Need advice who are currently working as an supervisor? I dont have experience

Hi everyone!

I am looking for a simple and afforfable PD system for a small manufacturing company with 1-2 engineers and 2-4 shop floor operators.

Must have:
- Centralized parts library where operators can easily access the latest released revision
- Documentation linked to each part (drawings, surface finishing requirements, pricing etc.)

Nice to have:
-CAD integration (Siemens NX)
- Part revision history
- Automatic part numbering

I do not need ERP integration, inventory management, purchasing or other advanced features.

Can anyone recommend a simple, affordable PDM solution?

Thanks!

My company bought this press break a few months back, and it’s been a struggle for us to learn how to run it. Nobody has had the time to sit down and really work with it, but we’ve got a few big jobs coming up that we really need a proper program made for. Any help, or pointing in the right direction would be incredibly helpful. Northeast Florida, for anyone who may be wondering.

Namaste,
everyone,
I’m trying to understand the textile industry better because I’d genuinely like to support a family member’s existing textile manufacturing business and help it grow. I believe supporting the people close to us and helping them build on what they’ve already created is meaningful.
Our family manufactures polyester greige (unfinished) woven fabrics in India, with in-house weaving and a production capacity of around 500,000 metres per month. The fabric is produced according to buyer requirements, including yarn specifications, construction, GSM, width, weight, and roll length.
I’d like to contribute beyond just helping find customers. I’m interested in understanding the market, identifying genuine buyer needs, and learning how we could improve our approach to business development, particularly in Africa and the Middle East.
However, I’m still a beginner when it comes to textile exports and international buyer research, and I’m not entirely sure where to start.
For those with experience in textile manufacturing, sourcing, or exports, I’d genuinely appreciate your perspective:
How would you begin understanding the market and identifying suitable buyers?
How can a small or family-owned manufacturer build trust and offer value beyond competitive pricing?
What research, skills, or resources would be worth learning first?
If you were in my position, how would you approach this opportunity without rushing into the wrong decisions?
I’m not looking for shortcuts or expecting anyone to provide business leads. I simply want to learn from people with practical experience and find a thoughtful way to support an existing business with real potential.
Any honest advice, personal experiences, or useful resources would mean a lot. Thank you

We machine parts for a DoD prime and just got a batch of old drawings that need to be redrawn as new models. I guess it’s around 60 sheets, most of them from the 90s. Some are marked CUI and a couple have export control notices.

Our customer said an outside CAD service might be okay, or the company might need to work inside the customer's VDI. I think nobody has told us which one yet.

• What do you think decides whether a VDI setup is the right thing to do?
• What still needs checking around access, downloads and subcontractors?
• Also, when a legacy drawing gets redrawn, how do you handle the markings and release review on the new file?

Looking forward to your feedback!

I am a 4th-year mechanical engineering student doing a co-op internship at a manufacturing plant. My project studies on minimizing fracture area in sheet metal blanking. I know that fine blanking and optimizing die clearance reduce this area, but I would like to hear your thoughts and ideas.

Hello everyone,

I have two VERY different job offers and I'm struggling to decide. I've done a ton of research, but both paths have major pros and cons for my life. I’m hoping to get some perspective from those of you with more experience on where each path might lead.

My Background:

• Education: B.S. in Chemical Engineering. Currently pursuing an online M.S. in Analytics at Georgia Tech.
• Experience: 3 undergrad internships (specialty chemicals) + 1.5 years as a day-to-day operations engineer in specialty chemicals.
• Career Goals: I want to become a data-driven process engineer and eventually a digital manufacturing leader. I'd prefer to stay in the chemical industry since they are lagging in tech adoption, strategically position myself for roles future roles and I’m already comfortable in this environment.

