Bracket 102

[toprecycler]

Originally Posted by threepiece

I was (recently retired) working for a company being paid hourly at the time. Since I was the only one capable of making such parts I dictated how they were made and how long it would take.

It was a pretty good gig until the company invested in 3D printers. I went from being the “go to fabricating guru” to an out cast simply because I chose not to acclimate to computer controlled machines. I lacked understanding and comfort with computers. There were others in the organization who were more adept at pushing buttons, they now run the show.

I hope you were at a point to where you are happy being retired. And just not forced out because you didn’t want to learn the new way of fabricating. It can be very difficult and stressful learning something new.

But, the catch -22 is, if the company invested in new technology to help speed prototypes and efficiency up, then they need to get payback on the machines. I understand the old guys are a dying breed these days.

My workplace is the old school shop. We are a “one off” repair rebuild hydraulic shop. Since most of what we do is make one part for this, one part for that we do everything in manual machines. Sometimes it seems I have 1/4-1/2 of the time to produce the part in just measuring/ verifying dimensions vs actually making chips. A CNC probably would make the part in 5 minutes to my 1-1/2 hours sometime, not counting programming the CNC.

And sometimes I only get enough material ordered in to only make one part. So I will get a bit of stress on myself as I am machining and near the end of the process, I may slow down considerably, adding a lot extra time to my estimate, because one wrong move on the last operation could waste a lot of time and material in having to do it over. I am human, and I do make a lot of mistakes. Some I can hide , or recover from, some I can’t.

I’ve often thought that a CNC machine would be nice for certain repeat jobs, but I would be the only employee in the shop that would embrace the technology, but I also would struggle at learning it too.

I am hearing these words more and more from the owner. “ our methods and process have worked for the previous 28 years, no since in changing anything now” I have a big list of things that I would like to make/ change to help make things more efficient and or easier but some of them may happen, but most probably not.

I’ve coming to the realization that I should concentrate my extra efforts into my own home shop, getting it better organized and setup for the day when I want to or be forced to retire. After all, in today’s world, you never know when that might happen.

And one thing is for sure, my boss may be nice, but he does look out for himself and his business first. When it’s all said and done, I might get an extra thank you for all the extra work I’ve put in, but he is the one that is really profiting. I only get the satisfaction of job well done and the skills I applied to produce the results.


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[threepiece]

Originally Posted by toprecycler

I hope you were at a point to where you are happy being retired. And just not forced out because you didn’t want to learn the new way of fabricating.
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Well, I was forced out but not by “management”. The lead Technician in the shop was taking advantage of the new manager’s lack of understanding of shop practice. He routinely falsely accused me or complained about stupid shit like using a screwdriver as a pry bar or breaking the lead screw on the milling machine. He didn’t want me there because I had the potential to make him less shiny. With only three of us in the shop I had no one to back me up. The two fellows were buddies with the same agenda. I felt like I was walking into a dentist office every morning wondering what ridiculous email I would find that made my blood boil. It was unbelievable to me that situations like this could exist at an engineering facility.
On a lighter note I was ready to retire and am quite happy not to need any other resource for support but my own.

[threepiece]

Originally Posted by toprecycler

But, the catch -22 is, if the company invested in new technology to help speed prototypes and efficiency up, then they need to get payback on the machines. I understand the old guys are a dying breed these days.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It is tragic that management for the company I worked for never realized the potential in combining the hybrid tooling skills I have developed over the last three decades with 3D printing. This, I believe would be the panicle of rapid prototyping. A huge lack of foresight on their part.

[threepiece]

Originally Posted by toprecycler

I I have a big list of things that I would like to make/ change to help make things more efficient and or easier but some of them may happen, but most probably not.
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I caution fellows not to adopt the belief that technology makes their job easier. Companies will continually apply pressure to get things done no mater how fast things happen. It is how they stay competitive.

[Shade Tree Welder]

Originally Posted by threepiece

It is tragic that management for the company I worked for never realized the potential in combining the hybrid tooling skills I have developed over the last three decades with 3D printing. This, I believe would be the pinnacle of rapid prototyping. A huge lack of foresight on their part.

Originally Posted by threepiece

I caution fellows not to adopt the belief that technology makes their job easier. Companies will continually apply pressure to get things done no mater how fast things happen. It is how they stay competitive.

Over the years I have seen companies got to both extremes, those who will not
upgrade to stay competitive and those who buy too much high tech that the do
not need. The joys of capitalism. It allow markets to self regulate.

Now if we can just get that lesson across to our government.

[arizonian]

Originally Posted by Shade Tree Welder

Over the years I have seen companies got to both extremes, those who will not
upgrade to stay competitive and those who buy too much high tech that the do
not need. The joys of capitalism. It allow markets to self regulate.

Now if we can just get that lesson across to our government.

At a former job around the turn of the century ('00, '01) a colleague remarked that we were being drug into the 1980's whether we liked it or not.