Author: Joe Jackson

CRIBSHEET – #115: Paint Your Edge to Gain an Edge!

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PMPA Craftsman Cribsheet #115:
Paint Your Edge to Gain an Edge!

Kindergarten skills for the shop. Do you color your inserts?

Published May 1, 2023

By David Wynn, Technical Services Manager, PMPA

This is not a discussion of children coloring their coloring page inserts from a children’s book. I am literally asking how many of you out in the shop color your carbide inserts. If you don’t color them, then how do you know what edge is good? What edge is bad? This is a simple visual management tool to help our shop performers identify the edges that will result in trouble-free production. No matter when you go back to a holder, you always know where that insert stands. Visual management gives an immediate positive report on the status of the tool. No more guessing if the edge has been previously used. It looks good. How do we know?

It is often hard to tell when an insert is worn. The obvious ones are the chipped out or cracked in half. How about when you get a job that requires tight surface finish requirements and a worn insert is totally unnoticeable other than the resulting cut. This is where a paint marker designed to mark on oily surfaces comes in handy. The simplest solution is a one-color system. Red for a bad edge and that is it. But consider a three-colored approach to enable the most life out of your inserts:

Red for bad edge. You are not using this edge again no matter what. Used 90% of the time.

Yellow for reusable edge. You would not use a yellow edge on a part that needs some super surface finish or tight tolerance, but when you have a ± 0.015″ bushing and just need a cutoff insert, this will definitely work. Used about 7% of the time.

Green for good edge but has been used. This is reserved for only those times you go to the lathe and drill a hole in a 12L14 or 360 brass ejector. This drill is still brand new, but the color lets us know it has been used. Used less than 3% of the time.

The next time you go to a drawer and look at a load of holders and wonder which of these inserts are used, look for your colored edge so that you know. Better yet, put the inserts away instead of leaving them in the holder. Now you can go to a box of inserts and easily see how many edges you really have. How many times have you ordered a box of inserts only to find 10 holders with that insert already in it? Visual management by applying simple color codes to your tooling will save you thousands of wasted dollars in inserts of uncertain status, locked up in holders. So, add a little color the next time you go to change an insert. Add a little color and you will always have confidence in the status of your edge. Use visual management to give you an edge!

 

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ARTICLE – Markets Served — Who Knew?

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Markets Served — Who Knew?

PMPA members shared the markets they served in 2022. The top 5 may surprise you.

by Miles Free III

Director of Industry Affairs, PMPA

Published May 1, 2023

Every year, the PMPA does a survey of our membership to determine the critical topics they are seeing as we prepare
for our advocacy in Washington D.C. before Congress and working with executive branch agencies. This year’s survey
showed continued high interest in many areas of concern, particularly around expensing, depreciation and recovering research and development investments. But the surprising takeaway for me was to see how the percentage of shops serving the various market segments has changed just since last year.

Historically, the top five markets most heavily served by our North American precision machining shops have been light vehicle, aerospace, medical device and implant, industrial machinery and equipment, and agricultural equipment/off highway. One of the interesting facts is that in many years, the category “all other” is often the third or fourth largest category — our shops’ high precision, high-performance components empower many different systems in a wide variety of industries. This year, “all other” came in eighth position showing just how strongly the demand from our primary markets has been. This year’s surprise? Oil and gas customers were the second place market served with 61% of survey respondents reporting sales to that industry.

Industrial machinery and equipment came in first position, claiming shipments from 66% or two thirds of respondents.
Automotive light truck came in third position tied with medical with 55% of this year’s survey respondents producing parts for those industries. Agriculture and off road came in fourth place, tied with defense/ordnance at 53% of respondents producing for these industries. Aerospace, typically our shops number two or three industry in terms of
being served by our shops, came in fifth position, tied with heavy truck which is served by half of our survey participants.
Appliances, electronics, telecommunications, new/renewable energy (think solar, wind, hydro) and computer/business machines filled the remainder of named markets served.

Every shop is different, and even though many shops use similar machine tools, equipment and technology, each organization has its own strengths and focus as far as understanding and meeting customer requirements — both explicit and implicit. But what the shifting number of shops serving each of these different markets showed me is
that our shops also have a flexibility, an agility to meet the needs of the greater market. Yes, a shop may be a strong
provider of high-volume, low-mix critical components for autos and light trucks, but that does not mean they cannot
also be a supplier for a variety of other components in smaller quantities for other industries.

