Network News | July 2022

During the last year, Alabama Technology Network has been working with Vision Composite Products (VCP) in Decatur, Alabama on a quality management system implementation.  

Vision Composite Products, LLC, is a new manufacturing facility which intends to start producing composite wheels for the performance track vehicles, powersports, and OEM passenger vehicles. Leveraging their experience from Vision Wheel company, and years of development, Vision Composites Products introduced its first carbon fiber composite wheel at the CAMX Exhibition in October of 2021.  A quality management system will be critical to the growth and development of the business.

When discussing the quality management system requirements, the agreed methodology was to pursue the ISO 9001:2015 certification first, then pursue the IATF 16949 certification.  With ATN’s assistance, Vision Composites developed many processes that are not only ISO 9001 compliant, but also in line with the IATF 16949 requirements. We worked together to define the requirements, ensure documentation meets the intent of the requirements, and implement an effective quality management system.  Significant progress has been made and the company plans to achieve certification in 2022, coinciding with the sales projections. 

According to Director of Quality, Brad Clark, the VCP team has accelerated the learning curve and implementation timeline dramatically thanks to the support from the highly experienced ATN team. “I have been highly impressed with the broad range of experience ATN brings to the table for training, business systems development and implementation, and auditing. No question about it, we’ve accelerated our overall timeline towards our goal of achieving certification with the great help of the entire ATN team.”

As part of the implementation, ATN has also been able to provide additional classes to help the successful launch of the wheels. A Design Failure Mode Effects Analysis (DFMEA) class assisted the Vision Team in understanding of how to assess the design and process risks. In addition, Lock Out / Tag Out and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) classes helped prepare the hourly workforce for a successful start-up. 

We look forward to continued partnership with Vision Composite Products and plan on providing additional training and assistance in quality, continuous improvement, ES&H, Industrial Maintenance, and Leadership. 

Grace Trevino, ATN Project Engineer

Brad Clark, Vision Composite Products - Director of Quality

ATN Exhibiting at Upcoming Conferences around the State. Let's Get Connected!

The Secret to Improving Your Leadership...Really

Free Workplace Training on NFPA 70E & Lockout/Tagout for 10 Alabama Counties

Root Cause Analysis/Problem Solving Basics

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This one-day workshop will provide a chance to practice techniques that will enable you to develop and implement permanent solutions to persistent problems. You’ll dig down and discover causes of problems, not symptoms. The class addresses the systematic way of troubleshooting a problem with techniques and tools that work for both individuals and teams. This workshop will provide individual exercises as well as a group “hands-on” simulation throughout the day.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

• Learn a formal approach to problem-solving
• Understand the “5-Why” technique, the positives and pitfalls, and the best way to use it to find the root cause
• Learn basic root cause techniques such as fishbone diagrams, checksheets and pareto analysis
• Understand and implement error / mistake proofing techniques
• Gain teamwork skills working on solving class exercises
• Understand how root cause analysis is integrated into Corrective and Preventive Actions
• Using A3s to communicate the problem and the teamwork involved in solving the problem
• Prevent recurrences of problems by standardizing solutions



COURSE OUTLINE

• Understanding symptoms from root cause
• Getting the details for a well-defined problem statement
• Tools to get to the root cause
• Selection and implementation
• Mistake proofing
• Communication and Continuous Improvement

Contact us at citeam@atn.org.

What do you do when employees become complacent in the workplace? How do you engage individuals to overcome the challenges that often come with mundane routines? Is there a way to positively mitigate the hazards and control the risks associated with unsafe acts that have developed into everyday habits?

To have engaged employees, we ourselves must first engage our employees. This is not always a simple feat but must be attempted.

A 2021 survey conducted by the National Safety Council (NSC) found that the most critical safety concerns in the workplace were produced from these two areas: 1) “safety complacency among workers” and 2) “employee engagement in safety and health.”

