s
KRC MTS Now!
Service • Maintenance • Rebuild/Retrofit
Summer 2008
KRC Looking
Forward to
IMTS 2008
The International Manufacturing
Technology Show is once again headed
for Chicago, September 8-13, and KRC
looks forward to seeing you there. KRC
is constantly looking for innovative
ways to better assist our customers in
cutting costs and raising productivity.
Stop by and meet with our sales team
while you’re visiting IMTS. Call your
sales manager today and make an
appointment to stop by. Jim Luzak and
Matt Collins will be delighted to meet
you there.
International Manufacturing Technology Show
September 8 - 13, 2008 • Chicago, IL • McCormick Place
Before (inset)…and after (pictured above)!
KRC Remanufactures Giddings
& Lewis Bickford 924-25VS
K
RC Machine Tool Services recently completed the successful remanufacture
of a Giddings & Lewis Bickford 924-25VS. The machine was retrofitted with
a new GE Fanuc 150i-MB CNC. New GE Fanuc Alpha AC servomotors and
drives on all servo-controlled axes were installed.
KRC also made some design modifications to the milling machine. The tool
changer was removed and discarded and new glass scales with dual position feedback
were installed, as well as a new Renishaw RMP 60-part probe.
This complete remanufacture included the design and installation of a maintenance
platform, new Trabon lubrication system and new Z axis way cover.
Design & Build Services
Designing custom options or systems into a machine tool is the best alternative to resolve
certain process applications. There are times when you may want to dramatically expand
the functionality of your existing machine, or you may require a machine to accomplish
a specific task that can’t be performed by an existing piece of equipment. KRC will study
your application and specifications and provide a formal quote, including steps to address,
specifications, a rough design plan and projected engineering and manufacturing investment
requirements.
10065 Toebben Drive • Independence, KY 41051
1-888-4-KRC-MTS • FAX 859-283-8303
www.krcmachinetoolservices.com
u At
See Yo S
IMT
Sep t em
3!
ber 8-1
Summer 2008
New Leadership Role? Try To Avoid Doing
in the workplace. Michael Watkins (http://discussionleader.hbsp.com/Watkins) gives a few
tips in his book,
. Here are some problems to look out for:
• Becoming remote or unapproachable. Leaders sometimes rely on reports and
lead to isolation and an impression that
your need to know about the organization
is stronger than your desire to deal
with the real issues at hand.
• Appearing arrogant or
insecure. While these two
qualities might seem worlds
apart, they’re not. If you need to
be seen as the person who always
has the answer, beware. You could
come off as a jerk or an incompetent
leader. Instead, it’s advisable to develop
a strong curiosity about what’s really
going on, along with a willingness
to listen to what others have to say.
Coming in with your ideas about what
is going on is natural, but attaching
yourself to those ideas no matter
what else happens is a bad idea.
• Being all over the map.
not having a real plan—or not sticking to a plan you do have. Try to prioritize,
Watkins says.
• Choosing the wrong influences. You will be judged by the company you keep and
the advice you take. Be careful when you choose whom to listen to, as many people,
competent and otherwise, are going to try to bend your ear.
• Failing to get in touch with everyone. Many leaders communicate to those above
them and those below them but fail to touch base with those “horizontal” to them,
says Watkins. Practice getting in touch with your peers and you will strengthen
your position.
Are You Frozen By Fear?
and feel their paths are blocked. Often this feeling occurs when a person is afraid of
making a move in life, and so chooses to wait instead, sometimes for long periods, to
do anything at all.
While considering your options is a good thing, neglecting to take action for
prolonged periods of time can indicate you are stranded because you are afraid of
making a mistake.
never makes the biggest mistake of all—doing nothing.”
Just A Sec…
Just in case you were wondering, there are 86,400 seconds in a day.
Capture Your Time
Effectively
One thing in life that is certain is
that once time has passed, it can’t be
our time well especially important, says
Lodewijk van den Broek on the Zen
Habits blog (http://zenhabits.net). So
how do you go about using your time as
effectively as possible? Simplify, van den
Broek says. Here are four ways to do just
that:
• Do it once, and get on with things.
Why? If you procrastinate, your mind
will enjoy making you think about it
over and over until you get it done.
brainpower.
• Whatever you do, do it smart.
Most likely you’re not the first one to
attempt the task you’re undertaking.
Search the Internet and other sources
to glean the experiences of those who
have gone before you.
• Automate what you can. Use software
to rid yourself of repetitive tasks. Try
automating your everyday habits as
well to maximize your efficiency.
• Outsource what you hate to do.
what you love and are motivated to
work on. You’ll likely find you end up
with better results when you let go of
something you truly don’t like doing.
