workforce development€¦ · 12charlie hales - [email protected] shop profile: challenge...
TRANSCRIPT
MARCH / APRIL 2020
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Saints Manufacturing Students Earn High Marks from Industry
16 FEATUREChallenge Machine Celebrating 20 Years of Living Up to Its Name
12 INDUSTRY PROFILEEmployment-Based Training Recruit and Retain Today’s Manufacturing Workforce
20 FEATURE
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTMPMA’s Academy Takes Revolutionary Approach
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTMPMA’s Academy Takes Revolutionary Approach
• Increased part quality• Minimize scrap• Reduce cycle time
• Increase throughput• Predictable process• Unattended operation
For more information, go to productivity.com/applicationsor email to [email protected].
We Solve Your Most ComplexManufacturing Challenges
With Turnkey & Process AssistanceEngineering Services
• Increased part quality• Minimize scrap• Reduce cycle time
• Increase throughput• Predictable process• Unattended operation
For more information, go to productivity.com/[email protected].
We Solve Your Most ComplexWe Solve Your Most ComplexManufacturing ChallengesManufacturing ChallengesManufacturing ChallengesManufacturing Challenges
With Turnkey & Process AssistanceEngineering Services
P r o d u c t i v i t y I n c . | 1515 0 2 5 t h A v e N . | M i n n e a p o l i s , M N 5 5 4 4 7 | p : 76 3 . 4 76 . 8 6 0 0 | f : 76 3 . 4 76 . 4 0 9 2 | p r o d u c t i v i t y . c o m
Here at Productivity, we have dedicated engineers focused in production-ready process design and optimization. Our engineering department has decades of industry experience to provide you with the solutions to fi t your manufacturing needs.
PRECISION MANUFACTURING 3
FEATURES8 Workforce Development MPMA’s Academy Takes Revolutionary Approach
12 Shop Profile: Challenge Machine Celebrating 20 Years of Living Up to Its Name
16 Saints Manufacturing Students Earn High Marks from Industry
20 Employment-Based Training Recruit and Retain Today’s Manufacturing Workforce
COLUMNS14 Smart Shop: Culture of Teamwork Support & Accountability are Keys to Success
ASSOCIATION NEWS4 Board Chair’s Letter
6 President’s Letter
19 MPMA Member Snapshots
INDEX
SUPPORTING MINNESOTA IN BECOMING THE WORLD LEADER IN PRECISION CONTRACT MANUFACTURING AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES.
MAGAZINE STAFFEditor & Publications Manager: Nancy Huddleston - [email protected] Creative Director: Severyn Skoug - [email protected] Sales: Todd Cusumano - [email protected]
MPMA OFFICERSBoard Chair: Jesse Schelitzche, Imagineering Machine Inc.Vice Chair: John Madsen, Black Line GroupTreasurer/Secretary: Laurent Deconinck, Machining TechnologyTreasurer/Secretary: Rod Gramse, MRG Tool and DiePresident/CEO: Steve Kalina
EDITORIAL COMMITTEECharlie Hales - [email protected] Madsen - [email protected] Mech - [email protected] Reinschmidt - [email protected] Wilcox - [email protected] Wright - [email protected]
Precision Manufacturing (ISSN 0273-7523) is the only authorized, regular publication of the Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association (MPMA). Opinions and conclusions expressed in the magazine are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the MPMA or its officers.
Precision Manufacturing is published six times per year by IntrinXec Management Inc., 5353 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 350, Minneapolis, MN 55416. Advertising rates provided on request. Correspondence regarding the magazine should be sent to Nancy Huddleston, c/o IntrinXec Management, Inc., 5353 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 350, Minneapolis, MN 55416. Electronic correspondence, including attached files in Word or plain text formats, may be sent to [email protected]. Unsolicited materials will not be returned.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Precision Manufacturing, c/o IntrinXec Management, Inc., 5353 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 350, Minneapolis, MN 55416.
For more editorial or advertising information call (952) 564-3041.
MARCH / APRIL 2020
8COVER STORY
Workforce DevelopmentMPMA’s Academy Takes Revolutionary Approachby Nancy Huddleston
Precision manufacturers know the problem of finding skilled workers all too well. For years they’ve heard: Close the skills gap. Create career pathways. Fill the pipeline. Think outside the box.
PAGE 16PAGE 12
4 PRECISION MANUFACTURING
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• Expert HR support from a team of professionals to help with recruiting, employment law compliance, benefits administration, unemployment claims and more.
• Error-free payroll administration services provided by a dedicated payroll specialist.
• Exceptional employee benefit plan offerings from top-tier carriers like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Guardian, Unum and more.
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Manufacturing
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JESSE SCHELITZCHE Imagineering Machine
Developing TalentKeeping Employees at the Forefrontby Jesse Schelitzche
BOARD CHAIR’S LETTER
“As the MPMA continues to promote and
fund workforce development
issues within our industry, we need
to remind ourselves the best way to
move the industry forward is to create opportunities that
let individuals learn and excel.”
There is an inspirational story* that many people have shared about a man who found a cocoon for a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared and he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through the little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared stuck.
The man decided to help the butterfly and with a pair of scissors he cut open the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily. Something was strange. The butterfly had a swollen body and shriveled wings. The man watched the butterfly, expecting it to take on its correct proportions, but nothing changed.
The butterfly stayed the same. It was never able to fly. In his kindness and haste the man did not realize that the butterfly’s struggle to get through the small opening of the cocoon is nature’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight.
When we coach and teach others it is helpful to recognize when people need to do things for themselves. It is also helpful to know that struggle may change that person for years to come.
As the MPMA continues to promote and fund workforce development issues within our industry, we need to remind ourselves that the best way to move the industry forward is to create opportunities that let individuals learn and excel.
The main article in this issue discusses the initiatives with programs we’re supporting like TITANS of CNC: Academy and developing teams on your shop floor. To break these examples down even further, both of these ideas revolve around training and promoting individuals to become great. Sure, we can train our staff to become experts. But we should also be driven to create employees who may decide to do great things outside of our four walls.
