There are plenty of CNC Machinists looking for work, and it can be difficult to decide which is the best candidate. We’ve found that, along with proper training and experience, there are three things you should look for when selecting your next CNC Machinist.

Mechanical Ability

You might think anyone who understands software will be able to program your machines – and you’re right, to a point. But the best candidate will be the one who also understands the machines themselves. They should be able to set up the equipment and troubleshoot problems at a moment’s notice, perform regular quality checks to ensure your equipment is meeting technical standards, and study your equipment to find opportunities for optimization and improved performance.

Physical Strength and Stamina

The CNC Machinist doesn’t have to be the strongest person on your team, but they should still be able to handle the physical demands of adjusting equipment, moving materials, and being on their feet much of the day. For heavier material, they should be using hoists or lifts for safety, but they may still need to manipulate that material during the moving processes. And for lighter loads, they should feel comfortable lifting materials by hand. While this won’t require a championship powerlifter, it can be repetitive and taxing work.

Beyond lifting, a CNC Machinist needs to monitor, adjust, and fix equipment. That requires plenty of walking, the strength to move and adjust parts, and the stamina to keep at it no matter how long a repair takes.

Ability to Read Blueprints Well

We can’t stress this need enough. The better your CNC Machinist is at reading blueprints, the more accurate and efficient every job will be. Remember, their primary job is to program your machines based on supplied blueprints. If he can’t read the blueprints, they can’t do their job. If they can’t read them well, they won’t do their job well. Your CNC Machinist needs to be able to use blueprints to plan out an efficient approach to each job, select the right tools, set cutting speed, adjust tolerance levels, and make sure your finished product matches those blueprints exactly. A single mistake, no matter how small, will cost your company.

Action Group Staffing screens all of our candidates to ensure they have the skill sets you need. If you’re looking for a CNC Machinist, contact one of our staffing specialists today, so we can begin the search for your perfect candidate.