Bruno Batalia
Plastic
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2008
- Location
- Orchard Park, N.Y.
Where am I in comparison to my fellow machinist out there
Hello all, let me first start of by saying I am not posting this to gloat or pat myself on the back. Or for any other sort of self rewarding reason. I simply wonder where I stand. A brief intro, I am 25 years old and have been a machinist for 6-6 1/2 years. I started fresh outta high school. I had no clue what the trade entailed only that the ad in the local paper stated starting pay was $9 an hour. I started at a job shop running CNC 3 & 4 axis mills and 2 Axis lathes. The shop did alot of medical and government work. They also came up with a line of after market parts for motorcycles. I Began as most people just running machines and doing simple checks on the parts. There was a certain wow factor about the process to me....you take a piece of bar stock and make a functioning part So i started asking alot of questions and looking over everyones shoulders. After a year or so I started setting up machines primarily CNC mills. I soon after was in charge of 3-5 operators. I showed them how to load/unload the machines. Did 1st article inspections as well as in process inspections for the operators. I showed operators how to read inspection equipment, and how to preform some of the simpler frequency checks on the parts they were running. The shop really got busy which was not so good for me. The started having pretty much everyone run machines...no more learning ( which I understand from their side ) I then started working for the place where am now.
A unique situation i believe. Where I work is not a machine shop. We sell and assemble safety relief valve. I machine the internal components and some of the smaller valve bodies. When I first started I ran a manual lathe and mill, which was a bit of a learning curve from my previous CNC experience. I learned alot of good information and it is nice to have that background now. Mind you aside from the 1st day i was there and the previous person showing me how to turn the lathe on and off and where the spindle speed settings were, I pretty much had to teach myself
I got through it and had alot of fun. We got really busy which was good for me this time. My boss sat down with me and told me about the plan to start doing alot more in house manufacturing and to accomplish this we would be buying a full CNC lathe. Heres the kicker he wanted me to run the show as well as pick the lathe out...true story I thought he was just messing with me at first but he wasn't. It was alot to take in but he said he had all the confidence in me ( glad someone did lol ) That brings us to the present. We purchased a Mazak Nexus QT 200 no live tooling or sub spindle. It does have a parts catcher. Great machine...love it actually. I now am the sole point of contact for all in house machining needs. I from time to time go to other machine shops to help them if they are having trouble with our parts. I do all the short production runs of the more exotic materials IE) Duplex, Inconel, Monel... those types of bastards ( 98% of everything else is 316 stainless ). I modify exsiting parts if needed. I also do alot or R&D and proto-type work. I Buy all the raw materials and tooling. Write all the programs make all the fixtures. Set up, prove out and run the machines. Preform all the initial and in process and final inspections. I Came up with all the forms and procedures for what we do in house. I don't mean to make myself out to sound like gods answer to manufacturing and if i did I apologize I just want everyone to know what it is I do here because having said all that I realize that not having that more experienced veteran if you will, Someone to say theres a better way to do that or a more efficient way. I feel that kinda puts me at a disadvantage at times. Thats why I posted this lengthy ramble. I would like the opinions of all the veterans, they guys who have been around the block, shop owners. I want to know where do you think I stand? how competent would you say I am? would you hire someone like me? I have aspirations of opening my own shop someday, and I hope I am on the right path. I know theres plenty more for me to learn in this amazing trade/skill and I love learning about every nook and cranny .. so go ahead sock it to me ( be easy on me please LOL )
Respectfully,
Lukus- Orchard Park N.Y.
Ps) thanks for your time in reading this.
Hello all, let me first start of by saying I am not posting this to gloat or pat myself on the back. Or for any other sort of self rewarding reason. I simply wonder where I stand. A brief intro, I am 25 years old and have been a machinist for 6-6 1/2 years. I started fresh outta high school. I had no clue what the trade entailed only that the ad in the local paper stated starting pay was $9 an hour. I started at a job shop running CNC 3 & 4 axis mills and 2 Axis lathes. The shop did alot of medical and government work. They also came up with a line of after market parts for motorcycles. I Began as most people just running machines and doing simple checks on the parts. There was a certain wow factor about the process to me....you take a piece of bar stock and make a functioning part So i started asking alot of questions and looking over everyones shoulders. After a year or so I started setting up machines primarily CNC mills. I soon after was in charge of 3-5 operators. I showed them how to load/unload the machines. Did 1st article inspections as well as in process inspections for the operators. I showed operators how to read inspection equipment, and how to preform some of the simpler frequency checks on the parts they were running. The shop really got busy which was not so good for me. The started having pretty much everyone run machines...no more learning ( which I understand from their side ) I then started working for the place where am now.
A unique situation i believe. Where I work is not a machine shop. We sell and assemble safety relief valve. I machine the internal components and some of the smaller valve bodies. When I first started I ran a manual lathe and mill, which was a bit of a learning curve from my previous CNC experience. I learned alot of good information and it is nice to have that background now. Mind you aside from the 1st day i was there and the previous person showing me how to turn the lathe on and off and where the spindle speed settings were, I pretty much had to teach myself
I got through it and had alot of fun. We got really busy which was good for me this time. My boss sat down with me and told me about the plan to start doing alot more in house manufacturing and to accomplish this we would be buying a full CNC lathe. Heres the kicker he wanted me to run the show as well as pick the lathe out...true story I thought he was just messing with me at first but he wasn't. It was alot to take in but he said he had all the confidence in me ( glad someone did lol ) That brings us to the present. We purchased a Mazak Nexus QT 200 no live tooling or sub spindle. It does have a parts catcher. Great machine...love it actually. I now am the sole point of contact for all in house machining needs. I from time to time go to other machine shops to help them if they are having trouble with our parts. I do all the short production runs of the more exotic materials IE) Duplex, Inconel, Monel... those types of bastards ( 98% of everything else is 316 stainless ). I modify exsiting parts if needed. I also do alot or R&D and proto-type work. I Buy all the raw materials and tooling. Write all the programs make all the fixtures. Set up, prove out and run the machines. Preform all the initial and in process and final inspections. I Came up with all the forms and procedures for what we do in house. I don't mean to make myself out to sound like gods answer to manufacturing and if i did I apologize I just want everyone to know what it is I do here because having said all that I realize that not having that more experienced veteran if you will, Someone to say theres a better way to do that or a more efficient way. I feel that kinda puts me at a disadvantage at times. Thats why I posted this lengthy ramble. I would like the opinions of all the veterans, they guys who have been around the block, shop owners. I want to know where do you think I stand? how competent would you say I am? would you hire someone like me? I have aspirations of opening my own shop someday, and I hope I am on the right path. I know theres plenty more for me to learn in this amazing trade/skill and I love learning about every nook and cranny .. so go ahead sock it to me ( be easy on me please LOL )
Respectfully,
Lukus- Orchard Park N.Y.
Ps) thanks for your time in reading this.
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