What does tool room work consist of? It can be separated into two
divisions, namely, that which only the skilled toolmaker can do, such
as laying out, fitting, assembling and devising special setups. The
balance is machine work. Let us consider the latter and see what it
consists of.
_Machines._ The machines used are generally the engine lathe, the
horizontal and vertical millers, planers, shaper, plain, flat and
universal grinders, drill press and filing machines. Hobbing and
bench lathes may be added.
_The Lathe._ The lathe work usually consists in machining work
preparatory to hardening and grinding. This may be roughly divided
into turning, chucking and faceplate work. The toolmaker frequently
does all of this work. Let us relieve him of this work and use our
semi-skilled man to do it for him. Let one man do the turning,
another the chucking and another the faceplate work. Where buttons
are used the toolmaker sets them at the bench, but the lathe hand can
be instructed on the set-up and the use of the warbler and indicator.
The same method can be used on the milling machine in boring holes
for bushings, etc. If there is not enough turning the same man can do
the boring. The whole result is the toolmaker can supervise, or carry
through, a number of jobs at the same time. The lathe hand saves time
because he has his tools ground, his straps, parallels, etc., ready
at hand and he knows his machine. It is the writer’s experience that
more time is lost by the toolmaker in hunting for these accessories
than it frequently takes to do the job.
_The Shaper._ On the shaper the work can be divided into roughing
out and following an irregular line. Let us take a blanking die for
an example. The diemaker (who works at the bench) lays out the die
on rough stock. Then it is roughed out to this layout. Next the
tap-holes and swivel pins are drilled, tapped and reamed. Now the
diemaker can set his die up and lay it out more accurately to his
turnplate. The better shaper hand now machines the pieces to his
lines and all the diemaker has to do is file the clearance on the
cutting edge and remove tool marks. In a sectional die he frequently
leaves this for the grinder to do. Now the punch, which has been
roughed out, is “sheared” and the machine hand machines the surplus
stock from it to make it easier for the diemaker. The head block,
shoe, knockout plate, sub-press pins, and stripper have been machined
and are ready for him. The drill press hand does the drilling and
reaming for the pins and springs, also the tapping. By this method
of using the semi-skilled machine hands the skilled man can carry on
five and more dies at the same time and _not lose any time waiting
for machines_.
_The Miller._ The milling machine work can be divided into flat work,
cutting teeth in cutters, reamers, gears, etc., spiral cutting,
boring jigs and special outline work.,
Take the first two groups. The semi-skilled operator can be easily
trained for this work, as it does not call for more difficult work
than the use of the dividing head, and there is always a chart for
that. Spiral cutting can be taught, as there is a chart for that.
Cutting cams is more difficult but if there is enough of it the
operators can be taught to do it.
The boring of drill jigs, and similar work, can be done by an
operator because it is laid out beforehand by the toolmaker, or
diemaker in case it is a die.
_The Drill Press._ The drill press work presents the same solution.
The skilled tool or diemaker makes the layout and then drills
the holes to the layout. Why use the skilled man’s time when a
lower-priced, and less valued, operator can be used to drill to this
same layout?
_Grinders._ The horizontal, the plain (or flat) and the universal
grinding machines have always had specially trained men so we need
not consider them here.
_Special Machines._ The remaining machines in the toolroom are
generally special machines with men to operate them. The toolmaker
uses, for the most part, only the machines considered in this article.
_Training._ The question now arises, “Where will these men be trained
and who will train them?” I offer this answer. Men on these machines
throughout the factory are semi-skilled in their use and are mostly
on repetition work. Take the best of them and train them in the
Training Department, or in the tool room, and replace them by new men
in the factory.
_Results._ This method results in: First, enabling the skilled tool
or diemaker to handle more work than if he had to do all the machine
and layout work; second, increasing the output per machine, for it
stops the time lost through the machine’s being idle and the tools
being separated from the machine. In this matter alone it presents a
saving, as it calls for only one set of tools per machine, against a
set for every man in the room who keeps them in his bench drawer most
of the time; third, it eliminates the time lost by the skilled man’s
waiting around for a particular machine. He is now able to plan one
job after another and turn it over to the machine operator and thus
devote all his time to work that an unskilled man cannot do.
(Signed) WALTER F. MADDISON,
_Director of Industrial Training_.