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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for CNC Maintenance Lead

💰 $70,000 - $110,000

ManufacturingMaintenanceCNCMechanicalEngineering

🎯 Role Definition

The CNC Maintenance Lead oversees maintenance activities for CNC machining centers, lathes, and ancillary equipment while leading a maintenance technician team. This role combines deep technical expertise in CNC controls, servo systems, pneumatics/hydraulics, and mechanical alignment with leadership responsibilities—planning scheduled maintenance, coordinating repairs to minimize downtime, driving continuous improvement (TPM/5S/Kaizen), and ensuring safety and compliance. The CNC Maintenance Lead works cross-functionally with production, quality, and engineering to sustain machine reliability and improve manufacturing throughput.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • CNC Technician / Machine Tool Technician
  • Maintenance Technician (Mechanical/Electrical)
  • Field Service Technician for machine tools

Advancement To:

  • Maintenance Manager / Maintenance Supervisor
  • Manufacturing Engineering Manager
  • Plant Engineering Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Reliability Engineer
  • CNC Process Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead and execute planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and predictive maintenance programs for CNC mills, lathes, grinders and auxiliary automation equipment to minimize unplanned downtime and extend asset life.
  • Diagnose and repair electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic faults on CNC machines, including servo motor, spindle, bearing, ball screw, and gearbox issues, using structured troubleshooting methods.
  • Troubleshoot and repair CNC controls and programming issues on FANUC, Siemens, Haas, and Mitsubishi control systems; perform parameter checks, offsets, and software updates as needed.
  • Lead root-cause analysis (RCA) on recurring failures and implement corrective actions, including redesign recommendations, process changes, or SOP updates to prevent recurrence.
  • Supervise, mentor, and schedule a team of maintenance technicians; assign work orders, conduct on-the-job training, and evaluate technician performance to build a high-performing maintenance crew.
  • Coordinate mechanical alignment, spindle runout correction, geometric calibration, and machine leveling to ensure part accuracy and reduce scrap and rework.
  • Perform electrical troubleshooting including PLC ladder logic debugging, relay and contactor replacement, variable frequency drive (VFD) tuning, and wiring verification to restore machine operation safely.
  • Develop, maintain, and optimize machine documentation: electrical schematics, hydraulic/pneumatic diagrams, preventative maintenance checklists, calibration records, and parts lists.
  • Implement and maintain predictive maintenance technologies (vibration analysis, thermography, oil analysis, acoustic sensing) and act on condition-based alerts to prevent failures.
  • Manage spare parts inventory for critical CNC components; forecast parts usage, place orders, and optimize stock levels to reduce mean time to repair (MTTR).
  • Rapidly respond to production downtime events, coordinate cross-functional troubleshooting with production and engineering, and restore operations while communicating status to stakeholders.
  • Lead continuous improvement projects (TPM, Kaizen, 5S) aimed at increasing machine availability, reducing changeover time, and improving overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
  • Ensure maintenance activities comply with safety standards, lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures, and environmental regulations; conduct safety inspections and ensure PPE use.
  • Support machine installation, commissioning, and qualification of new CNC equipment, including mechanical rigging, electrical hookup, servo tuning, and final acceptance testing.
  • Create and manage work orders in CMMS (e.g., SAP PM, Maximo, MaintiMizer); track maintenance metrics (MTBF, MTTR, downtime events) and produce reports for leadership.
  • Collaborate with manufacturing engineering to implement equipment upgrades, robotics integration, and automation enhancements to increase throughput and reduce manual interventions.
  • Provide technical support for programming changes, tooling setup issues, and process optimization to ensure parts meet dimensional and surface finish specifications.
  • Train operations staff on basic machine troubleshooting, daily maintenance checks, and proper handling procedures to reduce operator-caused downtime.
  • Evaluate and recommend vendor service providers and approve critical external repairs; coordinate warranty claims and manage service agreements for specialist repairs.
  • Lead emergency repair efforts during critical failures, coordinate vendor dispatch, and perform hands-on repairs to return equipment to service as quickly and safely as possible.
  • Maintain continuous communication with production planning and quality teams to prioritize maintenance tasks based on production schedules and quality impact.
  • Drive cost-reduction initiatives related to maintenance spend, spare part rationalization, and energy usage optimization across CNC assets.
  • Monitor and enforce calibration schedules for tool presetters, gauging systems, and metrology equipment to ensure consistent part quality.