I’m a second generation owner of Imagineering Machine Inc., and the former owners started as machinists at Ultra Machining Company (UMC). I remember their stories about numerous employees from that company who went on to start their own machine shops around Minnesota. Upon hearing their stories, it didn’t strike me that any of them left UMC out of anger, disrespect, or boredom. Many went on to run their own businesses because they were trained how to become great at their craft.
By offering opportunities to our employees that include on-the-job training, off-site seminars/workshops, the soon-to-be MPMA Academy, or allowing time for traditional education at a local college or university, we’re showing our dedication not only to our companies, but to the individuals who work for us.
There is no doubt that there will be tough times when some of your top employees tell you they’re leaving for new opportunities. The initial feelings of loss or betrayal should be replaced with excitement for the new opportunities to come for your employees. It’s hard to accept when a key employee leaves or a young employee you took under your wing decides to move on. Being the ultimate optimist, I try to remind myself that we all benefit from more well-trained employees who can go on to do great things.
I recently listened to an interview with Kim Polese, one of the creators of Javascript. During that interview, she described how after working on the Java project while at Sun Microsystems, she decided to branch off to run her own company with a few other employees knowing there was a huge opportunity with this new product. Rather than become angry or resentful when Polese and her team informed the company of their decision, Sun Microsystems funded the new venture with the best of intentions. The result was a future IPO and many new products that changed the internet and technology forever.
As we work to develop talent that will improve our own businesses, let’s keep the employees at the forefront of our decisions. Think about what will set them up for long-term success, regardless of where that might take them. In the long run, we will all be beneficiaries of their successes. PM
* The butterfly struggle story is known by many different titles. It has been adapted from a story created by Sonaira D’Avila, according to writer Paul Coelho’s blog, has been referenced in Frank Dupree’s book, Metamorphosis, and variations of it have been cited by many other authors over the years.
Manufacturing companies face a number of HR challenges: maintaining workplace safety, keeping labor and workers’ compensation costs low, staying compliant with employment laws and regulations, recruiting and retaining skilled talent, and more.
A leading national HR outsourcing company, G&A Partners specializes in helping companies solve all these issues (and more) by giving them access to a team of HR, benefits and payroll experts, all for about the same cost of hiring one full-time employee.
G&A Partners comprehensive HR solutions include:
• A suite of workplace safety services, powered by OECS, that includes customized safety and accident prevention programs, OSHA compliance assistance and a dedicated safety consultant.
• A-rated workers’ compensation coverage that gives employers the opportunity to lock in a favorable experience modifier rate (EMR).
• Expert HR support from a team of professionals to help with recruiting, employment law compliance, benefits administration, unemployment claims and more.
• Error-free payroll administration services provided by a dedicated payroll specialist.
• Exceptional employee benefit plan offerings from top-tier carriers like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Guardian, Unum and more.
HR Benefits Payroll gnapartners.com
HR For Manufacturing Free your business from the administrative hassles of HR, benefits, payroll and workplace safety.
About G&A Partners A leader in the HR outsourcing industry for 20+ years, G&A Partners has 11 offices across the U.S. and Latin America — including right here in Edina, Minnesota — providing HR, benefits and payroll services to more than 800 clients and 30,000 worksite employees.
Need a better HR solution?Visit www.gnapartners.com/industry/manufacturing or call 800-253-8562 to schedule a free business consultation.
Manufacturing
About OECS OECS’ staff boasts 115+ years of safety experience across a variety of industries — including manufacturing — and specializes in providing employers with high-quality workplace safety services.
• CORPORATE SPONSOR OF THE MPMA •
6 PRECISION MANUFACTURING
STEVE KALINA President / CEO
Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association
Hello Precision Manufacturing readers! As promised, I’ve compiled a list of the 65 most influential people in MPMA’s 65-year history. I’ll get to that in just a bit.
The cover article in this edition details an exciting new offering with workforce development with our new innovative training concept. But there’s more! I want to share another exciting new advancement: a new way to support high school technical education programs, or as someone recently referred to them: “STEM Applications Programs.”
For many years, the MPMA has supported schools, and through the MPMA’s Education Foundation we have given grants to many of them. However, small amounts of financial support can only supplement a program that already has the critical elements in place, such as a passionate instructor. In some cases, like this, small grants over a long period of time may not add up to the sum of all parts.
In 2020, the MPMA is changing our approach by providing a “blitz” of support for one high school program at a time. The goal is to coordinate community and industry support to launch technical education programs that focus on one high school at a faster pace than is currently possible.
This new approach was inspired by the impact MPMA has seen from the $30,000 donation our Education Foundation gave to Minnesota State’s Workforce Development Scholarship program, which provides financial assistance to students entering advanced manufacturing programs. The support, excitement, and attention gained for our industry - not to mention millions of dollars leveraged from the state - is having an amazing impact.
There are some key pre-requisites for MPMA’s new technical education blitz program:
� The high school must have a pre-existing program related to the field of manufacturing.
� The instructor must have a vision for the program that is in the early stages of implementation.
� The instructor must have passion for that vision. I can’t emphasize this enough.
� School administration supports the program.
� The school must have industry support available in their area.
Objectives:
� MPMA will meet with the instructor and administrators to gain support.
� The MPMA Education Foundation will provide financial support.
� MPMA will coordinate local manufacturing businesses to form a partnership.
This collective group will:
� Perform outreach to students to encourage career exploration.
� Collaborate with existing successful high school programs and instructors.
� Make contact with local government representatives for a tour, support, and awareness.
� Involve local media resources for support, awareness, and public perception.
65 Years and Counting … MPMA Continues to Make a Lasting Impactby Steve Kalina
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We are excited to pursue this new approach. Over the course of several years, we can have a dramatic impact to several schools and communities, versus small impacts to many that may not have lasting effects. Stay tuned!
More to come, but in the meantime, I wish you all a busy and warm Spring.
