Advanced Machining’s Mill/Turn Operator Recognized as Outstanding Employee
Advanced Machining specializes in manufacturing complex metal components. Many have both round and flat surfaces. Conventional CNC manufacturing involves multiple set-ups on both lathes and mills. All these set-ups cost money and decrease yield.
The best way to machine parts like these is to use multi-tasking mill/turn machines capable of both turning and milling in a single set-up. Advanced has three of these expensive units, the first purchased in 2019. But mill/turn machines are more complex to program and operate than their single-operation cousins. Fortunately, the company has talented programmer/operators to man these units. The most experienced is Chris Mayes, Compass’s Employee of the Month for December.
“When we invested in our first DMG Mori NLX 2500 three-and-a -half years ago, we did not have any operators familiar with mill/turn technology.” explained Advanced Machining President Keith Felts. “Our guys caught on pretty fast. But to quickly take advantage of these multi-tasking capabilities, we looked to bring in someone already skilled with running these machines. Fortunately, we were able to attract Chris to Advanced.”
Like many others, Chris caught the machining bug in high school machine shop. After graduation, he went to work for Bendix in Charlotte where he spent many years running various manual machines. But when Bendix closed its doors in the late 1990’s, Chris soon himself at Precision Dynamics, a CNC job shop in Charlotte, where he quickly learned how to program and run various CNC machines. From there, he moved on to Hitech Machine in Harrisburg, NC, then to ECS Enterprises in Concord, NC. At both companies, Chris mastered the art of running complex mill/turn machines capable of manufacturing a complete part in as few as one operation.
“At Hitech, I worked for Brad Gryder who owned the shop,” said Chris. “At ECS, I worked with both Pat Reynolds and Zach Brown. All of these guys are now at Advanced. I am not someone who job hops much. But when Pat called me and explained that Advanced just bought an NLX 2500 and was going to buy a second, I got interested. Knowing I would be working with Pat, Zach, and Brad sold me on making the switch.”
Advanced Machining’s second DMG Mori NLX 2500 was installed in mid-2020, about a year after the first. On a typical day, Chris programs and runs both of these units. The company increased its investment in multi-tasking machines with the purchase of a larger DMG Mori NTX 2500 unit earlier this year. With Chris being able to run both NLX’s, the company has been able to move Zach Brown over to this new machine without missing a beat.
“I knew Chris would be a great fit for us,” explained Pat Reynolds, Advanced’s Operations Manager. “Actually, I tried for years to recruit him. But Chris is very loyal. It took us getting some great new mill/turn machines to seal the deal. I am very happy that Chris’s talents and contributions are being recognized. If anyone ever deserved to be Compass’s Employee of the Month, it is him.”
Away from work, Chris’s spends much of his time with his family. He lives in Concord, NC with his wife Caryn and their two cats. His three children Donna, Josh, and Brandon all live locally and see their father as much as possible.
Chris still follows the Charlotte Knights, the local professional baseball team that was once the Charlotte Orioles, with a third baseman named Cal Ripken, Jr. Like “Iron Cal” who made the famous switch to shortstop, Chris made the transition from traditional CNC machines to multi-tasking units with ease and grace.