Knitter - Direct

LEAR CORPORATION; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Lear Kenansville facility in Kentucky seeks a strong production supervisor to lead the KWW team. You will ensure safety, quality and production targets while coordinating with engineering for new products and managing daily operations on the knitting lines.

The role requires hands-on problem solving, strong communication, and a focus on continuous improvement with strong adherence to Lean methods and 5S standards.

Qualifications

• Understanding of textile manufacturing methods

Responsibilities

• Follow safety standards and lead the KWW team to meet production targets.
• Plan, monitor, and appraise results; coach and discipline staff as needed.
• Drive continuous improvement to reduce waste and improve safety, quality, cost and efficiency.
• Coordinate with Launch/Product Engineering to ensure new products meet requirements.
• Control changes through engineering changes or deviations and maintain documentation.

Skills

Textile knowledge

Problem solving

Communication skills

Lean methods

Tools

MS Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

Under the direction of the KWW Department Manager and a s part of the Kenansville floor management team, the role will have full responsibility for internal quality and production targets. You will lead, manage, and develop the KWW team at Lear Kenansville, ensuring all internal and external requirements are met. Skills will be acquired through on the job training, review of SOPs, and working through daily responsibilities and challenges. Keeps a number of warps knitting machines in constant operation.Hook-type threader, back bar threader, scissors, sewing needles, thread, paint marker and single yarn winder.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

This is a representative sample -- not to imply a complete listing of all responsibilities and tasks.

• Follow all safety standards while ensuring your team follows all safety standards.
• Achieve stated results by communicating job expectations; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; coaching, counseling, and disciplining employees; initiating, coordinating, and enforcing systems, policies, and procedures.
• Continuous Improvement – eliminating waste from the process in all its forms to improve Safety; Quality, Cost (raw material usage, labor, energy) and machine overall efficiency ( downtime analysis).
• Maintain workflow by monitoring steps of the process; setting processing variables; observing control points and equipment; monitoring personnel and resources; studying methods; implementing cost reductions; developing reporting procedures and systems; facilitating corrections to malfunctions within process control points; initiating and fostering a spirit of cooperation within and between departments.
• Complete production plan on time and to target, by scheduling and assigning personnel; establishing priorities; monitoring progress; revising schedules; resolving problems; reporting results of the processing flow on shift production summaries.
• Work with the Launch/Product Engineering team to ensure all new product meet internal and external customer requirements.
• Ensure all product changes are controlled effectively through the engineering change process or deviation.
• Maintains quality by establishing and enforcing organizational standards. Has the authority to stop processing if the material quality is not to standard. Teach and enforce Stop-Call-Wait.
• Ensures operation of equipment by calling for repairs, evaluating new equipment and techniques.
• Provides manufacturing information by compiling, initiating, sorting, and analyzing production performance records and data, answering questions, and responding to requests.
• Create/revise systems and procedures by analyzing operating practices, record-keeping systems, forms of control, and budgetary and personnel requirements, implementing change through deviation or ECR.
• Maintains safe and clean work environment by educating and directing personnel on the use of all control points, equipment, and resources, maintaining compliance with established policies and procedures (Safety, Quality and 5S).
• Regular involvement with the Safety & IATF Coordinator(s) to meet the requirements of the safety program (risk assessments, audits, LPAs, & etc.) and reporting identified issues appropriately.
• Responsible for completing and achieving effective Accident/Incident investigations.
• Maintains staff by selecting, training, and mentoring employees.
• Management of Production personnel, schedule and communicating updates to supporting team members (QC, Mechanical Support, and Purchasing)
• Maintain professional and technical.
• Drive & promote Kaizens through the team, support and drive all department six sigma/lean initiatives.
• Any additional ad-hoc duties, in line with role and company policies and procedures.
• Complete knowledge and understanding of Dyeing specifications and ensure adherence.
• Complete knowledge and understanding of the product boundaries and Finishing equipment.
• Maintain accurate, legible audit data. Complete all forms according to procedures.
• Segregate any product that does not meet specification.
• Report any deviations from specification to the Senior Quality/Process Engineer and Department manager in a timely manner.
• Organize and direct strike offs and the usage of Carton Req(s).
• Follow directions provided in work instructions.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. checks the front and back of the assigned machines to ascertain the nature of any running problems at the beginning of the shift and, continuously during the shift. Monitors the operation of the knitting machines for fabric defects not noticed by the scanner. Stop the machine when a defect is noticed. the knitter goes to the machine and determines the reason for the defect. if the defect is due to the yarn problems, the knitter repairs and restarts the machine. the knitter stitches the ends of any run in the fabric to prevent unraveling. if the knitter cannot repair the defect, he or she calls the fixer. after the defect is repaired, the knitter restarts the machine and enters the reason for the machine stop. Standard performance (within a 12-mo. training period) requires the operator to run at least 18 machines efficiently (2 bars @ 90% and 3 & 4 bars @ 85%). Enter required data, to include defect count and yardage, to the greige roll ticket. stops the machine at the required number of racks. Calls the warp changer to remove the full roll, place a new shaft in the let-off, and ties the new cloth end to the shaft and notes level of yarn on the warps.

KNOWLEDGE OF

• Understanding of textile manufacturing methods and defects
• Problem solving skills with an in-depth knowledge of 8D and Practical Problem Solving (PPS).
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• PC skills to include MS Excel/Word, PowerPoint, and Basics.
• Understanding of Lean improvement methods – Standardized work, 5S, SMED, 7 forms of waste, visual management, and Andon.
• KWW Operations – Ability to set up, thread and operate Knit/weaving machines & warpers.

ABILITY TO

• Read, write, and speak and understand in English, to interpret documents such as specifications, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, reports, business correspondence , regulatory and procedure manuals.
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Communicate clearly and effectively with co-workers, Supervisors and Managements. Work independently with little or no supervision and be a team player.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.