epiccnc

Industry Member Spotlight

epic@epiccncacademy.com (Melinda Keyway) — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 11:41:41 GMT

Most people don’t see manufacturing for the rich and complex industry it is. They hear the word “manufacturing” and they think first of the global giants; the companies that employ thousands of people and make exciting end products — the household brands. But for every large corporation, hundreds of small manufacturers dot the landscape of Michigan. These businesses do what they do each day with little fanfare or recognition.

Based in Fenton, Epic Machine, Inc. is one such manufacturer; quietly celebrating 40 years as a manufacturer of replacement components and tooling for the foundry industry, with a diverse base of more than 200 customers. They are in the shadows of an industry sector that itself is in the background. Epic Machine is multiple degrees of separation away from public notoriety; yet they are thriving, growing and innovating.

“Most people don’t know we’re here and trying to explain who we are and what we do can be difficult,” said Bill Johnston, comptroller for Epic Machine. “Downtime can destroy a business. If your production is offline for a weekend, a day, even a couple of hours, it can mean the difference between hitting your goals and keeping a customer or missing your goals and seeing them go to your competition.”

Even while playing such an important role, manufacturing is itself forcing companies like Epic to change and reimagine where they fit in an increasingly high-tech, high-demand and global industry.

“You have to diversify. It’s not even a question anymore. Things are moving too fast and there are fewer and fewer businesses that do what we do,” explained Johnston. “At some point, we’ll face another bump in the economy — you really need to have a fallback against one major customer or industry having a problem and your business being a victim of it. You have to open yourself up to doing more than you thought you could.”

At Epic, they’ve worked to be more openminded about the possibilities for growth that are out there. They seek out existing businesses and take on projects that could push them outside their comfort zone.

“It’s important that you take a shot at doing something new. Small businesses can disappear because of one or two bad quarters, so if you aren’t trying something because it’s unfamiliar, you are leaving yourself open to a lot of risk,” Johnston said. “You don’t need to take on every new client, but make expanding your knowledge base and your customer base a priority. It can add decades to your business.”

Johnston and his team continue to look ahead to the company’s next milestone — their 50-year anniversary. To get there, they’ll continue with diversification strategies and move forward with plans to bring in new, tech-savvy talent and invest in new technology and upgraded equipment. Change is inevitable for manufacturers and the small business needs to advance even faster.

“We may not be the biggest company but we have four decades of history behind us and you’d be surprised how reliant our world is on having small parts and replacement parts on hand when they are needed,” said Johnston. “Epic Machine is a hard-working business, founded in humility and making a quality part. Come and get to know us.”

Meet the Fenton mavericks manufacturing some of Michigan’s best machinists

Mon, 21 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

On any given day inside Epic Machine’s high-tech manufacturing facility, Pete Jamieson has his hands full making high-precision machined parts that are shipped to customers in 29 states and 12 countries for use in everyday products.

He and his colleagues produce the rollers used in production of Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal. Ever drink from a McDonald’s cup? Epic makes vacuum molds that generate the 5 million lids for McDonald’s beverages sold annually.

Their handcrafted expertise is also used in products for General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Mercury Marine, John Deere, Navistar, Briggs & Stratton and more than 200 other customers that make products ranging from medical equipment and solar energy parts to tooling components for fire hydrants and manhole covers.

It’s a labor of love, Jamieson said.

“I’ve been here three years and it’s just awesome – I have a great career,” said the Byron native, whose twin brother, Tom, works alongside him at Epic Machine’s nondescript, 38,000-square-foot factory just east of U.S. 23 between Ann Arbor and Flint in southern Genesee County.

“To me, the finesse it takes to make a great-looking part for the customer is an art.”

“Best decision ever”

Jamieson didn’t envision himself becoming a computer numerical control (CNC) operator after successfully completing eight years of infantry service in the U.S. Army, where he enlisted upon high school graduation in 2007.

He initially considered a criminal justice career or training as a gunsmith after leaving the military, but the desire to work with his hands sparked his pursuit of a CNC career.