The greatest surprise to me, however, from this year’s survey results, was the strong showing of oil/gas as the market served by the second largest cohort of shops in our survey. I would never have thought that oil/gas — aka dinosaur juice, according to the pundits inside the beltway — would be the second most important market for our shops for contract parts production. And yet we are. This flies in the face of all of the policy and legislative initiatives for reducing CO2, climate change and ESG considerations in the federal government — I counted 54 separately listed entries in the Energy Information Administration’s Table 1 Included and excluded Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provisions in the Annual Energy Outlook 2023 publication.

Despite the reports and forecasts of energy-related CO2 emissions falling 25%-38% below 2005 levels, our shops are
finding components for oil and gas to be the second largest segment of their current book of business. If we were to
add the percentage of shops also claiming renewable and new energy production orders market, the percentage of
shops serving “all energy” rises to number one position — with the largest number of our shops producing components.

Our takeaways? Despite all of the press attention on new and renewable energy, and CO2 reduction, the oil and gas market is surprisingly our industry’s second-ranked market served by percentage of shops responding. It is second to industrial machinery and equipment, ahead of automotive and light truck in third position, with medical and aerospace tying for fourth.  is ranking is quite an upset. All of these markets are human-safety critical, where requirements for safety, quality and integrity of product are of the highest importance.

For the old timers who think our industry is just about hose fittings and high volumes of commodity parts, our latest survey tells a much different story. We are the people that make things. Things that provide all of us with energy.
Energy that makes things go. Without energy there is no supply chain — nor need for one. Take the reports of the
impending death of dino juice and ICE vehicles with a healthy dose of critical thinking. While these markets are
expected to decline, our shops are currently finding plenty of opportunity to add value as they produce needed critical
components. In the long term, our parts count and book of business could shrink. But we were completely surprised
to see that the oil/gas market is, as of 2023, our second largest market served.

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Author

Miles Free III is the PMPA Director of Industry Affairs with over 50 years of experience in the areas of manufacturing, quality and steelmaking. Miles’ podcast is at pmpa.org/podcast. Email Miles

ARTICLE – Human Resources: Brenda Diehl and Diane Ferrera

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Human Resources: Brenda Diehl and Diane Ferrera

Two women share their journeys to manufacturing and human resources, and give advice to anyone seeking a career in manufacturing.

by Carli Kistler-Miller

Director of Programs & Marketing, PMPA

Published May 1, 2023

Parts don’t get made without employees and the Human Resources (HR) Department handles recruitment, retention, compensation, benefits, training and more. The list is much longer, but, at its core, HR takes care of the employees. Brenda Diehl is the HR manager for Bracalente Manufacturing Group in Trumbauersville, Pennsylvania, and Diane Ferrera is the director of human resources for AccuRounds in Avon, Massachusetts. Both women share
their journey to manufacturing.

Brenda Diehl’s Journey
Brenda earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, then took a job as a restaurant manager. Knowing it wasn’t a good fit, she took some business classes at the local community college and provided general office help for Bracalente through a temp agency. She learned as much as she could about the business and, when the position opened, the HR manager position was ordered to her. “I like to say Ron Bracalente and I grew up together at Bracalente,” she says. Brenda continues reflecting on her 34 years in HR, “The company continues to grow and thrive every day and so do we!” Brenda loves helping people and problem-solving. She enjoys making a difference in the employees’ lives, their families and being in a position to help the company.

Diane Ferrera’s Journey
After earning her associates degree in science, Diane worked for a food distributer and retail grocery chain, and was exposed to a broad range of business processes. She worked her way up to human resource manager while earning dual bachelor’s degrees in education and psychology/sociology.
She was then hired into manufacturing in HR, which led to her current position at AccuRounds. Diane enjoys working with people and enjoys learning. “For a small company with limited resources, AccuRounds is progressive and has a forward-thinking mindset,” Diane says. “I am privileged to be entering my 18th year at AccuRounds and I have seen countless improvements made to our work environment and culture.”

