Volume 79 June 2012 Number 5

Published by HARRISON STEEL CASTINGS COMPANY, ATTICA, INDIANA

This month I wanted tohighlight one of the main aspects ofthe Harrison Production System:Grasping the Situation. Gaining acomplete understanding of the prob-lem requires going to where the prob-lem occurs and watching the processhappen. One way to do this is to be afly on the wall, or go and watch theprocess until there is complete un-derstanding. Things to consider hereinclude 1) What should be happen-ing? 2) What is actually happening?3) What is needed to correct this? 4)How do we prevent this from happen-ing again? Data is an excellent tool,but only use it to help further yourunderstanding of a process, and donot let it provide your only source ofunderstanding.

It is easy to fall into thetrap of going straight to the solution,without looking into the root cause.By not looking into the situation andexamining the root cause, the realproblem can go overlooked and willcause more headache and lost timein the long run. When the root causeis not addressed, there is a very highprobability the same problem willcome back. Toyota has a philosophyto “Observe the production floor with-out preconceptions and with a blankmind.” This is to make sure everypotential cause will be considered.

On a different topic, Iwanted to remind everyone that theproper outlet of an issue or an im-provement idea is either through yoursupervisor or by writing a Continu-ous Improvement card yourself. Bytaking these routes, the supervisoror others within the department willbe involved, as they know the mostabout their own department. This willsave man-hours and a lot of run-around if maintenance, safety, orengineering is directly contacted.

HPSEric Carroll

Once again, not much news toshare this month.

We had something last monthjust after the articles had to be turnedin. John Lucas’ mother passed away;we extend our condolences to himand his family.

Sounds like we have a fewpeople over here with “Spring/Sum-mer fever”. I am late on this news,but Derek Dismore bought a brandnew boat in early spring. EricDismore bought a new (used) 34’camper for his whole family to enjoy.Greg Hollis bought a 26’ camper offof Ryan DePugh and in turn, RyanDePugh bought a new (used) 31’camper. And just for the record, yesI am envious of all of them, as I havewanted a camper for several yearsnow. Having to be different, JD Grayopted to go out and buy a new HarleyDavidson Sportster.

We have an intern working forus this summer, so if you see himaround, introduce yourself or sayhello. Here is a little something abouthim:

Name: Kyle Govender

Home: Mobile, AL

College: University of South Alabama

Major: Mechanical Engineering (se-nior)

Machining Department: Intern

Family: Dad, Mom and little sisterthat live in Florida.

A little about myself:

Firstly, I would like express mysincerest gratitude to everyone atHarrison Steel for this fantastic in-ternship opportunity, especially theMachining Department. From day

MACHININGLori Scheurich

one, I have acquired huge amountsof knowledge by simply shadowingpeople here in Machining. I could notask for a higher quality group ofpeople to learn from and work with.Quality displayed not only in theirwork, but in their character as well.Thank you to Mr. Mike and Ryan forbringing me in and allowing me toassist on such exciting projects.Thank you to Eric, Greg, JD, MissLori, Mr. Matt, Mr. Ron and all theother staff members for your timeand patience whilst teaching somuch so quickly.

Once I leave the workplace, Iconsider myself a pretty laid backfamily guy. I’m the type who needsto get objectives done early and thentake the rest of the time to kick backwith the family, grill, maybe watch amovie. I love engineering. To be morespecific, I really enjoy learning howto make things work, to make thembetter, anything from a simple fish-ing rig to a computer heat sink.

Outside of work, I enjoy alltypes of sports. My favorites are:Soccer, Formula 1, Fishing, Rugby,Football and Sleeping. I’m a ‘pet per-son’. I’ve had tons of animals all mylife. I don’t like people who are dis-respectful or rude for whatever rea-son.

Not sure what else to say re-ally, just a large thank you to thepeople of Attica (and surroundingareas). It has been a very pleasantplace to stay so far and I hope youwill allow me to be a productivemember of your community.

Everyone have a great day.

Kyle G.

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Staying in One Place orGetting Somewhere?

Dave Hollander

Lewis Carroll (no relation toEric) wrote Through the Looking Glassin 1871 as a sequel to Alice in Won-derland. In the second chapter, Alicewas talking to the Red Queen in theGarden of Live Flowers, when sud-denly the Red Queen had her startrunning as fast as she could. The RedQueen later explained to Alice thatshe had to run that fast to stay inone place. To get anywhere, shewould have to run twice as fast.

The steel foundry industry waslike that over the years. We did a lotof running, but never got very farfrom the same old processes, prac-tices, and methods that had beenaround for generations. When thebusiness cycle was on the upswing,things were great. When the cyclewas down, things were bad to hor-rible. HS was a leader in the indus-try, but always seemed bound to thesame old cycle.