“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, but then I Googled nearby CNC places and Epic Machine’s Training Academy popped up – the rest is history,” Jamieson said with a laugh. “Best decision I ever made.”

An epic opportunity

Epic Machine has churned out high-precision machined components since 1979. In 2013, CEO Mike Parker recognized that the region’s labor market no longer offered enough skilled CNC workers to meet company demands.

“When I approached the high schools (educators) and asked them to send a class over to us and let us show them what machinery does today, I couldn’t get schools to bring people in,” Parker recalled. “The misnomer is still out there that manufacturing is a dirty, grimy place. Our goal became figuring out how to bring skilled, trained tradespeople back into Michigan’s manufacturing industry.”

Parker’s solution was to found Epic CNC Training Academy – one of Michigan’s first small-scale, in-house re-education and training programs. Most applicants typically are in their mid-to-late 20s and are already working as bartenders or window installers, for example, but are seeking new opportunities in advanced manufacturing.

“We focus on quality over quantity in our intensive, hands-on training,” said academy director Melinda Keway. “It’s a 40-hour week for our students. They are totally immersed in learning computer-operated equipment. When a student is done with the session, he or she will be proficient and confident in their skills and will be ready to meet the needs of an employer as an entry-level skilled tradesperson.”

Manufacturing success

Academy applicants, who pay tuition of $9,600, can enroll in one of four eight-week sessions per year. Enrollment is limited to four students per session to ensure maximum hands-on learning with one-on-one instruction.

“Our academy is a little bit different from your traditional community colleges or universities as far as CNC goes, which are really good if you need a broad (education),” Keway said. “Going the traditional route is great for people who think they may be interested in this industry but don’t know where they want to be in it, so they learn a little bit of everything.

“But the problem is employers like us, we are needing a lathe person, or specifically a mill person, and so we opened a training academy that’s very pointed,” Keway added. “You learn one or the other. You don’t learn both. That way, after eight weeks, you walk out and you’re proficient in either lathe or mill.”

Epic Academy students master technical math skills, blueprint reading, measuring equipment, machining, milling, numerical code programming, mastercam (where students learn computer-aided design programs that assist in the production of part blueprints) and other keys essential to career success, such as time management.

Epic’s program boasts 100% job placement, through becoming employed either by Epic or at peer companies that have come to rely on the academy’s graduates to fill their talent needs, such as Moeller Precision Tool in Wixom, Ultra-Dex in Flushing and Michigan Deburring Tool in Brighton, Keway noted.

“They’re first in line to get students from our academy,” Keway said. “Some of them already hired Epic students and have said, ‘Whatever you’ve got, give them to me.’”

Michigan Deburring president Jim Robinson was so impressed by Epic’s training methods that he sent his two sons to the academy, said Brandon Dix, Deburring’s plant manager.

“Their graduates come out with a knowledge of how machines operate, how to read blueprints and use CNC equipment,” Dix said. “They (Epic) have a really good program.”

Michigan’s talent crunch

Parker’s decision to launch Epic Academy came while Michigan was arriving at a talent pipeline crossroads.

Employers still can’t fill jobs because of an aging workforce that is retiring at a faster pace than they can find sufficiently skilled replacements. While CNBC recently declared Michigan a Top 10 State for Winning the War on Talent in its America’s Top States for Business study, leaders in business, education and government agree much more work remains to satisfy Michigan employers’ hiring needs and keep local economies moving forward.

Projections show Michigan will experience a Professional Trades workforce gap of more than 811,000 openings by 2024 due to retiring baby boomers and the emergence of new technologies.

At the same time, appreciation of the rewards that can come from apprenticeships and Professional Trades is lagging in Michigan. At least half of Michigan’s high school students, young adults and parents lack knowledge about the value and benefits apprenticeships offer, with only 13% of high school students considering apprenticeships a good career path option, according to a 2018 statewide survey commissioned by the Talent and Economic Development Department of Michigan (Ted) .

Choosing Professional Trades

Efforts by Parker and Epic Machine to raise awareness and promote the merits of Professional Trades align with the vision unveiled by Ted for attracting talent to jobs and careers in Michigan.

