Team spotlight: Ian Reinemann, CNC Manager

In this spotlight we find out about Ian Reinemann, our new CNC Manager, who is proof that apprenticeships are worth their weight in gold. We first introduced Ian to you back in 2015 – read more here.

Building a future with solid foundations

Ian Reinemann is a man who is committed to becoming the best he can be. Having gained A Levels in Physics and Maths from Long Road Sixth Form College in Cambridge, Ian took on part time work as a labourer. He soon realised he wanted to use his education to develop himself and so applied for a CNC apprenticeship with Prototype Projects.

In September 2011, Ian began his apprenticeship in Prototype Projects’ CNC Team and attended Huntingdon Regional College for four years to complete his NVQ Levels 2 and 3 in Mechanical Engineering. During this period, he worked alongside his mentor, Stuart Cook, an experienced CNC operator who used to work at Prototype Projects. Ian shadowed Stuart for nearly a year, gaining valuable experience and knowledge.

Returning to college in 2016, Ian undertook a two-year HNC, this time with Cambridge Regional College. Ian passed his BTEC Level 4 HNC Diploma in Mechanical Engineering with Distinction earlier in 2018. Unlike the NVQs, Ian’s HNC course focussed a lot more on theory, along with practical.

And it doesn’t end there.

Ian returns to college September 2018 to start his Mechanical Engineering HND. All being well, he should complete the HND in 2020. This qualification will again be more theory-based than his previous studies which will provide him with the right tools for his developing career.

From Apprentice to CNC Manager

At the start of his apprenticeship, Ian operated the manual mill and manual lathe. A year later Ian progressed to working on the CNC machines, under supervision. The CNC machines require computer programming and management which was not needed with the manual equipment.

As Ian became more experienced, the need for supervision diminished to the point when Ian was no longer an apprentice. As a fully-fledged operator, Ian became a CNC Programmer/Operator. Over the next few years, he worked under the leadership of Les Mott, the CNC Manager.

Earlier in 2018, Les made the decision to reduce his level of responsibility and, having proved his ability, Ian was promoted to the role of CNC Manager. Les is still an important member of the team, as is Greg Gorman who has been with Prototype Projects since 2017. Greg is fully qualified and comes with a lot of experience.

Ian’s role has changed significantly since taking over managerial responsibility of the CNC service. Although Ian still enjoys the programming of the machines, his is now also quoting and pricing up materials for new jobs, as well as talking with customers about their projects. Ian said, “it’s different and it’s exciting. I’m really relishing the challenge of this new role”.

Ian also has some great developments for the CNC service turning over in mind. As CNC is a long process, and because the machines don’t run overnight, CNC milling and turning is not as fast as 3D Printing. However, Ian has been listening to customer feedback and is fine tuning plans to better manage workloads and streamline the CNC process. Watch this space for more news!

All work and no play

Working full time and spending 16-hours each week studying outside of work, Ian, understandably, has little time for hobbies and relaxing! Any free time he has is spent socialising with friends. He has also rekindled his passion for running, usually 10k, to stay fit and healthy.

Although Ian’s free-time is limited, he is upbeat about life and is looking forward to recommencing his studies as well as reshaping the CNC team.

Next time?

In our next update, we will be taking a closer look at Ian’s exciting plans for the CNC service.

Can we help?

If you have any questions about our CNC service or wish to request a quote, please contact us on 01763 249760. We can advise you on your choice of prototyping technology and can also help you optimise your designs for prototyping.