Penn Erie Tooling Division General Manager Shares Three Favorite Articles: People, Pins and Passing It On

James Jergens is currently the general manager for Penn Erie Tooling Division of The Plastek Group. He was formerly the operations manager for Ernie Green Industries where he was fiscally responsible for managing all aspects of product development and purchasing of injection molds for EGI manufacturing sites.

While at EGI James shared his three favorite MoldMaking Technology articles and how this content has been valuable to his work.

1.  January 2019 – Training Redefined: A Three-Pronged Approach to Solving the Skilled Labor Shortage

A mold builder uses a solid onboarding program, personality profiles and learning styles to quickly and effectively grow its own skilled workforce.

Several years ago, I read this article and was amazed at Westminster Tool’s work to change its company culture. They changed from hiring a person to fill a position to hiring the right person and teaching them hard and soft skills to succeed in their company. I also wonder how this has helped their team at home and in the community. The results speak for themselves by their reputation in the industry, with 30 Under 30 2021 Honoree Hillary Thomas and winning the 2021 Leadtime Leader Award.

As the article states: “The proof is in the numbers. When Westminster Tool changed its hiring approach four years ago, the average employee age was 51. Today it is 35.”

The article reinforces my practice of hiring the right person over hiring for a position, and the power of creating a culture of empowerment.

2. November 2021 – 3D-Printed Stainless Steel Vent Pins Produce Defect-Free, Injection-Molded Parts

The Innovent Pin from Next Chapter Manufacturing is said to offer 10-15 times the volume of venting over traditional venting methods with suitability for filled and unfilled plastic resin grades.

At Amerimold 2021, I attended a Tech Talk, “Applying 3D Printing to Mold Venting,” where Next Chapter Manufacturing presented its 3D-printed vent inserts. Additive venting sinters precision areas of the mold with micro pores while making other areas of the insert, like shutoffs, fully dense to maximize tool life. Additive venting inserts are engineered for long life and are not prone to clogging. The presentation explained how 3D printing can vent molds 10-100 times better than that of traditional venting methods, double the hardness for the toughest, high-wear resin applications and keep maintenance costs in line with typical preventative maintenance.

I have used conformal cooling and porous steel inserts for years but combining the two was ingenious. So, at our next engineering lunch and learn, I presented the technology to our mold designers and tool engineers. As a result, our team now has another tool to help increase mold performance and reduce cost. A few months later, this article came out about Next Chapter’s 3D-printed ejector pins. I would encourage shops to investigate the use of this technology further.

3. September 2021 – Best Practices for Hitting Critical Numbers: Communication and the Shrinkage Factor

Start with an upfront review, discussion and collaboration with the customer and then consider the shrinkage factor.

Over the years I have had great mentors who taught me what this article summarizes. As Jim Fattori says, “The biggest tooling problem I know of has little to do with cutting steel. The problem is failing to consider, obtain and verify all the pertinent information up front to ensure the mold will produce a dimensionally, functionally and aesthetically acceptable part.”

I have saved this article so that I can provide it to those whom I mentor. Rather than taking years to learn these topics, now they can learn and start using the information in an afternoon.