Going PRO is Ted’s groundbreaking campaign to elevate the perception of Professional Trades and showcase numerous high-paying, high-demand career options, from welders, millwrights and HVAC mechanics to massage therapists, medical sonographers and web developers.

Average annual wages for full-time workers in Professional Trades is a healthy $51,000, according to the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information & Strategic Initiatives.

“If you’re good at math and mechanically inclined, this might be a good fit for you,” Keway said. “You also must be 18 years old or older. The majority of our students are in their mid-20s and have come to us after trying a different career path and realizing they want to do something different with their lives.”

Finding qualified new talent remains a challenge, said Mark Dyer, an Epic instructor and journeyman tool and die maker.

Epic Machine has gained approval to use the new Forever GI Bill, which lets military veterans such as Jamieson use federal benefits for technology courses through noncollege providers.

The company is also represented on the advisory boards of Mott Community College, Oakland Community College, Baker College and the Genesee Intermediate School District’s Genesee Career Institute.

Still, most applicant leads come through word-of-mouth from parents, grandparents and educators, some of whom may not yet appreciate that alternatives exist to career success beyond a four-year college degree.

“When we go to speak at schools on career days, we tell students and parents there’s more to manufacturing than an automobile,” Dyer said.

“Our message about getting into these industries young is really important, because if you’re 55 years old and thinking, ‘Well, I think I want to be a machinist,” there just isn’t enough time for you,” he said. “You need to get in this early on, so by the time you’re 55 years old, you’re the genius. You know the ins and outs and everything about it.”

To learn more about innovative solutions for talent and economic development, visit www.michigan.gov/ted .

Source: Detroit Free Press

Michigan Gains Manufacturing Jobs For A Fourth Straight Year

chelsea@behindyourdesign.com (Chelsea Mills) — Mon, 11 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT

According to data collected by MNI, Michigan manufacturers added 14,089 jobs from February 2014 to February 2015, an increase of 2.1%, running ahead of the 1.7% national average increase reported by the Labor Department for the same time period.

Manufacturers’ News reports Michigan is now home to 13,915 manufacturers employing 675,400 workers. Industrial employment in Michigan has climbed 8.3% since February of 2011, recovering 40% of jobs lost during the recession, and overtaking the nation’s 5.8% rate of growth over this 4-year time frame.

“Michigan’s industrial base has achieved a remarkable turnaround following the recession’s steep losses, particularly in the all-important auto sector,” says Tom Dubin, President of the Evanston, IL-based publishing company, which has been surveying industry since 1912. “The Big Three continue to expand in the state and investment programs such as the Michigan Strategic Fund have helped fuel start-ups and innovation. Tesla’s announcement last week that it will establish a manufacturing presence in Michigan is a definite boon to the state.”

According to Manufacturers’ News, employment gains were led by the transportation equipment sector, which climbed 2.4% over the year, and 8% over the past four years, ranking first in the state for industrial employment with 133,278 jobs. Over the survey period, Ford, GM and Toyota announced plans to expand facilities across the state, and suppliers such as Denso Manufacturing Michigan, Challenge Mfg, Android Industries, and Magna International have also announced expansions.

The state’s second and third top sectors by employment also posted gains, with second-ranked industrial machinery up 3.4% and third-ranked fabricated metals up 3%.Gains were reported across most other industrial sectors in Michigan, with employment in rubber/plastics up 6.8%; textiles up 2.3%; paper products also up 2.3%; and food products up 1.7%.

Only two sectors posted significant losses, reports MNI. Employment fell in printing/publishing by 3.8% and declined 2.4% in furniture/fixtures.

Industrial locations announcing closures include an Automotive Components Holdings plant in Plymouth Township; a Liquid Manufacturing, LLC facility in Brighton; Caraco Pharmaceutical in Detroit and Inalfa Roof Systems in Grand Blanc Township.