Secondary Functions

  • Participate in capital equipment evaluations, ROI analyses, and assist purchasing in vendor selection for new CNC machines and automation equipment.
  • Support continuous training programs by developing technical curricula for CNC maintenance skills, PLC programming basics, and safety best practices.
  • Assist quality and process engineering teams with machine capability studies, FMEAs, and control plans related to equipment reliability.
  • Help develop shift handover processes and maintenance logs to ensure continuity of machine history and outstanding issues between crews.
  • Participate in site-level emergency response planning and drills (fire, chemical spill, machine entrapment) as a technical resource.
  • Contribute to sustainability and energy-efficiency projects involving process heating, motor efficiency improvements, and utility usage monitoring.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proven hands-on experience troubleshooting and repairing CNC controllers (FANUC, Siemens, Haas, Heidenhain) and modifying parameters, offsets, and servo tuning.
  • Strong electrical troubleshooting skills: PLC ladder logic debugging, relay/contact diagnosis, VFD configuration, motor control circuits, and schematic interpretation.
  • Mechanical competency in bearings, ball screws, gears, couplings, spindle assemblies, shafts, and linear guides; ability to perform precision alignment and balancing.
  • Proficient in pneumatic and hydraulic system maintenance, including valve replacement, leak detection, pressure testing, and hydraulic filtration.
  • Experience with preventive and predictive maintenance tools: vibration analysis, infrared thermography, oil analysis, and condition monitoring software.
  • Familiarity with CMMS systems (SAP PM, IBM Maximo, UpKeep, Maintenance Connection) to create work orders, schedule tasks, and report KPIs.
  • Knowledge of industrial robotics integration and troubleshooting (robot arm calibration, I/O communication, safety interlocks) is highly desirable.
  • Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, P&ID, mechanical drawings, and technical manuals.
  • Competence in PLC platforms (Allen-Bradley/Rockwell, Siemens S7) including I/O diagnostics and basic ladder logic edits.
  • Experience with servo drives, encoders, resolvers, spindle drives, and feedback systems; capable of testing/adjusting encoder/resolver signals.
  • Proficient in using precision measuring tools (dial indicators, laser alignment tools, micrometers, CMM support) for setup and troubleshooting.
  • Knowledge of safety standards (OSHA, NFPA 79, ISO 13849) and LOTO procedures, plus experience conducting safety risk assessments.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership and people development: coach technicians, delegate tasks, and build a resilient maintenance team.
  • Excellent problem-solving and analytical thinking with a structured approach to root-cause analysis and corrective action implementation.
  • Clear communicator able to translate technical issues for operations, engineering, and management; strong reporting and documentation habits.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to balance reactive repairs, scheduled maintenance, and improvement projects.
  • Collaborative mindset with ability to work cross-functionally with production, quality, and engineering teams.
  • Adaptability and composure under pressure during critical downtime events and production squeezes.
  • Detail-oriented with a continuous-improvement focus and a bias for measurable outcomes (reduced downtime, MTTR, OEE improvement).
  • Safety-first attitude, promoting a culture of compliance and proactive hazard mitigation.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED with vocational training in machine tool technology, industrial maintenance, or related technical program.

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or technical diploma in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Industrial Maintenance, Mechatronics, or Electrical Technology.
  • Certifications in PLC programming, HVAC/Electrical, Certified Maintenance & Reliability Technician (CMRT), or CNC toolmaker certifications are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Mechanical Engineering Technology
  • Mechatronics / Automation
  • Industrial Maintenance / Machine Tool Technology
  • Electrical Engineering Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–10+ years of maintenance experience with at least 3 years specifically on CNC equipment; prior experience leading or mentoring a team is preferred.

Preferred:

  • 7+ years of industrial maintenance with demonstrated leadership on CNC machining centers and automation lines.
  • Proven track record implementing preventive/predictive maintenance programs, reducing downtime, and improving OEE.
  • Experience with ISO, lean manufacturing, TPM, and safety compliance programs.
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