Molding Operator III - 1st Shift

Founded in 1946, HI-LEX is a leading supplier of window regulators, door modules, power lift gate systems, and mechanical control cables primarily serving the automotive industry, but also the power sports, marine, construction equipment, and medical device sectors. Headquartered in Takarazuka, Japan (near Osaka), and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), HI-LEX employs more than 12,000 associates across its global footprint.

In the Americas region, HI-LEX has grown steadily in the region, and now has ten (10) manufacturing facilities across the the United States, Mexico, and Brazil. In the U.S., HI-LEX operates under three divisions: HI-LEX America in Battle Creek, Michigan; HI-LEX Controls in Hudson, Litchfield, and Hazel Park, Michigan; and Daedong HI-LEX of America in Cusseta, Alabama. The company’s automotive center is in Rochester Hills, Michigan which consists of finance, sales, engineering, testing, and program management.

Website: HI-LEX.com

POSITION SUMMARY:

Prepares and sets up all molding machines to operate in a safe manner and produce quality parts to production requirements. Works from change over instructions and follows all provided guidelines. Responsible for all press change overs and minor maintenance.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Receives instructions from team leader and/or molding trainer and gives instructions to other molding associates when appropriate
• Assist Molding Supervisor and Process Engineer with new tooling process development
• Follow safety rules and keep the work area in a clean and orderly condition.
• Responsible for mold changes and disposition of tooling after removal from press (Repair needed, PM needed, move to storage)
• Verifies all set up parameters are correct, including the correct material and regrind usage percentage
• Follows production schedule to run maximum amount of high quality parts with minimum downtime.
• Performs TPM on all molding machines
• Documents mold or machinery problems and reports as required.
• Reviews, corrects and submits all required documents.
• Assists in training of all Molding Operator I and Molding Operator II associates
• Performs secondary operations as required
• Performs basic maintenance on equipment.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Occasionally interacts with suppliers and internal customers on potential quality problems.
  
  

Qualifications

Education

• High school diploma or GED required.
  
  

Functional Experience

• Use hand tools, crane, grinders, calipers, and gages
• Ability to operate robots for purpose of loading and unloading parts from injection molding machines
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot injection molding processes to improve quality or production rate
• 3 years minimum molding experience
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Also works in a factory environment with noise from the manufacturing environment.
• Exposure to moving equipment, parts and electrical shock.
• Possible serious injury due to carelessness around equipment.
• Sometimes lifts, carries or moves objects – weighing up to 50 pounds
  
  

Core Competencies

• Operate injection molding machines
• Basic robot operation
  
  

Required Skills

• Ability to use hand held barcode scanner
• Ability to use calipers and gages
• Ability to operate PIT (Powered Industrial Truck) and hand / motorized pallet jacks
  
  

Other Requirements

• May be required to change shifts to cover for PTO and/or absenteeism
• May be included on Continuous Improvement teams related to molding process improvement