According to the database of manufacturers, industrial employment in Southeast Michigan climbed 2.2% over the year, with the region currently home to 390,861 workers. Southwest Michigan posted a 2.1% increase amd currently accounts for 215,427 of the state’s industrial jobs. Jobs were up 3.1% in Northwest Michigan, currently numbering 33,829, and rose a half percent in Northeast Michigan, which numbers 19,836. The Upper Peninsula is home to 15,447 industrial workers, up 1%.

Grand Rapids posted a 4.7% manufacturing employment increase, and ranks first for number of workers, with 45,669 jobs, says MNI. Detroit suburbs continue to see an uptick in jobs, with employment in fifth-ranked Warren up 8.9%; up 3.5% in third-ranked Auburn Hills, and up 2.2% in Sterling Heights, which ranks fourth in the state.

Source: https://www.mni.net/news/

OUR FIRST COMMERCIAL

chelsea@behindyourdesign.com (Chelsea Mills) — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Epic CNC Training Academy will soon become known to many households in the WEYI viewing area. Covering 24 counties, WEYI will be showing our commercial 3 times a day for the next 3 months, in addition to the advertising on the top & bottom of their miNBCnews.com webpage.

So tune in - It should be airing during the 5am, 6am, 6pm & 11pm News

Mott Community College Open House

chelsea@behindyourdesign.com (Chelsea Mills) — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

On Saturday August 9th, Melinda will be participating in Mott Community Colleges' Advanced Manufacturing, Precision Machining Open House.

The event will include two speakers, Melinda Keway, President of Michigan Emerging Markets Skills Alliance (MEMSA) and Quality Coordinator at Epic Machine in Fenton; and Al Lecz, Director, Employer Strategies - Advanced Manufacturing, Workforce Intelligence Network (WIN) of SE Michigan. They will talk about the vast applications for machining, including aviation, transportation, medical, industrial, and the high demand for skilled machinists.

Specific topics Melinda will be discussing include:
1. The misconceptions about manufacturing
2. Facts supporting how vital manufacturing is to our economy and country
3. Examples of all the industries that manufacturing touches
4. Skill Gaps and Pipeline issues from an employers point of view

The Advanced Manufacturing – Precision Machining Open House is Saturday, August 9, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. The presentations will be from 11:00 am – noon, and demonstrations and displays will be available before and after the presentations. The event is being held in the Regional Technology Center (RTC) at Mott Community College. For more information you can check the event tab in the Technology Division’s Facebook page, or you can call 810.762.0500.

WorkKeys Test

chelsea@behindyourdesign.com (Chelsea Mills) — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Epic can now administer the WorkKeys test on-site.

Epic Machine is now authorized to offer the online WorkKeys test on-site for anyone interested in taking it. Not only are all the students required to take this test and pass with a score of 4 or higher before they can be enroll into the Academy, but Epic Machine has begun testing all future employees.

Employers want to hire the best possible people. The WorkKeys test can help employers identify and invest in employees who can make real contributions to the bottom line.

The WorkKeys (ACT's National Career Readiness Certificate) is a portable credential that demonstrates a certain level of workplace employability skills in Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, and Reading for Information. These workplace skills are highly important to the majority of jobs in the workplace.

The U.S. Department of Labor sponsored the development of industry competency models to help promote an understanding of the skill sets and competencies essential to educate and train a workforce.

Industry Competency Models have been created for the following industries:

Advanced Manufacturing
Aerospace
Automation
Bioscience
Construction-Heavy
Construction-Residential
Energy
Entrepreneurship
Financial Services
Hospitality/Hotel and Lodging
Information Technology
Long-term Care, Supports, and Services
Mechatronics
Retail
Transportation
Water Sector

Anyone is welcome to call and set up an appointment to take the tests anytime. For more information about the WorkKeys test, please visit www.act.org or to schedule your tests please contact Melinda Keway at 810-629-9400

LOCAL JOBS IMPROVE TRI-COUNTY ECONOMY

chelsea@behindyourdesign.com (Chelsea Mills) — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Look around you and you’ll notice a lot more business activity in our tri-county area. Parking spots are at a premium and you might have to wait for a table at a local restaurant.

