Skill Test

[cunder]

Does any one have a skill test they are willing to share.

We are looking at different ways to evaluate new hires for machine operators.

Its not production here so We need more than just button pusher.

Thanks in advance.

[mkd]

ask em: "at what RPM do you run an indicator?"

[Brando]

ask em: "at what RPM do you run an indicator?"

 

LMAO!

[Brando]

i would take em directly out in the shop and start asking them setup questions, you'll find out quick if they're blowing smoke or not and you get a feel for their personality as well

[djstedman]

My favorite one in the past was I always used to like putting a close tolerance part on the surface plate with a print with all the dimensions, then lay out all different measuring instruments ie dial calipers, height stand, cadillac, micrometers etc.. and ask them to check some different dimensions, if you ask them to check a +/- .0005 dimension and they are checking it with the dial calipers when there is a micrometer handy its an easy way to weed out some of the unskilled guys that might be trying to get one over on you.

 

Some questions on basic G and M codes arent bad, since people with any experience should be able to tell you quite a few.

 

Asking people to explain True position and other GD&T concepts is a good one, however seems a lot of otherwise knowledgeable operators dont have a firm grasp on some GD&T concepts however if they can explain complex GD&T callouts then you can be pretty sure that at the least they have a head on thier shoulders.

 

Showing someone a setup and information about how the part in that setup is out of tolerance and asking them what offsets they would make to fix it and why is another good question.

[Eric@HorsepowerInc.]

We have a pretty basic one here, amazing how many cannot answer half the questions.

Label the cartesian coord. system, RPM for and edge finder, how to find the tilt pt. for 5ax work, speeds and feeds for a few drills(give them the SFM for material and Drill Dia.) This is hilarious sometimes, 7/8 drill in CDS, 8-10,000 rpm, I always ask if they are welding. Pitch dia. on a few threads, random drill dia.'s for common taps they should know(#7 for a 1/4-20 etc.) And sample programs for the hire position. Such as, for our lathe test we have it actually crash(only on paper) because we give them jaw grip length and part length to see if they catch it. Or a facing pass without a G1, which the previous move was a rapid. Also some basic machine G & M codes common to most machines. Hope that helps, good luck. And If you find any worth hiring, send them our way, LOL!

[RayD]

when I was hiring/firing I did a 2 week love/hate trial.

 

I hired them for 2 weeks at $X, if they could not do what they said they could or where not worth the $X I sent them packing, or kept them at $X or less. Depending what positions I needed or thought they could learn etc.

 

If after the 2 weeks, if they were worth $X they stayed the same wage, if they were worth $Y I payed them the $Y for the initial 2 weeks (back-pay essential)

 

You find out very quick who can do what is listed on their resume, usually if they said "no Thanks" they could not do what was on their resume and it saves us both the time.

[mkd]

We have a pretty basic one here, amazing how many cannot answer half the questions.

Label the cartesian coord. system, RPM for and edge finder, how to find the tilt pt. for 5ax work, speeds and feeds for a few drills(give them the SFM for material and Drill Dia.) This is hilarious sometimes, 7/8 drill in CDS, 8-10,000 rpm, I always ask if they are welding. Pitch dia. on a few threads, random drill dia.'s for common taps they should know(#7 for a 1/4-20 etc.) And sample programs for the hire position. Such as, for our lathe test we have it actually crash(only on paper) because we give them jaw grip length and part length to see if they catch it. Or a facing pass without a G1, which the previous move was a rapid. Also some basic machine G & M codes common to most machines. Hope that helps, good luck. And If you find any worth hiring, send them our way, LOL!

you got some specific stuff in there that would trip up all but the top 30% in a nervous interview setting. my quizzes were more basic and people still bombed them. conversely, if you know your stuff and don't interview well, this could be helpful.

 

 

when I was hiring/firing I did a 2 week love/hate trial.

