Machining.Blog® is a weekly blog focused on manufacturing career development. It features blog articles on the fundamentals of manufacturing for aspiring machinists. Our goal is to create an interest in manufacturing in the USA. Our writer Matthew Schowalter has worked in manufacturing for 24 years, and he covers the topics that matter to someone starting their career in manufacturing.
“The soft skills the machinist uses are the unseen tools in their box and can directly impact the success or failure of a dreamed after machining career.”
All in Machinist
When a business donates equipment to a technical education classroom, even a small donation can make a great impact on the program. An even greater impact can be made on the students in the program, according to James Peter. James is the technical education teacher at Ozaukee High School in Fredonia Wisconsin.
Adapting to the shortage of workers was hard and it is getting harder. In my time as a machine shop leader at a medical manufacturing company the shortage of workers was present for many years before I started to analyze the manufacturing industry. I started looking into the problem by reaching out to students at a career fair in 2016. Out of the 1,000 students that attended the career fair, we found about ten students that were engaged in manufacturing. That one percent of students that were engaged all told us that they had a relative that worked in manufacturing, so they wanted to do the same. It was at that point that I opened my eyes to some of the issues that the industry faces.
A manufacturing career was not the first plan for Alex’s career, but he gave it a consideration and a try after discussing with someone close to him. This career change happened in 2017 after he spent several years working in the restaurant industry as a busboy and a line cook. From there he went to technical school for a semester for computer programming, but he cancelled that plan after trying to take nineteen credits in one semester.
I started my career in tool and die making without having a grasp of what it actually was. Over the years, I have worked with many tool and die makers that said the same thing. I now explain it to people as a tool and die maker makes industrial tools which make parts. There are several main types of industrial tools, they are typically molds and stamping dies.
Do You Have the Important Qualities for a Career in Machining?
Do you have a mechanical skillset?
Are you a technical person?
Do you excel at math?
If so, consider a career as a Machinist or Tool and Die Maker
Mathematical Skills - Ability to add, subtract, multiply, divide, and compute basic trigonometry functions while choosing the right methods to solve the problem
Reasoning Ability - Ability to use common sense understanding and solve problems
Oral Comprehension - Ability to listen and understand information spoken
Computer Literacy - Ability to use a computer and work with Microsoft Office programs
Mechanical / Technical Skills - Must operate lathes, mills, grinders and other computer controlled machines
Machinists make components and parts on computer controlled manufacturing equipment such as a CNC lathe or a CNC mill.
Tool and die makers make tool, die and mold components and other industrial tools on manual and CNC equipment. They also fit the components together and align and assemble the industrial tools.
Tiger Manufacturing is a school based business in Webster High School in Webster Wisconsin. It is a business run inside the schools technical education program. The program is run by the teacher Roy Ward. I asked Roy a few questions about the program and the implementation of the cobot on the CNC lathe.