There’s a strong economic vibe taking place in Michigan after years of falling sales, layoffs, foreclosures, etc. “Michigan is making a comeback,” said Doug Rothwell, president/CEO of Business Leaders for Michigan, in a recent report in Crain’s Detroit Business.

We’re feeling the boom here in the tri-county area too, although many businesses owners are taking steps cautiously to grow their staffs back to pre-recession numbers.

“Two years ago we had 17 employees and today we have 26,” said Mike Parker, owner of Epic Machine in Fenton, which specializes in precision machining and custom tooling since 1979.

Parker has committed huge resources to help grow a unique talent pool, not only for himself but also for other Michigan manufacturers. He opened Epic CNC Training Academy on-site one-and-a-half years ago to train potential employees in the very specialized skills of machine tooling.

“Manufacturing today is nothing like manufacturing was in the past,” said Parker. “It’s not about standing at an assembly line and putting something together. It’s much more hi-tech, with tooling tolerances of the thickness of one hair. It’s very precise, and requires a very unique skill set, including math, reading and comprehension. We want to make sure a student will succeed at Epic CNC Training Academy before we take their tuition.”

Parker is already drawing interest from other out-of-state manufacturers in the unique concept of this training academy. “I run my company very differently from other business owners,” said Parker. “I like everyone here to work 10 hours a day. When things slow down, at least they still will get their 40 hours. We still pay full family health coverage 100 percent. If I take care of them, then they’ll take care of me. I can sleep well at night.”

Another local manufacturer, Creative Foam, was following in the failing footsteps of Michigan’s automotive industry just a few years ago. This company designs and manufactures cellular and non-cellular foams and plastics for customers in the automotive, medical and composite markets.

Back in 2007, they had to make the very difficult decision to lay off 70 workers, out of an employee pool of 312.

Today, with nine manufacturing plants in six different states, Creative Foam has grown along with the automotive industry. They now employ 950 people.

With a vision toward future expansion, Creative Foam purchased the former location of Fenton Cinema, and are now leasing that land to a trucking company. They have also rebuilt their engineering plant in Fenton, renaming it the Dr. Peter T. Swallow Engineering Center, after CEO David Swallow’s father, who founded the company in 1969.

“Our growth today is double-digits ahead of the growth of the auto industry,” said Swallow. “Our innovation of processes has allowed us to build a better product.”

Adding dozens of local jobs in the service sector are a number of restaurants in the area that have recently opened or expanded.

Crust, a baking company, spun off of the success of its parent company, The Laundry in Fenton, opening in 2012 with 33 employees. Today, this busy artisan bake shop has a staff of 40, feeding not only the hungry customers of The Laundry, but also the growing customer base of its own breakfast and lunch menu and baked goods and pastries.

“The community really has embraced the retail portion of the bakery,” said Mike Green, head baker at Crust. “Our retail store has really taken off, in addition to our wholesale business.”

Across town on Owen Road, Boston’s Gourmet Pizza opened last summer by the family of Rocky Dedivanaj, the family that owns Mega Coney Island in Fenton and several other locations. Boston’s has a staff of 72 to cover long daily shifts from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. “Between Boston’s and our Fenton Mega location, we employ about 120,” said Dedivanaj. “About 85 percent of our staff is local, living within 10 miles of the building. That has a strong impact on a lot of other local businesses.”

As a state, in terms of employment, private sector employment in Michigan grew at the sixth-fastest rate in the country between 2011 and 2012. Yet Michigan’s unemployment rate since 2009 is still one percent higher than the national average.

MANUFACTURING 10,000 JOBS

chelsea@behindyourdesign.com (Chelsea Mills) — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute (ALMMII), announced by the White House Feb. 22, will be led by the University of Michigan, Ohio-based manufacturing technology nonprofit EWI, and The Ohio State University. More than 50 other companies, universities, and nonprofits from around the country also will be involved in the public-private partnership. Its main office will be in Canton, Mich., with key support in Columbus, Ohio.

