Shop practices

I wasn't sure what to put in the subject line. Do most of you work on a single machine or program and operate more than one at the same time? The situation is like this. In our shop everyone almost exclusively belongs to one CNC so after making a program and setting it up very often operation sits there and waits for the machine to finish so he can put another part in. We almost never have long runs so it is seldom viewed as a problem. I run 5 axis dmu and I'm the only one in the shop except for the boss that knows how to program and run couple of Matsuuras. Sometimes When I have 5 or 10 minutes between parts I run 2 or 3 machines at the same time. Time goes by a lot faster and I never thought this would be a problem. Yesterday another machinist came by all upset and told me that our foreman asked him to set up another machine because he had about 30 minutes of free time between parts and he blamed me for it. He said he expects for this to happen more often now and it is my fault as I showed that I have no problem with it. Am I doing something wrong? How are other shops looking at that?
Jerry

Jerry wrote:
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Other shops are looking at that and thinking "If your people will spit at someone who does the best and most that he can, and if your management will allow that for even a second, then we're going to kick your asses and take all your work. And we're not going to hire any of your people when you go broke and lay them all off."
Unless you're a union shop, that is, in which case other shops are thinking "Yup. That's why it was so easy to kick their asses and take all their work. Now they're just be hanging on, pretending they're still in business, and hoping that a government bailout will let them keep pretending for just a little longer."
KG

Jerry wrote:
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Jerry:
    So what you're saying is this guy is whining because he has to work instead of just hanging on the machine's door handles and watching the coolant splash? Oh the humiliation of it all. LOL     And NO, you're not doing anything wrong. You're making yourself more valuable to the shop, and *IF* work slows down who do you think will be laid off first, a worker or a goof-off?
    We've got 5 vertical mills and the 5 programmers use which ever one happens to be free at the time. We've got 3 CNC lathes that are programmed by three of the programmers. And we've got one Makino horizontal that is usually programmed by one programmer. For any production jobs, generally one of the manual guys are drafted to run them.     No one is idle for more than 10 seconds, or they're given something else to do while the machine is running (another machine to run, deburring, sawing, etc.)    

BottleBob wrote:
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    One other thing I forgot to mention. If one of the manual guys (or anyone else for that matter), is given a machine to run - they are also given a settable timer so they can go back to doing what they were doing and 15 or 20 seconds before the part is finished the timer goes off so they can go change a part with little to no lost CNC cycle time.

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I recently put end of cycle buzzers onto all of our fadals.

Bipolar Bear wrote:
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BPB:
    The Haas VF-6 we have comes with a "Beep at M30" parameter you can set, or not.          The good thing about the settable timers is you can set them to go off BEFORE the cycle is done.
    What did you do, wire your buzzer to the "Waiting" light? Or hook a relay onto an M30 output in the control?

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Bob,
Yup waiting light (100 v ac) quick and easy since it's sourced via an existing terminal block inside the pendant...I'll post the pinouts later in case someone else....

over a barrel wrote:
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BPB:
    Hmmm, the waiting light blinks at other times than just at program end. I wonder if it could be coordinated with the "table all the way forward" sensor.     There might be a product in this for an industrious fellow that could sell a BEEPER KIT with detailed installation instructions, a toggle switch, a volume control knob, the beeper/buzzer, all wires & connectors needed, etc. It would probably void a Fadal control warranty, but there should be plenty of people with "out of warranty" Fadals out there to make this a viable product - at the right price.     

wrote in message
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in
Add a switch, simply shut it off during setup etc.
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Terminals #11 and 6 on the 1110-1 card which will be found mounted to the floor plane inside of the control pendant .

Well Thanks. I'm feeling little better before going to work today. I've been working there for over 27 years so I'm not to worry about getting laid off when things get slow. I've been doing this for years and years so I wonder if there was always some resentment because of that. Our machines have big flashing lights on top after each cycle. Too noisy for buzzer. I guess I'm just going to ignore it but I hate anything like that because I know there are some discussions about me between some of the guys when I'm not present. Thanks for your support guys. Jerry
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Jerry wrote:
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You're being a shit disturber. At least that's the nickname that sort of ethic has earned me at more than one job. Many people get set in a cushy routine, and resent having someone up the ante. BB is dead on, things slow down, you're going to keep your job. Try to ignore the slackers, but be prepared for someone to try and stab you in the back.
My first real job was at a large company as a production TIG welder. Some friction developed between me and the 'old timer' in part over my improving production times, and I actually was immortalized in a bathroom stall with a stick figure and the title "Shit Disturber". Well, this company watched production times very closely. Shave 5% off, next time through the work sheet reflected the new time. So shortly before I left, I hauled ass on every job, cutting some jobs by up to 25%. Revenge was mine as that became the new standard and they were expected to get with the program.
Can't always do it, but sometimes things just work out right and I'll have 3 machines and the saw running at the same time. It does make the day go faster, and being self employed, really boosts my hourly!
Jon

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You're not doing anything wrong. You're working like it matters. And it may very well matter when things get tight and layoffs happen. Next time asshole whines, ask him if he wants a job or wants to work. If he can't understand the question, then he just wants a job and the paycheck that comes with marking time. This is the wrong economic climate to display that kind of work ethic. He won't last.
Later,
Charlie