You, Sir, Are A Fucking Idiot, And Have Possibly Doomed Us All

The BBQ Pit
1

At work we got a new company president (I’ve been there 14 months and we’ve had 3 presidents since I started, they last about 6 months before the parent company fires them) this month who has started rolling out new policies. We’ve got a huge backlog of work, we’re adding new product lines, and his policies are supposed to get us up to speed.

Policy 1: All parts have to meet the exact specifications on the blueprints. Now this sounds perfectly reasonable, after all, the nuts we make hold up bridges, keep aircraft together, and other critical things, so naturally, you want to make the parts correctly. However, the machines we’re running are, on average, 50 years old, have had no preventative maintence done to them since before Nixon shuffled off this mortal coil, were designed to hold tolerances of about +/- .005 of an inch, and weren’t made with the materials we’re going to be running on them in mind (mainly because the stuff hadn’t been invented yet). How we’ve been running the parts in the past is that non-critical dimensions have been allowed greater tolerances than is on the print. (Critical dimensions have always been held to the print.) This is handy, because the el cheapo brand calipers we’re required to use have an accuracy of about +/- .0025 of an inch, and the only way we have to adjust the tooling in the machines is to hit it with a hammer, or turn a screw, and hope we got it right. The calipers we use are only calibrated when they’re issued to us, and since they’re digital, it’s not too hard for them to get out of whack by a few thousandths of an inch. On the new parts we’re running, some of the tolerances we have to hold are +/- .002 of an inch. Does anybody see a problem with this? Mind you, if the machines were properly maintained and they followed my suggestions about installing the tooling, we could probably do it.

Policy 2: Parts must be perfect before they leave the department. Again, on the surface sounds reasonable. It’s pointless to send a defective part to the next department if it’s just going to be scrapped out. There is, however, a catch. Depending upon the machine, how it’s set up, and the material it’s running, it’s highly likely that at least a percentage of the parts will have minor cosmetic problems. This hasn’t been an issue in the past, since after the parts leave our department, they go to the parts washer and the tumbling would polish out those cosmetic flaws. Now, however, we can’t run parts like that. So, if there’s any on the parts, we have to stop the machine and adjust the tooling to fix the problem. Each one of us has to run 3 machines at the same time, so you’re kept pretty busy just checking the parts when everything’s going all right with the machines. If one of them has a problem (say a drill bit breaks on machine “A” while you’re looking at machine “C”) it can take some time to fix. It is not entirely uncommon for someone with 20+ years experience to spend 8 hours fixing a problem with a machine. While you’re working on the 1 machine, you have to keep checking on your other machines as well. Some days, you’ll be able to run your machines all night long with no problems (just have to reload the machine and sharpen the tooling periodicallY), other days, you’ll have nothing but trouble out of the machines. This is while worrying about serious issues, like parts coming out the wrong length, wrong shape, or the machine catches fire. Now, however, we also have to worry if the damned things “look pretty.” Tonight, I spent 2 hours just trying to get a part to look pretty on one machine. My total production on that machine was less than half what it normally is because of that. Other operators are reporting similar problems.

Policy 3: All paperwork must be filled out completely. Again, sounds reasonable. However 90% of the stuff we put on the paperwork isn’t used by anyone. Someone, somewhere decided that we needed to record this stuff, so they put it on the paperwork. To fill it out completely can take 1/2 hour or more a night. Up until now, management has been willing to look the other way if we skipped certain portions of it (and it really didn’t matter when people filled it out, since most people just fake the paperwork). Now, they can’t. So, we’re going to have to shutdown 30 minutes early, just fill out the paperwork.

Policy 4: All features on parts must be consistent. This also, sounds reasonable, and is entirely possible for some aspects of the parts. However, because of the shape of the parts a feature on one side of the part may be made by a different set of tooling than an identical feature on the opposite side of the part. Rememer, we can only adjust the tooling by hitting it, or turning a screw (with no reference marks on the screw). Just getting the parts in spec can be an all day task. Getting two different sets of tooling to make a feature identical is well nigh impossible. Especially, with the way some of the idiots run their machines.

