How would you answer these questions?  Yes or No.

            Is the weld schedule the same when different operators run the same job?

             When material thickness change is the air pressure changed?

            Is the air pressure ever changed?

            Are there written weld schedules for each job?

            Are we welding the same material and thickness as we were when the machines

                 were purchased?

            Is our scrap rate increasing due to spot welding?

            Customer complaints about spot-weld appearance never comes up?

            When we ship product we have no concerns about spot-weld integrity?

If any of the answers to the above questions were No, a seminar is indicated.

 The reasons to avoid scheduling a seminar are varied: 

 OUR OPERATORS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS AND THEY ARE PROS.

            Is there a uniform set up procedure?

            If another operator takes over a job do they reset the same machine for the same

part?  Why? If it’s the same job then which setting are correct?

                        If both operators have good welds, is one set-up “better” than the other?

 

EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER BECAUSE THE OPERATORS LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES.

At what scrap cost?  Usually the spot welding process is done after much of the

            fabrication expense has been put into the part.

Spotco has samples of the same material thickness that range from 3 weld cycle to

            48 weld cycles.  All samples had a tensile strength within 200 pounds

            when tested.  Which one is best?

 

THE PROCESS IS  FAST AND SIMPLE WHY SO MUCH TIME IN THE CLASSROOM? 

            The simplicity of the operation masks the complexity of the process.

            The seminar can be done in four to five hours.

            It is best if it is done over two days to include on the floor evaluations of        

 

                        spot welding machines and some process remedies.

 

WE CAN SEND OUR OPERATORS TO A SCHOOL.

 

            The support people who should attend are usually not sent and they are:

 

                        Design

 

                        Maintenance

 

                        Tool and die

 

                        Part timer workers or night shift

 

                        Lead people

 

                        Product engineers.

 

              Salespeople/estimators. (Identify problems during solicitation/quotations).

 

THE COST IN TIME AND MONEY IS TOO HIGH. 

WHAT IF:

Quality is improved.

            Set up time is reduced.

            Set-up is standardized and better able to be passed on to a new operator.

            Training is done in a familiar atmosphere.

            Travel for plant personnel is non-existent.

             If a crisis occurs the personnel are in-plant.

             Manufacturing problem solving is done more efficiently with better understanding

                     of the process.

            Average profit margins over sales are roughly 10% so saving $10,000.00

                       in operating cost is equal to $100,000.00 in new sales.

            In times of layoffs, and in shops where seniority determines job selection, a

                        person with less spot welding experience can “bump” a more experienced operator. Thus,

                        scrap rate goes up

 

One of the advantages of our going to your facility is our ability to evaluate your equipment ant its application to the welding jobs.

                        Has the material thickness changed over the years?

                        Have you switched from plain steel to galvanized?

                        Which galvanized are you using, hot dipped or electroplate?

                        Are you welding dissimilar materials?

                        We want to weld aluminum but our machines can’t.

                        My machines are old should I buy new

Training needs more than just putting knowledge into an operator.  We can and will help you develop objectives and goals for the training. 

A written review of the machine capabilities will be provided.

The company should plan on three to four half hour post seminar meetings to review what changes have been initiated.

A system of weld schedule maintenance can be developed and implemented with a follow up system to promote compliance.

Any projects for research in problem correction should be allocated time and assets.

Procedures for QC and manufacturing quality determination should be coordinated.

All of the above will be established with a time line to implementation and completion.

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