Advice to Women (or Anyone) Seeking a Career in Manufacturing
Brenda’s advice to those seeking a manufacturing career is, “Do it. Manufacturing in the U.S. isn’t going anywhere, A career in manufacturing provides it all — longevity, challenge, reward, community and connection. We need the best and the brightest. Commit to being something bigger than yourself.” Diane’s advice to those seeking a manufacturing career is, “Learning is a lifelong journey. There are different career paths available, and many skills are
transferable into other fields and industries, so don’t limit yourself. Manufacturing is waiting for you.”

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Author

Carli Kistler-Miller, MBA has over 25 years of experience with
communications, event/meeting planning, marketing, writing and
operations. Email: gro.apmp@rellimc — Website: pmpa.org.

PODCAST – Live from the PMPA PMTS Booth

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PMPA Speaking of Precision Podcast:

Live from the PMPA PMTS Booth

 

PMPA took the podcast on the road to PMTS in Cleveland, Ohio! Listen as a wide variety of guests drop by the PMPA booth.

Published May 1, 2023

 

 

2023 PMPA’s NTC / PMTS Wrap Up

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NTC 2023 Wrap Up

 

The National Technical Conference held in Cleveland, Ohio last week was a big success!  We had 292 members attend from 96 companies and 106 first timers.  Networking, learning and problem-solving filled the sessions, hallways and gatherings.  A big thank you to all our speakers, mentors and members of the Technical Program Committee – you make this conference valuable. 

Another big thank you to our sponsors whose support helps keep the registration fees reasonable.

 

All conference speaker slide decks are now available for download (PDFs) at the link below.  They are password-protected (you’ll need your PMPA passwords to access).

 

 

PRESENTATIONS / SESSION RECORDINGS

 

 

Print Session Discussion

  interactive discussions during a session

Miles Free teaching a session on CHIPS!

Save the date for NTC 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio, April 28-30, 2024!

 

PMTS 2023 Wrap Up

PMTS 2023 was the biggest show ever, featuring 322 exhibitors and over 6,500 registered attendees! Thank you to everyone who stopped by the PMPA booth – it was great to see you! 

 

PMPA Staff recorded several Speaking of Precision podcast conversations in our booth and had wonderful discussions with our members.  Watch for that special event podcast to be released on Monday, May 1 on major podcast platforms and on PMPA.org

 

 

 

Winner of the PMPA Gerstner tool box was…
PMPA member Sara Burns of B.I.C. Precision Machine Co., Inc. in Blanchester, Ohio. 
Congratulations, Sara!!

 

 

 

PODCAST – Roundness

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PMPA Speaking of Precision Podcast:

Roundness

 

How can we possibly thrive in the turned product industry without a great understanding of roundness? As it turns out there is quite a bit to understand.

Published April 17, 2023

 

 

ARTICLE – Quality: Anisa Ali and Lisa Carrothers

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Quality: Anisa Ali and Lisa Carrothers

Two women share their journeys to manufacturing and quality, and give advice to anyone seeking a career in manufacturing.

by Carli Kistler-Miller

Director of Programs & Marketing, PMPA

Published April 1, 2023

Making parts is one thing. Making sure the parts are perfect is another.  e quality department ensures that parts are made to spec, free of burrs and defects, and are properly cleaned. Anisa Ali is the continuous quality improvement (CQI) lead inspector at Pioneer Service Inc. in Chicago, Illinois. Lisa Carrothers is the quality assurance manager at H&R Screw Machine Products Inc. in Reed City, Michigan. Both women share their journey to manufacturing.

Anisa Ali’s Journey
Anisa started her career working at a laundromat, however, Pioneer Service owner, Aneesa Muthana, offered her a part-time position. Anisa enjoyed learning the steps in shipping, inspecting parts and understanding the process of precision machining. Eventually, Anisa became a full-time employee and earned her position as the CQI lead inspector. She is currently training to become a quality inspector, not only visually but also working with technology.
Anisa enjoys the quality department and is eager to make sure parts are shipped correctly and cleanly. She is always looking to learn new skills and loves being involved with continuous improvement. She takes pride in her work. “I love when I am able to identify problems that may occur which reduces the amount of potential errors,” Anisa says. “I know that the parts that ship to our customers are important to many industries. I love that we make a difference.”

