Plastics Training & Technology Blog: Plastics Training: October 2009 Archives

Creating A Good Training Environment

By Andy Routsis on October 29, 2009 12:01 AM 0 0 Vote 0 Votes

I was recently asked about setting up a proper environment for learning...

Sarah

We are considering a new training room and want to hear your thoughts before we proceed.

My Response

When choosing an area where the majority of the training will take place, be sure to consider the noise level. Try not to setup your training environment in a loud area, such as one that’s right next to the production floor. It’s a good idea to hang a couple of sets of headphones so that employees have the ability to cancel-out any noises coming from other areas of your facility. Such noise can be extremely distracting while employees are participating in interactive training.

Also consider the appearance and setup of the training environment. Make sure that the room has adequate lighting and be sure the room is clean and free of clutter. Post signs to reiterate that the room is to be kept clean.

Additional Thoughts

With the price of computers being more reasonable than ever, there’s no excuse for providing your workforce with machines that aren’t up-to-date.

-Andy

Why Does Advanced Training Often Fail

By Andy Routsis on October 26, 2009 8:00 AM 0 0 Vote 0 Votes

I just received a call the other day regarding a on-site consultation...

caller

We just had a consultant come in and provide some extensive training for our technicians. He taught lessons on intensification ratios, fill integrals, polymer viscosity, rheology, and gate seal studies. Unfortunately, our technicians had no idea what he was talking about.

My Concerns

There are some very intelligent consultants in our industry. Regrettably, they tend to relate to technicians as engineers without any regard to their education level and plastics knowledge.

Fine tuning a process with advanced tools such as In-Mold Rheology studies are great practices. But, to effectively use these tools, you must first understand fundamental concepts such as: velocity-controlled injection, shear thinning, plastic pressure at transfer, melt temperature, and so on.

As mentioned in previous entries, training has to be an ongoing process. Consultants can be a helpful tool in understanding and teaching the fine points of your processes... but you need to ensure your employees have a firm grasp of the fundamentals to really benefit.

-Andy

Safety Glasses on the Production Floor

By Andy Routsis on October 22, 2009 1:40 AM 0 0 Vote 0 Votes

I was recently asked a question which has been debated for many years...

Jennifer

What is the proper rule for safety glasses? Some say they are not always needed, others say they should be work at all times, what is your opinion?

My Response

Before I relate my opinion, I first want to bring up three important factors...

1) Virtually all machine and equipment manufacturers suggest that eye protection be worn at all times.

2) Virtually all safety regulatory groups recommend of require safety glasses to be worn at all times on the production floor.

3) Virtually all safety training recommends safety glasses to be worn around any piece of production equipment.

First... anyone violating a safety guard, servicing a machine, purging, grinding, or opening the safety gates for any reason must wear safety glasses.

Second... I strongly feel that anyone on the production floor should be wearing safety glasses.

Third... I also feel that the tool room, maintenance area, quality lab, and warehouse should also be included.

Additional Thoughts

In all stages of my professional development, I have been taught the importance of personal protection equipment and specifically... eye protection.

I have personally seen safety hazards such as fragments and fluids travel hundreds of feet across the production floor... all being serious hazards to everyone on the production floor.

As always, I am interested in hearing your opinion on this matter.

-Andy

Article on 'Talent Management'

By Andy Routsis on October 19, 2009 7:25 AM 0 0 Vote 0 Votes

I recently read a great article entitled 'Profitable Manufacturers Focus on Talent Management'...

In this IndustryWeek article, the author cites a new study released by Deloitte, The Manufacturing Institute and Oracle to explain that top manufacturers are still investing in their workforce... regardless of the financial times.

Article Excerpt

"The study shows that surveyed manufacturers, especially the most profitable, rank employing a top-notch workforce high on their priority list. Many companies assigned a higher importance to implementing people management practices compared to increasing customer service orientation."

Article Link

http://www.industryweek.com/articles/profitable_manufacturers_focus_on_talent_management_20102.aspx?Page=2

20-page Report Link

http://www.deloitte.com/assets/Dcom-UnitedStates/Local%20Assets/Documents/us_pip_peoplemanagementreport_100509.pdf

-Andy

The Costs Of Not Training

By Andy Routsis on October 12, 2009 12:45 AM 0 0 Vote 0 Votes

This is a short excerpt from our executive audiobook entitled 'The Science of Training'...

Excerpt

There are clearly some expenses associated with setting up and launching a well-planned training initiative. This is undeniable. But have you stopped to think about how much you’re spending by NOT training your employees? Or maybe you are trying to train your employees without a structured training plan. In either case, you are likely losing thousands of dollars each month that could easily be saved by having a competent, versatile, and productive workforce.

Plastics Training: October 2009 Archives

Creating A Good Training Environment

Why Does Advanced Training Often Fail

Safety Glasses on the Production Floor

Article on 'Talent Management'

The Costs Of Not Training

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