Page 44 - MetalForming-Nov-2018-issue

MetalForming
for Stratasys, a maker of 3D-printing materials and equipment, and a provider of printing services, told us. “Across industries and across facilities we see many departments—assembly, fabrication, health and safety, quality, packaging and logistics—using AM to create all different forms of nonmetallic fixturing, workholding tooling and final-use assembly tooling as well as actual metalforming tooling.”
AM also can help produce what Wild called “hybrid fixtures,” which include, for example, hard contact points for a drill guide.
“The fixture shape will be the same, but metal inserts are placed into the fixture component to address durability and wear concerns,” she says.
As the article reveals, metalformers may be surprised by how much AM can help...and in unexpected ways. For example, at a recent aerospace con- ference, a speaker from a major defense contractor relayed how his company began using AM to produce jigs and fixtures to test large aircraft parts. The company had bought a new resin 3D- printing system with a huge build enve- lope such as one used to print auto- mobiles. The machine was installed in an otherwise empty room and the engi- neers got right to work deciding what to make. One of them noticed that everyone was standing, as the room had no furniture. The first product they designed and built? A chair.
It All Relies on People Power
For all of the talk of automation and IoT, ultimate success boils down to a trained, inspired workforce. Machines and technologies only perform as well as those who set up, operate, maintain and manage them. Progressive busi- nesses recognize this, and so does Met- alForming. In our March 2018 presen- tation on workforce development, we profiled leading manufacturers who take workforce development to heart. One, Oberg Industries, Freeport, PA, is an apprenticeship pioneer and main- tains apprenticeship programs that span its processes. It also taps the expe- rience of recently retired associates to
help mentor newer hires, offers exten- sive, incentive-laden training options, and works closely with various entities to promote manu- facturing as a career.
“We want to posi-
tion ourselves to grow
in the 5- to 6-per-
cent range, and finding people through workforce development is a major part of that goal,” Dave Rugaber, Oberg executive vice president, told Metal- Forming. “The goal in everything we do, including process excellence and employee growth, is to drive success for our customers.”
Hence Oberg’s motto: “Customers rely on us and we rely on our people.” “Employee development is over-
looked by so many companies in our industry,” said Greg Chambers, Oberg director of corporate compliance, stressing that employees can’t be expected to grow and succeed without resources or skills development.
To that end, the company has invested heavily in mentor training. Those completing the course receive NIMS certification for on-the-job train- ing and are compensated for their efforts. Also, via the National Network, Oberg has instituted a Common Employability Skills curriculum fea- turing weekly one-hour sessions taught by employees and taking into account nontechnical skills such as communi- cation and critical thinking.
Recognizing and rewarding signifi- cant achievement and effort put forth by employees, training at Oberg also includes college recognition for those qualified, allowing them to receive a certificate and walk with other college graduates on graduation day.
The positive effect of workforce development cannot be overstated, just ask Oberg Industries. Also not to be overstated is the level of diversity now found in manufacturing opera- tions, from the shop floor to the top floor. Recognizing this, in 2016, Met- alForming introduced its Women of
42 MetalForming/November 2018
www.metalformingmagazine.com
Investment in workforce development, and in educating future industry professionals, can spell success for individual manu- facturers and the manufacturing industry as a whole.
Excellence in Metalforming and Fab- ricating awards program. The annual award honors women in leadership positions or on the shop floor, those who represent dedication to their com- pany and the industry, and demon- strate excellence in meeting their work- place responsibilities. The November 2016 issue of MetalForming recognized 30 industry professionals as winners that year, with 19 more earning hon- orable mention.
“We are impressed and inspired by the women celebrated in this section,” Allison Grealis, president of Women in Manufacturing and vice president of Association Services for the Precision Metalforming Association, told us. “We hope that their stories and examples of success will encourage greater num- bers of women to enter the industry and pursue challenging positions in metalforming.”
Look for coverage of the 2018 Women of Excellence in Metalforming and Fabricating award winners in Met- alForming’s December issue.
2019 and Beyond
Five-Year Plans: Automation, Robotics and Networking Take Center Stage
Executives from seven metalforming companies recently shared their thoughts with MetalForming on what it will take to remain competitive dur- ing the next five years. Offering their insights:
• William Adler, president and CEO, Stripmatic Products, Inc., Cleveland, OH • David Arndt, president, Pentaflex,
Inc., Springfield, OH
• Kevin Clay, vice president of sales
and business development, Pridgeon