“Over the course of several years, we can have a dramatic impact to several schools and communities, versus small impacts to many that may not have lasting effects.”
65 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLENow, back to MPMA’s 65 most influential people. This was a really fun exercise bringing up some names from the past, many of
whom are no longer with us. These individuals have been great leaders in our industry and have made MPMA what it is today. I consider many of them to have been mentors to me. Some of the contributing criteria for this list includes, but is not limited to the following:
And without further delay, and in no particular order, I am honored to present the first 13:
� Key to MPMA’s founding.
� Past President of MPMA.
� Member of the Board of Directors.
� Board Member of Education Foundation.
� Founder or champion of key MPMA events.
� Champion of MPMA initiatives.
� Leader of an MPMA business that has survived the test of time.
� Chuck Hales, Hales Machine Tool
� Carl Berg, American Machine
� Wally Waffensmith, Omnitool, Inc.
� Eric Hawkinson, CBIZ MHM Inc.
� Dale Greenwald, Cass Screw Machine Products
� Bill Saul, Remmele
� Kim Arrigoni, Haberman Machine
� Ken Kooiker, Graham Research
� B Kyle, Saint Paul Port Authority
� Roger Plath, Twin City Plating
� B.E. Bogeskov, Metro Machine & Engineering
� Dick Heath, UFE
� JoAnn Hiebel, MPMA PM
Precision manufacturers know the problem of finding skilled workers all too well. For years they’ve heard: Close the skills gap. Create career pathways. Fill the pipeline. Think outside the box.
In the eyes of leaders in the industry, one of the crucial answers to solving the workforce problem lies in the development of machining skills for workers on their shop floors.
Beginning May 1, the MPMA is launching a skilled-training academy for incumbent workers that combines traditional machine tool technology training at Hennepin Technical College (HTC), self-driven training through TITANS of CNC: Academy, and mentors overseeing production work through on-the-job training.
The goals are: � Provide a clear vision of what a student can do within manufacturing to draw more
individuals into the industry. � Define the skill levels an employer needs and a student can achieve. � Speed up the progression of workforce skills development through concerted efforts
for training, consistent curriculum, and strong mentorship.
MEMBER-DRIVEN APPROACHHow will MPMA’s approach to the workforce dilemma make a difference for its
members? By combining traditional technical school classroom training, on-the-job mentoring, and self-directed learning with a skilled-training academy created by and for members. It’s like an apprenticeship model, on steroids.
“Today, more than ever, kids need to be exposed to the skilled career opportunities in manufacturing,” explained MPMA President/CEO Steve Kalina, “Each of our businesses is faced with historical challenges to find talented young people, and MPMA is working on solutions.
“We’re creating a revolutionary training program to expedite skills development of incumbent workers,” he continued. “The goal is to speed up the progression of workforce skill development such that a five-year employee can attain skills more similar to that of a 10-year employee through very concerted efforts.”
by N
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PRECISION MANUFACTURING 9
COLLABORATIVE APPROACHThe academy will be a collaborative
approach with HTC, TITANS of CNC: Academy, and MPMA companies. Three MPMA members - Cass Precision Machining, Imagineering Machine, and Machining Technology - are part of the first cohort that gets underway this spring. Each business will commit two or three workers to the academy.
It begins with a one-year academy approach based on a 50-hour work week with certain percentages of time allocated to:
� Classroom time at HTC. � Individual student time completing
TITANS of CNC: Academy online on their own time and practicing under the oversight of a mentor (experienced machinist).
� Planned and guided work using the equipment and processes they are learning about so that they are developing a specific skillset.
� Production (working) at the company.
TITANS of CNC curriculum is envisioned to be embedded into HTC’s existing curriculum so that a worker with basic knowledge of machining and a solid work ethic can train at HTC at a “machining 200” level. Ideally, the work done by students will count for college credit.
After the first year, the academy model transforms into a traditional in-house apprenticeship training program with the employer. At this stage, there are two paths: In-house employer apprenticeship training only, or employer apprenticeship training combined with a two-year technical college.
“We will continue to work with the employer to help set up Pipeline grants, scholarships, employer tuition reimbursement, etc., to help students through college,” Kalina said, “This will increase enrollment at tech schools and speed up development of new workers.”
MPMA and HTC have obtained a $50,000 pre-development grant awarded by the Minnesota Jobs Skills Partnership (MJSP), which works with businesses, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations to train or retrain workers,
expand work opportunities, and keep high-quality jobs in the state.
“The idea is to establish training that does not replace technical college education, but better allows precision manufacturers to get prospect or incumbent employees excited about the industry,” said Kalina, “The goal is to fast-track skills development – to take traditional training and skills development, and accomplish it in half that time. That way the industry has a better chance of backfilling for the large number of skilled workers heading toward retirement.”
The pre-development grant will allow MPMA, HTC, and its partners to utilize MJSP resources to help develop a training program and curriculum. “Although some of the money is expected to be used to do some pilot training, it is primarily to help develop the training we plan to implement and when that is done, we would be able to apply for a full MJSP grant in order to carry out the actual training,” explained Kalina.
ON THE SHOP FLOORThis is not a one-size-fits-all program. Each MPMA member company
enrolled in the academy has the opportunity to do some customization to fit their needs. It is also designed for the core membership of the MPMA – small to medium-sized shops – to help them utilize an apprenticeship model without having to create their own.
The ideal student/employee should be self-driven, reliable, motivated, eager to learn, punctual, and a team player. They should be comfortable using a computer, have math and reading skills, some shop floor exposure and experience, at least six months’ experience working, understand the basics of machining, have good dexterity and basic use of hand tools, should know basic use of inspection tools, such as a micrometer and a caliper, and have GD&T exposure. A natural interest and knack for machining is also a plus.
The employer also will be responsible for being engaged with the worker they are sending to the
academy, and provide a shop floor mentor. Many MPMA members feel that today’s technical school students graduate with general skills and do not possess the skills necessary to step into a production role on the shop floor because they need additional training. So, the MPMA academy model addresses that concern, but also puts the responsibility for specialized training on the employer/MPMA member.
