CNC Gun-Drill Operator / Setup Technician

Thompson/Center Arms • Full-time • Farmington, New Hampshire, United States • $44,824 - $60,005 / year • 1w ago

CNC Gun-Drill Cell Operator / Setup Technician

Location: Farmington, NH
Job Type: Full-Time
Department: Manufacturing / Machining
Company: T/C Arms

Position Summary

T/C Arms is seeking a skilled, mechanically minded CNC Gun-Drill Cell Operator / Setup Technician to support our precision manufacturing operation in Farmington, New Hampshire.

This position is responsible for the setup, operation, monitoring, inspection, and routine maintenance of a fully automated UNISIG deep-hole drilling cell used to manufacture precision components from alloy steel, stainless steel, and other materials.

The automated cell incorporates a four-spindle drilling center, two-spindle reaming center, two-spindle rifling center, Fanuc robotic automation, and associated support equipment. The operator will be responsible for keeping the cell running safely and efficiently while ensuring every component meets established dimensional, surface-finish, and quality requirements.

The ideal candidate has strong mechanical aptitude, CNC machining experience, excellent attention to detail, and the ability to troubleshoot machining and tooling issues in a high-precision manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Set up and operate the UNISIG automated gun-drilling cell, including four-spindle drilling, two-spindle reaming, and two-spindle rifling operations.
Operate equipment through Fanuc robotic automation or manual machine operation as required.
Operate associated support equipment, including gun-drill sharpening, cleaning, and inspection equipment.
Load and unload raw material, work-in-process, and finished components.
Review work instructions, engineering drawings, process sheets, shop packets, tooling requirements, and production work orders prior to machining.
Perform machine setups, including gun-drill installation, positioning, alignment, and verification.
Verify guide bushing position, diameter, length, and alignment.
Support alignment and setup of uprights, lifting beams, tooling, and workpieces.
Select and verify machine programs against applicable process work orders.
Prepare coolant systems and complete required start-of-shift preventive maintenance and warm-up procedures.
Monitor RPM, feed rates, machine loads, coolant conditions, chip formation, tool wear, and overall machine performance.
Make approved machine offsets and process adjustments to maintain dimensional accuracy and process capability.
Monitor hole straightness, diameter, position, and surface finish against established specifications.
Identify tool wear and replace or sharpen tooling according to established tool-life requirements.
Maintain proper coolant concentration, level, temperature, filtration, and chip-removal systems.
Perform in-process and final inspections using precision measuring equipment.
Accurately document inspection results, production activity, tooling usage, and quality information.
Troubleshoot machining issues including tool breakage, hole drift, surface-finish concerns, chip evacuation problems, and coolant-flow issues.
Follow all safety procedures, SOPs, machine safety requirements, and lockout/tagout procedures.
Maintain a clean, organized work area in accordance with 5S standards.
Participate in continuous-improvement activities focused on safety, quality, productivity, tooling cost, cycle time, and machine uptime.
Work closely with Production, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, and Operations to resolve manufacturing issues and maintain production schedules.

Precision Measurement & Inspection

Candidates should be comfortable using or learning precision inspection equipment, including:

Micrometers and calipers
Air gages and bore gages
Twist gages
Profilometers
Depth gages
Pin gages
Other dimensional and surface-finish inspection equipment

Required Qualifications

High school diploma or GED.
Strong mechanical aptitude and problem-solving skills.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, blueprints, process sheets, charts, and graphs.
Ability to use precision measuring and inspection equipment.
Basic computer skills.
Ability to follow detailed manufacturing procedures and maintain accurate production documentation.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to product quality.
Ability to communicate clearly and work effectively within a manufacturing team.
Ability to safely operate material-handling and lifting equipment, including cranes and forklifts.
Willingness and ability to learn specialized deep-hole drilling, reaming, rifling, automation, and inspection processes.

Preferred Qualifications

Previous CNC machining, setup, or machine-operation experience.
Experience with UNISIG gun-drilling equipment or comparable deep-hole drilling systems such as TBT, Precihole, Technidrill, or similar equipment.
Experience with automated CNC machining cells and Fanuc robotics.
Experience with Siemens PLC controls.
Understanding of conversational CNC programming.
Experience with deep-hole drilling processes ranging from approximately 2xD through highly specialized deep-hole applications.
Knowledge of gun-drilling principles, cutting-tool theory, and tool-life management.
Experience with high-pressure coolant systems and filtration.
Knowledge of CNC controls and machine offsets.
Working knowledge of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).
Experience machining materials such as 4140 alloy steel, stainless steels, aerospace alloys, and heat-treated materials.
Experience troubleshooting tooling, coolant, chip evacuation, hole straightness, and surface-finish issues.

Physical Requirements

Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.
Ability to lift up to 35 pounds.
Ability to frequently bend, reach, stoop, and perform hands-on machine setup activities.
Ability to work safely around moving machinery, cutting tools, oils, coolants, and metal chips.
Ability to wear all required personal protective equipment (PPE).

Training & Performance Expectations

T/C Arms will provide specialized training on the equipment and manufacturing processes associated with this position. Initial training is expected to take approximately 2–4 weeks, depending on experience and proficiency.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

Operate the automated gun-drill cell safely and in accordance with all SOPs and EHS requirements.
Meet established production schedules and throughput expectations.
Consistently produce components that meet dimensional, straightness, surface-finish, and quality requirements.
Maintain process control and minimize unnecessary tooling costs.
Identify potential machine, tooling, and quality issues before they result in downtime or nonconforming product.
Maintain accurate production and quality documentation.
Demonstrate strong ownership of equipment performance and product quality.
Contribute to continuous improvements in safety, quality, efficiency, and machine uptime.

About T/C Arms

T/C Arms is an American firearms manufacturer with a longstanding reputation for innovation, precision, versatility, and craftsmanship. Our Farmington, New Hampshire manufacturing operation combines advanced machining technology with skilled American manufacturing to build the next generation of T/C products.

If you are a CNC operator, machinist, setup technician, or mechanically skilled manufacturing professional looking to advance your experience with sophisticated automated machining technology, we encourage you to apply.

Work Location: In person