Eric VanDomelen, Assembler 3 in DENTALEZ Finals
Eric has been with DENTALEZ since the summer of 2014, working on the west coast in our DTE Oregon Forest facility. This is located in Hillsboro, Oregon about 50 miles from the breathtaking and increasingly popular Oregon coastline. Eric is a native Oregonian. He loves outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking and biking with his family.
Eric worked his way through the ranks from Assembler to Assembler III. The Assembler III has advanced understanding of build issues and the ability to troubleshoot issues on the line and provide technical expertise. He also performs higher level functions including outgoing inspection, installation assembly, sales order clarifications, writing work instructions, and more.
Due to his relative previous experience as a tester he was placed in Finals right away which requires stellar attention to detail and the eye to catch anything that doesn’t look right.
What is your role at DENTALEZ?
I am what is known as an “Assembler 3*” in the Finals area at DTE Oregon. I build DENTALEZ products, inspect products as they’re being built, and train new employees on how to build our products.
What roles had you previously held (whether at DENTALEZ or another company) that either made it possible for you to enter your desired field or helped you learn specific things for your position today?
Building products in the finals and components area is so much more advanced than just simple assembly. Analyzation skills are required to look ahead, solving problems in advance before the build begins. For example, the custom parts might not align with the other components, but having to stop the build, tear it apart and wait for the right part is not efficient and can hurt the on time delivery expectations. So you have to think it through in great detail before you start. Another example is being able to identify the right tools needed for the entire job while you’re still in the pre-build stages, so there is no down time during the build while purchasing secures the custom tools for the job.
These skills were honed while I was a Systems Manufacturing Technician at Intel where I performed initial and final test inspections. I also worked as an Electrical/Mechanical Assembler at a local electronics company where I specialized in analyzing and resolving problems – and trained others to do the same.
What do you like most about working in the dental industry?
A lot of people don’t realize how much goes on behind the scenes in dental device and equipment manufacturing. It starts with hiring the right people who care about what they do. We have a department full of employees who really work well together. Watching the custom orders come through from start to finish never ceases to amaze me and knowing how my part of the process fits into the total package gives me a sense of pride.
In addition, the custom upholstery, colors and fabrics the Dentists choose for their office ensembles are stunning.
What’s your favorite aspect of your job?
I like the fact that we produce things that help people maintain their dental health.
And I love watching it all come together and knowing it goes out the door as a well-assembled, high-quality product that dental professionals can count on. I’m really proud of my work, and our work as a team here.
What’s your favorite DENTALEZ product and why?
Definitely the 4486PI Pivot Chair Mounted DRs Unit. The chair not only looks the best, in my opinion, it comes with so many really smart design features built in. I have to think if I were a dentist, this is the chair I would want. They look the best – meaning, they’re aesthetically pleasing. The colors blend well, the theme is a match, and all of the pieces compliment each other based on color and style of upholstery!