“My expectation for this academy is that there will be an ability for the employee to get deeper training than I can offer on the shop floor without having employees jump into a full-time college program,” said Jesse Schelitzche, President of Imagineering Machine. “Then we can customize it for our needs on our shop floor. It’s exciting that we will have the ability to tweak and turn the knobs on what they need to learn at our business. That’s a greater benefit than only learning generalized skills.”
Laurent Deconinck, President of Machining Technology, is looking forward to how the academy can reduce on-the-job training while increasing his workers’ knowledge of machining.
“When we are training in-house, that takes production away from our other resource, mainly our skilled employees,” he said, “And new employees make mistakes, because they are learning. I expect that my employees in this academy will be trained and their skills will improve so that we can speed up our training of them in-house.”
TITANS OF CNCWhen MPMA started exploring
its own academy, it did so with the realization that the way today’s students learn is vastly different than how their fathers or grandfathers did.
“The difference is finding out what gets younger workers excited and what will get students in the seats,” Kalina said, “The TITANS program brings a lot of excitement to the industry. It gives the students the tools to go at their own pace, get engaged, and take ownership.”
Kalina sees the TITANS of CNC: Academy as a “great tool that allows for self-exploration no matter what a student’s skill level, and it gives them the ability to go past the basics. They will be able to learn at their own pace.”
COVER STORY
[ continued on page 10 ]
“I expect that my employees in this academy will be trained and their skills will improve so that we can
speed up our training of them in-house.”Laurent Deconinck - President, Machining Technology
10 PRECISION MANUFACTURING
COVER STORY
Titan Gilroy, founder of the TITANS of CNC: Academy supports MPMA’s academy concept.
“My team and I work with manufacturers all over the world to provide resources and bring awareness of this amazing industry. It takes a commitment to quality, willingness to share and try new ideas, and a commitment to get the next generation excited about the possibilities of this trade,” Gilroy said. “MPMA shows this level of commitment by investing in the future and adopting our TITANS of CNC: Academy curriculum to teach the next generation with the most modern techniques in manufacturing.”
At Yeager Machine Inc. in Norwood Young America, owner Mike Yeager has embraced the TITANS of CNC: Academy and four of his employees are enrolled. He tried the program out himself before making that commitment and believes in the program, but that doesn’t mean there has not been challenges along the way.
“The TITANS Academy program is very beneficial, but we’ve struggled with
how to keep the momentum going,” Yeager admitted.
But Kalina said Yeager’s experience with the TITANS program has served as a catalyst for MPMA’s academy.
“Mike Yeager has helped us see what a resource the TITANS program is, and how it can be used on the shop floor,” Kalina said, “He’s also helped us to show HTC how the program can be used in conjunction with the traditional school model. So Mike took a risk, and when he did so, he helped MPMA see the potential.”
Yeager is quick to point out that his experience is his own and he’s still learning how to manage it with his team. “We’ve learned that you have to have accountability for the company and for the employee,” he said.
He said his employees have been enthusiastic and appreciative of the opportunity to learn and improve their skills with the TITANS of CNC: Academy. But, he points out, it is important to set expectations, requirements, and a timeline so that it’s a win-win for everyone.
IN THE CLASSROOMHTC’s goal for MPMA’s academy
is to provide “higher skill level training that is both enticing and more engaging to individuals considering the manufacturing field, but also set up to better collaborate with in-house training, apprenticeship, and mentorship within individual manufacturing companies.”
Craig Barringer teaches a variety of courses at HTC in the machine tool technology program, and is part of a team at the college that is developing a curriculum for MPMA’s academy program.
As a life-long machinist, Barringer is excited for the possibilities because machining is everything to him. “It’s all I know, it’s what I do,” he said. He graduated from the machine tool program at Foley High School with a solid background in machining, went to technical school in St. Cloud in the 1980s, and worked at Mate Precision Tool in Anoka for 30 years.
He started out teaching night classes as a side gig 10 years ago as an adjunct
PRECISION MANUFACTURING 11
COVER STORY
instructor at Saint Paul College while still working full time at Mate. Then, he moved over to HTC in the same capacity and quickly developed a love for sharing his skills. He’s been a full-time instructor at HTC for the past six years.
“I want all my students to get good jobs because if you’re a great machinist you can do anything you want,” Barringer said.
He said the TITANS of CNC: Academy is a great tool, but he also believes there’s a need to monitor students to make sure everyone is doing what they need to do to be successful.
“Students get frustrated. They get stuck. And sometimes they need someone who will help them stop and think about what they want to achieve,” he said.
Barringer also cautions that developing the academy is going to be hard.
To that end, student selection will be important to the success of MPMA’s program, according to Barringer. It will be a process, at first, but he plans to follow a mantra that he’s carried with him throughout his career as a machinist: “I never said I can’t do that, instead I say I haven’t found a way to do it yet,” he says with a smile.
Kalina envisions HTC’s role as providing the learning standards for the academy and using the TITANS of CNC: Academy so that students can also learn at own their pace.
“HTC does not need to reinvent what it is already doing, but the academy learning would be an add-on to what’s already being taught,” he said.
OTHER PARTNERSHIPSThe MPMA is also working with
VisionOne High Performance Group and Summit Academy OIC to augment the skilled-training academy program.
The Summit Academy partnership is designed to create a larger pool of candidates and increase diversity at the same time. It is an accredited vocational school located in North Minneapolis with a 50-year history of working in the community.
Kalina said in his discussions with Summit, he has been impressed by its successful construction trades/pre-apprentice electrician program and that could be a model for a future manufacturing trades program.
VisionOne’s role will be to help companies map out and implement customized training programs. Specifically, it will consult with MPMA members about their options to use grants, apprenticeships, schools, and community programs to help support their workforce development efforts with incumbent workers.
The opportunity to consult with a company will help transform a goal into action and is an integral part of the process, Kalina noted, because the academy might not fit for every member. There are many options available to manufacturers, but many need help sorting them out, seeing how things fit within their company’s goals, and deciding what works best.
