PRECISION MACHINED SOLUTIONS | (262) 743-1700

Welcome Ed Flores, CNC Operator

Michael Reader

Ed Flores joined Precision Plus (PPI) in November as a CNC Operator in the Miyano CNC turret lathe platform of the company’s Production Department.  He reports to Sam Kirkland, the Miyano Platform Supervisor.  Ed comes to PPI with five years’ CNC experience and in the near future, looks forward to continuing his education in pursuit of an associate’s degree in CNC technology.

Precision Plus Welcomes Two Youth Apprentices and Two Gateway Youth CNC Boot Camp Students

Michael Reader

Youth Apprentices

Jordan Belanus, a senior at Elkhorn Area High School in Elkhorn, WI and Jake Sherwin, a senior at Big Foot High School in Walworth, WI, have joined Precision Plus’ Youth Apprentice Program.

Jordan Belanus began working as an Information Technology (IT) youth apprentice at Precision Plus (PPI) on November 9, 2015, reporting to Jeff Lemmermann, the company’s CIO and CFO. The IT apprenticeship adheres to the IT Skill Standards Checklist established by Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development.

Items on the checklist vary from soft skills such as communicating effectively and thinking critically, to job-specific skills such as upgrading an operating system or installing software. The checklist serves as a guideline to help the apprentice obtain designated competencies.

Jordan enjoys working on computers for friends and family, having developed an affinity for programming and networking. As an IT apprentice, he will also be putting those skills to work, performing back up operations, upgrading operating systems and installing software as needed. He will also assist to process employee IT help requests. As his internship progresses, Jordan should be able to perform certain tasks of his own volition, rather than being directed to do so.

In order to receive a certificate for his internship, Jordan must complete 450 total hours of work by August 2016. By state law, however, he cannot exceed 20 hours per week. He learned about PPI’s apprenticeship opportunity through his school’s career and technical education coordinator.

At Elkhorn Area High School, Jordan’s favorite subjects are algebra, physics and geometry. He plans to attend Gateway Technical College in the fall of 2016 and subsequently use its 2-plus-2 articulation agreements with the University of Wisconsin or with Milwaukee School of Engineering to continue his education in computer engineering.

In his spare time, Jordan enjoys playing video games, playing guitar, and practicing Tae Kwon Do, for which he holds a second-degree black belt.

Jake Sherwin began his manufacturing apprenticeship with PPI on November 2, 2015. He reports to Mark Beilman, Director of Education and Training.

The manufacturing apprenticeship follows the Skill Standards Checklist established by Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development for that purpose. The first part of the apprenticeship will include a general assessment of Jake’s math skills, micrometer and blueprint reading skills and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) interpretative skills.

After the first phase is completed, Jake will spend time with mentors from different departments to learn skills and applications from them first hand. Jake will be completing the core skills and machining unit of the Production Pathway of the Skill Standards Checklist.   Mentors will sign off on the acquired competencies at the end of their mentoring.

The curriculum at PPI goes hand in hand, with Jake’s curriculum at Big Foot High School. Jake learned about the apprenticeship opportunity at Precision Plus when Mark Beilman spoke to his technical education class in September. Jake knows that he wants to work in the trades—most likely in construction—after his graduation. However, he enjoys the science and agriculture classes he is taking, as well as helping with his family’s farm. In addition, he works part-time at Heyer True Value Hardware Store in Walworth, Wisconsin, so he is keeping his options open. His apprenticeship will also require him to complete 450 hours by August 2016.

When time permits, Jake enjoys hunting and fishing, baseball, and playing bass guitar in a band.

 

Youth CNC Boot Camp Students

Two Gateway students, currently enrolled in Gateway Technical College (GTC)’s Elkhorn Campus Youth CNC Boot Camp have begun their job shadowing experience at Precision Plus, as part of their current semester requirements.

Monday through Friday, Elliot Salentine from East Troy High School and Cameron Bunne from Elkhorn High School attend high school in the morning, followed by classes and training at GTC from 12:30 until 4:30 in the afternoon. As they learn different processes and applications at school, a concurrent shadowing program lends them the opportunity to watch professionals performing those jobs. Each student spends one hour per week at PPI to meet those requirements.

