Use-case bays for South African workshops

How to use the bay paths

A bay sets out a typical plant setup for a specific job type, such as signage, cabinetry, marking, schools, high-dust inland work, or export. Each one is drawn from real South African floors, showing how the right combination of Feature Equipment machines, fixtures and daily routines covers the jobs you face each week.

Use these bay paths to compare which equipment mix matches your workload. You will see which CNCs, extractors and accessories are needed for different shift patterns, climates or skills. This helps you plan for steady runs, quick changeovers or the odd urgent repair, whether you are dealing with Highveld fine dust, coastal rust, or mixed contract work.

Picking the right bay for your workshop

Start by matching your main production job to the closest bay: do you need neat lettering cut on acrylic, square cabinet panels, metal tags, or quick job shop repairs? The bay list explains which Feature Equipment family, router, plasma, engraver, laser, lathe, waterjet or press brake, handles each main task, and which accessories keep quality up and downtime down.

Each bay includes practical advice: typical weekly routines, cleaning and maintenance, power backup tips for outages, and how to keep your setup compliant with health and safety regulations. Consider your plant climate, shift habits, and staff skills to find the bay that best fits your workshop’s reality.

• Match your routine jobs to the closest bay
• Check machine, accessory and maintenance needs
• Plan for your workshop’s power, dust and climate conditions
• Use bay advice to guide safe, efficient CNC use