MEETING THE NEED
In 2008, approximately 17.7 percent of the region’s manufacturing workers were 55 years of age and older, according to CareerForce MN, a business-led network of private, public, and nonprofit partners throughout Minnesota. Ten years later, this share had increased to 27.0 percent. In other words, over one in every four manufacturing workers in the Metro Area are 55 years of age and older.
Schelitzche, who is the chair of the MPMA Board, said that statistic illustrates why the association needs to embark on an academy that not only helps fill the skills gap, but does so in a way that meets the changing demands of a younger workforce.
He believes the skilled-training academy is a tangible offering that gives members direct results.
“Whether you’re in a cohort like me, or sitting on the sidelines until the program is dialed in, it’s a better way to connect members to workforce resources,” he said. “The ultimate goal is we want to make our members successful, and this gives them the opportunity to do that.” PM
NANCY HUDDLESTON is the editor/publications manager for Precision Manufacturing Journal. She can be reached at [email protected].
“We’re creating a revolutionary training program to expedite skills development of incumbent workers.”
Steve Kalina - MPMA President/CEO
12 PRECISION MANUFACTURING
In 1999 Jim Betland cleared out his garage to start a small contract manufacturing shop. He purchased one machine: a Haas VF-0E VMC with a 15,000-rpm spindle. Initially, most of the jobs he received were from his previous employer, a semiconductor manufacturer that needed tiny features machined into plastic components. At the time, only a handful of shops in the area offered micromachining, even though products for the semiconductor and medical industries were trending smaller.
Betland didn’t stay in that garage for long.
Three months later, he added two additional machining centers and rented a small bay in Columbia Heights. Within the next year, he rented a second bay next door. Three years later, he bought the entire 6,000-square-foot building to accommodate all the additional staff and machines that had been added.
Indeed, the company grew quickly. Betland attributes that growth to a high level of customer service and quality from the beginning … combined with a lot of hard work.
“We did whatever we had to do to get parts done on time and with quality,”
Betland said. “We always did a great job communicating with customers. And I think we developed a reputation for being a good, reliable machine shop.”
As president and founder, he also recalls working many long hours building the business from the ground up. “There were several years of working overnights and seven days a week,” he said.
In 2013, Challenge Machine moved into a 16,000-square-foot, environmentally-controlled facility in Blaine. The range of equipment and available spindle speeds the shop has added over the years to perform micromachining work is impressive. Two of the shop’s machines have 100,000-rpm spindles, enabling them to use end mills for extremely tight tolerances.
Much of Challenge Machine’s work involves machining prototypes. The shop specializes in machining tiny features in plastics, including Torlon, Ultem, Vespel, and other exotic plastics. It also works with a variety of metals, including aluminum, copper, brass, and stainless steel. Because many of its jobs are prototypes, lot sizes may be as small as 1 - 20 pieces. Turnaround time is fast, often just one to two weeks.
Many of the plastics that are micromachined are used to create prototypes that will eventually be molded during the production run. Not only does the shop apply its micro-milling capabilities for this work, it also uses Swiss-type lathes with live tooling and high-speed air spindles for prototyping.
EXPANDING INTO MEDICAL DEVICES
One of the company’s most significant achievements has been earning an ISO 13485 medical device certification in 2019, which has opened the door to additional micromachining work in that industry. Until then, Challenge Machine had been more focused on R&D work for the medical industry. Now it is producing a variety of medical devices, such as heart pump components, knee replacement surgery components, eye surgery components, dental plates, and bone screws.
This year Challenge Machine exhibited at the MD&M West show for the very first time.
“We can hold tolerances down to 5 microns for most materials,” Betland said. “By comparison, a human hair is 60 microns. That’s pretty unique for a company our size doing this type of work.”
Recently Challenge Machine became the first shop in the Upper Midwest to add a Kern Micro Pro, which is a high-precision, 5-axis machine developed in Germany. It is equipped with a 30-station pallet changer and 109-tool capacity.
“It’s a special, niche machine that is very exciting for us and our customers,” Betland added. “With it, we can run multiple, complex parts overnight or on the weekends.”
SOLVING ONE CHALLENGE AFTER ANOTHER
Challenge Machine prides itself on working with small to mid-size companies to solve tough problems, from component layout to design for manufacturing.
One recent job for a medical device manufacturer involved bringing down
Challenge MachineCelebrating 20 Years of Living Up to Its Nameby Melissa DeBilzan
INDUSTRY PROFILE
A family-owned company, Challenge Machine has managed to keep employees happy and turnover low. Pictured here are Brandon Gill and Jim Betland.
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PRECISION MANUFACTURING 13
the total cost per item. The material needed for this implantable device is a special bone-like plastic and is costly. The downside is that this material only comes in 36-inch long tubes – far more than what was needed for each device. Recycling the material wasn’t an option, nor was a full-design overhaul.
To minimize the total cost per item, Challenge Machine created an adaptor rod to attach to each remnant, reducing the amount of waste material from nearly 10 inches to less than 2 inches per item.
“We do quite a bit of work for smaller companies,” said General Manager Aaron Schreiber. “There are many things on the R&D side of things that we deal with. We’ll work with some of these companies
for years as they tweak their design, ordering one or two parts at a time, then 200 parts the next year. We never charge for consultation.”
Another thing Challenge Machine prides itself on is an extremely clean shop floor. “You could eat off it,” Schreiber said. “Whenever we have customers or prospective customers tour our facility, almost all of them comment on how clean and bright our shop is.”
In many ways, he said, the shop floor is a direct reflection of the company and its culture. Both are well maintained.
From the beginning, Challenge Machine has tried to create a team environment where everyone feels respected and heard. Communication
is fostered through daily meetings to review job statuses as well as monthly lunches. The family-owned company does everything in its power to keep employees happy and turnover low.
“Having the right kind of culture is important for retaining employees as well as customers,” Betland said. “I believe it’s been a significant factor in our growth.”