The institute is designed to establish an ecosystem to support the production of advanced lightweight metals in a part of the country that’s often considered the historic seat of American manufacturing. It will enable research and development projects as well as education and training programs to prepare the workforce. It is expected to have both national and regional impacts.

“Through this initiative, our region will build on its core strengths to become the nation’s technology hub for lightweight materials and manufacturing,” says U-M President Mary Sue Coleman. “Companies from around the country will come here not only because of our technological capabilities, but also because we have the workforce they need in their efforts to revitalize and transform domestic manufacturing.”

Transforming the supply chain

ALMMII is charged with moving cutting-edge lightweight metals out of the research lab and into tomorrow’s cars, trucks, airplanes, and ships for both the commercial and military sectors. Lighter vehicles for the military, industry, and consumers, alike, have better performance and use less fuel. They can carry larger loads and travel the same distances at lower cost and with fewer carbon emissions.

The institute’s efforts will encompass the entire transportation supply chain, nurturing innovations from conception through design, development, and production. It will contract more than $100 million in R&D projects with partner organizations. And by establishing science, technology, and engineering curricula for programs in grade school to graduate school, the institute will help educate the next generation of manufacturing operators and engineers.

Most of the 10,000 jobs it’s expected to create will be in the metal stamping, metalworking, machining, and casting industries that are dominant in the Midwest region. It will aim to add 100 more metal-related engineering professionals per year and 1,000 more skilled trade workers. Within three years, it should be offering advanced training to an additional 1,000 current employees per year.

“A vision of the institute is to prepare an eager workforce and equip them with 21st-century advanced manufacturing skills,” says Lawrence Brown, executive director of the institute and director of government technology programs at EWI. “Through the integration of the region’s workforce, education, and economic development assets, the institute will enable the availability of job-ready employees and maximize the transition of emerging technologies to small, medium, and large firms in the region and across the nation.”

Many of the materials for weight reduction already exist, such as high-strength steels, aluminum, magnesium, and titanium, says Alan Taub, U-M professor of materials science and chief technology officer of the new institute.

“The challenge is in optimizing component designs and developing the advanced processes to manufacture them robustly on a large scale at affordable cost,” Taub says. “And each material needs its own tailored process.”

Bridging the innovation gap

The institute will be the newest node in the National Network of Manufacturing Innovation , a White House initiative to help U.S. manufacturers become more competitive. U-M faculty played pivotal roles in helping to conceive and shape this network.

Sridhar Kota, the Herrick Professor of Engineering, held an appointment as assistant director for advanced manufacturing at the White House from 2009-12. He proposed the idea of so-called Edison Institutes to bridge the “innovation gap” between basic research and manufacturing-readiness. The rationale behind manufacturing innovation institutes was articulated in the 2011 Report to the President on Ensuring American Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing. Kota helped create Obama’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership in 2011 to move the network forward.

President Coleman and engineering professor Jack Hu, now U-M’s interim vice president for research, served on a working group of the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership.

“These new institutes will help put the ‘&’ back in R&D in order to get a better return on investment of taxpayers’ dollars,” Kota says. “We need them to undertake precompetitive translational research to mature emerging technologies before industry can adopt and perfect them to create next-generation products. Such translational research must be co-funded by the public sector and the private sector.”

The American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute is funded through the Lightweight and Modern Metals Manufacturing Innovation (LM3I) program. It was selected through a competitive process led by the U.S. Department of Defense, and will receive $70 million in federal funding over five years, matched by another $78 million from the consortium partners themselves. The funding includes $10 million from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and additional dollars from the state of Ohio.

2014 COURSE SCHEDULE

chelsea@behindyourdesign.com (Chelsea Mills) — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Epic CNC Training Academy will be offering it's next CNC Session starting March 24th; and since it's only an 8 week course, you'll be done in May and on your way to a career in CNC Machining in no time.

Why spend 2 years trying to learn something that you can learn in 8 weeks?

The start dates for our 2014 courses are as follows:

March 24th
June 2nd
August 11th
October 20th

Make the move toward a career in CNC machining - get registered today!

