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Is your glass half empty or half full? By Jason Schumacher, Hartwig Applications Engineer During this downturn, unemployment is up, no work is coming in, and companies are barely running at 40 hours a week if at all. This can really take its toll on your positive attitude. If you are an employee or an employer you must stay positive through these hard times. Your attitude can greatly affect your output and the output of others around you.
Remember the days when you were too busy to take care of a coolant leak on your machine or an air leak in your air hose. How about that tool library for your CAD/CAM software, or even a post processor improvement? Maybe you need to make some improvements on your fixturing or checking run-out on some of your outdated, well used, tool holders. Guess what? The time is now! Lets get busy and prepare ourselves for the good times ahead. We all know that making chips is the sound of money, but routine maintenance and preventative actions will save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars of downtime alone when you are at full capacity.
When was the last time you cleaned the taper on your tool holders? When was the last time your coolant tanks were pulled out and cleaned? Get that bacteria and oil out of your coolant system. When was the last time the tool holder pots on the machine were cleaned? This can dramatically affect the life and run-out of your taper in your spindle. Check your turrets for alignment on your lathe. Maybe even your boring bar stations need to be indicated in. They could be out of alignment without you even knowing it. You could be getting better tool life and part quality once these improvements have been made. A lot of these items can be done at just the cost of your time. Let's get prepared, let's be ready for the upturn in the economy. Find ways you and your company can grow. You need to have foresight, prepare yourself and your team for the next level.
Let's clean out those tool boxes, gather up all of that used carbide, and talk to your employer and co-workers about taking "Less Steps." Simple things like having every tool box by every machine laid out the same way. This can save you so much time. You will truly be amazed. Not to mention, that as an operator you can easily go from machine to machine for set-ups and running without being confused where your tools are. Find the negatives in your work area and make them better. Make them Great!
Improve yourself by reading and staying up with the times. Did you know that the majority of Machine shop magazines are FREE. Who likes free? Well I sure do! What can be better than free Knowledge? It is so important to have a leading edge, not just against the shop down the road. Think bigger; let's keep the work here in the United States. Educate yourself, your co-workers, and share with your neighbor. ASK QUESTIONS. Remember the only Dumb question is the one not asked! I say these things to you because in these times we must work together. Make a list of things that you want or that need to get done. Put a deadline on those items, hold yourself accountable just like it would be a job running through the shop. Remember, what gets measured gets done.
Remember to use technology as a tool. When you use it as a tool it will help you with a better, faster, and easier solution. Don't let the technology run you. At Hartwig, our goal is to be your "Total Solution Provider." Any question you have, and concern you have, or any hurdles you need to overcome, you can call on us. If it is in Sales, Service, or Applications we are only a phone call or email away. My Glass is half full, Is yours?
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