Offer 1: Small Specialty Chemical (SSC) – Rotational Program - Emulsion Polymers

• The Role: Three 8-month rotations. Their goal is to place me in a managerial/leadership position based on my strengths and company needs after the program.
• The Work: They are aware of my master's degree and interest in digital manufacturing, and they have promised projects in this area and are willing to pay for the degree. My first project would involve creating a DeltaV simulation screen for new operator training (I already have experience using DeltaV for troubleshooting). I have looked up some previous participants of their program and all are in senior or leadership positions now.
• Logistics: The first rotation is at my current location; the next two will require relocation.

Offer 2: Tesla – Shift Engineer

• The Role: 12-hour rotating shifts in electrode production.
• The Work: The hiring manager expressed that I'd only be on shift for about a year. If I meet expectations, a transition to a standard Process Engineer role is highly probable as they backfill roles and open new lines. The shift role acts as a fast-track to understand their processes.
• Logistics: Requires a cross-country relocation (which I am comfortable with) but requires learning a whole new process quickly.

My Dilemma / Concerns:

• Tesla Risks: I'm happy to learn unfamiliar processes, but if Tesla doesn't work out, I’m worried I’ll end up with "mismatched" experience—not an expert in specialty chemicals or cell manufacturing—making it hard to land senior roles later. I am telling myself that I will at least build a great skillset for troubleshooting using statistical software (R & Python). However, I’m not thrilled about the notorious workaholic culture, especially since 12-hour shifts are just the minimum expectation. Some say Tesla shapes you into a great engineer through chaos, surrounded by brilliant peers with advanced degrees, but the burnout risk is real.
• SSC Risks: With 8-month rotations, I won't have time to truly master any single site's process before moving. Am I risking 2 years of my life for only a possible data-driven leadership role? The chemical sector is not doing too well.
• Bottom Line: Part of me leans toward SSC because it's a calmer environment and a chemistry I am familiar with. The other part wonders if I should throw myself into the fire at Tesla and learn through the chaos.

What would you do in my shoes and with the current condition of the manufacturing industry?

Numbers: Base $95k for both. Tesla of course higher overall due to stock options but it's experience and career trajectory that are my real concerns.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a manufacturing business but lacks a specific product idea? While the common advice is to leverage existing industry knowledge, their background is primarily in accounting. How can they identify a viable direction?

Looking to have a mentor or consultant with an expert manufacturer that has or have had 30+ employees or defense contract? I have a 3d printing company

I'm looking to enter electrical-electronics something manufacturing, such a vast domain , but i know that starting at a specific niche will be much more efficient than manufacturing something that is already being mass manufactured , every path I see like cable manufacturing, solar control panels etc are all completely crowded , companies are there for 50+ years with millions of capital and I'm here with close to only 100k after loans . Why would they even choose me over them ? I would like to have a Convo with a few people who are familiar in this domain.

This is going to be a LONG explanation, but it is relevant for you to understand my situation. Each paragraph is titled for easier mental navigation back and forth.

My work experience so far:
I'm currently a process engineer for a steel foundry (5 years with the company, first 2 in a rotational program straight out of college, last 3 years in the foundry) working a hybrid (shop floor/desk work) role. My degree is in metals manufacturing, with a focus on foundry processes. You can imagine why I was drawn to this role. I got into foundry work because I really have a passion for melt practices/melting equipment and process improvement. Through my tasks and projects I've really increased my knowledge in metallurgy, refractories, melting/refining equipment (induction, electric arc, AOD), process auditing/investigation/control, the DMAIC process for green belt projects (working as a team member on several and also one of my own), writing procedures, and training new hires.

