MEMORANDUM
To: Katalin Voros, Operations Manager
From: Ben
Lake, Cory Hall Machine Shop Sr. Superintendent
Subject: 2006
Year-End Report
Date: 12
January 2007
My responsibilities as Sr. Superintendent of the Cory Hall Machine Shop
last year were: manage day to day operations for the ERSO machine shop, which
supports forty two Principal Investigators from various departments including
EECS/ERSO, Physics, ME, Chemistry; support of Material Science Engineering’s
(MSE) machine shop. The following report summarizes the activities and
accomplishments for 2006.
The ERL machine shop is a 100% recharge operation.
The unit consists of one Sr. Superintendent, B. Lake Jr., two Principal
Laboratory Mechanicians, J. Gavazza and W. Carlisle, one Development Technician
V, R. Amaral, a half-time Administrative Assistant III, N. Peshette. All projects are submitted to the shop in
the form of work orders. We have developed an accounting system, which consists
of two major parts, the Machine Shop Job Management System (MSJMS) and “Time
Logs”. This system allows for accountability for all expense and income, to
properly manage all the financial aspects of our recharge operation.
The MSE unit consists of two Principal Laboratory
Mechanicians, K. Yee and S. Montalvo. My responsibility is limited to solving
project schedule demands, overseeing general tooling purchases, project advice
and general support as needed.
The MSJMS program maintains a log of all work orders
that are submitted to the shop. It records several important pieces of
information that enable me to prioritize and assign projects to shop personnel.
It keeps an on going record of current financial information, which I can
compare to previous years and make adjustments as necessary. The “Time Log” is
a program that allows for determining: who worked on the project, when it was
worked on, and how long it took to complete. Combine the “Time Log” document,
submitted work order, copy of any material ordered, and the loop is closed. All
questions can be answered including how much
labor and what materials were used at what cost. This system is
cornerstone to the operation. It is used to determine the viability of the shop
and to anticipate and negotiate obstacles that would prevent our operation from
being financially solvent. The individual documents are updated daily and are
reviewed twice a month by me to ensure all information is current and accurate.
I also use this system to provide vital information for yearly performance
appraisals, which were submitted on time.
I meet bi-weekly with the Microlab Operations
Manager, K. Voros, to discuss workload, job priority, and general shop business
and activities. I chair monthly shop meetings, which are attended, by my supervisor,
K. Voros, and the ERL/MSE shop personnel. We have an agenda and discuss
financial status, open items from previous meetings, projects specific to the
safety and development of the shop, general housekeeping issues and other items
as needed.
I hold weekly meetings with individual staff members
to discuss assigned projects, performance targets, time logs, assigned shop
maintenance activities, training requests, general housekeeping and pertinent
subjects to keep the shop safe and efficient.
The Cory Hall Machine Shop completed 290 jobs for 42
PIs in FY 2005/2006, which includes 125 jobs, which were submitted in the form
of job requests from the Microlab. In addition there were 180.5 hours of Pro Forma
work that included support for instructional laboratories and classrooms,
removing and remounting shelving, engraving plaques and nameplates, and
installing audio/visual equipment. Prof. Subramanian submitted several
projects, one work order to fabricate a Gravure Printer device, demanded a team
effort to ensure efficient completion of the machine. Prof. Sanders submitted
several projects to the shop, the largest was fabricating a “Sterling” engine.
Prof. Price from the Physics department submitted several projects, most were
time sensitive, to be sent to Antarctica. Prof. Majumdar from the ME department
and Prof. Culler from the CS department provided opportunity for us to expand
our customer base.
Our website, http://mshop-erso.berkeley.edu,
features our capabilities, lists contact information, has job request forms and
general information such a photographs of completed jobs. It has streamlined our operation by
answering some frequently asked questions and gives our customers an easy way
contact us. It is now even searchable
through Google as Cory Hall Machine Shop or ERSO Machine Shop.
III.
FINANCIAL STATUS
The recharge rate is calculated to include all known
and projected costs to ensure a solvent operation. R. Spivey, Administrative
Manager, supervises this activity.
During fiscal year 2005/2006 the Cory Hall Machine Shop met its budgetary goals
within 2%. Expenditures were $335,392.76, and the collected recharge revenues
were $358,464.42, there was a surplus of $23,071.66. After subtracting the
Capital Reserve for Equipment ($5,125.00) the remaining year-end positive
balance of $17,946.66 was added to the previous year’s negative balance of
$30,007.57, for a total carry forward negative balance of $12,060.91. The
fiscal year 2005/2006 carry-forward balances represent a total deficit of 3.3%,
which is within the campus’ acceptable negative tolerance for a recharge
operation.
Finances for the two components of the joint shop, ERSO and MSE, remain
separate except for some shared operation and supplies: 65% ERSO and 35%
MSE. The salary and benefits of the
Administrative Assistant III (0.5 FTE) are entirely paid by the ERSO Machine
Shop.
Operating as a 100% recharge unit presents us with a
variety of healthy challenges. We need to stay competitive, efficient,
organized and quick responding. It is very important to stay current with new
machining techniques for exotic materials and shapes used in the labs we
support. One benefit of this situation is the ability to justify new machine
tools. An excellent indicator of our shops viability, strength, and versatility
is investment into the facility itself. We ordered another Computerized
Numerical Controlled (CNC) milling machine, which will allow us to further
streamline our operation. A significant amount of money, time and energy was
spent on the infrastructure of our facilities. New lighting, tooling cabinets,
floor mats, and painting of machines, ceiling and walls are some examples of
the up grading. Continuing the development of our machinist’s capabilities,
machine tools they work with, and the facility itself is not only necessary but
also something I am very proud of being part of.
Safety is always a concern
but I pride myself in keeping a safe, well-organized, clean and alert machine
shop. I am a participant on the Cory Hall Safety committee, which helps me stay
tuned to the changing environment we work in and allows me to pass on important
information and guidance. I look forward to continued development of the
machine shop both with improved equipment and further education of the
personnel. My goal continues to be Superintendent in charge of the safest, best
equipped, most efficient, talented, and strongly supported machine shop on
campus!