There’s all kinds of pressure for us to get more parts out in less time and to reduce the amount of scrap parts that we produce. These 4 policies effectively make that impossible. We’re going to have to spend more time adjusting the machines, and until the machine’s properly adjusted (which, again, can take hours) everything they run is going to be scrap. Instead of allowing a part with a minor cosmetic blemish to be cleaned up, it’s garbage.

Management already has trouble admitting that they’re wrong about anything. (A machine tears up? Operator error. Nevermind that the operator has been pointing out that the machine needs to be repaired for months prior to this.) So, as our production plunges downward and are scrap skyrockets upwards, what do you think they’re going to do? If you said, “Blame the operators and fire them as fast as they can.” you’re right! That’s exactly what’s going to happen. We’ll get the blame and get fired until headquarters decides that they don’t like this president either and replace him with someone else. Assuming, of course, that they don’t just decide to shut the whole place down and lay off the lot of us.

It is going to be a bitch for me to start job hunting right now, but it looks like I’m going to have to do it, since I’ll probably get fired over a tiny little hair line burr on a part, or I’ll be laid off like everyone else when the place gets closed down. Fuck.

2

Sounds to me like what you’re saying is that the machines you have are too old to be competitive anymore.

So, yeah, unless your company would be willing to start getting new machinery, they’re going to either go bankrupt or lay off people (and go bankrupt a couple months later.)

The main question is whether management realises this, and whether they have the money/time to get modern machinery. I.e. whether you could be a hero. If not then yep, sounds like job searching time.

3

So, what have you got to lose by writing to the guy directly? Just add in the solutions required - retool with better equipment, implement maintenance schedules, etc - and you’re done. Remember that he’s an expert on business, not tooling, and several levels removed from the shop floor.

4

Sounds like your company has a screw loose.

5

:dubious:

6

Sounds like somebody needs to spend a week chained to some machines.
Those who cant teach, manage. :smack:

7

Measure parts on a warm day and compare to cold day. There are no perfect parts. He apparently has no idea of engineering tolerances. Machines and tools wear out. Everything would have to calibrated and rebuilt endlessly. It is wrong.

8

Bingo.

Hell, anyone can say, “All parts must be exact, all parts must be the same.” It takes someone with brains to understand what’s really going on. Your company needs to hire someone with experience in metrology, statistics, statistical process control, etc.

9

I agree with your sentiments in general and it sounds like your company will end up sinking due to idiocy at the highest levels. Good luck on finding a new job.
Now, I am going to hijack and rant about this part right here…

Just because you don’t think the stuff on the paperwork is needed doesn’t mean that it isn’t. I’m the data geek in my unit and I get so tired of arguing with people about the data I need. Okay, so you don’t care about x, y, and z. But someone else does, and dammit I’m going to get that information because it’s my job. So fill out the damn forms already! It’s part of your job, we’re paying you to do it, so do it and quit yer bitchin’.

end hijack

I feel so much better.

10

There is variance. There is always variance. The only question is, is the variance in what you’re making/doing/whatever something that you’re capable of identifying and measuring? But if you’re making widgets, you’re not going to make two identical widgets. Period. The proper goal is that they be close enough to identical to suffice for whatever purpose they’re going to be used for.

So if Tuckerfan had a manager with a brain, that’s where he’d start. What are the parts used for? What are the maximum allowable tolerances, given this use? Are those tolerances realistic, given the current production equipment? If not, can we repair or upgrade the equipment, or do we have to replace it? If so, then how do you put processes in place that will enable the workers to make parts to those tolerances, given the existing equipment?

Unfortunately, the ‘if’ clause is void, so the OP is SOL.