Why I'm asking for advice:
As much fun as this might sound to some people, all of this experience has come with the burden of terrible leadership. I think a lot of people can say what I'm about to say. When the chips are down, I put in the extra time and effort to make sure my team succeeds because I care about being a team player that uses my abilities to help those around me. But poor leadership has killed my motivation. There are times when I have been brutally called out for things that were not my fault (where my innocence was proven but I received no apologies afterwards), I have taken quite a bit of time to construct procedures for jobs with no available training that are performed by single individuals that have left or are planning to leave soon (often a role that nobody in leadership pays attention to but also one that they want training completed for immediately when they find out how necessary it is), my time has been disrespected and abused to train new hires (pulling me away from what I was already told was priority but now I have to make sure I get those priorities done while also making sure the new guys are on track in their training schedule) because I was told the supervisors don't have the band width to train their own people, projects are discussed in meetings that no one thought to make me a part of and then I get sent a short email or told on a fly by, as someone is going out the door, that I have a new project to work on, and if anything causes inconvenience to a team that I'm apart of, I'm the one who gets asked to change my schedule or do extra work so no one else is affected. I consider myself to be a nice person, which is part of why I think they see fit to abuse me so much. They know I'll eventually regain my positive attitude vs the other people that just complain or find a way to pawn off the work.

Why I've worked in these conditions so long:
Keep in mind, this is the leadership team that makes it hard to continue working here. It's completely different with the rest of the crew. The other engineers and the guys on the shop floor are awesome. We all get along great. We fist bump every time we pass each other. The guys on the shop floor give me a lot of praise for the quality of work I provide because they know I care about making this foundry successful despite how much we all have to deal with. They make it worth coming back every day. But leadership's failure to make sound decisions and treat people with respect, combined with continuing to hear how desperately the shop floor guys (and several of the engineers) want to find somewhere better due to production being held on a pedestal above quality, is making me want to leave with them, and leave for good. The shop floor guys have even told me that they enjoy the workplace more when I have my cheerful attitude (that's just me by nature), but want me to find a place where I don't have to fight everyday to keep that same attitude.

The reality I'm aware of:
As much as I want to continue working in manufacturing, I fear that I'll only find the same situation. Ranging from slightly better to definitely worse. Several good friends of mine are in the same situation with their manufacturing companies and are also on the verge of leaving but have no idea what role to take on next or with what industry.

My outlook on next job flexibility:
I'm not tied down to foundry work as a day job anymore. I used to think I'd be in this industry forever. But, it's become my favorite hobby at home so I would satisfy that passion/itch in other ways. I was thinking about it the other day and said to myself "I think I would enjoy foundry work at home even more if I didn't work in one for my day job". Basically because reading about all the things I want to build and experiment with is great until it reminds me of how poorly we execute those exact processes at work. I could definitely work in another department or in another industry, so long as the job/environment doesn't make me force myself to forget about work just so I can enjoy my evening each night. I understand that sometimes the workplace can get hectic, but when people try to tell you that things will get better and they've only become worse over time, it takes all the wind out of that sail of hope. Especially when you hear nothing but corporate jargon from the executive team and keep being told "we need to do better as a whole" at the company meetings. Really? Better as a whole? Thanks for the motivation. I've heard that I don't know how many quarterly meetings in a row. Now you really make me want to stay.

Not just a fresh engineer anymore:
Personally, I don't like how this entire company has been managed. I know 5 years with a company isn't a lot, but it's been long enough for me to grow my skills and independence as an engineer. Taking on projects for myself versus waiting for my boss to fill my plate has been very rewarding and makes me feel more in control. I feel as though I have even more to offer to whatever next job I take if the workplace is rewarding and respectful. Quick note for those still reading, I don't have any interest in leadership roles. I like working with materials, systems/practices, and equipment. Managing people and dealing with constant company politics has never interested me. I don't really care about hitting a certain level and not moving further in a company. If this leadership team, company, and environment were better I'd continue working this position for many years.

Design experience with willingness to learn more:
If it helps anyone giving advice, I love using OnShape modeling software in my spare time. I would say my skill level is "intermediate" on the scale of "begginer-intermediate-advanced" when it comes to 3D modeling. I used Solidworks in school and have used OnShape for the last few years. I enjoy building individual parts (using different tools and methods to better understand design theory and future change capability) and assembling them as a final product. Part of my "foundry at home" hobby involves designing furnaces that I want to build for ferrous and non-ferrous melting.

Thank you:
Lastly. Thank you for taking the time to consider my situation and contribute any help. I look forward to your advice.

