Programmer to machine ratio.. I'm curious

[Mick]

I'm curious about the programmer to machine ratio out there in various companies.

 

I'll start off. We have 25 NC machines, comprising of 8 two axis lathes, 5 Multi Axis lathes (MT's/Multus), 1 twin chuck C-axis lathe (Mori Seiki DL), 3 Vertical machining centres, 7 horizontal machining centres, one vertical lathe (with pallet (chuck) changer, and C axis).

 

We have five programmers, three skilled in multi axis, and the other two up to four axis.

 

Obviously our workload is up and down, but I am curious to see the ratio other companies have for programming to machine tool numbers.

[gcode]

60+ machines including 3 5 axis mills and bunch of big HBM's with double rotary setups, HMC's , VTL's and VTL mill turns

We have 3 programmers working 12 hour sifts.

2 mutiaxis mill/lathe guys and one lathe only guy

We are not a job shop and a lot of our work is repeat business. In a job shop environment

3 programmers would get buried alive trying to support that many machines.

[John13]

1 programmer (me) 2 machines.

[PERRY C]

1 programer/operator per shift

2 Vertical Mills

2 Wire EDM'S

3 Shifts

 

 

X2-MR2-SP1

Mill Level 3

Wire Level 2

Solids

[connormac]

1 Programmer (me)

 

12 VMC's

1 HMC

3 Lathes

[chris m]

1 programmer / mfg engineer

1 programmer / mfg engineering mgr [me]

 

18 CNC lathes [1 subspindle, 2 twin-spindle, twin-turret]

7 VMC

 

We also support our honing, broaching, gear shaping, gear hobbing, grinding and prototyping / model shop as required

[HEAVY METAL]

job shop --- 4vmcs 1 high speed vmc and 3 hmcs

[Ron Branch @ Verisurf]

1 programmer

 

1 72" between center 30" swing Fanuc Lathe.

6 2 axis Okuma Lathes.

1 4 Axis Okuma Lathe with live tooling no Y axis.

1 7 axis Mazak Lathe 22" between chucks with live tooling and Y axis.

1 9 axis Integrex Lathe 52" between chucks Cat 40 taper

3 4 axis Mills 2 Fanuc one Okuma Cat 50 taper

1 96" x 40" 3 axis mill (Dino Clump is what I call it) bt50 taper

Verisurf Programming of 5 axis CMM

Seat of Job Boss for Planning

MBD administration

Quoting of some work

 

We area job shop yes I am buried I just looked at my 45 point bulletin of action items I have probably 400 hours work of work all needing to be done right now. Guess what it gets done as it gets done.

[Mgrenier]

40+ CNC machines various types (intgrex, HBM with rotary, VTL, VTL with C axis) and 9 programmers (7 Milling and 2 turning). We are a job shop that can machine from the small to the enormous part.

[kenfromlodi]

80+ cnc's and count em 3 thats right 3 programmers!!

im so buried it's unreal!! but I wont go into it!!

[ERIC14779]

2 programmers

 

2 3 axis routers

 

1 6 axis Robotrim robot

 

1 5 axis Router

 

2 hardly used 3 axis "TOY" routers (Techno)

[Thee Dragracer1951]

1 programmer, five machines. Two four axis mills, 1 three axis mill and two 2 axis lathes.

But aI also get to set up, proove the program, buy inserts and cutters, do some sales, invoice and inspect. After I get done with all that, it's time for a beer.

[SLJ]

10 VMCs

1 HMC

Job shop with short run parts, countinuous turnover of parts.

Program, fixture design, plan ect.

1 programmer/mfg. eng. Me

[YoDoug®]

2 programmers

 

2 VMC

2 CNC lathe

 

We are a prototype shop, so every day is a different set of parts.

[Don S at Barefoot CNC South]

One programmer here (me) 2 shifts JOB SHOP

 

Lathes

Haas

3 SL30 with C axis

1 SL20 C axis

1 TL2 TOOLROOM

1 Daewoo 250L

 

Mills

Haas

2 VF8s 5 axis

2 VF3s 5 axis

3 VF2s

3 TOOLROOM MILLS 4 AXIS

3 FADALS

1 Haas EC200O HORIZ. 5 AXIS

6 PROTRAK MILLS

 

Wire

CHARMILE ROBO 310

CNC OKUMA GRINDER

 

VERISURF AND FARO ARM

[Dowty123]

20 machines:

-profilers

-5 and 6 axis milling machines (with

interchangeable heads).

-lathes

-9 programmers. All programmers have a side line as Vericut support, ICAM or probing. Machines are pretty complex and we're on Catia. Lots of PPInstructions, and also Vericut takes quite long to run big parts. They keep all 9 of us pretty busy.

[PeterM]

46 cnc machines total, 3 programmers. This is a job shop, running two shifts. I personally have 9 verticals and 3 horizontals, the rest are lathes, mostly Hyundais and Wasinos.

[MLS]

30+ machines about half of them 5-axis.

 

5 of them are Mag3's and those alone can keep 2 programmers busy.

 

Typically lower production mid to large sized aircraft parts.

 

5 Programmers. 1 in training.

2 on CATIA the rest on Mastercam.

[Kyle Waters]

1 "programmer"/operator(me)

1 shift, mostly production work

10 machines total:

 

7 Okuma VMCs

4 w/ full 5 axis

3 w/ 3+2

1 Okuma 2 axis lathe

2 Mori Lathes

1 NL2500 Y & C axis, sub-spindle

1 MT2000 dual turret, sub-spindle

[TR Mfg.]

6 VMC's

2 2 axis turning centers

1 sub, live tool lathe

 

2 programmer, set up operators for the mills +1 in training

1 for the lathes

A few part timers for machine tending and part loading as needed.

 

Job shop, 1-50 part lot size tight tolerance(+/-.0005 or less) complex parts. Some parts run for as long as 12 hours.

[MultiAxGod]

2 Programmers

2 ME's, 1 programs

 

2 WFL Millturns

2 Mazak Quickturns

2 Mazak Verticals

1 Makino HMC

 

Short Run, high end Crankshaft Mfg. for Formula 1, Nascar, etc.

 

Just a simple man with a simple plan!

 

Mcam X2-MR2-SP1

Mill Level 3

Lathe Level 1

Solids

5 Axis

[Greg_J]

1 4 axis VMC = 1 programmer (me)

1 4 axis HMC = 1 programmer (sometimes me)

1 Lathe w/live tooling = 1 programmer

1 Lathe = 1 programmer

 

Shop less then 2 years old.

 

Greg

[Hardmill]

Everyones a programmer/machinist.

Get the machine running and thats all thats expected of you.

 

 

Drive home sux big-time. Average 1 1/2 hrs.

 

 

 

 

PEACE

[kenfromlodi]

quote:

---

Everyones a programmer/machinist.

---

LMAO!!

 

Thats what everyone thinks they are. Thats a huge problem in a large shop with proven processes.

[Hardmill]

quote:

---

LMAO!!

---

You get a machine, a print and material.

Get it done from day one or theyll know what your capable of.

Thats the reason everyone comes in as a contractor so they can weed out the ones that dont cut it.

 

Maybe I should clarify the programmer part.

25% are programmers, the other 75% use Gibbs.

 

 

PEACE