CNC Operator Rates

[andyb]

I may be in need of having to pay someone to operator my CNC for some upcoming jobs. I've heard from a couple people that the going rate is between $12-$15 per hour for a CNC operator, depending on experience. For you guys that have an employee operating you CNC what are you paying per hour?

Andy B.

[meatbal80]

I have payed a guy on occasion to load/unload and start files, and for that i was paying 12 per hour. Now i was always at the shop while he was operating the shop bot, he was basically a baby sitter.

If you are looking for someone to actually think and use their grey matter you should probably keep the adage, you get what you pay for in mind.

[magic]

8 to 10 for babysitting. 20 if they can program and cut eps files. 35 if they can do 3D. Any more then that and they should hire me and they can run things.

[Big-Tex]

I have seen this before on wood web.

It depends what type of employee you are looking for.... If you need an idiot than I don't see paying more than 12 but if you are looking for person that will maintain machine properly and knows his stuff not only cut program files as indicated on cut sheets and if you want that person to stick around $18-20. This is a discussion that raised a lot of controversy when some Chinese guy said that he pays his operator max. $2/hr. Conclusion: look at your needs and what type of employee you need as well if you want this person is willing to learn and capable to do so, or has something to offer that you can learn.

Intelligent individual will be an investment/ asset etc.... and will help you grow.
If you under pay he will learn as much as possible then run to you competition seeking higher wages, at this point he is trained at your expense.

On the other hand I do not know job market in your area.

[andyb]

Thanks for the replies. They are along the line of thought that I as having on hourly pay.

Andy B.

[gundog]

I am going through this right now. I have tried to train several guys to run the CNC just starting files and changing bits zero the machine Etc. This works fine for files you have ran many times and know they are all correct. But some new files may have a small error in them and need a tool path tweaked a little to get it to run.

An example of a problem is if the nesting feature lays parts too close it won't cut between them and you must make a new tool path to fix the error. If I am not in the shop that is the end of the work. If that sheet is taken off it is very time consuming to zero it again to fix the problem and recut. If the machine is turned off it will lose zero and the same problem pops up.

The other day I had a guy running the machine for me he zeroed the X&Y then ran the machine to 6, 6 to run the Z zero routine somehow he re-zeroed the X&Y at the 6, 6 spot ( I suspect he hit Z2 instead of C2) when the machine was started it cut a few toolpaths and ran out of limits in the Y direction and stopped he was not sure what was wrong. I could tell by looking what had happened. I salvaged the sheet by re-drawing the whole sheet and moving the parts that had been started to the new 6, 6 location.

This is when the light came on that told me that if you run the CNC you need to be able to draw and toolpath. I am not blaming this on the guy so much as I am myself. If I need to be in the shop in case of such things I may as well run the machine.

The problem is if something goes wrong with a file if you can't draw and toolpath you can't leave them alone because they can't fix it. I do not have the time to train someone to that degree and do not offer enough hours to pay a full time operator at this time.

It is my fault my expectations are too great and I have paid from $15-17 an hour I would pay more to someone who could do it all.

I have come to the conclusion that I must run the CNC and hire someone to do the simple time consuming tasks. This has been a learning experience for me.

Mike

[dhunt]

Interesting discussion!

Particularly since I'm a ShopBot operator, working for the boss. :D


Does your man know how to FE File Edit his .sbp cut files
when that final plunge depth needs to be just 6 thou deeper to free up the workpiece?
That's the sorta thing that counts.

_______________________________

Thank you John Forney for the crash course you ran three of us thru
when you came down to the island back in early 2001.

John taught us Vector-9 and a slew of Shopbot operating and maintenance tricks that are still useful today.
The boss and I are still at it -Ian is no longer with us.

[dhunt]

Thought you First Worlders might like to see what life can be like
out here in the Third World
when people of sub-standard standards are employed to run yer machine!

I just posted a new photo album at
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40
where you can see what was revealed
when we removed the 'overburden' of two or three sheets of 0.5 in. ply
that El Cubano had nailed down to the table, serving as temporary spoilboards..

[SomeSailor]

I pay my son $25/hour to work for me. We're doing a lot of aluminum and relatively expensive acrylic laminate, so "do-overs" or late process mistakes can get expensive. You get what you pay for and I think that applies to labor as well.

If they're paid well... they have something to lose.

[dhunt]

I pay my son $25/hour to work for me. .Your son is well paid!

I don't get anywhere near that -I get the equivalent of U.S.$ 55 a day
working from 9 til 4 (some days until about 4:45)
-and I don't break for lunch, I just work straight thru while eating
but that's life in da tropix.. :cool:

[SomeSailor]

Yeah... but I'm guessing it's not raining and overcast in Barbados right about now. :)

[dhunt]

Yeah... but I'm guessing it's not raining and overcast in Barbados right about now. :)Bad timing, dude!

