The Industrial Maintenance Man

[American Locomotive]

We had a couple of Index lathes with hobbing attachments at Eaton. It was cool that one of those machines replaced 3 others but my god what a nightmare. I spent more time working on those than just about anything. I think the hobbing process was just so aggressive it shook the machine to death.

Eaton was one of those places that really pushed the limits of what a machine could do. The sales people sold unbelievable capability and our process engineers had to wring it out. We had twin spindle Mazaks that we used to destroy. Mazak Japan couldn't figure it out, they set an engineer from Japan and he took one look at the amount of holes and grooves we were doing with live tooling and he understood. So all future Mazak owners can thank Eaton for the "beta testing" we did. LOL

The place I worked at absolutely beat on their machines. Cycle time was everything. The stuff the programmers and job engineers did was amazing. We were constantly replacing the live tool drivetrains on our C200 and C100s. We made parts that the Index in-house engineers said wouldn't be possible on our particular machines.

I think the MS machines took even more abuse though. I remember one job they were cutting tool steel for a Milwaukee step-drill, and the kept stalling the main spindles. That machine had 32HP liquid cooled spindle motors!

Index never sent anyone to look at our machines, even though we were one of the bigger customers of their machines in the U.S. They just swore up and down it was us doing something wrong, even though their techs would secretly tell us tons of other customers had the same problem.

I have been asked by Ops Managers what are the best machines.

For that company, the best machines = the fastest they could find. Cycle time, cycle time, cycle time. Didn't matter how much it cost or how much it broke, as long as it was fast.

That's one of the reason why loved the Index MS machines so much. They could make a complete part in one shot that normally took 2, 3 or even 4 different secondary machines to make.

Nomura - Just a rock solid lathe

Oh that's right! We had a little Nomura swiss machine. Most of the floor guys really liked it. It was fairly reliable and churned out part after part without much fuss. Management hated it because it was slow.

 

[willbird]

Here's our schedule at the mill. Not counting forced ot, if somebody is on vacation or calls off we have to fill that vacancy which gets you a 16 hour shift. At the ppg if somebody called off you just ran short 1 guy which sucked. There we worked 7-7 two days on, three days off, three days on, two days off etc. I always chose to work midnights because I didn't enjoy the dog and pony show on days and I could always achieve much more gov work at night as long as the lines ran good

Our corp will go crazy if they see people working much over 12 hour shifts. We are "supposed" to be off 8 hours between shifts but Maint is one dept that bends that a little. I have clocked out at midnight a few times and back in at 4am for voluntary OT.

Bill

 

[humpty]

The place I worked at absolutely beat on their machines. Cycle time was everything. The stuff the programmers and job engineers did was amazing. We were constantly replacing the live tool drivetrains on our C200 and C100s. We made parts that the Index in-house engineers said wouldn't be possible on our particular machines.

I think the MS machines took even more abuse though. I remember one job they were cutting tool steel for a Milwaukee step-drill, and the kept stalling the main spindles. That machine had 32HP liquid cooled spindle motors!

Index never sent anyone to look at our machines, even though we were one of the bigger customers of their machines in the U.S. They just swore up and down it was us doing something wrong, even though their techs would secretly tell us tons of other customers had the same problem.

For that company, the best machines = the fastest they could find. Cycle time, cycle time, cycle time. Didn't matter how much it cost or how much it broke, as long as it was fast.

That's one of the reason why loved the Index MS machines so much. They could make a complete part in one shot that normally took 2, 3 or even 4 different secondary machines to make.

Oh that's right! We had a little Nomura swiss machine. Most of the floor guys really liked it. It was fairly reliable and churned out part after part without much fuss. Management hated it because it was slow.

I think our Index was a G200. Not sure though, its been awhile.

The other issue for Eaton was we had so many damn controls. Fanuc, Siemens, Yaskawa, Haas, Fadal. I am sure I missing something. I was never a machinist or an operator it was hard to remember how to move **** around.

At least at my last place we had 2, Fanuc and Citizen.

I still can remember some of the Fanuc parameter numbers. LOL

humpty

 

[AngryBeaver]

No, down in Crestline. When I worked there it was originally PPG, then it was bought by PGW, then LKQ, and now it's called vitro I believe. It's went downhill since every exchange I believe. It's funny you mention air compressors, they had eight or nine 400hp sullair screw compressors. You would know if one went down and another didn't pickup because every line in the shop would call for maintenance at the same time. (24 lines)

Gotcha. I work for a Generator, Air compressor and HVAC rental company... same **** as industrial maintenance, you just never know where you are going to be from day to day...

