Description

The Rewind Department Supervisor will oversee all motor winding and rewinding operations at a large-scale electric motor repair facility with 60 total employees at full capacity. This hands-on supervisory role is responsible for leading a team of winding technicians, ensuring high-quality coil construction, maintaining production schedules, and providing technical expertise for all types of AC and DC motor windings, including complex DC armatures and field frames on large DC machines.

Key Responsibilities:

Team Leadership & Supervision
Directly supervise 8-15 winding technicians, apprentices, and coil builders
Assign daily work assignments and prioritize jobs based on production schedule
Train and mentor winders on proper winding techniques, from basic to advanced
Develop apprentice winders through structured training programs
Conduct performance evaluations and provide ongoing coaching
Manage attendance, scheduling, and overtime for the rewind department
Foster a culture of craftsmanship, quality, and continuous improvement

Technical & Production Management:

Review and interpret motor nameplates, connection diagrams, and winding data sheets
Calculate winding specifications for motors without available data
Design and approve coil configurations for standard and custom windings
Troubleshoot winding failures and determine root cause (insulation breakdown, contamination, thermal damage)
Perform or oversee complex windings including form-wound coils, multi-speed motors, and special applications
Oversee DC armature rewinding including:
Coil removal and slot preparation
Bar winding and diamond coil construction for large armatures
Commutator riser soldering and undercutting
Banding installation on high-speed armatures
Proper balancing requirements and procedures
Direct field frame rewinding for large DC machines including:
Series, shunt, compound, and interpole field coil design
Pole shoe removal and insulation procedures
Field coil winding and installation
Connection and lead termination
Field flash testing and verification
Create and maintain winding records and connection diagrams for future reference
Determine wire size, turns per coil, pitch, and insulation requirements

Quality Assurance:

Inspect coils before and after installation to ensure quality standards
Verify proper conductor sizing, insulation clearances, and coil dimensions
Oversee winding testing including resistance, continuity, hi-pot, and surge tests
Perform specialized DC machine testing:
Armature bar-to-bar testing
Commutator segment isolation testing
Field coil resistance and polarity verification
Ground wall testing on DC windings
Dynamic balance testing on armatures
Ensure proper slot insulation, phase insulation, and wedge installation
Approve varnish/epoxy treatment processes for windings
Monitor and prevent common defects (crossed coils, incorrect connections, inadequate insulation)
Verify DC-specific quality criteria:
Proper commutator riser connections and quality
Adequate banding tension and security
Correct interpole and compensating winding connections
Proper brush positioning and neutral plane alignment
Investigate and resolve customer quality complaints related to windings
Ensure compliance with EASA AR100 and IEEE 43 standards

Materials Management:

Coordinate with purchasing on magnet wire, insulation materials, and varnish requirements
Maintain adequate inventory of wire sizes, slot liners, phase paper, and wedges
Manage DC-specific materials:
Approve material substitutions when necessary
Monitor material costs and control waste
Ensure proper storage and handling of insulation materials
Manage varnish and resin inventory and mixing procedures

Production Planning & Scheduling:

Work with Production Manager to meet departmental delivery commitments
Balance workload among winding technicians based on skill level and job complexity
Estimate labor hours required for various winding jobs
Account for extended lead times on large DC projects:
Complex armature rewinds (multi-day or multi-week projects)
Custom field coil fabrication
Specialized testing and balancing procedures
Identify and communicate production delays or bottlenecks
Coordinate with other departments (stripping, machining, assembly) on job handoffs
Track work-in-progress and maintain department flow

Equipment & Facility Management:

Oversee operation and maintenance of winding equipment including:
Coil winding machines
Lacing and taping machines
VPI (Vacuum Pressure Impregnation) system or dip-and-bake ovens
Form-wound coil presses and curing ovens
Coil insertion tools and hydraulic presses
DC armature winding machines and bar winders
Commutator undercutting and turning equipment
Armature banding machines
Large field coil winding equipment
Growler testing equipment for armatures
Ensure proper calibration and maintenance of testing equipment
Maintain clean, organized, and safe work environment
Identify needs for equipment upgrades or tooling improvements

Safety & Compliance:

Enforce safety procedures specific to rewind operations
Ensure proper handling and disposal of varnish, solvents, and chemical materials
Implement safety protocols for DC machine work:
Safe handling of heavy armatures and field frames
Proper rigging and lifting procedures
Lead exposure control when working with older commutators
Safe operation of high-temperature soldering equipment
Proper ventilation during commutator work
Monitor ventilation systems in varnish and oven areas
Require use of appropriate PPE (respirators, gloves, protective clothing)
Conduct department safety meetings and toolbox talks
Investigate accidents and implement corrective actions
Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations and environmental requirements
Documentation & Communication
Maintain accurate winding records and test data
Create detailed winding diagrams for future repairs
Document DC machine specifications:
Armature winding data and connection diagrams
Field coil data and polarity diagrams
Commutator bar counts and pitch information
Balancing specifications and results
Document non-standard repairs and special procedures
Communicate job status and technical issues to Production Manager
Interface with customers on technical winding questions
Report daily production metrics and quality issues

