Parting Shots
By Bob McClintic
McClintic & Associates
Where’s Bubba and Why Can’t and set up in your facility, but may main- people whose employer helped educate
tain the family vehicle, motorcycle, boat, them and are now lifelong enthusiasts for
We Make a Good Part Today? or snow mobile etc. Another vital ingredi- that employer. Why not capitalize on their
I
n every die casting plant 20 years ago, ent is drive and initiative. The desire to loyalty by helping them become more suc-
there was usually one person; we’ll call improve and learn can often overcome the cessful in your company.
him Bubba, who could almost always lack of education. I once worked with a set What types of training are important in
make a good casting. The problem was the up person who was illiterate. That’s right; a die casting facility? The building blocks
productivity of the operation was limited he could not read or write his own name. of the die casting process include the fol-
by the number of hours he could work. And However, he developed a system for record- lowing:
what if he took a vacation? Bubba was the ing the entire job set up in a note book he • Die Cast Gating
“black art” die caster. He could persuade carried in his pocket. The system included • Process Control
the process to produce an acceptable cast- illustrations and sketches and numbers that • SPC (Statistical Process Control)
ing by twisting knobs and various die spray identified the job and machine. He was both • Die Casting Defects
techniques known only to him. Eventually effective and dedicated. • Metal melting and handling
he would train an operator in the technique I worked with another set up man who • Machine hydraulics and pneumatics
and for a few hours they could continue to was illiterate. His employer was to receive • Machine electrical systems
produce good castings. Then the next shift a prestigious quality award from one of their including PLC (Programmable
would arrive and a new recipe would be customers. With the support of his em- Logic Controllers)
introduced and the quality would change, ployer, at the age of 46 he took night courses • PQ^2
usually worse. When you were in a crisis to learn to read so he could deliver an ad- • D.O.E., (Design of Experiments)
for parts, Bubba would be called back on dress representing the machine operators The above topics are available from
overtime to “fix” the problem, after a few during the award ceremony. He received a NADCA, either at NADCA headquarters
minutes or hours, the process would pro- standing ovation for his short but notewor- in Rosemont, IL, on-site at your location/
duce good castings again, he would train thy speech. facility or at M-TECH at Southwest Michi-
that operator and you were good until the If you’re worried about Bubba accept- gan College in Niles, MI. Some, for ex-
next shift change. ing the training, don’t, it will enhance his ample SPC and hydraulics and pneumatics
How do I know? I used to be Bubba. value and self-confidence. The newfound are also available through community col-
I’ve had those 2:00 AM phone calls when knowledge will affirm his prior experience leges, technical schools and suppliers of
things just wouldn’t go. and make him more successful. hydraulic and electrical equipment. In ad-
Thankfully, with the availability of mod- One of the most common requests I get dition, I can provide customized versions
ern process monitoring equipment and sta- is to assist in recruiting technical people to of the above training. Training can take
tistical techniques, we don’t have to rely fill engineering and supervisory positions. place on any shift or work environment
on sound, feel, intuition, and opinion to While I certainly know many competent from class room to shop floor.
manage the process. people in the industry, I don’t believe the Contact information:
There is an alternative. Train Bubba! long term solution is to fill those positions Bob McClintic
While I will agree that the die casting pro- by recruiting people from another city or McClintic & Associates
cess is one of the most complex manufac- state. The main objection I have is that of 2544 Almar St.
turing processes, the science of die casting loyalty and longevity. The most loyal Jenison, MI 49428
can be taught. The benefits are numerous. people in your company are the ones al- Phone: 616/669-2932
They include on-time delivery, higher prof- ready working for you. Some employers Fax: 616/669-7884
its, less scrap, reduced overtime, lower have raised the objection that they don’t Cellular and voice mail:
employee turn-over and others. want to train for someone else. For fear the 616/292-0454
How do you select a trainee? I look for employees, now more highly trained will [Link]
people with a mechanical aptitude. They abandon them in favor of a higher paying Web site: [Link]
may or may not be involved in maintenance position elsewhere. Stories abound of dcm
DIE CASTING MANAGEMENT December 2002 49