Due to a number of innovationsthe last few years (and ongoing), we’renow running twice as fast and get-ting somewhere new. A few of theseinnovations are listed below. Thereare many others.

• Top management made thecommitment to break out of the oldcycle…to think outside the box.

• A lot of new young faces wereadded to the staff. They didn’t knowit couldn’t be done, so they went outand did it anyway.

• A quality professional withexperience in the automotive qualitytools came on board. For all of thebad publicity the auto makers getwhen there are recalls, they do thingsright 99.999+% of the time, which isa heck of a lot better than the steelfoundry industry. FMEAs, ControlPlans, APQP, PPAPs – these are qual-ity tools that have been adopted byHarrison Steel that have helped usto focus on preventing problems in-stead of reacting to them and to dras-tically improve quality and customersatisfaction.

· Implementation of theHarrison Production System andmeaningful corporate and work ar-eas metrics to support the new qual-

ity objectives – People, Quality, Ve-locity and Cost.

• A significant increase to theSafety Department staff in supportof the emphasis on employees andsafe working conditions and prac-tices.

• Working with a consultantto implement effective FMEAs notonly in manufacturing, but in theoffice functions of Sales, HR, Pur-chasing, and Accounting. This hasled to a much better understandingof these processes and how they in-teract.

• A new ISO 9001 registrarand surveillance auditor have helpedus to find and correct weak spots inthe system.

• EPS has replaced CastingTracking, which will lead to bettercontrol of scheduling and produc-tion.

• A sea change in the HR pro-cesses including redefined job re-quirements and better organizationof the training and evaluation func-tions.

• Targeted completion of anew finish machining facility in early2013.

We may be getting a little shortof breath with all of this running,but it sure is nice to see the newscenery along the way.

FOUNDRYDrema Wood

I hope everyone enjoyed theMemorial Day weekend and holiday.It was a nice break from the every-day grind. There were lots of thingsgoing on, like graduations and thelike. But the most important of allwas to have remembered all thosethat served our country and gave theultimate sacrifice for all of us.

Andy Davis who is a core makerin the core room and his wife,Amanda are expecting triplets (twogirls that are identical and a boy) anyday. They have 2 older children,Dylan who is 8 and Michael who is5. The new expected arrivals were asurprise for them. Angie Philips isasking if you (or anyone you mayknow) have any baby items (clothes,cribs, etc.) that are not being used,if you would like to donate them tothe Davis family. Angie has set up a

collection drop off point at the AtticaMoose for the items on July 21 from10:00 A.M. until 12:00 P.M. Theitems will be greatly appreciated mostdefinitely. I would like to extend abig “Thank You” for all those whohave and will donate items to thefamily.

If you have any news or eventsyou would like to share please dropme a line. So, until next time, be safeand keep smiling.

Jonathan Hughes AMLClarence Jones Heat FollowerSteve Lasley Core Rm ForkliftBrandin Newton HR AnalystDerek Crane Summer/HousingDamon Ward Production InternChris Compton Maint. Gen LaborBrian Hays Production InternBrian McGlade ShakeoutChelsey Brier Valley InsuranceStephanie Allen Sales ClerkClayton Crawley FurnaceIan Marx FurnaceJim Petty Cl Rm ShippingTaylor Fox Maint Gen LaborDallas Swarner Wash PrepMike Reitz WelderPaul Wigley Summer/EnviroAshley Mitton Summer/SecurityCody Rossiter Clrm Forklift OperatorDiamond Jacobs Heat TreatJaylynn Borden Summer/SecurityWade Lewis-Keller Summer/SecurityAshley Eller Rough MachiningKama Hampton Mixer HelperCollin Dobbs Heat FollowerLuther Barclay FurnaceKyle Govender Production InternWilliam Stonebraker Summer/HousingJason Williams Monorail BlastBrice Grimes FlamewashDerick Martin GrinderChris Lindstrom WelderAlejandro Hernandez GrinderOnassis Chaparro GrinderJuan Flores GrinderEric Foust ControllerEnrique Velasquez GrinderJacob Martin FurnaceLee Long WelderBrad Brooks Production InternTisha Green Purchasing Clerk

Tyler Beedle Summer/Security

New employees sincethe last issue:

SUMMER SAFETY MESSAGEJeff Carlson – Assistant Safety Manager

The summer is upon us and the temperatures are rising. Heat related injuries can affect all ages andlevels of fitness. The effects range from temporary discomfort to immediate threats to life requiring emer-gency response. Fortunately, through understanding the hazards and how to avoid them, injury due toheat and exertion can be avoided. Beautiful weather and long days inspire us to go outside and get activeafter the dreary winter months. As the temperature rises on a hot day, however, so does the potential forheat-related illness and injury. The progression of heat illness symptoms can be subtle; the affected personmay not even know he or she is becoming ill. Start by understanding the threat. Know that you and othersaround you are exposed to hazardous conditions on those hot days and hot conditions, and stay alert forthe symptoms. Learn to spot the signs of a developing problem in a family member, co-worker, or evenyourself. Be prepared to react with appropriate first aid in a heat emergency. Staying hydrated, eatingproperly, and being well rested are key factors in preventing heat related injuries. Tossing back a few coldones and eating Cheetos is fine, just do it in moderation. Enjoy the summer and be safe everyone!

