UNION MILLWRIGHTS:

The person who works with his hands is a laborer; the person that works with his hands and heart is an artisan; the person who works with his hands, his head and his heart is a Union Millwright.

Millwright Ron

Installs machinery and equipment according to layout plans, blueprints, and other drawings in industrial establishment, using hoists, lift trucks, handtools, and power tools:

Reads blueprints and schematic drawings to determine work procedures.

Dismantles machines, using hammers, wrenches, crowbars, and other handtools.

Moves machinery and equipment, using hoists, dollies, rollers, and trucks.

Assembles and installs equipment, such as shafting, conveyors, and tram rails, using handtools and power tools.

Constructs foundation for machines, using handtools and building materials, such as wood, cement, and steel.

Aligns machines and equipment, using hoists, jacks, handtools, squares, rules, micrometers, and plumb bobs.

Assembles machines, and bolts, welds, rivets, or otherwise fastens them to foundation or other structures, using handtools and power tools.

May operate engine lathe to grind, file, and turn machine parts to dimensional specifications.

May repair and lubricate machines and equipment.

May install robot and modify its program, using teach pendant.

May perform installation and maintenance work as part of team of skilled trades workers.

Millwright Ron

Proud Member Of The Union Millwrights

Early Millwrights

The word "millwright" has long been used to describe the man who was marked by everything ingenious and skillful.

For several centuries in England and Scotland the millwright was recognized as a man with a knowledge of carpentry, blacksmithing and lathe work in addition to the fitter and erector.

He was the recognized representative of mechanical arts and was looked upon as the authority in all applications of winds and water, under whatever conditions they were to be used, as a motive power for the purpose of manufacture.

In other words, as the above definition would indicate,

he was the area engineer, a kind of jack of all trades who was equally comfortable at the lathe, the anvil or the carpenter's bench.

Thus, the millwright of the last several centuries was an itinerant engineer and mechanic of high reputation and recognized abilities.

He could handle the axe, the hammer and the plane with equal skill and precision.

He could turn, bore or forge with the ease and ability of one brought up in those trades.

He could set and cut in the furrows of a millstone with an accuracy equal to or superior to that of the miller himself.

In most instances, the millwright was a fair arithmetician, knew something of geometry, leveling and measurements, and often possessed a very competent knowledge of practical mathematics.

He could calculate the velocities, strength and power of machines; could draw in plans, construct buildings, conduits or watercources, in all the forms and under all the conditions required in his professional practice.

He could build bridges, cut canals and perform a variety of work now done by civil engineers.

In the early days of North America millwrights designed and constructed the mills where flour and grist were ground by water power.

Water was directed over hand-constructed wooden mill wheels to turn big wooden gears and generate power.

Millwrights executed every type of engineering operation in the construction of these mills.

The introduction of the steam engine, and the rapidity with which it created new trades, proved a heavy blow to the distinctive position of the millwrights,

by bringing into the field a new class of competitors in the form of turners, fitters, machine makers, and mechanical engineers.

Although there was an extension of the demand for millwork, it nevertheless lowered the profession of the millwright, and leveled it to a great degree with that of the ordinary mechanic.

It was originally the custom for the millwrights to have meetings for themselves in every shop.

These meetings usually included long discussions of practical science and the principles of construction which more often than not ended in a quarrel.

One benefit of these meetings was the imparting of knowledge, as young aspirants would frequently become excited by the illustrations and chalk diagrams by which each side supported their arguments.

Millwright Ron

Proud Member Of The Union Millwrights

Oldest Engineering Trade

The Millwright is the oldest engineering trade being the forerunner of the modern mechanical engineer. historically many famous engineers and companies started out as Millwrights and many machines were created and developed by them. Water mills have existed since the roman period , Millwrights have been looking after them ever since.

Union Millwright Ron

Millwright Work

Millwrights install, repair, replace, and dismantle the machinery and heavy equipment used in many industries.

The wide range of facilities and the development of new technology require millwrights to continually update their skills—from blueprint reading and pouring concrete to diagnosing and solving mechanical problems.

The millwright's responsibilities begin when machinery arrives at the jobsite.

New equipment must be unloaded, inspected, and moved into position.

To lift and move light machinery, millwrights use rigging and hoisting devices, such as pulleys and cables.

With heavier equipment, they may require the assistance of hydraulic lift-truck or crane operators to position the machinery.

Because millwrights often decide which device to use for moving machinery, they must know the load-bearing properties of rope, cables, hoists, and cranes.

Millwrights consult with production managers and others to determine the optimal placement of machines in a plant.

When this placement requires building a new foundation, millwrights either prepare the foundation themselves or supervise its construction.

As a result, they must know how to read blueprints and work with a variety of building materials.

To assemble machinery, millwrights fit bearings, align gears and wheels, attach motors, and connect belts, according to the manufacturer's blueprints and drawings.

Precision leveling and alignment are important in the assembly process, so millwrights measure angles, material thickness, and small distances with tools such as squares, calipers, and micrometers.

When a high level of precision is required, devices such as lasers and ultrasonic measuring tools may be used.

Millwrights also work with hand and power tools, such as cutting torches, welding machines, and soldering guns, and with metalworking equipment, including lathes and grinding machines.

In addition to installing and dismantling machinery, many millwrights work with mechanics and maintenance workers to repair and maintain equipment.

This includes preventive maintenance, such as lubrication and fixing or replacing worn parts.

Increasingly sophisticated automation means more complicated machines for millwrights to install and maintain.

For example, millwrights may install and maintain numerical control equipment—computer-controlled machine tools that fabricate manufacturing parts.

This machinery requires special care and knowledge, so millwrights often work closely with computer or electronics experts, electricians, engineers, and manufacturers’ representatives to install it

Millwright Ron

Proud Member Of The Union Millwrights