Struggling on a Roland 900

Hi
I'm new to the forum and hope I'm posting in the correct place.
I've joined this forum in the hope I can get some advice as really struggling in my job at the moment.
I started a job last year as a carton printer working on Roland 900s having worked on Komori for the previous 9 years. It's my dream job working for a massive company with good rates of pay.
Problem is, I'm having a tough time. My quality is good but for the first time, I have two no2s to organise ( I've always worked alone or with another no1) and being quite quiet I'm finding it hard to boss them about when they aren't doing there jobs. Instead I find myself covering up for them by doing it for them which is slowing my production down ( all our run speeds, downtime etc is analysed).
My other problem is I'm on a 20 year old press which is falling apart. Every day something goes down which in turn slows me down as I'm no expert on Roland's and how to get around the problems.
Well everything has come to a head and I've been told I have 6 weeks to improve and ultimately save my job.
4 weeks with an experienced no1 and then I'm on my own for 2 weeks with my crew.

I joined as a print operator initially. Within a month I stepped up to run the press. Very few no2s want to run the press due to the pressure but I was willing to put my neck on the block. I wanted to progress at the company and rather than being comfortable as a no2 I hoped to learn on the job as I was confident in my abilities.
Now my eagerness seems to have backfired. Maybe I should have learnt off an experienced no1 rather than experienced no2s who don't want to be there and who don't care about my production figures. If these next 6 weeks don't go to plan I will be fired. I don't get to go back to being a no2 and then get another chance further down the line. I'm out the door. With children and a massive mortgage I will potentially lose everything. I'm worried sick.
Has anyone gone through this? How can I turn this situation around? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

Hmm never been in a situation like yours, but if I were in your place,
a) I would talk to my crew over beers explaining my precarious situation and ask them at which station they feel at their top best
b) Scour the net for info on roland 900 and other older/newer models -pdfs, manuals,videos-, consult and read thoroughly the operators manual
c) Ask around other operators or technicians for this particular model
d) Talk to management and reason with them -doubtful they will- for repairs/maintenance

 

Spend your remaining time looking for another job thats within you abilities. With any luck you will find another job before the hammer falls, and you will look back at this as a learning experience. The tipoff should have been the other employees that were there before you came, had no interest in stepping up.
Here is a lesson that I have learned the hard way. It may not save this job for you, but it could prevent you from making a similar mistake in the future. During the interview processs its important for me to know why the guy Im replacing is no longer on the job. While your potential employer is checking YOUR references, you should be checking THEIR references. If at all possible before you accept any new job, try if at all possible to talk to a few current employees. It may cost you a couple of rounds of drinks at the local watering hole, but the info you can get can be very valuable to your decision making process.