. He mentioned how his kids, family, and his team keep him going. He feels the need to “finish what he started”, and he wants to hand a successful, strong business to his kids. Furthermore, he also mentioned that motivation isn’t everything, and discipline is a very important trait to have. When asked about his personal life, Jamie said that everything has changed. He has to stay mindful of his home-work life balance, and he feels “guilty” when not working. He stated that being a business owner has changed who he is as a person, and has become “a part of the definition of who he is”. I then asked about his struggles early on as a businessman, he talked about the difficulty of learning to think differently. He spoke about how he can’t think like a machinist anymore, and he has to look at things from multiple perspectives. I then shifted the conversation towards the future of Marzilli Machine Co. I wanted to know more about Jamie’s goals, and where he sees the business in a few years. When I asked him about his short term goals, he talked about his focus on the upcoming expansion. Putting most of his efforts into getting the company into a new, much larger facility, about 3x larger than our current shop. Jamie has a goal of reaching 10-12 million gross sales by 2028, and will do whatever it takes to get there. He states this will take around 50 employees to achieve. As of now, we are planning to have our grand reopening in spring of 2024. I then asked him how he plans on hiring that many people, finding 20 more like-minded, hard-working employees is no easy feat. He said that while important, talent isn’t everything, hard work is. He enjoys training new individuals through precise systems, and teaching them valuable skills. In fact, prior to owning the business, Jamie wanted to be a teacher. Going as far as getting his teaching license, he wanted to teach machining at his old school, however the position wasn’t available, leading us to where we are today. Everything happens for a reason.

Why Choose CNC Milling?

CNC milling, with its roots dating back to the mid-20th century, has evolved into a cornerstone of modern manufacturing. It relies on computer-guided precision to cut components from raw materials, enabling the creation of everything from intricate aerospace parts to custom firearm assemblies. The diversity of CNC milling machines ensures that there’s a machine tailored for almost any application, providing the industry with a versatile and adaptable tool for various projects. In this blog, we’ll discuss CNC milling, its numerous types and their applications, the benefits of choosing CNC milling for your project, ultimately arming you with the knowledge to optimize your manufacturing projects.

Precision.

CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling is a sophisticated machining process that relies on computer programs, typically G-Code, to precisely control milling machines. These programs control critical parameters such as cutting speeds, feed rates, and tool paths, ensuring every operation is executed accurately. The versatility of CNC milling is unmatched, enabling the machining of almost any material, from metals and plastics to composites and exotic materials. Moreover, CNC milling machines can operate on different axes, allowing for intricate and complex geometries that would be challenging to achieve using traditional machining methods. The introduction of 3rd, 4th, or 5th axis milling machines has expanded CNC milling’s capabilities, making it ideal for industries like aerospace, medical, firearms, prototyping, and defense, where multifaceted components are standard.

When it comes to precision, CNC milling has set new standards, with tolerances as tight as 0.0005 inches now being the standard in world-class machine shops. This level of precision not only reduces the need for extensive post-processing but also elevates the overall quality of the end product. Reduced post-processing and improved quality are only two advantages of CNC milling. It also offers enhanced efficiency, as these machines can operate continuously with minimal human intervention, resulting in reduced production time and labor costs. The repeatability and consistency of CNC milling make it an invaluable tool for mass production, where identical designs must be replicated across multiple workpieces. As CNC milling continues to evolve, it has become a cornerstone of modern manufacturing, influencing various industries and allowing precision that was once deemed impossible to produce.

Efficiency.

The benefits of CNC milling are not limited to precision and complexity. The efficiency brought to the table by CNC mills is a game changer. As mentioned before, the need for labor-intensive handwork, & post-processing is drastically decreased when using a proper milling machine. Additionally, CNC mills excel in significantly reducing the time it takes to produce parts. They succeed in minimizing material scrap, & operating unattended for extended amounts of time. CNC mills were designed with efficiency in mind, the automated tool changing system is another component that will help drive productivity and cost-effectiveness across numerous industries. Rapid prototyping and design iteration are simplified thanks to the efficiency benefits, meaning that prototypes and testing can easily be completed before committing to mass production. Successful rapid prototyping allows for parts to be refined and optimized, meaning that mass production will be completed precisely, and timely. Ultimately resulting in successful production schedules, and optimized resource utilization. Not only are you able to machine more intricate parts, while holding tighter tolerances, CNC milling allows you to do all of it at a faster rate.

Complexity.

Arguably the greatest benefit unlocked by CNC milling is the unparalleled complexity. 3D features that would challenge the limits of traditional methods, not only become feasible with CNC mills, but highly repeatable as well. 5th axis milling provides the ability to machine at multiple angles & orientations, without the need for repositioning the part, this is a valuable, time saving capability for intricate, multi faceted parts. 4th and 5th axis milling has become essential for milling parts with multiple angles and complex geometries. However, not all parts require 5th axis milling, in fact, 3rd axis milling is suitable for most basic parts. The number of necessary axes depends on the job, and is a direct correlation of the mills’ capability to machine multi sided parts. In industries such as aerospace, medical, firearms, defense, & OEM, tight tolerances and complex geometries have become the norm, meaning CNC milling isn’t going anywhere. The technologies’ capacity to create intricate and custom designs, while maintaining consistency and accuracy, has expanded the possibilities for innovation and product development. Ultimately enabling manufacturers to craft parts with intricate curves, and compound angles, that may have been seen as impossible in recent years.