12 Tips for Staying Cool This Summer

Be aware of the heat. Pay attention to it and modify your activities appropriately.

Pay attention to your hydration status, and be sure to drink plenty of fluids.

Try to stay in relatively cool areas, even when outside. Many public places such as libraries, shopping malls and movie theatres are air conditioned.

Avoid hot enclosed places, such as cars. Never leave children unattended in a car parked in the sun.

Use a fan, if available.

Stay on the lowest floor of your building.

Eat well-balanced, light and regular meals.

Wear loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothing.

Cover windows that receive a significant amount of sun with drapes or shades to help keep your house cool.

Weather stripping and proper insulation will keep cool air inside your home.

Cool beverages are good for cooling down the body, while alcoholic drinks can impair the body’s ability to regulate its temperature.

8 Signs of Heat Overexposure

Heavy sweating. But if heat stroke sets in, the body can no longer compensate and stops sweating.

Pale skin

Muscle cramps

Feeling tired and weak

Altered mental status (confusion or disorientation)

Headache

Becoming semi-conscious, or passing out.

Nausea or vomiting

6 First Steps to take After Recognizing Heat-Induced Illness

Call 911.

Get the person out of the sun and into a cool area. An air-conditioned area is ideal, but moving someone into the shade will also help.

Apply water to help the person cool off.

Apply ice to the neck or armpits, where large blood vessels are close to the surface.

Remove any heavy clothing.

Immerse the body in cool water, either at a swimming pool or in a bathtub.

You don’t have to walk too farin or around the plant these days tosee some of the major projects tak-ing form.

The Super Shack project, lo-cated in the SW corner of Plant 2 has

been completed and is running fullblast. The new shacks are capable ofhandling the larger castings needingrepairs, therefore eliminating thedamage to the smaller shacks. Themiddle section between the shackshas a preheat oven. Each shack hasa single 1000 Amp welders used forwelding and carbon arc gouging, allother welding shacks uses a 650 ampmachine for welding and a modified750 amp machine for carbon arcgouging.

There is a challenger to the es-tablished order in the welding shacksat Harrison Steel. For the first timesince the 70’s there is a Lincoln weld-ing machine being used for produc-tion welding. The 1000 amp machinein the south shack is a Lincoln model,the 1000 amp machine in the northshack is a larger version of the 650amp Miller machines used through-out the Cleaning Room. As the Clean-ing Room grows and adds new weld-ing shacks, an alternative to themodified 750 amp machine must befound.

Line 7 canteen is shaping upnicely. The goal is to have it com-pleted in about month.

Sand bunker removal (south ofthe Sand Mill office) is underway.

The Sand Mill office will bemoved to the area west of the

Foundry office. The new Sand Milloffice will consist of a lab, 2 offices,a conference room, and a commonarea where three additional deskscan be placed.

Please use caution when inthese areas.

Jim Durako’s son, Jimmy, stillhas his “Anything Wild” outdoorshow airing on the Pursuit Channel(Direct TV Channel 608, Dish TVchannel 240). Hours will be chang-ing on June 25th. Monday’s 7:30pm;Thursday 8:00am; Friday 3:30pm.

Speaking of anything wild, I

ENGINEERINGKenna Reynolds

want to share this photo of MikeBuckley from HS Print Shop. Mikewas doing a little night fishing andlanded this whopper of a catfishabout 11:30 pm on the river a fewweeks ago. Even though he was uppast his bedtime and a little tired hehad a fun time reeling in this 14pounder. For those of you who maybe new to HS, Mike is the guy re-sponsible for putting this companynewsletter together. Mike has beenrunning the presses for 44 years.Mike was just a young pup of 17-18years and a senior in high schoolwhen he started his first job hereworking on the construction crewunder the supervision of RalphTilitson. When bad weather set inMike became one of the bowling pinsetters in the basement (at the timethe office had three bowling allies).Mike has been full time at HS for 49years. Thanks Mike, for the great jobyou do on this newsletter!

PATTERN SHOPTony VanEtta

Mike Anderson and George Hallare both recovering from their sur-geries. We look forward to them re-turning to work in the near future.

Paul Scheurich bought himselfa nice Harley Davidson. He has beenenjoying his time riding.

Charley Swanson went on va-cation to Boston where we hope thathe and his wife had a good time.

