Programmer to machine ratio.. I'm curious

[bogusmill]

Everyones a programer/machinist here too. We are a research shop and use CNC for accuracy and complexity of the part. I get definition of a part or the entire job and I see it through from sawing barstock to final paint if necessary. I'm the only one doing any multi-axis work here.

 

4 programer/machinists (only 2 are journeymen)

7 seats Mastercam (5PC's, 2 laptops

7 seats Catia R18

1 seat Solidworks 06

1 Fadal 80 x 30 VMC

1 Haas VF-4 w/5th axis

1 Haas VF-2 w/4th axis

1 Bridgeport series II

1 BostoMatic 1000 5th axis

[kenfromlodi]

Hardmill,

 

apologies, I misunderstood. I am so used to everyone trying to change stuff I jumped right on it.

 

I wish we had more guys like that. theres only about 4 of us here that can do the whole deal.

[Hardmill]

No appology needed.

Im alway Laughin my a$$ off at ppl doing stupid $hit mehself.

 

 

 

Alot of guys claim they can do it and hit the floor only

to "insert thumb up butt" and expect someone to train em.

We've had a couple through here that scraped job after job and

were let go, It was neva their fault either.

Imagine that, maybe we gots gremlins.

 

 

 

 

PEACE

[ReDEyZZ]

It really depends on your product.

 

on 10,000 part runs you barely need a programmer.

 

we usually have 20-50 part runs , always different stuff, keeps me busy with 4vmc 1hmc 5 lathes. Some of the operators are allowed to write simple programs.

[kenfromlodi]

quote:

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It was neva their fault either.

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"The first sign of failure, Blame Shifting!"

[Storkman]

22 cnc mills

3 cnc lathes

2 programmers

 

Boy am I overworked.

[Hardmill]

quote:

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Boy am I overworked.

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And they wonder why you drink. Poor Storky.

 

 

PEACE

[Mick]

Thanks everyone for the great response! When I get a chance in the next few days, I'm going to comile the "results"

 

Obviously, the ratio is onely a small part. The complexity of the machine tools, plus wether the nature of the work is production or jobbing, or a mix of both.

 

We are a production company, manufacturing waterjet propulsion units for the marine industry, with sizes ranging from 212mm up to 1m diameter impellers. As a result, when a new product is introduced, then our workload ramps up, then tapers off, to an almost maintenance role for the programmes. Regardless, we are always busy, especially with all the new machine tools.

 

Thanks again for your responses!

[OTOMMYO]

1 programer me

we just hired a kid fresh outa school wich makes 2. to 8 cnc mills, 4 cnc lathes, 1 edm sinker, 1 edm wire, 1 edm engraver.

[Thee Starry™]

5 - 5 axis Routers

1 - 3 axis router

2 Haas vertical mills

 

Me

 

Our 5 axis machines never run any more than 75 parts per job. The 3 axis does a lot of 2-400 part runs

and the mills are used solely for one part fixtures, molds, dies, etc.

We generally get 5-7 new parts per week for the 5 axis routers and 2-3 for the 3 axis.

I get 1-3 for the Haas per week as well.

 

That being said, we just got a deal for 42 new parts for the 5 axis routers and 8 for the Haas all due to ship by March 1. Should be an exiting month around here since we have both mills, the 3 axis and 1 5 axis at our new facility. The rest are here with one scheduled to move next week and another the week after. Nothing like a challenge to keep you fresh and young feeling!!!!

[Jim at Gentex]

Wow...I guess I'm the lucky one!

I work in an engineering R&D environment that has:

 

One programmer. (me)

One machine. (Deckel Maho DMU80 5-axis)

Mostly 1-off stuff or occasional short-run prototyping.

 

 

On the production side of the houes, we have:

 

One programmer.

Two machines. (both Fadal VMC 4020's; 1 is 5-axis)

 

He does mostly tooling and some production parts.

[JNO]

quote:

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Wow...I guess I'm the lucky one!

I work in an engineering R&D environment

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Nope, same situation here. 3 Machine R+D Shop. Advantages outweigh dis-advantages,...most of the time.

 

 

1 Programmer (me)

1 Machinist (me)

1 Material buyer (me)

1 Tooling buyer (me)

1 Engineer's escape goat (me)

[Tim Johnson]

5 stand alone HMC's

1 cell HMC

4 VMC's

1 2 axis lathe

3 3 axis lathes

2 millturns

 

3 programmers

 

I take care of the HMC's and ocasionally do VMC/lathe work.

One grammer for the mill/turns and ocasionally does VMC/lathe work.

The other concentrates on the VMC's and lathes

 

We are mostly a prodution shop making our own parts with quantities from 1 to ten parts on average up to the occasional 25-350 parts. Though we do repeat runs, due to the nature of our products a lot of our parts don't have a long shelf life and we're constantly revising/replacing programs.

[scooch8292]

29 Fanuc VMC's, machining glass, plastics, aluminum and steel jobs

 

4 Programmers, who also set up and prove out new programs.

[CRFJim]

Wow, I guess I've got it better than I thought! We only have one machine, a VF-6, I program and operate it. But since we're a repair shop, I also sometimes do manual work, balancing and fill in when the boss is gone. Jack of all trades, master of none.

[Craig-B]

I'm in charge of programming all of the following machines, some are 4 axis milling/turning. We are a production company manufacturing firearms for the Military, Law enforcement, and commercial market.

 

23 Mori Seiki HMC's

12 Mori Seiki VMC's

15 Mori Seiki Lathes

4 Matsuura VMC's

2 Okuma VMC's

1 Okuma HMC

2 Okuma Lathes

2 Haas VMC's

1 Fadal VMC

1 Tree VMC

[?Mark]

3 lathes

4 mills

9 programmers

[Hardmill]

quote:

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3 lathes

4 mills

9 programmers

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3 + 4 = 9

 

I think ya got too many grammers.

 

 

PEACE

[?Mark]

Just checking if anyone is still paying attention here