Press Brake Lead

SPF America is currently hiring a 1st shift Press Brake Lead for its Fort Smith, AR location. With an amazing work environment and great company culture, you will want to apply immediately so you do not miss out of this opportunity! Hours are 5:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Thursday. When overtime is required on Friday, the hours are 5:30 am to 2:00 pm.

Position Summary:

The Press Brake Lead is responsible for overseeing daily press brake operations to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality production. This position provides leadership and technical guidance to press brake operators, ensures compliance with quality standards, and drives continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing scrap, improving productivity, and achieving on-time delivery. The Press Brake Lead will support departmental goals of maximizing equipment effectiveness, maintain quality standards, and develop team members through training and cross-functional skill development.

General Overview

The Press Brake Lead will spend most of their time at the Press Brake equipment developing and improving programs and training operators with the goal of the Press Brake Department achieving zero safety incidents, 85% OEE, and less than 0.5% scrap.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development
o Lead and support press brake operators in daily production activities.
o Train employees in the safe and efficient operation of press brake equipment.
o Develop and maintain a cross-trained workforce capable of supporting production requirements.
o Coach operators on blueprint interpretation, job sheets, quality requirements, and best manufacturing practices.
o Promote SPF Core Values of Service, Passion, and Fortitude.

Production Management
o Plan and prioritize production work based on the appropriate schedule.
o Monitor machine performance and productivity to achieve departmental goals.
o Ensure equipment is operating safely and efficiently while minimizing downtime.
o Coordinate tooling changes, setup activities, and production transitions.
o Assist operators in troubleshooting setup, programming, and production issues.
o Communicate production concerns, delays, and opportunities for improvement to managemen

Quality & Scrap Reduction
o Enforce mandatory first article inspections
o Ensure operators utilize all calibrated measuring tools to include height gauges, calipers, angle finders, and InspectVision.
o Stop production and initiate containment procedures when nonconforming parts are identified.
o Lead root cause investigations related to tooling errors, programming errors, material issues, back gauge setup problems and operator errors.
o Support departmental objectives to reduce press brake scrap and rework through process control and continuous improvement initiatives.
o Maintain compliance with ISO standards, work instructions, and company procedures.

Safety & Compliance
o Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations and all company safety requirements.
o Conduct regular safety observations and corrective actions as needed.
o Verify proper use of machine guarding, tooling, lifting devices, and personal protective equipment.
o Promote a culture of safety and accountability throughout the department.
o Support lean manufacturing initiatives and operational excellence objectives.

Qualifications

Required:

· Minimum 3 years of documented leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
· Minimum 5 years of press brake setup and operation experience.
· Ability to read and interpret blueprints, engineering drawings, and work instructions.
· Strong knowledge of press brake tooling, bend sequences, bend allowances, and spring-back compensation.
· Experience troubleshooting production and quality issues.
· Proficiency with manufacturing software and production tracking systems.
· Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred:

· Experience with InspectVision or similar first article inspection systems.
· Experience with Plex manufacturing software.
· Familiarity with ISO quality systems.

The Press Brake Lead is responsible for ensuring safe operations, achieving production targets, enforcing first article inspection standards, reducing scrap, developing employees and driving continuous improvement throughout the press brake department.

Scheduling interviews immediately so apply now!

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $24.00 - $28.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) 3% Match
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Application Question(s):

• How many years of leadership experience do you have in the manufacturing industry?
• How many years of press brake setup and operation experience do you have?
• Can you read and interpret blueprints, engineering drawings and work instructions?

Work Location: In person