Congratulations to Joe Smithon his recent engagement to BrookeMeador. We wish them the best ofluck.

Be sure and drink plenty ofwater to stay hydrated in this hotweather.

Good luck to Randy Dotson onhis cornea replacement surgery. Wewish him a safe and speedy recov-ery.

Thank you Management for thenew lighting in the shop. It looksgreat.

Our annual Fourth of July pic-nic is coming up! I hope to see all ofyou there. It’s always a good timefor everyone involved. Come out andjoin the fun, just don’t forget to bringyour insect repellent.

Dave Samuels (Inspection) andMegan Sayers (Process InstructionTechnician) are getting married to-morrow! (June 16) The ceremonywill take place as the sun sets atGarden on the Prairie in Lowell, IN.with the reception following inSchneider, IN. They will be honey-mooning then return to work andnormal life on Thursday, June 21,2012. Let’s all wish them luck as theymove forward in their lives together.

This was sent to me from SkipTrafford:

Here is the latest news from theTrafford home front:

Heather and Rachael:

Caddo Magnet High School se-nior Heather Trafford has received anappointment to attend the UnitedStates Naval Academy class of 2016.She also received an appointment tothe United States Air Force Academywhere her sister Rachael is currentlyon the Dean’s List as a 2nd year ca-det.

Heather graduated summa cumlaude as VP of her senior class witha 4.56 out of 4.85 grade point aver-age. She is also a 4 time all statemusician in violin, two time worldarchery champion and a 2012 USteam member and national cham-pion. She aspires to fly and becomea surgeon.

Heather was nominated for ap-pointment to the Naval Academy byCongressman Dr. John Fleming andSenator David Vitter. She also re-ceived nominations from PresidentObama to the US Air Force Academyand West Point. Heather, daughter ofretired colonel Charles “Skip” andCharlene Trafford of Shreveport wasnotified of her appointment by Con-gressman Dr. John Fleming.

The Naval Academy is amongthe most selective colleges in the U.S.All three US military academies areranked by Forbes in the top 17 in the

CLEANING ROOMHelen Edmonson

nation. Candidates for admission arejudged on their academic achieve-ment, demonstrated leadership, ath-letics and character. To gain admis-sion, candidates must also pass afitness test, undergo a thoroughmedical exam and receive a nomi-nation from a member of Congress.This appointment is the equivalentof a full undergraduate scholarshipincluding room and board, medicaland dental care and a monthly payallowance, currently valued at ap-proximately $426,000. Upon gradu-ation, Trafford will be commissionedas an ensign in the United StatesNavy.

Induction Day will be in An-napolis Maryland on June 28 atwhich time Trafford will join an in-coming class of approximately 1000midshipmen chosen from twentythousand applicants. She is one ofonly 100 female appointees. Heatheraspires to fly fighters off aircraft car-riers while pursuing a medical de-gree involving oral surgery.

Miriam was chosen secondteam All-District on her varsity soft-ball team as a freshman. She batted690, stole over 50 bases and was herteam’s MVP. She also took first inschool and third in her regional sci-ence fair.

Hardy landed the lead role - asa principal - in his school’s annualspring play. His baseball team againwon the city championships andHardy won the hits, RBI and homerun title with 12 including 3 grandslams. He batted over 500 and wasnamed the MVP. He was named toAll Stars and begins state tourna-ment play next week where he willpitch the opening game.

WOW! We want to say goodluck to each of you in your manydifferent endeavors. That’s a lot tobe proud of, for all of you! Skip alsotold me that Heather was in El Sal-vador with the US team for thePanAm Championships at 3 am Sat-urday morning, arriving home at4pm just in time to rush to hergraduation ceremony to give herspeech and receive her diploma at6… Very close timing.

I wish each of you a safe Fourthof July, and remind you to let meknow if you have anything you wishto share. I really do like havingthings to write about! Until next

time, God bless!

Lab & FurnacePam Brown

Congratulations to Joshuah

and Meghan (Mitton) Wallace on theirmarriage, May 6, 2012. Josh andMeg were married at the HS sandfarm in the presence of their sonDesmond and surrounded by familyand friends. Josh(melter) is the sonof Brent Wallace (cleaning roomcrane), Marla Tanner (receiving clerk)& step-dad Jack Tanner (mainte-nance). Meghan (core room) is thedaughter of Mark Mitton (FoundrySupervisor) & step-mom BrendaMitton (core room fork truck) andJodi Slager (core room) & step-dadMike Slager (environmental). Meg isalso the grand-daughter of DonMitton (main gate). Sometime inAugust they will be bringing home thenewest member of their family. Weare excited for them and wish themmany years of happiness.

We would like to welcome ourinterns, Greg Brzezinski, he has beenwith us since late February and BrianHays who started with us in late May.