DIRECTOR OF EPIC CNC ACADEMY IS SPEAKING ABOUT HAND-ON TRAINING METHODS IN FRANKENMUTH NOV. 7TH

Tue, 29 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

American Foundry Society

Saginaw Valley Chapter

www.saginawvalleyafs.org

Melinda Keway, Director of Epic CNC Training Academy is pushing to see more hands-on focused training for individuals learning to become CNC machinists. She will share with us the journey of a small manufacturing company determined to provide quality CNC training to help meet the rising demand of skilled laborers in the manufacturing industry.

Melinda will discuss how Epic Academy is unique to traditional institutions, success stories of students and the Academies outlook for the future.

Melinda is a graduate of Oakland University with a Bachelors’ in Journalism, she is a certified ISO/TS lead auditor through AIAG, and holds the position of President at MEMSA (Michigan Emerging Markets Skills Alliance) in Genesee County.

Having grown up inside a manufacturing facility Melinda was not surprised to find herself taking the lead in implementing Epic Machine’s quality management system.

Melinda handles not only Epic’s QMS, but also conducts all the interviewing and hiring of Epic employees, which has really highlighted the need of having adequate training for individuals – so manufactures like Epic can continue to grow and be successful.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:

Sue Manyen, GMPT	248-978-9735		Cindy Hildinger, Bay Cast	989-892-0511
Jill Adcock, GMPT	989-245-6586		Bill Veresh, VIB/CON	989-755-9175

See the AFS Saginaw Valley Chapter web site for Chapter information, photos from prior events and links to our sponsors.

Next meeting is our December Invitational on December 7. Bring someone special and share dinner and laughter with the “Magic of Nathan Kranzo” and many of your closest foundry friends.

www.saginawvalleyafs.org .

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Dinner Event Sponsors for 2013-2014 Program Year:

Anderson Global

ASK Chemical L.P.

ATD Engineering & Machine

Centennial Technologies

Didion / Conveyor Dynamics

Epic Machine

Henschel Andromat Inc

Hickman, Williams & Company

Humtown Products Company

Modern Equipment Company

Roberts Sinto / Sand Mold Systems

EPIC MACHINE'S TRAINING OFFERS FRESH APPROACH TO DEVELOPING SKILLED LABOR

chelsea@behindyourdesign.com (Chelsea Mills) — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

An interview with Mike Parker and Melinda Keway of Epic Machine concerning the struggles manufacturers are facing in finding skilled talent. The article highlights how Epic Machine has stepped forward in an effort to bridge the skills gap by offering 8-week CNC Turning & CNC Milling courses for those interested in being a part of the manufacturing industry.

Read the featured Insight article on pages 22& 23 here: http://issuu.com/insightonline/docs/insight091013

EPIC CNC TRAINING ACADEMY IS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

chelsea@behindyourdesign.com (Chelsea Mills) — Sun, 01 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Fenton, MI - Epic CNC Training Academy is accepting applications for the summer 2013 CNC Training and Certification program. The 8-week course prepares CNC Machinists with job-ready machining skills and education to support the manufacturing industry.

Held in a professional manufacturing facility in Fenton, MI, Epic CNC Training Academy’s CNC certification program provides students a professional learning environment that combines hands-on training and academic instruction from professional CNC Machinists and Programmers.

“All of our instructors have more than 20 years’ professional experience working as CNC machinists and programmers,” said Melinda Keway, Director of Epic CNC Training Academy. “The instructors have diverse skills and on-the-job experiences that they are eager to share.”

From industry standard process procedures and machining instruction, to expert advice and tricks of the trade, “our program allows students to experience first-hand what it will be like to work as a professional CNC Machinist,” said Keway.

Using high-end CNC machines and equipment, students apply academic lessons to machine professional products to industry standard quality and safety requirements.

Upon acceptance, students will be assigned to a professional CNC machine and will receive a toolbox of standard equipment and a copy of the Machinist Ready-Reference Handbook.

