CNC Programmer

Ace Metal Crafts•Bensenville, IL

About The Position

ACE is a sheet metal fabrication and machining company specializing in stainless steel and serving the Midwest. Its customers are OEMs primarily in the food processing, food packaging, environmental, and pharmaceutical industries. The company emphasizes customer responsiveness, high-quality products, and a cooperative workplace. The CNC Programmer completes CAM programming projects for CNC lathes and mills, plans tooling, supports the tool crib and production programming needs, and helps develop programming standards, tooling libraries, and file-storage systems. The role also provides technical support to production, quality, purchasing, customers, and sales; supports part quality and inspection requirements; trains colleagues; and helps troubleshoot machining equipment. The position focuses on continuous improvement and process optimization, including improving tooling choices, machining strategies, toolpaths, workholding, setups, cycle times, efficiency, quality, and production costs. It is a safety-sensitive role requiring hands-on collaboration with machinists, supervisors, and engineering personnel.

Requirements

At least 5 years of CNC programming and machining experience in a precision manufacturing environment.
Strong hands-on experience with Mastercam; Mastercam 2018 or newer is required.
Proficiency in 3D CAD software such as SolidWorks, Siemens NX, or equivalent.
Experience programming and supporting 3-axis and 4-axis milling operations.
Strong understanding of machining practices, cutting strategies, tooling, and workholding.
Ability to support CNC programs and machining operations on the shop floor.
Ability to independently identify, troubleshoot, and resolve CAD/CAM programming and machining issues.
Deep understanding of materials such as stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, and mild steels and how they behave during machining.
Ability to analyze KPI metrics and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
Strong leadership, communication, and team-building skills, including the ability to lead and mentor machinists and junior engineers.
Strong grasp of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing and ability to interpret complex blueprints.
Ability to create designs using SolidWorks.
Experience with ERP/MRP systems.
Ability to prioritize and multitask.
Strong interpersonal and emotional intelligence skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with machinists, supervisors, and other team members.
This is a safety-sensitive position.

Nice To Haves

SolidWorks experience.
CNC turning experience.

Responsibilities

Participate in the daily programming huddle.
Complete assigned CAM programming projects for CNC lathes and mills.
Identify and plan project tooling and provide CAM reports as needed.
Support the tool crib system, including identifying tool-bin locations for new parts and answering purchasing or production questions.
Support production with CAM and conversational programming questions and requirements.
Develop CAM programming standards, the tooling library, and program-file storage systems.
Use and support production with newly introduced technology.
Provide production technical support for in-process parts, including CAD information, tolerances, finish requirements, materials, and FAI.
Work with quality personnel to maintain part quality, address quality issues, and support FAIR requirements.
Support purchasing with technical questions about materials or parts required for projects.
Provide technical support to customers and the sales team for new, current, and previously supplied parts.
Train and share CAM and machining knowledge with engineering and production teams.
Help production troubleshoot machining equipment problems.
Maintain cooperative working relationships with team members to support productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness.
Identify and implement opportunities to improve machining processes, efficiency, and productivity.
Evaluate and optimize cutting-tool selection, machining strategies, CNC programming methods, toolpaths, workholding, setups, cycle times, and overall machining efficiency.
Promote quality, consistency, and reduced production costs through continuous improvement.
Communicate effectively with machinists, supervisors, and engineering personnel and provide approachable, responsive shop-floor technical support.
Explain programming decisions, machining strategies, and process changes to others.
Work collaboratively while taking ownership of assigned responsibilities and programs from initial development through successful production.
Analyze KPI metrics and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
Lead and mentor machinists and junior engineers.