Challenge Machine recently celebrated 20 years in business. And with a new focus on medical, the company is optimistic about its future, ready to solve one challenge after the next. PM
MELISSA DEBILZAN is a writer for Precision Manufacturing Journal. She can be reached at [email protected].
Challenge Machine has a 16,000-square-foot, environmentally-controlled facility in Blaine.
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With its ISO 13485 certification, Challenge Machine plans to broaden its micromachining experience in the medical device industry.
14 PRECISION MANUFACTURING
Manufacturers are always looking for ways to improve productivity on the shop floor by establishing goals to reduce set-up times, increase efficiency, and create a culture of teamwork. While these goals can be validated in metrics and weekly reports, it can also be found in the people that work for you.
For instance, what if an operator stopped you during one of your daily trips on the shop floor to tell you how impressed he was by a co-worker? The story begins simply enough – his co-worker noticed he had been walking some distance to run an additional machine and offered to run it for him since he was closer.
The operator finishes by saying what impressed him most was after his co-worker completed line clearance on the job, he gave him credit for the work. He says, “I’ve never been involved with this kind of team environment in all his years of machining.”
This story is an example of what happens when your team members support each other. It’s the goal you’ve been working toward – improving
productivity – but there’s a twist that you didn’t see coming. It’s a direct result of holding teams accountable instead of focusing on individual performance. And it happens when team members hold each other accountable.
The result: If one team member sees another struggle with their daily goal, they are more likely to offer assistance or pick up additional work and help compensate for their team member.
TOOLS TO BUILD YOUR TEAMOf course, this doesn’t happen
overnight. It takes a lot of strategic foresight and hard work by everyone. At Nelson Numeric, the process has included:
� Kaizen Events: Used to identify training needs and develop a training platform for machinists. The goal
Culture of TeamworkSupport & Accountability are Keys to Successby Chris Sayler
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should be to create documentation for employee competencies in specific areas and to determine root causes for not meeting QA Standard Training requirements.
� SMED (Single-Minute Exchange Dies) Events: This was used to facilitate growth projected in the coming years. The SMED goal was to decrease average setup times - effectively increasing the milling department machine capacity per week. Leading up to the event, videos of several set-ups were prepared on repeat parts which familiarized the team with the fundamentals.
� SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) Goals: This has been shown to increase team motivation and commitment. Goals affect the intensity of our actions and emotions. The more valued a goal is the more intense our efforts will be to attain the goal.
� Team meetings: Seek to understand issues first and then provide daily direction for process and production problems. Use visual communication boards twice daily on the shop floor (2-axis, 5-axis, multi-axis, Swiss, milling, quality, and finishing communication boards) as a visual aid. A black color is used to set daily individual goals, green is when the goal has been reached, and red is when the goal has not been made.
� Strategic Company Goals: Make sure that company goals cascade down to daily individual goals. All individual goals roll up into daily team goals which roll up into weekly goals and so on. As a set number of daily goals are accomplished the teams decide how to celebrate – lunch, gift card, company T-shirts, etc. This is how long-term continuous results are sustained.
POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONSThe power of positivity has long been
touted as a path to success by life coaches and self-help gurus. These methodologies can also be used on the shop floor:
� Power of green and red colors: Team members will produce or give more effort to reach goals so they can report daily numbers with green vs. red color markers.
� Each team is evaluated daily at communication board meetings that support teamwork, accountability, and leadership.
� Never underestimate the power of communicating “Good Job.” A simple good job message from a team member often goes a long way for acknowledgement and recognition. Nelson Numeric’s culture encourages all team members to recognize others for their achievements, which can be seen with posted messages and/or verbal communication of praise at workstations.
� Conversely, you must hold members accountable and come alongside of them when goals have not been met. If you don’t hold team members accountable, “good job” will not mean as much and lose its effectiveness.
CONSTRUCTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING
Creating a positive problem solving culture does not have to involve a lot of extra work by management or your team members. Some opportunities are already there, you simply have to recognize them.
� Engage your culture by fixing “low hanging fruit,” which produces easy wins. Set up others for success by simply asking them what they need to be more successful.
� Working together as a team on the shop floor helps everyone embrace change and growth.
� Going outside of your comfort zone and embracing change is exciting and helps to quell the naysayers. Channel being worried or nervous into becoming excited for the future.
USING MACHINE DATAUsing “big data” that is generated by
the production process can be a helpful tool on the shop floor, especially where there is a difference of opinion about how to solve a problem. It is also helpful:
� To improve indirect time - because it can be very subjective and difficult to identify the forms of waste.
� Understand job contraints and eliminate distractions within your teams.
� Increase core tasks – by establishing what workers do in the hours they have and how much time it should take for certain tasks.
In one case at Nelson Numeric, data was collected over a two-week period of time to look into a concern about capacity. The data analysis showed there was capacity, but there were peak times where there were constraints.
In another case, there was a difference of opinion about the number of people needed in the quality department. The data analysis showed there wasn’t a need to hire more people, and 12 months after implementing a quality board system to help map the workload, the department productivity grew by 22%.
The key takeaway is to find a good balance. There are natural tension points between people and data. Analytics can help find the middle ground needed to move forward.
OTHER OUTCOMESManufacturers are always looking for
ways to continually improve, increase productivity, and retain their quality employees, especially in today’s tight labor market. Here are some other ways to do that, while building a culture of teamwork on your shop floor:
� Promote often from within, recruit from outside when necessary, and surround yourself with a diverse group – you need different perspectives to be successful.
� Break down individual and group “silos” – understand the value of meeting with others on different teams for a different perspective and a fresh set of eyes.
� Accept that it’s OK not to be the smartest person in the room. Instead focus on opportunities to learn from others in the room and work together as a team.
� Commit yourself to train often and go outside your comfort zone. Seize the opportunity and don’t use, “I don’t have time” excuse. PM
CHRIS SAYER is the Director of Operations at Nelson Numeric. He can be reached at [email protected] or 952-829-7337.
