United States
Solve customer production challenges by designing highly customized and unique conveyor systems and automation equipment for the food industry. Inventor of industry leading designs including a Frozen Block Separation System that was granted a United States patent. Support sales group by reviewing applications and proposing new designs and technologies that can be utilized to promote growth and expansion of product lines. Collaborate across all levels and departments on designs to ensure product launch success.
Managed day-to-day activities for a group of ten engineers and designers while providing overall direction for the Conveyor Engineering department. Worked collaboratively with sales to define engineering requirements to ensure customer expectations were consistently exceeded. Interviewed, hired, and trained engineering personnel to ensure department was staffed with the appropriate resources. Drove product innovation by managing research and development projects that involved many departments throughout the organization.
Maintained and updated a project tracking list for the Ground Support Equipment (GSE) Engineering department to ensure that projects were prioritized appropriately. Worked cooperatively with other engineering departments to define and develop drafting standards to align all engineering drawings. Reviewed all engineering drawings for accuracy, completeness, and adherence to company standards. Sole inventor of a unique and innovative roller brake design for cargo dollies and roller conveyors that was granted a United States patent. Accurately translated drawing packages from standard to metric to allow for overseas fabrication of standard products.
Directed the designing, purchasing, and production of all belly dump and side dump trailers for the R-Way brand of trailers. Reduced production hours for standard trailers by 20 percent through researching and implementing new designs, materials, and production processes. Increased margins on specialty trailers by over 90 percent by producing complete design packages within short timelines. Utilized FEA software to conduct stress analysis on trailer frames to reduce prototyping and testing costs. Reacted to fabrication and production issues instantaneously by formulating and implementing problem resolutions to ensure projects stayed on schedule and under budget.
Displayed creativity by designing unique and proprietary aluminum extrusions that reduced material costs while simultaneously increasing production efficiency. Developed tooling and fabrication methods that increased production rates 400 percent for several high volume parts. Initiated and implemented drawing standards so that all CAD users produced drawings that followed the same format. Provided cost estimates to management in a timely manner to facilitate the quoting of large scale projects. Facilitated meetings with a Fortune 1000 company which resulted in increased quality, decreased rejections, and shorter lead times for an entire line of aluminum vehicle frames.
Exhibited mechanical aptitude and attention to detail by designing high quality corrugate packaging machinery. Strengthened communication and interpersonal skills by providing design support throughout the manufacturing, assembly, and testing processes. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously by prioritizing work consistent with company goals. Created and delivered detailed drawings of fabricated components, modified parts, and assemblies on time or ahead of schedule 100 percent of the time. Constantly worked towards continuous improvement by proposing design standards that were adopted company-wide.