Done a lot of plants all over northern Ohio PA and NY.. there is a Vitro in PA that used to be a PPG plant that I'm at more than I care to admit, as well as MTD in willard, Guardian in Upper, Ford stamping in Avon, Gertys in wooster, AK in mansfield, GE in Bucyres, etc.

we get the call when y'alls **** dies or can't be fixed... then I get called when our **** breaks. Its a vicious cycle. Its hard enough to keep electric compressors that size running in a plant, let alone stuffing that package into a little oven with a diesel engine running its balls off to keep up..... Glass plants seem to be the hardest on them.. not sure why. lol. Its also amazing how many plants have more air leaks than the air they are consuming....

 

[willbird]

Gotcha. I work for a Generator, Air compressor and HVAC rental company... same **** as industrial maintenance, you just never know where you are going to be from day to day...

Done a lot of plants all over northern Ohio PA and NY.. there is a Vitro in PA that used to be a PPG plant that I'm at more than I care to admit, as well as MTD in willard, Guardian in Upper, Ford stamping in Avon, Gertys in wooster, AK in mansfield, GE in Bucyres, etc.

we get the call when y'alls **** dies or can't be fixed... then I get called when our **** breaks. Its a vicious cycle. Its hard enough to keep electric compressors that size running in a plant, let alone stuffing that package into a little oven with a diesel engine running its balls off to keep up..... Glass plants seem to be the hardest on them.. not sure why. lol. Its also amazing how many plants have more air leaks than the air they are consuming....

We have a near complete shutdown between Christmas and New years, that is when they come in and service the switchgear. So we shut all of the equipment in advance of the power outage. Compressed air is one of the last to be shut off, but it is amazing the leaks we find that that you cannot hear when the plant is running.

The reliability guys have some kind of dish type microphone they will use to find some air leaks. Stuff like leaking shaft seals on air cyl can come and go though.

Bill

 

[humpty]

We have a near complete shutdown between Christmas and New years, that is when they come in and service the switchgear. So we shut all of the equipment in advance of the power outage. Compressed air is one of the last to be shut off, but it is amazing the leaks we find that that you cannot hear when the plant is running.

The reliability guys have some kind of dish type microphone they will use to find some air leaks. Stuff like leaking shaft seals on air cyl can come and go though.

Bill

I used to go in with my crew on holidays as that was the only day stuff was not running and we would spend the morning tagging leaks.

You are right, it is amazing how many big noisy leaks you can hear when stuff isn't running.

One session we went through and found so many leaks that one compressor ended up not coming on in sequence anymore. Has to be the best way to save some money in manufacturing.

humpty

 

[zmotorsports]

We have a near complete shutdown between Christmas and New years, that is when they come in and service the switchgear. So we shut all of the equipment in advance of the power outage. Compressed air is one of the last to be shut off, but it is amazing the leaks we find that that you cannot hear when the plant is running.

The reliability guys have some kind of dish type microphone they will use to find some air leaks. Stuff like leaking shaft seals on air cyl can come and go though.

Bill

We used to have Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day off but now we work New Year's Day as it is just another normal work day. On Thanksgiving we do shut down power in a sequence that allows us to take oil samples from our transformers, clean switch gear and while that's going on we have to walk the warehouse for fire watch so we also listen and identify air leaks around the dock and conveyor area.

For the last five years Christmas day is the only day we get off unless we have to go in and do snow removal.

I'm ready for retirement but unfortunately my bank account still has some more time to put in.

 

[Earp69]

Gotcha. I work for a Generator, Air compressor and HVAC rental company... same **** as industrial maintenance, you just never know where you are going to be from day to day...

Done a lot of plants all over northern Ohio PA and NY.. there is a Vitro in PA that used to be a PPG plant that I'm at more than I care to admit, as well as MTD in willard, Guardian in Upper, Ford stamping in Avon, Gertys in wooster, AK in mansfield, GE in Bucyres, etc.

we get the call when y'alls **** dies or can't be fixed... then I get called when our **** breaks. Its a vicious cycle. Its hard enough to keep electric compressors that size running in a plant, let alone stuffing that package into a little oven with a diesel engine running its balls off to keep up..... Glass plants seem to be the hardest on them.. not sure why. lol. Its also amazing how many plants have more air leaks than the air they are consuming....

