CAR Re-Certifies to the ISO 9001:2008 Standard
Hard to believe it has been 6 years since CAR Engineering first became an ISO shop. Those of you familiar with ISO know that your certificate is good for 3 years and annually the company must pass a maintenance audit to ensure you are continuing to meet the standard. Once every 3 years the company is subject to an entire re-certification and this time around that was the challenge for the CAR team. We had a full 3 day audit conducted by Eagle Registrations, Sept. 17th, 18th, and 19th. The entire shop was under review and all departments were audited fully.
Great news is that CAR passed the audit and is now ISO certified until 2015, provided we continue to pass our annual audits. Thank you to our ISO coordinators, Carrie Hause and Brandon Tolnay for their leadership efforts during this process. CAR Engineering believes in ISO and we know following the standards makes us a better company. We don’t just “dress up” for the audit we live ISO every day and it shows.
Thumbs Up for ISO-Brandon and Carrie Celebrate
CAR Makes Major Investment in Die Design Software
One of the things that differentiates CAR from other companies that also provide precision metal stampings is that we have always designed, built, and maintained all our tools (progressive and compound dies) in-house in our fully staffed tool room. Our CEO, Charlie, believes that if you want to have the very best toolmakers you must give them opportunities to build new tools, they get too bored if all they do is maintenance and repair.
You can’t have world-class toolmakers without world-class die designers and CAR is very lucky to have Milt Cummings and Todd Guarino on-board to quote stampings and then design the tools once we get the job. CAR has been successful using Auto Cad to perform these tasks but after much research and development CAR has taken it to the next level and installed LogoPress, 3D Design Software for Solidworks. The advantages of this software are that we are able “unfold” the part in the software- getting better material usage estimates and strip layouts which improves our time to respond to a quote. The software also allows our designer to simulate the die running in press, which helps us avoid clearance or fitment issues before we start building the tool. Like any new software there is a learning curve and Milt and Todd will be taking a 3-day LogoPress classroom training in beautiful Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the end of Nov. Stampings customers: please keep those new tool RFQ’s coming we want to put this software to good use.
Die Designer Todd Guarino Using LogoPress
Major Career Milestone For Larry Pradia
CAR thanked and recognized CNC lathe machinist Larry Pradia for his 10 years of service to the company at our October employee meeting. Per the CAR tradition, all 10-year employees receive a lovely mantel clock. Larry’s official first day was 10/18/02. He came to CAR via a placement agency but we knew within a few days of employment that Larry was a keeper. After the 90-day wait period CAR brought Larry on full time. Larry is one of our top producers on the CNC lathes, primarily running the Mori Seki machines. However, Larry is skilled all around and will run CNC mills or stamping machines if CAR needs a hand in other departments. Larry also logs a lot of hours and will regularly stick around late on Friday or come in on Saturday to keep jobs running.
Larry resides in Rochester with this wife, Barbara. The couple has six children, but all have left the nest. When not at CAR Larry enjoys watching the NFL and visiting his native state of Louisiana.
Larry receives his clock with Charlie and Yvette
CAR Gets Marvel Automatic Saw
As CAR strives to improve efficiencies and keep costs low, we have purchased a gently used Marvel 15A4/M1 fully automatic saw. This machine can handle material 12 inches in capacity with a 24-inch in-feed conveyer. Advantages of the Marvel saw vs. our current equipment are faster, straighter cuts, reduction in manpower and improved accuracy. This can also help our customers with “fast-turn” jobs, instead of ordering the material from our vendors cut to length, we can bring in large bars and cut in-house. Sometimes waiting for our vendors to do the extra operation of cutting adds a day or two to delivery time for the material.
Mark Shaffer Manning the New Marvel Saw
Steve Gerrard aka “Evel Knievel” Walks Again
Our CNC Engineer Steve Gerrard took a spill while riding motocross back on Aug. 25th. It was a practice, he took a jump and fell, resulting in a tibia plateau fracture. Steve underwent surgery to attach his tibia to his ACL. He was in a full leg cast for 3 weeks, crutches for 3 weeks, and is expected to have a complete recovery within 6 months. CAR would like to thank Steve for his dedication to his job, even while out for 3 weeks in a full leg cast, Steve worked from home responding to quotes and working with our guys on the shop floor electronically. He even hobbled in for the CNC portion of our ISO audit.
So now for the question all loyal newsletter readers are asking,…”Will Steve ride again?” When interviewed for this article Steve responded that he has sold his motocross bike and accompanying accessories but he will never give up his road bike.
Down But Not Out- Steve After Getting Full Leg Cast
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