Achieving Trantorque Quality Requires A ‘Rock-Solid’ Process

by Product Supervisor Lee Pfoutz and Operator Eric Husted

How do you maintain and even improve quality over several decades, as product uses, technologies and equipment change?

That’s been the challenge for the Fenner Drives’ department manufacturing the Trantorque single-nut keyless locking device. It is a group faced with the unenviable task of delivering the highest standards to a constantly changing marketplace.

The key, says Trantorque Production Supervisor Lee Pfoutz, is to have a process and be 100% committed to it.

Rock-Solid Process

Over the years, the company has come up with a “rock-solid process,” says Eric Husted, an equipment operator in the Trantorque manufacturing department. It follows that process for every product, in fact, every order.

“We develop a format and test it in the machine. Then we work out all the bugs. We set it up the way it says on the setup sheet, call up the program, you run the program, and you'll be fine. It should be as good as taking someone off the street with no experience and saying, here, run this part.”

The process is designed to provide the highest quality part possible. It protects both the company and the customer.

Empowering the Team

Lee Pfoutz says the key is empowering his team.

“We trust our folks. We train our folks and empower them to carry out the tasks that they've been trained to do. We say, I think it's a military statement as well.

You always work under your training. And that goes right to safety too. If you're not trained to use a fork truck to load or unload a tractor trailer, you don't do it. You find somebody that has that training that can show you, or you just have them do it for you. So, if you're not trained to set up a machine or to run a machine independently, you don't. You stay connected with your trainer until he or she says you're ready to go. You can work independently following the process.”

The process and its attention to detail not only protect the end user, but also Pfoutz and his fellow employees.

Safety is a Top Priority

“As they say, safety is no accident. So we try to get way out in front of accidents here by identifying any kind of hazard, reporting it and fixing it immediately. Safety is our top priority.”

In fact, Pfoutz begins every report to management by reviewing his worker safety record. He takes pride in his department’s safety record -- more than a decade without a lost-time accident.

Interestingly, quality and safety go hand in hand. They both require incredible focus and attention to detail. And following safety protocols and delivering a Trantorque of the highest quality helps to protect both workers and customers alike. Especially considering some of the mission-critical applications in which Trantorque is used.

“By accepting nothing less than perfection in our shop, we’re not only protecting our people. We’re protecting our customer and their end users as well. We believe our people deserve to work safety and live safely. And we make sure our customers and end users do too. We’re not just shipping a product. We’re delivering safety as well.”


To find out more, visit our Trantorque Keyless Locking Device page. Or, for immediate assistance, call 1-800-243-3374 and ask to speak to customer service or an Application Engineer or complete the contact form.

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