Ah so you work for APO then I take it? And yeah vitro bought the whole corporation. I'd love to go back there because I loved the work more than where I am now but the pay just isn't as good. Yeah glass plants have an outrageous amount of air Cylinders for automation plus they use a lot of venturi systems to make vacuum on the spot. Tons and tons of air hogs

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

To check how much air was leaking out, the consultants had us install a manifold with various valves and holes. It was part of the utility's Power Smart program. I joke in old time sawmills, it wasn't a serious leak unless it blew your hardhat off. The real old sawmills used steam instead of compressed air.

 

[willbird]

We used to have Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day off but now we work New Year's Day as it is just another normal work day. On Thanksgiving we do shut down power in a sequence that allows us to take oil samples from our transformers, clean switch gear and while that's going on we have to walk the warehouse for fire watch so we also listen and identify air leaks around the dock and conveyor area.

For the last five years Christmas day is the only day we get off unless we have to go in and do snow removal.

I'm ready for retirement but unfortunately my bank account still has some more time to put in.

The production folks for 2019-2020 were off Dec 20 and came back January 2 2020. There were "projects" avail to them some of those days, they will grind paint off the floor one place and paint the floor in another place. Or take air wands and "clean" by putting all the dust in the air. But they could also take the whole time off too but only got paid 2 days each week. Some folks save vacation time to fill that gap. When I worked production it was kind of neat having that time fof but it did not pay as well as working the whole thing ;-)>

The regular main guys were only blacked out Christmas eve, Christmas day, and New years day...typically only blacked out Christmas day but 2019 budget was tight so not a lot of parts avail for major projects. Being a controls tech we could work any or all of that. I like working the 3x time days for the $$. I really liked working the days when it was just us engineering controls guys in there.

Bill

 

[zmotorsports]

The production folks for 2019-2020 were off Dec 20 and came back January 2 2020. There were "projects" avail to them some of those days, they will grind paint off the floor one place and paint the floor in another place. Or take air wands and "clean" by putting all the dust in the air. But they could also take the whole time off too but only got paid 2 days each week. Some folks save vacation time to fill that gap. When I worked production it was kind of neat having that time fof but it did not pay as well as working the whole thing ;-)>

The regular main guys were only blacked out Christmas eve, Christmas day, and New years day...typically only blacked out Christmas day but 2019 budget was tight so not a lot of parts avail for major projects. Being a controls tech we could work any or all of that. I like working the 3x time days for the $$. I really liked working the days when it was just us engineering controls guys in there.

Bill

I would also volunteer to work the holiday shifts years ago when I was hourly to bring home some extra $$$. It would go directly on my home and between that and my side work is how I paid my first house off in only 15-years but now that I am salary I would just assume have the time off vs. working.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

In the early days of my millwright career out of the hall, I remember eating Christmas dinners in an out of town café. One year ,it was an in town mill. I liked it and stayed until it closed down.

 

[Earp69]

ive volunteered to work every holiday i can since i was 18. at PPG it used to be december 24th through January 1st was holiday pay, or double and a half time. now that was a heck of a paycheck. otherwise i still volunteer to work holidays because i dont have kids and most of the guys i work with do so it works out for both of us.

 

[AngryBeaver]

Ah so you work for APO then I take it? And yeah vitro bought the whole corporation. I'd love to go back there because I loved the work more than where I am now but the pay just isn't as good. Yeah glass plants have an outrageous amount of air Cylinders for automation plus they use a lot of venturi systems to make vacuum on the spot. Tons and tons of air hogs

No. I work for a generator company that does stuff for power companies, we run the grid and close in live without taking an outage, so they can shut down the substation to work on their sub stations and switch gear replace poles, etc, as well as large transformers and switch gear for power outage emergencies, full line of temperature equipment from chillers to air conditioners....then Diesel and electric oil free air.. APO isn't a rental company. they are a maintenance and sales company. 90% of out work is emergency rentals... plants shut down due to flooding, transformer explosions, process cooling failures, etc. we don a metric **** ton of hurricane power and HVAC/Dehumidifiers as well as work for restoration companies... then we have the live broadcast/entertainment division. unfortunately, because I'm good at many diesel, mechanical and electrical things, I get pulled in every direction... 90% of live broadcasts are ran on redundant generator power.... Makes for having a life outside of work almost impossible, when you spend 8-9 months a year gone for 3-4 weeks at a time, then are on call 24/7 when "home"

jack of all trades, master of none. Off to the super bowl to do the broadcast, haven't missed one since 2004 except for 2010 when I spent 8 months in vancouver doing the olympics....

 

[jagwinn]

Wake up! thread!.....

My motto was " A chunk of iron is a chunk of iron"

I had/have a moto, too!..."I'm a Technician...not a Magician!".