Never underestimate the power of communicating “Good Job.” A simple good job message from a team member often goes a long way for acknowledgement and recognition.
16 PRECISION MANUFACTURING
As soon as students arrive to the fifth-period industrial technology classroom at Saint Francis High School, they report to the head of their department for a quick team huddle. Then they get to work interpreting blueprints, cutting steel, milling and welding parts – all to meet the demands of real customers.
Saints Manufacturing operates much like a small business and is a student-run business that was launched in 2017 as a way to supplement the funding needed each year to keep the high school program running strong.
Initially, 13 students signed up for the new course. Together, they designed and manufactured about 20 custom fire pit hoppers, which were sold for $200 each. Financially, the first year was break even.
Over the last two years, Saints Manufacturing has blossomed into a viable, self-sustaining business, and has doubled in square footage. In 2019, 21 students enrolled in the year-long elective and produced about $75,000 in
metal parts, mostly for the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).
MAKING THEIR MARKThe MnDOT parts are for various
components for Minnesota’s snowplow trucks. For years, the parts had been manufactured by prison workers through MINNCOR Industries. But when MINNCOR stopped offering metal fabrication services in 2018, MnDOT needed to find other vendors.
Saint Francis High School Industrial Technology Teacher Erik Trost wasted no time asking if and how his students could help. After months of dialogue and many smaller jobs, Saints Manufacturing received its first major order from MnDOT: 100 push-pulls, which act as a shock absorber for the wing plow.
Accompanying the order was a detailed, 18-page blueprint. Students interpreted the print and determined which components they could produce themselves given the lab equipment
available and MnDOT’s tolerances. Some components, they determined, had to be subcontracted out.
“It’s amazing what kids learn in the context of the real world,” Trost said. “They’re gaining all kinds of skills – from outsourcing components to writing their own code for our CNC equipment. In the welding department, students were required to design and build alignment fixtures to ensure proper assembly.”
The final part – when assembled – measures over 3 feet long and weighs about 60 pounds.
So far, Saints Manufacturing is on track to finalize and ship out all 100 push-pulls by the end of the school year. The parts will be incorporated into MnDOT’s snowplow trucks next winter.
“From day one, students are told that they own this project,” Trost said. “Their success ultimately falls on them, not on anyone else, so they take credit for outcomes.”
TAKING THE LEADSaints Manufacturing has pieces
of equipment found in any modern machining and fabrication shop - including a CNC lathe, CNC mill, plasma cutters, and tig and mig welders - neatly fanned out across 6,400 square feet.
The classroom is divided into various departments and positions. Each department has a lead as well as a team of production workers. Office personnel handle the shop’s invoices and packing slips. The students learn many terms that manufacturers use every day – and are required to communicate by email and telephone rather than text.
By modeling the classroom after a small business, Trost hopes that students will be able to see the entire manufacturing process from start to finish and gain far more than just technical skills.
Senior Blake Schwieger, who serves as the shop’s welding lead, said he has learned just as much about leadership and teamwork as about how to make quality weld joints.
Saints Manufacturing Students Earn High Marks from Industryby Melissa DeBilzan
FEATURE
Senior Cullin Dougherty cuts the steel necessary for some MnDOT parts.
PRECISION MANUFACTURING 17
“I’ve been surprised by the sheer amount of planning and coordination that has to go into parts,” Schwieger said. “You have to be able to multi-task and work together as a team to reach your goal.”
And, students have just one hour per day to get the work done.
“We’re pretty busy these days,” said Jon Trost, Erik’s father, who volunteers in the shop on most school days. He is a retired technical education teacher, himself, as well as a retired two-star general from the Minnesota National Guard. “And we have to figure out how to manage requests for additional parts. They’ve learned to work cooperatively and independently.”
Somehow Saints Manufacturing managed to squeeze in a couple of custom fire pit hoppers and metal picnic tables into its production line this year. Additionally, students took on a separate order from MnDOT to help machine a batch of cast-steel pulleys using a CNC lathe.
Teamwork and problem-solving are necessary to stay on schedule.
“One student noticed he could only machine about three pulleys before our carbide tooling was shot,” Trost said. “Soon after, he found himself on a
conference call with some folks from the industry, which led us to purchase a new cutting tool that lasts much longer. Now we can machine about 50 pulleys instead of just three.”
Over the past three years, Saints Manufacturing has introduced dozens of students to the world of machining and fabrication. Last year, about half the seniors surveyed in the program said they planned to pursue a career in the industry and enroll at a technical college or university.
PARTNERING WITH INDUSTRYGiven the industry’s persistent shortage
of skilled workers, Trost hopes many shops will continue to offer their support to high school machining programs.
“Saints Manufacturing wouldn’t exist without industry support,” he said. “The donations we receive give students a unique look at equipment, parts, and processes that they otherwise would never experience in high school. I think our industry partners have realized that if they only help the technical colleges, they’re too late.”
One company recently donated raw steel worth $16,500. Trost hopes another company will eventually donate a second
Haas CNC mill so that his students can machine even more parts.
However, donations aren’t the only way companies can help, he said. Industry
Senior Blake Schwieger said he has learned just as much about leadership and teamwork as he has about how to make quality weld joints.
[ continued on page 18 ]
18 PRECISION MANUFACTURING
FEATURE
expertise is just as valuable and just as needed. Trost said he would welcome people from industry who could visit the classroom on occasion to help teach students what to expect on a real shop floor.
He encourages manufacturers to consider how they can work with their local high schools. “If you’re a machine shop, do you have any short runs that you could outsource to a high school in your area? It’s amazing what can happen when we get out of our comfort zones.”
With help from industry, Saints Manufacturing is producing something far more valuable than parts. It is producing future machinists, welders, and engineers. PM
MELISSA DEBILZAN is a writer for Precision Manufacturing Journal. She can be reached at [email protected].
“It’s amazing what kids learn in the context of the real world. They’re gaining all kinds of skills – from outsourcing components to writing their own code for our CNC equipment.”