Requirements

Education & Experience

High school diploma or equivalent; technical school training preferred
Minimum 7-10 years of hands-on electric motor winding experience
At least 5 years experience with DC armature and field rewinding
Demonstrated experience with large DC machines (1000+ HP)
At least 3-5 years in supervisory or lead position
Comprehensive experience with both random wound and form-wound coils
Background in all AC & DC machines

Technical Expertise

Essential Motor Knowledge:

Expert-level understanding of motor winding principles and theory
Ability to wind all motor types: three-phase, wound rotor, DC, synchronous
Proficiency in calculating winding data from first principles
Understanding of winding connections (wye, delta, series, parallel, consequent pole)
Knowledge of insulation systems and classes (A, B, F, H)

Winding Techniques:

Hand coil winding and machine winding
Concentric and lap winding patterns
Form-wound coil construction and insertion
Specialty windings (multi-speed, dual voltage, part winding start)
Coil lacing, taping, and tying techniques

DC Machine Expertise (Critical):

Armature Rewinding:

Lap and wave winding patterns and connections
Bar winding for large armatures
Diamond coil construction and installation
Equalizer connection design and installation
Proper commutator riser preparation and high-temperature soldering techniques
Armature slot insulation and groundwall requirements
Steel and fiberglass banding procedures for high-speed applications
Dynamic balancing requirements and correction methods
Shaft straightening and runout tolerances

Field Frame Knowledge:

Series, shunt, compound, and separately excited field designs
Interpole (commutating pole) winding calculations and connections
Compensating winding design and installation
Pole shoe removal and reinstallation procedures
Field coil form design and winding techniques
Proper insulation between pole and frame
Field flash testing procedures
Understanding of field weakening and field strengthening
Troubleshooting open or shorted field coils

DC Machine Theory:

Understanding of commutation and neutral plane
Armature reaction and its effects
Brush selection and grade recommendations
Speed control methods (armature voltage, field control)
Forward and reverse rotation connections
DC motor types (permanent magnet, series, shunt, compound)
Generator vs. motor operation

Testing & Troubleshooting:

Interpretation of test results (resistance, hi-pot, surge)

DC-specific testing:

Bar-to-bar and segment-to-segment testing
Growler testing for shorted armature coils
Field coil polarity verification
No-load and load testing procedures
Commutator drop testing
Diagnosis of winding failures
Understanding of phase balance and voltage drop testing

Skills & Competencies:

Strong leadership and team-building abilities
Excellent technical problem-solving skills
Ability to read and create electrical diagrams and technical drawings
Strong attention to detail and quality focus
Effective communication skills with technical and non-technical personnel
Ability to train and develop less experienced winders
Basic computer skills for documentation and winding software
Mathematical aptitude for winding calculations
Manual dexterity and good hand-eye coordination
Ability to mentor technicians in advanced DC machine techniques
Understanding of proper rigging and heavy lifting procedures

Preferred Qualifications:

EASA (Electrical Apparatus Service Association) certification or training
EASA Level III DC Armature and Field certification
Associate's degree in Electrical Technology or related field
Knowledge of variable frequency drive (VFD) compatible windings
Experience with traction motors (rail, crane, mining applications)
Familiarity with explosion-proof AC & DC motors for hazardous locations
Familiarity with predictive maintenance and motor failure analysis
Previous experience in ISO 9001 certified facility
Supervisory training or certification

Physical Requirements:

Ability to stand for extended periods (6-8 hours)
Manual dexterity for intricate coil work
Ability to lift and maneuver motor components up to 50 lbs regularly
Comfortable working with large, heavy armatures and field frames (overhead crane operation)
Good vision (with correction) for detailed work and inspection
Comfortable working with hand tools and power tools
Ability to work in elevated temperatures near curing ovens
Tolerance for exposure to varnish fumes and chemical odors (with proper ventilation/PPE)
Ability to work in confined spaces when installing field coils

Our Benefits!

#1 CULTURE!!!
Fun, Family-Oriented Work Environment!
Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits that begin on your 1st day of work!
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
Company Paid Life, Dependent Life, Short- & Long-Term Disability Insurance
10 Paid Holidays per year
Vacation & Personal Time
Employer HSA Contribution
Company Paid Bereavement Time
Company Paid Maternity and Paternity Leave

Are you an underappreciated, hard worker? Come see why AHP was voted a Nationally Certified "Great Place to Work"!

AHP is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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