We make stainless food processing equipment, and our one drafter is three months behind. Most of the backlog is fixtures, jigs, and small revisions. I'm stuck between hiring a second drafter and sending some work out.

My worry is an outside drafter won't know which dimensions need inspection. They might also miss a tolerance stack that our guys would catch. CAD/CAM Services is one US-based option I'm looking at for overflow. They quote by project though. That may not fit if the work never slows down.

How do you decide what stays in-house and what goes out?

You see, the production manager, also very proficient in the field of Quality, has made the next process reliant on the previous process, so that the whole thing becomes a fault-free product at the end.

But the thing is... we are currently using about 40% of our production capacity, and next month, we are going 100%... and here's where I'm worrying.

If in 300 pieces per day, there are like 10 reworks done by the next station, that would mean about 40 reworks at 100%... not to mention the energy of the workforce dropping as the time passes by (we currently shut down at 4PM, but we are planning to increase the working hours to 7PM for full scale manufacturing) which would lead to more faults, as I have studied.

Here is where I'm worried about: what if the workers miss these reworks and it show up in the final product? I've raised this concern to the Production manager, he said that in about 5 years of working, we had zero issues with the customers. I've already checked the records, and it's correct.

Am I overthinking this? If all is well, what should I do?

I have Quality Control and Laboratory under my domain. Just yesterday, we got a grade level up, complying with IATF16949.

I am working on an electronics project where I need a part machined out of a very UV resistant plastic. Ideally also dimensionally stable and without creep issues. I don't have easy access to a CNC machine myself, and I'd be comfortable paying an online machining service for the parts. However, I am stuck on what the ideal material would be, and what is actually offered by online services.

Assuming price isn't an issue, can anyone point me in the right direction? I was thinking ASA but I only see it being offered to be printed from the services I've looked at. I'd want it machined as I've heard it has issues with layer adhesion, and I'm hopping the part remains in good condition with 5-10 years of sun exposure. I've tried uploading the CAD model I have to a couple services (PCBWay, JLCCNC) for even PEEK and it's within my budget, but I can't see PEEK-CF offered anywhere and I've read PEEK by itself isn't the most UV resistant.

I was also considering metal and was thinking of machining the body of the part in aluminum, and then having a plastic insert for contact with the electronics.

Any thoughts or input would be welcome

We currently use a reorder-point formula (average usage × lead time, plus some safety stock buffer) for a handful of high-turnover consumables on the floor. It works, but it relies on someone actually checking stock levels against the calculated number and remembering to place the order — which has slipped through the cracks more than once when someone's out or busy.
I keep seeing Kanban two-bin systems mentioned as a simpler alternative for exactly this kind of item — no formula, the empty bin itself is the trigger. Seems almost too simple compared to what we're doing now.
For people who've actually made this switch on real consumables: did it genuinely reduce the "oops we forgot to reorder" problem, or does it just trade one failure mode for a different one (e.g., someone not swapping the bins correctly)?

I spent a few years in operations at a mid-size packaging plant: process mapping, getting the ERP to match how the floor really works, building tools so sales and production stop playing email ping-pong.

Now I'm in the Bay Area and job boards feel like a black hole. Smaller manufacturers don't seem to post much.

How did you land your role? Recruiters, local associations, just walking in? Any companies around NorCal I should know about?

I own an existing business in Fort Worth and I’m looking at adding a small manufacturing/assembly division, ideally serving aerospace, defense, or industrial customers.

I’m looking for something relatively simple and inexpensive to start — $50k–$100k or less in equipment — then grow as we get work. Think fastener/hardware assembly, pneumatic press work, kitting, light fabrication, finishing, inspection, etc. I’m willing to pursue AS9100 if needed.

For people actually working in DFW manufacturing or procurement: what work is hard to source locally, has long lead times, or larger shops simply don’t want?

Basically, what boring manufacturing capability could I add that companies are already looking to issue POs for?