Erik Trost, Saint Francis High School, Industrial Technology Teacher
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20 PRECISION MANUFACTURING
Minnesota’s economy is booming but finding talent in today’s tight labor market is a challenge for many manufacturers. And the sector is growing fast. Manufacturing jobs have been among the 15 fastest-growing in the nation with more than 300,000 Minnesotans working in these well-paid, high-growth careers.
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) stands as a resource for Minnesota manufacturers and oversees three programs that can help attract, train, and retain skilled workers to meet your company’s needs. In the long-run, this model of employment-based training can have a lasting impact on your company’s continuous improvement culture and provide a sustainable solution for your workforce.
REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPRegistered apprenticeship in
manufacturing companies has grown as employers struggle to find workers with the skills they need. An apprenticeship is an employee training program that is customizable to meet your company’s workforce needs. Apprentices earn while they learn work-related skills and train alongside an experienced mentor in your company.
Technical instruction coupled with on-the-job training equips apprentices with industry-specific knowledge, skills, and experience that contribute to your bottom line. At the end of the training, apprentices emerge as motivated and highly-skilled professionals who are masters in the skills of their jobs and who know your business. Employee mentors
take great pride in their own skills as well as the skills they’ve helped others develop.
For Pequot Tool and Manufacturing, registered apprenticeship has helped longtime employees pass down their knowledge to new workers and reduce employee turnover. “We have seen our retention increase as our turnover rate has dropped to less than half of what it was previously, and is in fact, half of what the industry standard would be,” said Tim Walker, Apprenticeship Coordinator at Pequot Tool.
DLI staff members provide free services to assist employers with the development, registration, and launch of their apprenticeship program. Additionally, the Minnesota Apprenticeship Initiative offers grants to employers to help cover costs associated with starting a registered
Employment-Based Training Recruit and Retain Today’s Manufacturing Workforceby Nancy Leppink
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apprenticeship program. Learn more at www.apprenticeshipmn.com.
DUAL-TRAINING PIPELINEThrough the Minnesota Dual-
Training Pipeline, individuals participate in structured on-the-job training designed by the employer and pair that training with related instruction, typically with an external training provider. Together, these two modes of training create a powerful learning experience for employees.
Employees see that their employer is willing to invest in their future; the career pathway is clear. The on-the-job training often incorporates a mentorship component, which helps promote relationships among employees. This kind of culture shift is significant for companies who are competing to attract and retain workers. Additionally, at a time of high student debt, it is motivating that the employees can have their education paid for in their pursuit of industry-recognized credentials.
Many Minnesota manufacturers have looked to the Pipeline to grow their workforce. Of the approximately 1,400 dual trainees who have been supported with Dual Training Grant funding
through the Office of Higher Education, 75 percent of them have been in advanced manufacturing. Currently, more than 200 companies are interested in pursuing Pipeline training with advanced manufacturing as their industry of focus.
K&G Manufacturing in Faribault has partnered with Pipeline to grow its workforce since 2016. The program has helped the company fill positions for multiple machinists and a production coordinator, which were critical for keeping up with customer demand.
“Without qualified people, our equipment and materials are just sitting there, and we aren’t making a profit,” said Marv Urias, K&G Manufacturing’s Human Resources Specialist. “The Pipeline Program takes some time to coordinate on our end, but it’s a good return on investment. Every time we visit a college, we explain the Pipeline Program to manufacturing students and how it can benefit everyone involved.”
Grants to help cover education costs for employees are available through the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. Manufacturers made up more than half
Nancy Leppink, DLI Commissioner, tours Daikin Applied’s Faribault facility in October 2019 with Will Fort, Vice President and General Manager of applied air handler operations. Daikin uses the Dual-Training Pipeline Program to help grow their workforce. [ continued on page 22 ]
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of the 60 grant recipients in the most recent round of dual-training grants.
DLI staff members consult with manufacturers of all sizes about their hiring challenges, create a dual-training program that fits their needs, and connect them to resources at no cost. Learn more at www.dli.mn.gov/pipeline.
YOUTH SKILLS TRAININGThe Youth Skills Training (YST)
Program was spearheaded by the MPMA in 2017 and helps employers build a future workforce by connecting students age 16 and older with industry opportunities to learn and gain hands-on experience in high-growth, high-demand, well-paying careers like manufacturing.
Youth Skills Training programs are locally developed programs built in cooperation with employers, schools, and other key stakeholders to address the shortage of skilled workers in Minnesota. These local partnerships provide students
with related classroom instruction, safety training, industry-recognized credentials, and paid work experience. Students get to see firsthand what a safe, healthy, supportive manufacturing workplace looks like, and they get to see the qualities of their future employer.
Forest Lake’s Teamvantage Molding specializes in plastic-injection molding for the medical device industry and other sectors. The company employs about 200 people and has struggled to fill positions. It has partnered with the White Bear Lake School District through YST to help give students knowledge about these well-paying careers.
“We have things that people can do right out of high school that can lead to higher-paying jobs that they’re just not aware of out there because people aren’t talking about it,” said Shelly Bruno, Human Resources Manager at Teamvantage. “With the increase in
demand for skilled workers, the Youth Skills Training Program has allowed us to show 16- to 18-year-old students that manufacturing careers can provide a livable wage in high-tech industries without the need for a four-year degree.”
More than $1 million in grants have been awarded annually for YST programs statewide. The grants are used for marketing, recruitment, training, student certifications, and personnel to manage YST programs. More than 2,500 students have been introduced to a career in YST industries like manufacturing since the program’s launch.
DLI staff members are available to consult with prospective manufacturing partners about starting a YST program. Learn more at www.dli.mn.gov/yst. PM
NANCY LEPPINK is the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. She can be reached at [email protected].
FEATURE
Gov. Tim Walz discusses the Youth Skills Training program in January with Bryan Corbett, Metrology Technician, and Lester Jones, Chief Operating Officer, at Teamvantage Molding in Forest Lake.
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