 

I hired them for 2 weeks at $X, if they could not do what they said they could or where not worth the $X I sent them packing, or kept them at $X or less. Depending what positions I needed or thought they could learn etc.

 

If after the 2 weeks, if they were worth $X they stayed the same wage, if they were worth $Y I payed them the $Y for the initial 2 weeks (back-pay essential)

 

You find out very quick who can do what is listed on their resume, usually if they said "no Thanks" they could not do what was on their resume and it saves us both the time.

don't [know] for sure until you see it. . i like this Ray guy.

again if a person doesn't interview well, this is a great opportunity.

 

Freud might say Somebody has an issue with interviewing.

[rogkick]

Calculate RPM

Calculate Feed

Recommended DoC

Usually a good start in my book.

[Eric@HorsepowerInc.]

 

you got some specific stuff in there that would trip up all but the top 30% in a nervous interview setting. my quizzes were more basic and people still bombed them. conversely, if you know your stuff and don't interview well, this could be helpful.

 

 

 

don't for sure until you see it. . i like this Ray guy.

again if a person doesn't interview well, this is a great opportunity.

 

Freud might say Somebody has an issue with interviewing.

The test we are referring to, is for a CNC Programmer/Set-up.

We are pretty easy going at our shop, but I'm over stupid, and you can't fix that. Hmm, I thought speeds and feeds were pretty basic, and if you don't know the coord. system, that's a wreck waiting to happen. All basic knowledge Q's here, it's only $200,000+ machinery

so who wants anyone but the top 30%. At 25+ an hr and full benefits, you had better know your stuff. I have had guys that thought they did, and have marks in our fixtures, 5ax trunnions and such to prove they didn't. Better to weed out the bad one's from the door IMO. The lack of quality training is a major problem in our field today, and If you are any good, your a shop leader or owner. The rest are glorified button pushers. It's a never ending problem w/o a good solution that we all face. To many will not take the time to learn the trade! We offer paid training, few take it. And the one's that do, then feel you owe them more, or they take their new skill's elsewhere. Funny what they didn't know before they started. My brother a tool maker say's it best, they will never feel the way you do, they don't have the stress or overhead of owning a shop to do so. Funny how neat some guys tool boxes are, because they paid for the tools. Scrap a few expensive parts or crash, and we get a sorry, well, see ya tomorrow.

[Mjölnir]

 

ask em: "at what RPM do you run an indicator?"

 

LMAO!

 

 

You laugh so I take it you're unfamiliar with coaxial indicators?

[cunder]

Thanks for the input. Please keep it coming.

[Brando]

You laugh so I take it you're unfamiliar with coaxial indicators?

actually i forgot about those type, i had a picture in my head of a goonba putting a test indicator in and winging it off (ive seen it happen before)

[Mjölnir]

(ive seen it happen before)

 

I've done it myself!

[Reko]

I think Ray has it right.

 

Just do the basic interview, no trick or pony show, and if they have the qualifications on the resume then give them a chance to show you what they've got over a few week period. The terms can always be changed based on their real performance.

 

I also like the emphasis MKD put on certain people not interviewing well. Some people just don't make a good impression, but are fine machinist's/tool makers.

 

The biggest thing I look for... is the shops they worked at in the past and the amount of time they worked there.

 

Good shop + Long time spent there = Likely a good hire

 

Good shop + short time = Must be a reason he didn't stick there

[Brando]

i've ran an edge finder at 8k instead of 800,,,, it didnt work out so well for the edge finder

[RayD]

Just do the basic interview, no trick or pony show, and if they have the qualifications on the resume then give them a chance to show you what they've got over a few week period. The terms can always be changed based on their real performance.

 

I also like the emphasis MKD put on certain people not interviewing well. Some people just don't make a good impression, but are fine machinist's/tool makers.

 

one of the best employees I ever had I thought he was boarderline retarded in the interview, if I went on impressions alone I would have never hired him. I gave him a shot with the love/hate deal and I gave him a higher than "$Y" value after the second day he impressed me so much.