Our EHS Team has a focused workshop that addresses these issues by looking at Safety Intervention and Assertiveness. In this workshop, we discuss proper communication skills with workers, being assertive versus passive or aggressive, and engaging workers to motivate them to be a part of a solution for healthier and safer work environments. Without taking the proper steps to intervene in workers’ actions and conducting assertive conversations, we are giving in to a cycle that leads to continuously unsafe work cultures and an environment that promotes unsafe decisions. We can determine what our safety culture will be by simply engaging with and empowering our workers to make better decisions throughout each day.

The Safety Intervention and Assertiveness Workshop can help transform your workforce from being defined by unsafe, complacent actions, to being engaged and working towards health and safety excellence. We would love to talk to you today about this workshop, and how we can support a thriving EHS culture for you and your workers.

Contact us at ehsteam@atn.org.

New Changes to ATN Siemens TIA Portal!

The course emphasizes hands-on laboratory exercises using Siemens SIMATIC S7-300 controller and TIA Portal Software.

Existing Topics:

• Introduction to PLCs
• PLC Hardware Identification
• Communicate with the processor
• Configure a New Project
• Set the PG/PC interface
• Setup the Hardware Configuration
• Create Symbols or Tags
• Download the project to the S7-300
• Functions
• Function Blocks
• Data Blocks
• Organizational Blocks
• Create and Modify Basic Ladder Logic – NO, NC, Coils, and NOT
• Create a Function using basic Motor Controls.
• Output Coils, Set and Reset Coils, Midlines, and SR/RS Flip-Flops
• Event sequencing of a process using live feedback from limit switches, pushbuttons, photo eyes, auxiliary contacts, and proximity switches.
• MOV functions
• SIMATIC Timers
• IEC Timers
• SIMATIC Counters
• IEC Counters
• Conversions
• Comparisons
• Computations
• Diagnostic Tools and Troubleshooting
• Rewiring – Address Priority vs. Symbol Priority
• Jump Function
• Shift Instruction

New labs that have been added:

• Profinet Networking
• Advanced Analog Integration 
• HMI Screen Creation
• Two advanced Final Projects to incorporate all topics covered

Contact us at imtteam@atn.org.

Soft skills training is training that focuses on developing skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. Other soft skills include emotional intelligence, managing change and dealing with different personalities. Unlike hard skills, soft skills are not industry or role-specific, but rather skills that relate to personality and behavior. 

Soft skills training can be highly desirable for businesses and are important components of a resilient, empathetic and motivated workforce. The key benefits of soft skills training include:

1. Improved teamwork and rapport - Developing important skills such as communication and teamwork can help to build stronger and more effective workplace relationships and boost collaboration, resulting in higher levels of team productivity.

2. Empathetic leadership - Soft skills are critical at every level, and that includes leadership. Leaders with emotional intelligence and great interpersonal skills are more likely to get the best out of their employees by understanding their needs and building valuable relationships.

3. Happier employees and better staff retention - Investing in soft skills training for your employees demonstrates that you care about their development and provides them with useful skills that can make them better at their job and more fulfilled.

4. Better customer service and client satisfaction - Soft skills training teach employees how to communicate effectively and tackle problems more confidently. It can also help to develop their listening and empathy skills which are key when dealing with customers or clients, especially if faced with a potentially complex problem.

5. Enhanced problem solving - Employees can benefit from enhanced problem-solving skills from soft skills training. It can help them to approach problems in new ways, communicate challenges more effectively, and implement alternative solutions.

Soft Skills training can also have a positive impact when it comes to employee performance:

Communication - The importance of great communication cannot be understated. Whether it’s day-to-day team communication, or interacting with clients or customers, having great communication skills is essential for working efficiently and effectively – and building rapport with those around you.

Teamwork - Teamwork is a critical skill for teams, especially in a business environment. Soft skills training can help employees to understand their strengths and weaknesses within a team and learn how to best communicate with others for the best outcome. 

Time management - For efficient operations and cost savings, good time management is important. Spending too much time on one task or neglecting another can lead to inefficiencies and disgruntled clients. Learning how best to manage their time and juggle different tasks is a very useful skill for employees to master.

For more information contact ATN and let us help your company develop a Soft Skill training plan.

Contact us at lmdteam@atn.org.