Pride And Skill: On The Job with ALM’s Welders
At ALM Positioners, our team of skilled welders are the best ambassadors for the difference a positioner makes in the manufacturing process. Why? Because they use our positioners to build our positioners.
Take it from Brandon Carroll, team leader since 2015. He came to the company with valuable field experience in other areas of welding to make our workplace and our product better, safer and more efficient.
“We build positioners, because we care about the people on the manufacturing floors who will use them,” Brandon said. “We enjoy what we do, and we hope that shows in the quality of our work.”
Working as a welder wasn’t always this positive for Brandon. He recalls being on job sites early in his career that felt unsafe – where heavy loads were suspended by straps and cranes. Using an ALM positioner eliminates that risk. They are designed to lift, tilt, and rotate any weldment or fixture, so that it can be accessed and handled safely and quickly. The result is a streamlined assembly process that improves employee well-being and comfort. Brandon finds he’s less fatigued at the end of the day by using a positioner.
“I have 2 kids under the age of 2,” Brandon said. “I can’t go home exhausted. Day by day, year after year, eliminating the strain on my body becomes even more important.”
With the help of a positioner, employees will no longer need to crawl under and over the part, using ladders and scaffolding, kneeling, lying on the floor or rolling on creepers. Working comfortably for longer periods of time leads to more efficiency and less downtime.
Working at ALM
Like Brandon, ALM welder Garrett Schneider has worked in many welding environments. Working with a positioner is his choice by far. He joined the ALM team six years ago, growing along with the company, improving processes for customers and experiencing a better quality of life.
“When the day goes smoothly and we all work well as a team, that’s a good day,” said Garrett. “Every piece we do is the best one. We don’t just throw metal together and put a weld on it. We want it to be right.”
Quality welds are another immediate benefit of a positioner. When the weldment is held in a fixed position, there is no movement that could compromise the quality of the weld – maximizing the weld penetration and deposition rate. Tyler Hunwardsen came to understand the value of quality welds early in his career at ALM.
“To be a good welder, you need to take pride in your work,” said Tyler. “You have to be consistent, or you’re going to waste time fixing mistakes. That’s what keeps me disciplined.”
The next generation of welding
Tyler joined ALM after he graduated high school and completed his apprenticeship hours. With 20% of the welding workforce approaching retirement age, the demand for young welders has never been higher. That makes recruitment and retention a top priority – and a benefit of a positioner.
“By doing my job, I am helping make someone else’s job better and more efficient,” Tyler said. “Welders don’t have to abuse their body or be in danger just to get the job done.”
The ALM team of welders is just one part of the custom solution available to manufacturers looking to meet any challenge with versatility. With more than 40 positioner styles with customizable controls and features, ALM Positioners provides a value-added solution that can increase throughput by as much as 40 percent and a proven return on investment in less than 12 months.
“We believe we are lifting the world – one positioner at a time,” Garrett said. “Our customers see quickly how their process changes with the help of a positioner.”
Ready to see how an ALM positioner can make a big impact on your process? We’re ready to help. Give our team a call at (309) 787-6200 or fill out our form.