Lisa Carrothers’ Journey
Lisa started her career as a waitress and entered manufacturing at a facility that produced plastic-injected parts. She was then hired at another facility as a shift leader. Soon after that facility closed, Lisa took a temporary position at H&R Screw Machine Products. In 1997, she was hired full time and worked in the secondary department. Five years later, she was asked to join the shipping department and, after a short time, was promoted to the shipping manager. During this time, she took some business courses in college thinking it would advance her career; however, it was Tom Halladay, co-owner of H&R Screw Machine Products, who gave her a chance. He was looking for a quality manager and asked Lisa.
Lisa had concerns that she didn’t have quality experience and Tom chuckled and replied, “What do you think you’ve been doing the last 17 years?” With that confidence boost, Lisa took the position and loves it. Lisa attends PMPA National Technical Conferences to further her skill set and network. She is also a member and former chair on the PMPA Quality Committee. She loves that she is seeing more and more women at PMPA events and serving on committees.

Advice to Women (or Anyone) Seeking a Career in Manufacturing
Anisa’s advice to those seeking a career in manufacturing is “Keep in mind that you are capable and can be as talented as anyone else in manufacturing. If your passion is manufacturing, there’s nothing that can stop you other than yourself. Find mentors that will help you in achieving your goal.” Anisa adds, “Be yourself. Don’t try to change yourself in order to fit in. Know your worth. Although it is a male-dominated industry, know that you’re making a difference and that many women have built successful careers in manufacturing.

Lisa’s advice to those seeking a career in manufacturing is “Don’t give up, Try! Try! Try! There are many areas in manufacturing today. Technology is playing a huge role in quality. Just a few years ago it was rare for a small company
to own a CMM or Vision system. We need engineers, setup technicians, programmers, machinists and the list goes on and on. Considering a career in manufacturing usually involves no college courses and most companies are willing to train you as H&R Screw was willing to train me.”

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Author

Carli Kistler-Miller, MBA has over 25 years of experience with
communications, event/meeting planning, marketing, writing and
operations. Email: gro.apmp@rellimc — Website: pmpa.org.

STATE OF MANUFACTURING – Ohio Manufacturing

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STATE OF MANUFACTURING – Ohio Manufacturing

by Joe Jackson

Marketing & Events Assistant, PMPA

Published April 1, 2023

Fabricated Metal Products Manufacturing is a subsector of manufacturing that makes critical goods from metal components.

Precision Turned Products Manufacturing is a subsector of fabricated metal product manufacturing that makes the components that MAKE IT WORK!

 

Annual Economic Output

Ohio Manufacturing
NAICS 31-33
$114,760,000,000

Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
NAICS 332
$28,768,890,000

Precision Turned Product Manufacturing
NACIS 332721
$1,930,688,000

OHIO MANUFACTURING ACCOUNTS FOR

Manufacturing Is Productivity –16.2% of Ohio’s total output (GDP)

Manufacturing Builds Businesses – 12,371 manufacturing establishments are in the state of Ohio. Ohio ranks second nationally in the total number of new site selections for manufacturing over the past nine years.

Manufacturing Creates Jobs – 12.22% of all Ohio employees are in the manufacturing sector. (660,000 employees)

Manufacturing Earns Export Dollars – Ohio manufactured goods exports were valued at $51 Billion.

 

Manufacturing produces for OHIO!

  • Manufacturing is Ohio’s largest industry.
  • Manufacturing is the largest GDP producer in Ohio.
  • Manufacturing is the source of Ohio’s largest exports.
  • Ohio manufacturing leads the U.S. in plastic and rubber, fabricated metal products, electrical equipment and appliances.

 

Manufacturing produces careers in Ohio that are profitable.

  • Manufacturing jobs pay, on average, 36% more than the average job in Ohio with an average salary of $82,272.32 per year. ($57,543 average salary in Ohio)
  • 8 of the top 20 employers in Ohio are manufacturers!

 

Sources: NAM.org, US Census, ohiomfg.com

Data selected to show relative values. May not be directly comparable due to differences in sampling, analysis, or date obtained.

 

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Author

Joe Jackson

Marketing & Events Assistant, PMPA

Email: gro.apmp@noskcajj — Website: pmpa.org.