A Visit From Safety Nick

We do not use AI-generated images on Control.com, but you’ll agree that just this once, we couldn’t capture the moment with our own cameras. Image used courtesy of Adobe Stock

 

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when on the shop floor

No motion from robots, nor enclosure door;

 

The tools were all set on the shadow board hangers,

In keeping LEAN standards all set by the managers;

 

The maintenance staff were all snug in their beds;

While visions of PTO danced in their heads;

 

With my cocoa, and the holiday shutdown before me,

Had just sat in my chair fearing no calls to disturb me.

 

When from the machine bay alert text arose such a clatter,

I opened my VPN to see what was the matter.

 

Away to the remote server I logged in like a flash,

Clicked up camera view 2 to see the short-term memory cache.

 

The camera light on the t-slot of the new-installed bay,

Gave a high-contrast luster and slight blur in the way,

 

When what to my auto-focus adjustments did appear,

But a pressed down e-stop button and installed LOTO gear,

 

With a little old operator so lively and quick,

I thought in that moment he must be Saint Nick.

 

More last-minute toys he needed to assemble,

And he typed, and he programmed, and taught points all quite nimble:

 

"Now, joint move! now, linear! now one little arc!

On, gripper! on, suction! on, vision calibrate mark!

 

To the conveyor! to pick the fasteners and parts!

Now navigate back! Unload the machines to the carts!"

 

As chips that before the 5-axis lathes fly,

The new toys went off to finish, paint, and then dry;

 

So up to the sanding and paint booths they flew

The conveyor of toys, and the toy-maker too—

 

And then, in a twinkling, I panned over the camera

To see the finishing touch from each grind and each hammer.

 

As I picked up my phone, and was calling for safety,

I saw him reach down to his pocket to silence me.

 

He had full PPE, dressed from foot up to eye,

And I recognized then Safety Nick, our own guy!

 

A bundle of toys he finished with sequin and jingle,

I couldn’t believe he was freelancing for Kringle.

 

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!

His disregard for OSHA was really quite scary!

 

His focused expression as I watched him make toys,

I wondered if his clipboard and bright vest were ploys;

 

As every day he was critical of our ops plan detail,

But now, here he was, treating our capex investments like retail;

 

His hands seemed to know every tool and controller.

As I watched, the toy bag became fuller and fuller.

 

He was cranking out products at a right jolly old tempo,

And I respected his work ethic, in spite of his ego;

 

A wink of his eye he gave to the fisheye lens bubble

Told me our secret was safe and there wouldn’t be trouble;

 

He spoke not a word, but soon finished his quota,

And when he was done he reset the controls back to Auto,

 

He sprang to his car, pushed his key fob to unlock it,

And put in the toys, checking his inventory docket.

 

And with his gloved hand giving his hard hat a knock,

And returning once more, he undid the LOTO hasp lock;

 

But I heard him exclaim, ere he badged out with his gear—

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a safe year!”

 

Merry Christmas from all your friends here at Control.com!