Starting a new job always comes with its share of surprises.
There’s the excitement of stepping into a new role and the uncertainty of navigating unfamiliar territory. It’s a mix of anticipation and anxiety, as you adapt to new environments, meet new colleagues, and learn the ropes of a new industry.
I made the transition from the familiar world of copywriting into the field of hydraulic presses and advanced manufacturing in January, and to be honest, it was a complete and total leap into the unknown.
Going into the job, I didn’t have the slightest clue what to expect. I was just praying on day one that I’d remember everyone’s names by lunch. (Spoiler Alert: I did not.)
Indeed, large industrial hydraulic presses were as foreign to me as quantum physics.
Now, I was honest during my interview about knowing next to nothing about presses. A heated platen press? That’s a fancy sandwich maker, right?
I’m kidding. Kind of.
Stepping into the Unknown
I’ve been on the job since the start of the year, but I haven’t had the opportunity to tour the head office and the main facilities in Toronto, where the presses for North America are made. I usually spend my days at the Kingston office, the automation division. Every day, I’m surrounded by incredibly smart engineers, making me feel like the kid who stumbled into an advanced calculus class by mistake. Their brilliance and expertise are both awe-inspiring and admittedly, a bit intimidating. Yet, their passion is contagious, and I find myself constantly learning and growing, trying to keep up.
I’ve become familiar with what presses are, what they do, and how they shape everything we use daily, from car parts and large batteries to household appliances, parts for airplanes and rockets and literally even the kitchen sink. I’ve seen countless photos, watched videos, and read whitepapers. So, I thought I had a decent handle on them and their capabilities.
But stepping into Macrodyne’s Toronto plant number one for the first time was a whole different experience. I felt a little like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. Coming from publishing, where my biggest tools were words, I suddenly found myself amidst towering hydraulic presses. It was a humbling, awe-inspiring experience that made me realize I’d truly entered a completely new world.
The machines loomed over me like skyscrapers, each a colossal testament to human engineering. It felt like standing in the shadow of giants, their sheer size and power leaving me both awestruck and slightly intimidated. As I took it all in, my wider-than-wide eyes gave me away as someone who didn’t have the faintest clue what was happening as the press did its thing.
As I toured through the plant, the sheer scale of operations started to sink in. These presses aren’t just big. They’re huge. They can exert pressure in the range of thousands of tons.
My supervisor took me to a press currently being built and pointed to some metal plates. When he casually mentioned that each one costs around $60,000, I nearly choked on my coffee.
But then he explained how these plates are made out of highly specialized material, which can be heated to 950 degrees Celsius. That’s as hot as molten lava.
It’s not just the scale that’s impressive, but the flexibility and autonomy it brings to the manufacturing process. It includes four 10,000-ton hydraulic presses designed for forging and swaging.
The hydraulic system is a powerhouse, with four high-power pump motor groups totalling 1,600 HP and delivering a combined flow of 625 gallons per minute of hydraulic oil at 7,250 PSI.
Pretty impressive stuff, right?
But I digress.
When I first saw the electrical panel for this press, I was bewildered by the sheer number of wires, switches, and components packed into this vital section. Hundreds of them.
And to think I still haven’t figured out which switch controls my kitchen lights.
By the end of the tour, I was in awe of the scale and sophistication of Macrodyne’s operations. It’s a world away from my writing days, but I’m excited to dive deeper and learn more.
Each day brings new insights and challenges, making every moment an opportunity for growth and discovery. From mastering the technical jargon to understanding the complex processes behind each press, there’s always going to be something new to learn.
I’ll be documenting my journey and sharing my experiences in this new series.
So, whether you’re an industry veteran, just curious about hydraulic presses, or enjoy watching a total newbie figure out the difference between a 30,000-ton press and a panini maker, I hope my perspective will provide some entertainment and maybe even a bit of insight.
Stay tuned for more.
