James Farral Class of 1969

One week after graduation I was at Navy boot camp and spent 4 years of active duty with 2 war cruises to Vietnam on the aircraft carrier USS Midway CVA-41 working in Operational Intelligence with a top secret crypto clearance. Very nerve racking but also exciting. Became a CNC applications and Manufacturing Engineer for several major US and international companies and have been in industry for over 40 years. I own my own Engineering consulting company as well as work for Toyota Engineering as a Sr. Manufacturing Engineer utilizing my experience to train young engineers in the programming, operation and setup of sophisticated CNC equipment and have developed and instituted 6 detailed curriculum's thus far.

We were all trained in trailers at that time and most of the students lived in trailers set up as dorms. I lived at home in Erie, Il. and commuted. At that time we could take either morning or afternoon classes. I chose mornings and worked the afternoons at a grain dryer sales office designing grain drying installations. The Erie Coop grain drying facility is my design

I have worked on the HARM missile nose cone, the Parker Pen T-Ball jotter barrel and pocket clip, hip replacements, dental implants, Harley Davidson components from the brake systems to engine and transmission components, The AR-15 bolt and a myriad of automobile engine and transmission components. I have trained over 4500 people in CNC operations, lean manufacturing processes and GD&T principles.

My current position is with the Learning and Development group of Toyota Engineering where I have developed training curriculum's, training manuals and hands on class room training in CNC programming, operation and setup of sophisticated CNC equipment. I am using my 40 years of manufacturing experience as an engineer and engineering consultant to train newly graduated Toyota Engineers how to be manufacturing engineers in the automotive environment.