Conference Program
FISH! CultureHow we talk about our work shapes the way we think and act at work. Whether they are positive or negative, our conversations are our culture. Deena Ebbert of Charthouse International Learning Corporation will guide you through the essential conversations about the workplace you want to create. Learn how to transform your culture by 1) developing a shared vision of how to serve internal and external customers, 2) clarifying common values of how to treat each other, 3) recognizing new opportunities to make a positive difference for others, and 4) becoming more proactive in creating a more effective environment.
Burrs: Not a Four Letter Word
Burrs are one of those things that would be nice to ignore. John Halladay of Vectron, Inc. and J. Jeffrey Bell of Precision Finishing, Inc. will review various processes to assure that your parts exceed those difficult finishing specifications. This interactive session will use unique technology to examine attendee's parts for panel discussion - bring your parts!
Competing Process Forum - Print Provided
Which factors in a quote determine your shop's failure or success? There are two of these sessions this year. The print provided will have four lot sizes identified; the discussion will focus on how well your machine will compete within each of these lot sizes. How could you adjust in order to compete?
Social Networking: So Easy a Caveman Can Do It!
If you are not using social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube, you're missing out on the fun. If you're not using social media for your business, you're missing out on connecting with your targeted market. PMPA's Information Technologies Committee has assembled a panel of experts to show how easy it is to make all of these social networking tools work for you. Noah Graff of Today's Machining World will present sample videos to demonstrate how you can effectively use YouTube to improve your business. Marjorie Clayman of Clayman Advertising, Inc. will share her best practice approach to improving business through Facebook and Twitter. Miles Free of PMPA will explain the steps you can take to integrate all of these networking tools. Understand the impact of social media and see the ease by which you can take advantage of this 'virtual water cooler' of opportunity.
Thread Milling & Thread Whirling 101
Threading basics will be the focus of this session designed to give you a core foundation and understanding of both thread milling and thread whirling. John Kollenbroich of HORN USA, Inc., and Dan Murphy of Tsugami Corporation will set the baseline for the discussion by first providing a brief review of die cutting, thread rolling, and single pointing applications. This will give you the context to understand where whirling & milling fit into this application mix. This comparison process will also highlight the advantages and disadvantages of both methods. When to apply these processes will be a key deliverable.
Workforce Development Strategy
Join Bill Cox and Mike Petrusch of Cox Manufacturing Company in this frank discussion about the future challenges of our industry's workforce. Bill will open the discussion with an overview of these challenges and will provide some insights on how these challenges can be confronted. Mike will share the innovative ideas that Cox Manufacturing has implemented to help develop their team, ranging from skills development through an apprenticeship program, to programs that promote personal "life skills" development for the issues that can "derail" employees in their personal life. They will share programs used at Cox Manufacturing to give attendees actionable 'take home' ideas for their shop.
Geometric Tolerancing
GD&T is the way our shops put the "critical" in our "safety critical" and "performance critical" precision parts. Gary Griffith of Griffith Training will lead this interactive session on best GD&T practice. Mr. Griffith has authored a number of publications on this subject and has helped many companies cut through the black magic of GD&T. This session will provide a brief overview of form, orientation and profile tolerances as part of an introduction with the main focus of the session on position tolerances.
Lean: Where Do We Start?
Dan D'Agostino of Definity Partners will explain how visual order, organization, cleanliness and standardization improve profitability, efficiency, service and safety. Although the principles underlying a 5S program at first appear to be simple, there are key "watch outs" for companies to keep in mind when getting started. Information presented will be an eye opener for the beginner and a reaffirmation of 5-S principals for those already on the journey.
Top Gun Teambuilding
How can your company reduce downtime, increase productivity, reduce turnover, and continue your drive for excellence? How can you get your team to work better as a group and to collectively "own" their role within your company? Come hear United States Marine F18 fighter pilot and Top Gun graduate John "Hatch" Borneman of Business Battlefield Inc. explain how this can be done within his interactive, exercise driven session. Mr. Borneman will share proven teambuilding exercises that can be implemented in your shop and then walk you through a "download" process to be sure all lessons learned within the session are shared with the group.
