Preston Phillips has spent the past six years of his career as a screw machine operator at Groov-Pin in Newnan, Georgia. He is assigned to three of the five machines in the Davenport department, which are used to manufacture threaded inserts.
“The inserts have three holes that are horizontally drilled,” Preston explained. “We have quite a bit of those, but someone we get orders for Nylok inserts, which have four holes.”
Preston also explained how the machines are managed. “All of the machines have to be set up independently and we try to keep certain sizes on each of those five machines, but it depends if orders need to be changed up.”
For machinists like Preston, it’s important to have certain mechanical knowledge and understanding of concepts like gear ratios and proportions. “The machines are all mechanical, so anything can come up and throw you for a loop,” he said. “Every once in a while, something atypical comes up or a machine might need repairs and you need to work through that.”
The bulk of Preston’s career has been in machining, but he first started out as a shipping clerk. “That was my first job,” he recalled. “But I started on machines because the pay was better! The rest was history.”
With awareness initiatives like Manufacturing Day gaining popularity, manufacturers are focused on showcasing the benefits of careers in the industry. In addition to training programs, good pay, and job security, manufacturing offers an innovative and increasingly tech-forward environment.
“When I first came into machining, it was not as innovative as it is now,” Preston said. “There have been a lot of changes. Most of the young people are drawn to technology and the machine industry is leaning towards that.”
Although Groov-Pin runs CNC machines, which are computer-driven, Preston works on mechanical screw machines. “What I do is kind of like an old-school car mechanic. It’s all gears and pulleys and there’s a lot of trial and error,” he explained.
Preston completed a multi-week Davenport course in Rochester years ago, but the majority of his knowledge comes from on-the-job training. Manufacturing can be collaborative and Preston stresses the importance of working well with your team.
“Within your job, you have to get along with people and I like the people at Groov-Pin. They allow you to do your job and won’t pressure you to do it one way or another, but they will be on hand to help you if you need it,” he said.