Rewind Department Supervisor

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.
• Pending Start Date: December 2026
• 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

11 Paid Holidays per year

Vacation & Personal Time

Employer HSA Contribution

Company Paid Bereavement Time

Company Paid Maternity and Paternity Leave

Gym Reimbursement

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