How Bryant Machine Cut Cycle Time by 60% with DN Solutions Live Tooling

That structure never changed. Today Bryant Machine is a woman-owned, AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 certified, ITAR-registered precision shop with three generations of family involved. Linda Bryant, the majority owner, has led the business alongside her family since its earliest years. Kirklin Childs, Donald's grandson, returned to lead the company in late 2023 after a career as a mechanical engineer at Lockheed Martin. He came back with a notebook full of machine tool research, a plan to modernize the operation, and a clear picture of what he needed.

In two years, the company has tripled in revenue, grown from 8 to 20 employees, achieved AS9100D certification, and broken ground on a 25,000 square foot expansion scheduled to complete in late October 2026.

"I think I'm most proud of how our company has grown without losing its family business identity," Kirklin said.

From Overflow Work to AS9100D Certified Manufacturer

When Kirklin came back to Bryant Machine, the shop had eight employees and was largely taking overflow work from other shops. The equipment was aging and the range of work the shop could competitively pursue was limited.

What he inherited alongside those constraints was something harder to build: a culture, a reputation, and a family that had kept a precision shop running for 45 years. His mother and grandmother remain the majority owners. Jennifer, the compliance officer who joined from another branch of the family, enforces quality standards with enough conviction that the shop floor has taken to calling her "the warden."

Modernizing around that foundation meant investing in the right equipment and the right support relationships. For machines, that meant DN Solutions. For the distributor relationship, that meant Ellison Technologies.

Why DN Solutions and Why Ellison Technologies

Kirklin's path to DN Solutions started while he was still at Lockheed. He kept a notebook tracking research on machine tools: forums, videos, and industry conversations. DN Solutions kept surfacing as a reliable, repeatable platform for production turning work.

The connection to Ellison Technologies had a longer history than just Kirklin's research. Frank McDaniel, Bryant Machine's Ellison sales engineer, is the son of the man who sold Kirklin's grandfather a machine years earlier. "He knew of us," Kirklin said. "We kind of made that connection, and ever since then, we've had this partnership."

The machines Kirklin has purchased through Ellison include:

Two DN Solutions Lynx 2100 turning centers
Two PUMA 4100 turning centers, one with live tooling and long bed
A Lynx 2600 with sub-spindle and live tooling

At a 9,000 square foot facility with 10 CNC lathes and five mills already on the floor, every machine is earning its square footage. The three newest machines (the two PUMA 4100s and the Lynx 2600) are moving into the new 25,000 square foot facility in phase one of the expansion.

60% Cycle Time Reduction: Three Operations Become One

Before the live tooling machines came in, Bryant Machine was running a part they produce roughly 4,000 times a year across three separate operations:

Turning the part on a CNC lathe
Moving to a vertical mill to add a cross hole inside the threads
Moving to a Bridgeport for manual tapping

"Loading, unloading, and then tapping took forever," Kirklin said. "And we were going through taps as well."

With guidance from Frank and Dave Thomas at Ellison Technologies, Kirklin specified a machine with live tooling that could complete the part in a single setup. Turning, milling the cross hole, and tapping all happen in one cycle, on one machine, without the part changing hands.

The result was a 60 percent reduction in cycle time on that job. Bryant Machine runs that part approximately 4,000 times a year.

"Instead of having to go to those three operations, we went to one operation," Kirklin said.

That result unlocked something broader: the confidence to pursue work the shop previously could not handle. A long-standing customer came to Kirklin with a tight tolerance and finish requirement on a part Bryant Machine had been running in two operations for years. Because of the capability and confidence built around the DN Solutions machines, Kirklin said yes.

On a Friday, an operator bumped one of the machines. It did not shut the shop down completely, but Kirklin was not comfortable continuing to run production on a machine he was not certain about. He called the Ellison service team.

A technician drove from Vicksburg, Mississippi (Kirklin believes it was Sunday night or Monday morning), arrived at the shop, and had the machine diagnosed and corrected within a few hours. By the time the workweek started, Bryant Machine was running.

