Acme-Gridley Setup Operator in La Porte, Indiana at NRP Jones LLC

Job Summary

The Acme-Gridley Setup Operator is responsible for setting up, adjusting, troubleshooting, and operating Acme-Gridley multi-spindle screw machines to produce precision machined components. This position requires strong mechanical ability, knowledge of cams, gears, tooling, attachments, feeds and speeds, and the ability to maintain production while holding print tolerances and quality requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Set up Acme-Gridley multi-spindle screw machines for production jobs according to prints, job routers, tooling sheets, and setup documentation.
• Install, align, and adjust cams, gears, collets, feed fingers, stock stops, shave tools, form tools, drills, reamers, taps, die heads, cut-off tools, and attachments.
• Load bar stock and verify correct material size, grade, and heat/lot information when required.
• Make machine adjustments to maintain part dimensions, surface finish, concentricity, thread quality, hole size, length, chamfers, and other critical features.
• Use micrometers, calipers, depth mics, thread gauges, plug gauges, pin gauges, indicators, comparators, and other inspection equipment.
• Read and interpret blueprints, tolerances, inspection plans, and special requirements.
• Troubleshoot machine issues including tool wear, poor finishes, size variation, bar feed issues, chip control problems, timing issues, broken tools, and attachment problems.
• Sharpen, replace, or modify tooling as needed to maintain production and quality.
• Perform first-piece inspection and submit parts for quality approval before full production.
• Monitor machines during production and make offsets or mechanical adjustments as needed.
• Train operators on loading material, checking parts, changing tools, identifying defects, and following inspection frequency.
• Maintain production counts, scrap records, downtime notes, and setup documentation.
• Perform basic preventive maintenance, lubrication checks, housekeeping, and safe machine operation.
• Communicate material shortages, tooling problems, machine repairs, and quality issues to supervision, maintenance, and quality personnel.

Required Skills and Experience

• Experience setting up and operating Acme-Gridley multi-spindle screw machines.
• Strong understanding of screw machine tooling, cams, gears, attachments, collets, and bar-fed production.
• Ability to hold tight tolerances in a production environment.
• Ability to diagnose mechanical and dimensional problems without relying on CNC offsets.
• Proficient with precision measuring tools and shop math.
• Able to read blueprints and understand GD&T callouts where applicable.
• Experience working with carbon steel, brass, stainless steel, aluminum, or similar bar stock materials.
• Ability to work safely around rotating bar stock, cutting oil, chips, and moving mechanical components.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with 6-spindle or 8-spindle Acme-Gridley machines.
• Experience with Greenlee, New Britain, Davenport, Wickman, or similar screw machines.
• Ability to grind and touch up form tools, cut-off blades, drills, and special tooling.
• Experience with high-volume production, short-run changeovers, and customer-specific quality requirements.
• Forklift or crane experience for handling bar stock and material bundles.
• Familiarity with ERP systems, quality documentation, and production reporting.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, reach, and work around machines for extended periods.
• Ability to lift and handle tooling, stock tubes, collets, fixtures, and machine components.
• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with cutting oil, chips, noise, and moving equipment.
• Must follow all safety procedures, PPE requirements, and lockout/tagout rules when applicable.

Success in This Role Looks Like

• Machines are set up correctly and released to production with approved first pieces.
• Parts are held within print tolerance with minimal scrap.
• Operators are given clear instructions and inspection expectations.
• Tooling and machine problems are identified early instead of becoming long downtime events.
• Setup notes are improved over time so repeat jobs become faster and more consistent.