Senior CNC Machinist
PrecisionForge Manufacturing · Rockford, IL
Mar, 2021 · Present
Program and run 3- and 5-axis CNC mills (Haas VF-4, DMG MORI) for aerospace aluminum and stainless assemblies with GD&T callouts to ±0.0005".
Cut average cycle time 18% on a high-volume hydraulic-manifold family by optimizing toolpaths and workholding in Mastercam.
Own first-article and in-process inspection with Mitutoyo CMM and optical comparator; hold scrap under 0.8% on assigned cells for 4 consecutive quarters.
Train 3 apprentices on setup sheets, probe routines, and lockout/tagout; two promoted to full machinist within 14 months.
CNC Machinist
Rock River Machine Works · Rockford, IL
Jun, 2017 · Feb, 2021
Operated Fanuc-controlled lathes and vertical mills for agricultural and construction OEM parts in steel, cast iron, and UHMW.
Built and documented 40+ setup sheets that reduced changeover from ~55 to ~30 minutes on repeat jobs.
Partnered with quality to resolve recurring dimensional drift on a shaft line; root cause was thermal growth—added warm-up and probe cycles.
Maintained tooling inventory and recommended insert grades that extended tool life ~25% on interrupted cuts.
CNC Operator / Apprentice
Midwest Tool & Die · Belvidere, IL
Aug, 2014 · May, 2017
Loaded programs, set offsets, and ran production lots under journeyman supervision on Haas and Okuma equipment.
Performed daily preventive maintenance and coolant checks; logged downtime so maintenance could prioritize spindle issues.
Earned NIMS Level I Machining credentials while completing apprenticeship coursework at Rock Valley College.