Best Practice Round Tables
Round tables will be set for you to discuss topics such as Lean Manufacturing, Quality Management Issues (staffed by members of PMPA's Quality Committee), Predictive Index Experiences, and Global Sourcing Concerns. Network with your peers to discuss this year's winning practices.
Screw Thread Clinic & Workshop
This overview of the basics of threading will provide a comprehensive, entry level understanding of threading and thread nomenclature. David Miskinis of Kennametal, Inc. will lead this insightful discussion of key issues, including geometry, features, dimensions, gaging, plating tolerances as well as how to find reference information and formulas.
Real Life Shop Stories
Today's market rapidly changes the demand for our products and challenges our shops' ability to compete. In this interactive session, three shops will share their stories of adaptation, adoption, and transformation of processes in order to keep the job in an evolving market. Jim Fetcko of Ohio Screw Products, Inc., Jim Tyree of General Plug and Manufacturing Co., and Butch Styles of Mantel Machine Products Inc. will discuss scenarios that include adapting to increased volumes, eliminating secondary operations to drop complete, and moving to castings & cold formed blanks from bar stock. This session will give attendees new insight into "why we do what."
Machining Exotics
Today's jobs aren't just the free cutting material that we learned our trade on. Lower sulfurs, cleaner steels, restriction of lead, and global specifications are just a few of the issues that give us exotic materials to cut. Bring your questions about the difficulty of machining materials, including those you see in the medical and aerospace industries. Bob Drab of Schmolz + Bickenbach USA, Inc., Joe Gentile of Hangsterfer's Laboratories, Inc. and Jouni Levanen of Pacific Precision, Inc. will be the experts on this panel to share their experiences and answer your questions in this interactive Q&A session format.
Meet the Millennials
A new "war for talent" is on the horizon as the Millennial generation joins the workforce. Diane Thielfoldt of The Learning Café will explain what's fact and what's fiction when it comes to the Millennial generation. In this interactive session, participants will learn the dos and don'ts for creating a workplace climate that meets the needs of this generation - including how to leverage learning and growth opportunities. The session is designed to be rich in content, interactive and engaging with practical ideas and recommendations focused on the newest, youngest members of the workforce.
Green Factory Take2
The future of business relies on sustainable or 'green thinking.' Companies must eliminate waste, become green where possible, and leverage the use of renewable options to remain viable. Just as Lean Manufacturing has the eight deadly wastes, sustainability has its eight deadly wastes. Jack Pfunder and Jim Marler of Manufacturers Resource Center will review these wastes and show how they integrate together and become the driving force of the Lean and Green journey. Come and hear about the best use of value stream mapping, best practice methods to top line growth, and unique energy management ideas, all delivered within a case study format.
How Assembly Can Benefit Your Shop
To stay competitive, many shops are adding value through assembly and services. Managing both requires identifying and solving novel problems such as ergonomics, order of operations, mistake proofing, and a use of pull systems for inventory control. And don't forget the importance of the communication process with your customer! Robert Clippard of Clippard Instrument Laboratory, Inc., and Jim Fetcko of Ohio Screw Products Inc. will share their experiences and provide ideas on how offering assembly and services can benefit your shop.
Lean: Ask the Pros
Lean is ultimately a managed organizational process. It means more than eliminating waste. Lean means having best practices for deployment, establishing set up reduction training programs, as well as engineering and support efficiency programs. If you are ready to move beyond the low hanging fruit and establishing a lean culture, come and ask Dan Vermeesch of Micron Manufacturing Company, Scott Wiltsie of Vanamatic Company, and Rich Nast of Bracalente Manufacturing Group about the lessons they have learned. This session will begin with a kickoff of the "best practices" that these presenters have implemented. After this brief introduction, your questions will drive this panel discussion.