Right now it is chucking down, as our first real Tropical Wave of the rainy season is upon us.
A birthday party we were to go to, just tonight -has been cancelled. :(

It does rain down here you know
(especially from this time of year until maybe end-November)

See attached photo of current weather -check the time and date-stamp :D

You can see the clear outline of my island, at upper right of that big white area of intense precip.

[michael_schwartz]

Thought you First Worlders might like to see what life can be like
out here in the Third World
when people of sub-standard standards are employed to run yer machine!

I just posted a new photo album at
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/album.php?albumid=40
where you can see what was revealed
when we removed the 'overburden' of two or three sheets of 0.5 in. ply
that El Cubano had nailed down to the table, serving as temporary spoilboards..

That's a new one...... Trying to figure out an explanation for that is beyond me. I thought I abused my spoil board.

[dhunt]

That's a new one......
Trying to figure out an explanation for that is beyond me. I thought I abused my spoil board.Naaah...you're a mere beginner! :D


We're trying to figure out how anyone could see a mistake plunge
-too deep by about 1 whole inch
let it progress to completion
and then press on regardless with the same spoilboard.

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=40&pictureid=226

We're guessing he simply plunked a sheet of 1/2 inch ply on top of it to cover up the wound
and 'life continues'.

Presumably all the dust and chips and misc. muck we found in the vac.plenum
just crept in there afterwards?

[Brady Watson]

We're trying to figure out how anyone could see a mistake plunge
-too deep by about 1 whole inch
let it progress to completion
and then press on regardless with the same spoilboard.


The answer is because nobody cares. Plain & simple.

Why do you put up with this & accept it as 'just the way it is in the tropix' etc? If that was my equipment, that person would be banned from ever using it again because it clearly demonstrates that they don't give a ****. When you are that careless, you put yourself, others and the shop itself at risk. Can the business afford to have someone get hurt from carelessness? Is your fire insurance up to date?

If the talent you require is not available, then you must train & groom the right kind of person to run the machine. They should be honored and excited to learn about CNC and realize what an amazing opportunity it would be. Regardless of pay scale, geographical location etc, the person should be enthused. If they are not, then you will pay a price greater than their low hourly wage. I have been around the world to hundreds of shops and have seen what you describe many, many times...plus sabotage and all other fun stuff. You need to get the right person in there.

You must not let poverty thinking and cognitive dissonance shape your beliefs about the kind of operator that is available because you are 'in da tropix'. You are probably not going to find exactly what you need via want ads or the usual channels. You must create the ideal operator yourself through training and careful judge of character.

-B

[dragginbutt]

Not sure that is it. the reality of the situation is that in Third world environments, everything is relevant. You don't have high dollar wages because the people cannot afford to pay high dollar for the end product. Generally you look for a worker and you get some guy come in and claims to know everything. Or they work hard to learn then the minute you turn your back, they slack off the standards etc. It comes down to thinking about why you bought CNC in the first place. I bought mine to make MY work more productive and certain processes repeatable. Not someone elses. I can do more work, make more product, be more accurate etc. But notice I said "I". I can't produce the same amount of work a large shop can put out, but I can control the quality of :rolleyes:MY work, and I can make sure that I am paid a FAIR price for that quality. Generally, I am commissioned and get a large sum up front for my work, so the risk is lower. If you want a production shop, then the rules change. And the quality is usually the first to go. Big decision to make... Quantity over Quality. It is a very hard choice.

[dhunt]

Not sure that is it.

the reality of the situation is that in Third world environments, everything is relevant.
You don't have high dollar wages because the people cannot afford to pay high dollar for the end product.
Generally you look for a worker, and you get some guy come in and claims to know everything.
Or they work hard to learn, then the minute you turn your back, they slack off the standards etc. Nice to see some reality.

Oh Ye from The Greate Frozen Northe have little idea what it's like down here. :)

Most of you wouldn't last two years,down here -not in Business!
How so? Frustrations with Labor, local red tape,etc.

It's not all "fantastic climate" and beaches, you know..
You might stay here for the climate...but the local work ethic?
-and "standards? :D :D

................................................

The guy I work for is an American
but he's been out here in the Third World, longer than he's lived Stateside
so he's considerably acclimated to local conditions.

Over the decades he has weeded out A Few Good Men
and so manages to maintain standards above other local manufacturing outfits

But even so, it's a daily battle! You should talk to him sometime.
Plus....right now the local economy sucks, manufacturing-wise.

[MogulTx]

David,

"Thought better" about the nature of the post and removed it... It wasn't unpleasant. Just unecessary.


Monty

[dragginbutt]

I think the issues you have there are the same we all have. As a business owner, it is difficult to find someone with the same passion and integrity you bring to your business. I believe it rare to find someone that can step in and carry out your vision consistantly. This is one reason I work alone. I don't do high production runs. And my customers generally are willing to wait for a job well done. I don't employ my 2 sons either. Both are competent, but we don't always see eye to eye on how I want things done. Makes it possible to sit at the same table at holidays... And keeps the wife happy