Vocabulary
Production
Technician
Cadence
Rig
Tons
Downtime
production
Definition
The process of making or creating something, especially in large amounts.
Example Sentence
The factory increased its production.
Example Sentence
New machines made production faster.
technician
Definition
A person trained with special skills to work with machines or equipment.
Example Sentence
Our company hired a new technician.
Example Sentence
If there is a problem, call the technician.
cadence
Definition
The regular pattern of how often something happens.
Example Sentence
The team has a weekly cadence meeting.
Example Sentence
Production follows a daily cadence.
rig
Definition
A set of equipment or a large machine used for a job, often in mining or drilling.
Example Sentence
The workers cleaned the rig.
Example Sentence
Safety on the rig is important.
tons
Definition
A unit of weight; in the U.S., one ton is 2,000 pounds; in other places, it is about 1,000 kilograms.
Example Sentence
The mine produces many tons of rock each week.
Example Sentence
We lifted five tons of dirt today.
downtime
Definition
The time when a machine or system is not working or being used.
Example Sentence
The machine had two hours of downtime.
Example Sentence
Downtime costs the company money.
Vocabulary Practice
Word Bank
Match the word with the correct sentence.
1. We try to reduce __________________ in the factory.
2. The truck can carry ten _____________ .
3. We follow a set ________________ for safety checks.
4. The _______________ is used to drill for minerals.
5. We use special machines for ____________ deep into the ground.
6. New machines made ________________ faster.
The Conversation
Partner Rep: Good morning. How is the North Ridge site this week?
Owner: Good morning. Production is steady. We’re averaging 180 tons per day.
Partner Rep: Nice progress. Are the drill rigs performing well?
Owner: Mostly. Rig 2 shows pressure drops after 6 hours. We scheduled maintenance tonight.
Partner Rep: Do you need spare parts or a technician?
Owner: A seal kit and a visit tomorrow morning would help us avoid downtime.
Partner Rep: Done. I’ll confirm delivery by 5 p.m. How are the labs?
Owner: First batch shows 1.8% grade, slightly above plan. We’ll send 20 more samples today.
Partner Rep: Great. Any safety concerns?
Owner: One near-miss with a loader reversing. We added spotters and refreshed training.
Partner Rep: Good response. What’s the plan for the next two weeks?
Owner: Expand drilling 200 meters east, start access road grading, and install a second pump before rains.
Partner Rep: Weather looks wet next Wednesday. Should we pre-stage materials?
Owner: Yes. Please stage fuel, hose, and blast mats by Tuesday.
Partner Rep: Understood. What reporting cadence works best?
Owner: Daily brief by email, full weekly report every Friday, 2 p.m. call for decisions.
Partner Rep: Agreed. Anything else to keep you on schedule?
Owner: Clear estimated time of arrivals on shipments and 24-hour notice for any delays.
Partner Rep: We’ll do that. I’ll send an updated logistics plan in one hour.
Owner: Thanks. I’ll share the new chart by end of day.
Owner: Good morning. Production is steady. We’re averaging 180 tons per day.
Partner Rep: Nice progress. Are the drill rigs performing well?
Owner: Mostly. Rig 2 shows pressure drops after 6 hours. We scheduled maintenance tonight.
Partner Rep: Do you need spare parts or a technician?
Owner: A seal kit and a visit tomorrow morning would help us avoid downtime.
Partner Rep: Done. I’ll confirm delivery by 5 p.m. How are the labs?
Owner: First batch shows 1.8% grade, slightly above plan. We’ll send 20 more samples today.
Partner Rep: Great. Any safety concerns?
Owner: One near-miss with a loader reversing. We added spotters and refreshed training.
Partner Rep: Good response. What’s the plan for the next two weeks?
Owner: Expand drilling 200 meters east, start access road grading, and install a second pump before rains.
Partner Rep: Weather looks wet next Wednesday. Should we pre-stage materials?
Owner: Yes. Please stage fuel, hose, and blast mats by Tuesday.
Partner Rep: Understood. What reporting cadence works best?
Owner: Daily brief by email, full weekly report every Friday, 2 p.m. call for decisions.
Partner Rep: Agreed. Anything else to keep you on schedule?
Owner: Clear estimated time of arrivals on shipments and 24-hour notice for any delays.
Partner Rep: We’ll do that. I’ll send an updated logistics plan in one hour.
Owner: Thanks. I’ll share the new chart by end of day.
Discussion Questions
How is production measured at your site, and what is a typical daily output?
What problems can occur with drill rigs during operation? How are these problems usually solved?
Why is it important to schedule regular maintenance for equipment?
When do you need a technician to visit, and what kinds of parts are often replaced?
What steps do you take when there is downtime or a machine is not working?
How do you monitor product quality or grade in the mining process?
What is a “near-miss,” and how can safety training help prevent accidents?
How do you plan work when you know bad weather is coming?
What materials or supplies need to be ready before a big project starts?
What kind of communication and reporting works best for your team, and why?
What problems can occur with drill rigs during operation? How are these problems usually solved?
Why is it important to schedule regular maintenance for equipment?
When do you need a technician to visit, and what kinds of parts are often replaced?
What steps do you take when there is downtime or a machine is not working?
How do you monitor product quality or grade in the mining process?
What is a “near-miss,” and how can safety training help prevent accidents?
How do you plan work when you know bad weather is coming?
What materials or supplies need to be ready before a big project starts?
What kind of communication and reporting works best for your team, and why?
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