Shop Operations

In spite of my good intentions, trying to understand an employee's logic for engaging in certain behaviors can be bewildering, writes Manager's Desk columnist Keith Jennings in the May 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

Check out the Shop Operations column in the May 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering to learn how a WWII-era Russian spy continues to serve as a cautionary tale about the perils of daydreaming.

Shop Operations columnist Tom Lipton offers tips for enhancing the operation of a manual lathe in the April 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine.

As we climb out of the winter grind, we've all had our share of weighty issues to manage.

At my shop and others I've been in contact with, cash flow and timely payment have become issues that require greater scrutiny. If that's the case at your shop, dealing with them effectively will be a test of your management skills.

The manual lathe remains the cornerstone of machining fundamentals. This guide explains why lathe basics still matter in training, setup work, and real shop operations.

In the olden days, riggers were the guys on the ground placing slings and chains around the object to be moved while the crane operator waited for their signals to begin lifting. Today, rigging in a small shop falls to the guys standing closest to the equipment when something needs to be moved.

Money as a motivational tool can take the form of an employee's pay rate, commissions, bonuses and, perhaps once a certain level of seniority is reached, paid health insurance premiums. Not only do employees like it, but it's often a simpler solution.

Shop Operations columnist, Tom Lipton, discusses the issue of safety when workers transport sheet metal in the January 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

Manager's Desk columnist Keith Jennings offers some guidance for effectively screening new projects in the January 2012 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering.

The Shop Operations column in the December 2011 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering magazine offers some tips when sawing metal.

The Manager's Desk column in the December 2011 issue of Cutting Tool Engineering addresses the importance of developing interest in manufacturing careers.