"It just made my confidence even more in Ellison and also in the machine that was correct," Kirklin said.

Kirklin names Frank McDaniel and Dave Thomas as the two Ellison contacts he relies on most. When he is evaluating a new machine or working through a production challenge, both are part of the conversation. "They know how to machine," he said. "So they're not going to sell me something that I'm not going to be happy with."

That extends to pushing back when a machine does not fit how Bryant Machine runs. "If I'm looking at a smaller machine, they're like, hey, you may not want this the way you run things."

For more on Ellison's service capabilities, visit ellisontechnologies.com/services.

The 25,000 square foot facility going up behind the current building is the physical expression of the plan Kirklin brought back from Lockheed. Phase one moves the three newest machines into the new space, creating room in the original building and setting up capacity for what comes next.

Kirklin is evaluating a DN Solutions vertical lathe to expand throughput on specific part families without adding proportional labor hours. He also has a customer in early discussions about a high-volume production program that would run entirely in the new facility.

"We would have basically the entire operation and just better serve our customer," he said.

The trajectory from overflow work and eight employees to AS9100D certification, 20 employees, and a facility under construction reflects what the right equipment and the right partner relationship can enable. "I don't view them as just a supplier as much as I view them as a straight up partner," Kirklin said. "A win for you is a win for me."

Read more customer stories from shops growing with Ellison Technologies.

FAQ Section

What does Bryant Machine Co. produce?

Bryant Machine Co., Inc. is a precision contract manufacturer in Jacksonville, Alabama serving military combat vehicles, water supply systems, electrical components, and aerospace and defense tooling. The shop operates 10 CNC lathes and five CNC mills, holds AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 certification, and is ITAR registered. Bryant Machine is a woman-owned, family-operated business in its third generation of family leadership.

What DN Solutions machines does Bryant Machine run?

Bryant Machine runs two DN Solutions Lynx 2100 turning centers, two PUMA 4100 turning centers (one with live tooling and long bed), and a Lynx 2600 with sub-spindle and live tooling, all purchased through Ellison Technologies. The live tooling machines were central to consolidating a three-operation part into a single-cycle process that reduced cycle time by 60 percent.

How did live tooling reduce Bryant Machine's cycle time by 60%?

Before adding a live tooling turning center, a key production part required three separate operations: CNC turning, milling a cross hole on a vertical mill, and manual tapping on a Bridgeport. Adding a DN Solutions turning center with live tooling allowed Bryant Machine to complete all three operations in a single setup on one machine, eliminating the transfers, fixturing, and manual tapping step entirely. Bryant Machine produces approximately 4,000 of these parts per year.

What is AS9100D certification?

AS9100D is the aerospace and defense quality management system standard that extends ISO 9001:2015 with additional requirements specific to aviation, space, and defense manufacturing. For a machine shop, AS9100D certification demonstrates that the quality management system, production processes, and documentation practices meet the standards required by aerospace and defense prime contractors.

How does Ellison Technologies support Bryant Machine?

Ellison Technologies serves as Bryant Machine's machine tool partner for DN Solutions equipment, providing sales engineering support through Frank McDaniel, application guidance from Dave Thomas, and service and maintenance support that includes rapid emergency response. Kirklin Childs describes the relationship as a partnership rather than a vendor relationship, with the Ellison team directly involved in evaluating new machines and production programs as Bryant Machine expands.

Where can I learn more about DN Solutions live tooling turning centers?

Ellison Technologies carries the full DN Solutions Lynx and PUMA lineup, including configurations with live tooling, sub-spindle, Y-axis, and long bed options. Visit ellisontechnologies.com/doosan/lynx-series or contact your local Ellison representative to discuss the right configuration for your application.

See What the Right Machine Can Do for Your Shop

Bryant Machine's story is not unique to them. Shops across the country are cutting setups, reducing cycle times, and winning work they previously could not quote by putting the right machine and the right support relationship in place.

If you are running multi-operation turning jobs that could be consolidated, or evaluating live tooling for the first time, the Ellison Technologies team can help you model what that looks like for your specific parts and production volumes.

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