Meet Ricky Loving. He’s been a Woven Metal Products team member for nearly 16 years.
He started out as an entry level helper in our fabrication facility and started working in the quality control (QC) department a short time later. After a stint as a plant foreman, he returned to QC.
Learn more about his career journey and what’s made him stick with the WMP family for almost two decades.
How did you become interested in the fabrication industry?
Believe it or not, I went to college for video game design. I took two years of classes, where I learned all about drafting and design. My situation changed, and I needed to find a job. That’s when I saw WMP was hiring, and I joined as a shop helper.
I had taken shop class in high school, so I was somewhat familiar with metalworking and welding. I really enjoyed those classes, and I even went to welding shows and competitions. So, it was a good fit.
How did you transition from being a shop helper to working in quality control?
Three months into my job as a shop helper, the team learned I could read drawings and understand drafting (thanks to my video game design training). I started helping in the QC department and eventually became a QC inspector.
What’s it like working in quality control?
You have to be able to read drawings and understand the specifications for required materials, types of welds, etc. A lot of the job is measuring finished products and checking that everything was done correctly, including the specific type of welding required. There are hundreds of welding symbols that show the weld type and material / wire to be used that I have to be familiar with and check against the final product.
Are you also a welder?
I do have experience in welding, and I’ve passed my MIG welding test. I’ve also done sub arc welding.
What’s something your teammates may not know about what you do?
There’s a lot of paperwork involved in QC inspection. Each job has different parameters and specifications that we must verify were followed. We provide material test reports (MTRs) for each job, where we document the results of the tests we perform on materials to validate material integrity and reliability. We also include installation guidance and any specific paperwork that the customer needs.
Have you worked in any other departments at WMP?
Yes, after five years in QC, I had the opportunity to help launch a fabrication night shift at WMP as the shop foreman. We started out small with a crew of four team members, and eventually we worked up to a team of over 30. We had a team of helpers, welders, CNC operators and a QC inspector. It was a good experience, and I learned a lot. After a few years, I transitioned back to the QC department, where I still am today as an inspector.
What are some of the top skills you need for working in QC?
Math is number one. Being comfortable with fractions and a measuring tape are top skills.
You also need to be familiar with the industries metal fabrication supports, like oil & gas, chemicals, and more. You need that context to know why the products we’re creating require specific materials and precise fabrication.
Lastly, you need to have good people skills. You need to be able to work with different personalities and work styles to get the job done well.
What are you most excited about for your field?
We’re seeing laser inspection technology on the rise. That type of tech will help QC teams be more efficient, and I’m interested to see that technology improve in the next few years.
What is your best piece of advice to someone starting out in the metal fabrication industry?
Learn how to weld. Use your breaks to practice and get better. Study up on your fractions and reading a measuring tape.
At WMP, we give our team the space and resources to learn and get better. Everybody is here to help you out, and we take care of each other.
Learn more about careers with WMP at https://wovenmetal.com/about/careers/.