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Training Hour
Hands-on training for South African workshops, with practical machine operation, software basics and day-to-day cutting habits that stick.
What Training Hour looks like on a working week
Training Hour is practical machine training for operators and supervisors on your workshop floor. We cover operation, software basics and everyday cutting habits that matter when the router, mill or plasma table is running for real jobs.
Tell us which router, mill or plasma table needs attention, what material is being cut, and which operator task is causing trouble. Feed rates, spindle speed, torch height, workholding and dust or fume extraction can all change what we cover. Conditions differ between inland workshops and coastal sites, so rust, dust build-up and power interruptions should be mentioned from the start.
A few clear setup photos help us focus the session on the actual machine, tooling and control layout in use. Include the bed, spindle or torch area, extraction, compressor if relevant, and the tooling at hand. That makes it easier to address zeroing, safe starts, cut quality and the checks needed before the first sheet or plate goes on.
Skills covered at the machine
After the session, the operator should have a written start-up order, basic feed and speed notes, and a short routine for checking hold-down, datum and first-cut accuracy. Supervisors can use the same notes to spot where mistakes happen, whether that is tool length entry, torch height setting or poor nesting choices. The aim is fewer avoidable interruptions on MDF, aluminium, steel and plastics.
If you send details through the contact form, include the machine model, the control software in use and the main gap to fix during the session. Photos of the router gantry, milling vice, plasma torch or extraction layout are useful when the issue is inconsistent cutting, poor edge finish or repeated setup mistakes. Mention whether the training is for a new operator, a supervisor, or a team handover after staff changes.
- Machine-specific operating routine
- Setup checks before first cut
- Also useful: Machines, Cells, Notes
- Operator and supervisor guidance
Workshop conditions that affect training
Sessions need to fit around production, access times and the way your workshop actually runs during the day. Some teams need help with basic machine confidence, while others need targeted correction on nesting, tool changes, plate setup or torch consumables. If the machine is currently cutting customer work, say where the recurring mistake appears so the training can stay focused.
Coastal air changes cleaning and corrosion checks on rails, electrical enclosures and exposed metal parts. Inland dust affects sensors, cable tracks, vacuum systems and cabinet cleanliness, especially on routers processing MDF. Load-shedding and stop-start production also matter, because operators need a reliable routine for re-homing, reference checks and verifying the first part after power returns.
Operated by Astros Marketing (Pty) Ltd from 2 Makro Place, Sunnyrock 1401.
Details to send before booking
Send the machine model, photos of the setup, the skill gap to cover, timing and where the operator is getting stuck. Keep the subject line clear and factual.
Useful information includes the machine model, control software, material being cut, tooling on hand and the exact step where the operator loses confidence. A short list of recent issues helps, whether that is poor edge finish, broken tools, misaligned origins, dross on plasma cuts or uncertainty in the software. With that context, Training Hour can stay centred on the tasks your team repeats every week.