11

Aerospace engineer with high sensitivity to this kind of situation speaking:

You’re making fasteners for aircraft, out ot tolerance altogether, with faked paperwork? A huge, flashing red light and a loud siren just went off. That endangers lives, which is why it’s illegal. And you haven’t blown the whistle yet. PLEASE DO. Company managers who’ve engaged in that shit elsewhere have gone to *prison * for it.

If you can document any of that, especially any instructions you were ever given to ignore nonconforming parts or to falsify documentation, you need to go right to the customers, and to the DOJ, DOD, and FAA with it. You’ll not only possibly save lives, but possibly get a share of the proceeds from a qui tam whistleblower suit, and finally afford your *own * Tucker.

12

Ordinary unimportant consumer of services that depend on people like you speaking: thank you.

13

Murphy Law of Combat #20: Never forget that your weapon is made by the lowest bidder.

Stranger

14

I chanced to be in a maintenance workers meeting one day when our superintendant came back from a seminar on maintenance management. He was aglow with newfound insight. Here are a few of things he learned.

It’s hard to measure how well you’re doing. Nobody ever calls maintenance to say, “Everything’s working fine.”

Upper management will never really tell you how good a job they want you to do at maintenance. The only hint you’ll get is the amount of money they’re willing to spend on it. The less money, the less they want done.

“Everybody knows” that planned (or preventative) maintenance is cheaper than waiting for a catastrophic breakdown. Everybody except the folks who write the budget.

15

This sounded oddly familiar, then I realized I know a couple of oafs whose ways of adjusting women boil down to hitting and screwing. I just can’t figure out what kind of emoticon I should use here. Nothing really fits.

16

No wonder Chrysler’s being sold!

:frowning:

17

Shields down, captain. Having reported a previous employer for shipping defective parts to the government I’m well aware of the proceedures. There is nothing actionable about what’s going on. Period. Paragraph. Let me repeat that: There is nothing actionable about what’s going on. Any variences which affect the longevity of the components are not allowed. Nor are our customers unaware of the variations. For example, one of the nuts we make is used inside an engine, the customer doesn’t care if the part is .005 undersize, however, if the part is .0005 oversize, they can’t use it. We do not knowingly ship them parts that are .0005 oversize, nor do we ship them entire lots of parts that are .005 undersize. If the tolerance on the part is .150 - .160, the vast majority of parts we ship them will fall within that range, less than 1/6 of the parts will be .145 - .149 in size. Generally, what will happen is that the parts will fall in the low range (which is where they prefer them to be). Things such as hole diameters and threads are not allowed to vary from the specs at all

Also, much to my surprise, we scrap out parts that I would think could be reworked with no loss in quality. If we get a batch of parts back from the plating company and the plating isn’t up to spec, we scrap the parts and do not ship them back for replating. Why we do this, I don’t know. I’ve been trying to get them to sell the parts via surplus sources, since your typical hot rodder isn’t going to care that the plating’s a little off, if he can brag to his friends that he’s got aircraft components on his car, but they’ve not shown an interest in doing it.

Finally, none of the paperwork I’m discussing is required for federal certification. Shit, when we have an ISO audit, the auditors don’t bother checking it. It is absolutely useless as far as things go. Even properly filled out, if you showed it to the Feds they’d laugh at you as it’s utterly meaningless. It could be valuable if (and this is an Andromeda galaxy sized “if”) they were willing to make some changes to it, but until then, it’s pretty much a waste of dead trees.

Very little of the paperwork that I handle is required by the Feds, and that which is, you do not fuck with! They got fined for having the paperwork in the wrong place once, and if you screw that paperwork up in any way, you get one warning before you’re fired if you’re lucky.

18

Great, glad to see you’re on top of this.

Now why ain’t you* in charge*? :smiley:

19

Because that would make sense, and that is against company policy! :stuck_out_tongue:

20

Tuckerfan, you sound underappreciated. Correct me if I’m wrong but I doubt very many of your peers have such a grasp on what’s going on. You need to be in a higher position.