SMI Metal Precision

CNC Machining Careers in Houston, TX — Large-Diameter Precision Machining | CNC Turning, Milling & Weld Overlay | Aerospace, Power Generation & Oil & Gas

🔎 At a glance

Company Name: SMI Metal Precision
Location: Houston, TX 77039
Founded: 1978
Shop Type: Build-to-Print Contract Machine Shop
Industries Served: Aerospace, Power Generation, Oil & Gas (expanding into Mining and Space)
Production Style: Prototype, low-rate initial production, and production
Machining Capabilities: CNC Vertical/Horizontal Turning, 3- to 5-Axis Milling, Weld Overlay (Cladding)
Materials: Carbon steel through superalloys
Certifications: AS9100, ISO, ITAR

🏭 About SMI Metal Precision

SMI Metal Precision is a family-owned precision machine shop in north Houston, just minutes from Bush Airport. The company started in 1978 as an oil and gas equipment manufacturer and grew into a build-to-print contract machine shop, taking on turning, milling, and weld overlay work for customers with demanding requirements. Today SMI supports prototype, low-rate initial production, and full production volumes for aerospace, power generation, and oil and gas customers.

Under its current ownership for the past two years, the shop is repositioning away from oil-and-gas-only work toward mining, space, and other complex-component industries. The roughly 30-person team machines large-diameter components that move directly into assembly, working from rolled rings, open and closed die forgings, castings, plate, bar, and tube in materials that range from carbon steel to superalloys.

The floor is built for big work. SMI runs more than 25 CNC machines, including 17 vertical and horizontal lathes that turn up to 100 inches in diameter and 10 CNC mills running 3 to 5 axes, with 25 tons of lifting capacity to handle heavy workpieces. The High Bay section is climate-controlled and served by a 25-ton overhead crane. Weld overlay (cladding) is done in-house on two ARC-05 overlay machines, so more of each job stays under one roof. Now SMI is building a brand-new second shift in the High Bay and is looking for experienced machinists to start it.

👍 Why you'll like working here

This is a chance to help build something rather than step into an established crew. SMI is standing up a brand-new second shift from scratch in its High Bay section, and the machinist openings are founding seats on that team.

The work is big and varied: large-diameter parts, heavy workpieces moved with a 25-ton overhead crane, and a mix of vertical turning, milling, and horizontal boring in a climate-controlled High Bay. The parts you machine are finished precision components that go directly into assembly.

It is a family-owned shop of roughly 30 people that has been in business in Houston since 1978 and is deliberately moving into mining, space, and other complex-component work. SMI is also open to funding relocation for the right candidates, and the shop sits minutes from Bush Airport in north Houston.

⚙️ What you'll be working on

Large-diameter and heavy components for aerospace, power generation, and oil and gas customers, built to customer prints from rolled rings, open and closed die forgings, castings, plate, bar, and tube in materials from carbon steel to superalloys. Depending on the seat, you'll set up and run CNC vertical turning on a GNL VTC-2000 mill-turn with Siemens 840D control, or horizontal boring mill work on a Kuraki KBT-13 with Fanuc control. Work runs from prototype and low-rate initial production through full production, and SMI lists machine accuracy to 0.0002 inch.

⭐ Shop highlights

• In business in Houston since 1978, more than 40 years
• Family-owned, roughly 30-person team
• AS9100, ISO, and ITAR credentials
• More than 25 CNC machines: 17 vertical and horizontal lathes and 10 mills (3- to 5-axis)
• Turning up to 100 inches in diameter and 120 inches long; milling up to 90 inches high and 118 inches long
• Climate-controlled High Bay with a 25-ton overhead crane
• In-house weld overlay (cladding) on two ARC-05 machines
• Brand-new second shift being built, with relocation assistance available

🛠️ Machines & technology

CNC Mills: 10 CNC mills, 3- to 5-axis, up to 90 inches high and 118 inches long; Kuraki KBT-13 horizontal boring mill with Fanuc control
CNC Lathes / Mill-Turn: 17 CNC vertical and horizontal lathes turning up to 100 inches in diameter and 120 inches long; GNL VTC-2000 CNC vertical turning lathe / mill-turn with Siemens 840D control
Other Production Equipment: 25-ton overhead crane and 25 tons of lifting capacity; two ARC-05 weld overlay machines (inside diameters down to 2 inches)

A full machine list by brand and model has not been published.

📏 Quality & inspection

SMI Metal Precision lists AS9100, ISO, and ITAR credentials and states machine accuracy down to 0.0002 inch. The shop builds to customer print for aerospace, power generation, and oil and gas customers across prototype through production volumes. Specific inspection equipment, such as CMMs and SPC systems, has not been published.

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