SPEED BUMP
Dave Coverly
Summer 2008
Small Business Is Big
According to the Small Business Administration, small firms represent about 99.7%
of all employer firms. Here are some other facts about small businesses:
year 2005.
workers.
• 53% are home-based and 3% are franchises.
What Do You Know?
1) If you suffer from rhinitis, your main
symptom is:
a) water retention
b) facial rash
c) runny nose
d) tooth decay
2) What color is the text on standard
U.S. “Do Not Enter” road signs?
a) yellow
b) red
c) white
d) black
3) What’s the heaviest land mammal
native to North America?
a) bison
b) moose
c) elk
d) brown bear
4) Which politician made the term “Iron
Curtain” famous in his 1946 speech?
a) Chiang Kai-shek
b) Winston Churchill
c) Franklin D. Roosevelt
d) Joseph Stalin
5) Which nation is not considered part of
Central America?
a) Panama
b) Costa Rica
c) Honduras
d) Colombia
—from mental_floss magazine
Reduce Your Guilt And Frustration
What are the sources of much of the guilt and frustration that people carry around
David Allen says
with them? Organizing expert and author of
those feelings occur when we don’t do what we tell ourselves we’re going to do. You’re
letting things slip through the cracks, he says.
You tell yourself you’re going to spend more time with your family, but you can’t
find the time so you don’t. You tell yourself you’re going to clean out the garage, but
when Saturday rolls around you feel like you need a break, so you don’t. Hello, guilt.
Hello, frustration.
You’re better off to not set yourself up for failure and all the negative feelings it can
set off if you’re really not going to do something. Just skip it, don’t beat yourself up,
Allen says.
Keeping Your Car Can Save A Bundle
the folks at Consumer Reports (www.consumerreports.org). So maybe it’s not such a
great idea to trade your car in
every three to five years like
some people believe. Here’s
how you can reap savings by
keeping your car around for a
long time:
• Take proper care of
your car, including
regular maintenance and
replacement of parts. Just
about any vehicle can reach
200,000 miles these days,
Consumer Reports says.
• When you buy a car that
you’re planning to keep for
a long time, go for one that
has a good track record.
• Choose a car that has done well in government and insurance industry safety tests.
• Make sure that the car you choose is well equipped with the latest safety
equipment.
(Colombia is in South America.)
Answers: 1) c 2) c (White on a red background.) 3) a 4) b 5) d
Employee Spotlight
Kimberly McLaughlin
Here’s your chance to get to know more
about the first-rate staff at KRC Machine
Tool Services. This quarter’s employee
spotlight shines
on service
operations
manager
Kimberly
McLaughlin.
Kim is the voice
you hear when
you call KRC
to schedule any
type of service.
Kim McLaughlin
We thought
you might like to know about this multitalented individual.
Kim joined KRC in January 2006. She
was hired as the service administrator, but
quickly rose to her current position.
What is a typical work day like?
“A typical day starts with returning
phone calls to clients requesting service
10065 Toebben Drive
Independence, KY 41051
1-888-4-KRC-MTS • FAX 859-283-8303
www.krcmachinetoolservices.com
and lining up engineers for jobs. After
that, I spend a lot of time going over
invoices, purchase orders and the
documentation ensuring Operations is
running smoothly. I also collaborate with
other departments and our sales team
to make sure our engineers’ calendars
are maximized to best serve our clients
for emergency service and upcoming
projects. In between, I field incoming
calls from clients, pour over the financials
and attend any meetings that require my
presence.”
What is the most satisfying part of your
job?
“Taking pride in the level of talent
that the KRC Service Department
provides to our clients. I believe our
service engineers are the best in the
business.”
What do you do for fun?
“I help rescue birds of prey with a
group called Raptor Inc. I play flute in
our church orchestra and help with the
media during the services as well. I’m also a
part-time artist, and I love driving around
in my little blue Miata.”
“A typical day off for me would start out
with a workout, or during the summer a
long hike at a park near my home. My work
with Raptor Inc. might have me spending
some time up at the Raptor facility helping
with the care of our rescued and education
birds. Occasionally, animal control or our
Raptor dispatch may call me for a pickup
of an injured hawk, owl or vulture. Lately,
I’ve also been doing some grant writing
for Raptor as well.”
“I really believe in this organization’s
commitment to wildlife preservation and its
education programs for students. If I’m not
out on a ‘hawk’ rescue, I try to work on my
art and I always make time to go out on the
weekends with friends and family.”
Additional information about Raptor
Inc. can be found at www.raptorinc.org.