Thus far, the students have shadowed Marty Baumgardner in the Quality Assurance Lab, Ryan Landreman and Brad Pearson on the Miyano platform, and Curtis Hibl in the CAM Department. The shadowing will continue on the Tornos platform, the Secondary Department, the Scheduling Department and, finally, the Shipping Department.

Elliot and Cameron will continue their high school/boot camp schedule until the spring semester begins on February 2, 2016. At that time, they will attend their high school classes in the mornings, but will participate in a mentoring program at Precision Plus in the afternoon, learning and working in different departments. The mentoring phase will end in May 2016. The students will receive high school and boot camp credits for their experience at the company.

Although the Youth CNC Boot Camp mentoring program is similar to the Youth Apprenticeship program already in place, possible modifications may be made based on the students’ incoming skill level.

Cameron and Elliot are members of the first Youth CNC Boot Camp to graduate from GTC’s Elkhorn Campus in Walworth County. The program had already been running successfully at GTC’s other two locations in Racine and Kenosha.

For more information about Precision Plus’ apprenticeship and mentoring programs, please contact Mark Beilman via email or by calling 262-743-1700.

 

Two New Miyanos Just Arrived at Precision Plus

Michael Reader

Twice the fun!

We have just added two brand new Miyano ABX-TH3 lathes with magazine bar-feeders and high pressure pumps. These precision turning machines will accept bars up to 64 mm (2.51969″) diameter, have triple 12-station turrets and expand our lineup of ABX machines to a total of six.

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The left and right upper turrets are equipped with Y-axis functions and the lower turret is equipped with a long Z-axis slide traverse enabling complex processing simultaneously on the left and right spindles, for high efficiency.  The ABX-TH3 lathes are designed to provide the most productive processing of precision parts to date. See the Miyano ABX-TH3’s full specs here.

Besides providing innovative technology, Citizen Machinery Miyano Co., Ltd., manufacturers of the ABX-TH3 lathes, also have a strong environmentally forward program in place that promotes energy and resource savings, recycling, and contamination prevention.

Our new Miyano ABX-TH3 additions have increased our manufacturing capabilities, and we look forward to continue to work with our customers to supply them with precision components to their specification.

New State-of-the-Art Miyano Increases Production Capabilities at Precision Plus in Elkhorn, Wisconsin

Michael Reader

We are anxiously anticipating the arrival of our new Miyano ABX-51TH3.  This new Super Precision Turning Center will be capable of processing high-end parts efficiently in a single setup by being able to mill and drill even more complex parts than what equipment allows now..  This will bring the number of Miyanos precision turning centers in our shop to four.

Miyano ABX-51TH3

The ABX-51TH3 Miyano is a 2-spindle, 3-turret turning center with 2-Y-axis.  A Y-axis control is featured on each of the two upper turrets (right and left), which makes it possible to have revolving tools attached on all of 12 stations. A lower turret, which could operate either right or left, can also have revolving tools on its own 12 stations, which results in 3 tools being able to work simultaneously, performing complex operations both front and back, in a single machine setup.

Miyano’s newest precision turning center sets a new standard for bar machines with its high precision and high functionality features.

Our new custom-specked turning center will also come with three attachments:  an FMB Turbo 5-55 Bar Loader, a ChipBLASTER High Pressure Coolant System and a Hainbuch Collet-Style Clamping System.

The FMB Turbo 5-55 is an automatic bar loading magazine for processing bars in diameters from 5 to 55mm and in lengths of up to 4200 mm.  Quick change polyurethane guide channels allow for quiet operation at high RPM while feeding round, square or hex bar stock. There is no metal to metal contact and it features an automatic feed system.

The ChipBLASTER High Pressure Coolant System features automatic variable volume, double ChipBLASTER’s  super duty pump, double compression filter hold down, and multiple pressure options. It is also equipped with four outputs for accommodate multiple operations.

The Hainbuch Collect-style Clamping System is a SPANNTOP Modular system, with a through-bore for bars and tubes.  It features parallel/cylindrical clamping, and offers optimal holding power and rigidity.  Its design allows for easy change-overs and minimal wear.  Its concentricity is of < 0.01 mm.

Precision Plus is on a never-ending quest to design and manufacture precision components that will save our customers production time and money.  Next week’s arrival of our new Miyano Super Precision Turnning Center will be just another step in our quest.

ABX-51TH3 Specs