CNC Certification Program

8 Weeks - 40 hours per week

Training held in a 24-hour, professional manufacturing facility

Instructors are professional CNC machinists and programmers

Use industry standard CNC machines and equipment

Limited space to ensure one-on-one training

Prerequisite: WorkKeys Assessment Test*

Financing options available

Epic CNC Training Academy requires applicants to take the WorkKeys® Skills Assessment Test offered by Michigan Works. Applicants must score 4 or better to be considered for the CNC Certification program. Students who meet the score requirement and enroll in Epic CNC Training Academy will be reimbursed for the cost of taking the test.

“We are excited to offer an affordable, high-quality CNC certification program that will expand job opportunities and increase earning potential,” said Keway.

To apply to Epic CNC Training Academy, submit completed application, resume and WorkKeys® Skills Assessment Test score online www.epiccncacademy.com or by mail: Epic CNC Training Academy/ Admissions Dept. / 201 Industrial Way/ Fenton, MI/ 48430.

For further details visit www.epiccncacademy.com or call 810-629-9400.

*Contact Michigan Works! for information regarding test locations and cost. www.michiganworks.com .

MI Career Spotlight - Precision Machinist

Thu, 08 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Machinists oversee maintenance, repair, and production work using a variety of tools that are conventionally controlled or computer numerically controlled (CNC), such as lathes, milling machines, and grinders, to produce precision metal and plastic parts. Although they may produce large quantities of one part, precision machinists often produce small batches or one-of-a-kind items.
Because the technology of machining is changing rapidly, machinists must learn to operate a wide range of machines. Although some of the computer controls are similar to those of other machine tools, machinists must understand the unique capabilities of these different machines. As engineers create new types of machine tools, machinists must constantly learn new machining properties and techniques.

Precision machinists typically do the following:

Work from blueprints, sketches, or computer-aided design (CAD) or computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) files
Set up, operate, and tear down manual, automatic, or CNC machine tools
Calculate dimensions using measuring instruments
Install, align, secure, and adjust cutting tools and workpieces
Monitor the feed and speed of machines
Turn, mill, drill, shape, and grind machine parts to specifications
Measure, examine, and test completed products for defects
Deburr all surfaces of parts or products to ensure that they conform to specifications

Demand for Precision Machinist

Today there are 28,000 machinist jobs in Michigan, an increase of 5,000 since 2009. In addition, 21 percent of current machinist are over the age of 55 and will soon be retiring out of the workforce. This will create a lot of job openings, even though future job growth is projected to slow down. Entry pay rate for Michigan machinists is $13.10 an hour and goes as high as $29.80 an hour.

Despite automation advancements in manufacturing technologies, machinists will still be required to set up, monitor, and maintain automated machining systems. In addition, employers are expected to continue needing machinists who have a wide range of skills and are capable of performing modern production techniques and almost any task in a machine shop. Manufacturers will continue to rely heavily on skilled machinists as they invest in new equipment, modify production techniques, and implement product design changes more rapidly.

What is Needed to Become a Precision Machinist

A high school diploma or GED is the minimum requirement for machinist education. During high school, students can prepare for careers in machinery by focusing their studies on subjects such as math, metalworking, drawing, and computer science. Postsecondary degrees are not required, but some form of occupational training is necessary. Machinists must be expertly familiar with their tools to ensure accuracy, so whether training programs are formal or informal, they should focus on hands-on, technical experience with metal-cutting and measuring machinery.

Machinist apprenticeship programs are available through community colleges, vocational schools and metal parts companies. Apprenticeships can last as long as four years and provide beginning machinists with full-time, paid training in metal shops. US Department of Labor Registered Apprenticeships award certificates that are recognized by companies across the US. Apprentices interpret blueprints and practice using basic equipment, such as lathes, saws and grinders, under the supervision of skilled machinists. These programs also incorporate lessons in the classroom, such as instruction in math, drafting and shop safety.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an increasing number of precision machinists are gaining vocational training in associate's degree programs. Available at community colleges and technical schools, 2-year degree programs in machine technology prepare students for entry-level positions in metalworking. After obtaining employment, machinists with associate's degrees are usually required to continue training on the job.