Machine Technician at Thales

About You

As a Machine Technician, you will ideally have served an apprenticeship as a turner or skilled machinist and with proven post apprenticeship experience.

To be successful in this role, you will already have the ability to understand information given on technical drawings and apply that information in the programming and operation of CNC machine tools.

Key Duties

• Responsible for the set-up and operation of major plant equipment i.e. C.N.C. machine tools in order to manufacture high precision missile components, Tooling, Gauging, Jig and fixture details and R&D hardware.
• Shop Floor programming using M.D.I. and G codes to produce C.N.C. programmes for the manufacture of R&D hardware and Tooling and to edit C.N.C. part programmes during prove out and production runs and to ensure any changes are fed back to manufacturing engineering to maintain traceability.
• Responsible for the step by step prove out of program by diagnosing errors therein to prevent damage to plant equipment and ensure correct manufacture of components.
• Responsible for recording data on statistical process control (S.P.C.) data base units or control charts.  Monitoring and analysing such data to resolve problems in controlling the machining process.
• Responsible for calibration/plausibility checks on post process gauging (P.P.G) to assure correct part measurements.
• Responsible for the quality of machine components to drawing specification and quality standards, using meteorology equipment and to ensure equipment is within calibration requirements.
• Accountable for own productivity and quality and the recording any necessary quality defect data on factory management system (F.M.S.) to facilitate traceability.
• Responsible for progressing finished components to other work groups by actively participating in materials handling and processing correct progress data on the factory management system (F.M.S.)
• Responsible for identifying any errors found within process sheets and measurement plans and to ensure any such errors are reported to M.E. for correction.
• Responsibility to work in a continuous improvement environment to achieve maintain and improve product quality and to strive to reduce machining cycle times, lead time and production costs.
• Detailed training of other employees and apprentices in the most effective methods of performing tasks & duties.

You will be supported by an additional ongoing training program over 2-3 years on steadily larger and more complex jobs to meet the manufacturing and quality requirements in line with the total quality concept.