Engineering Competencies

Productionized Parts:                                                          

I took unfinished tibial insert and tray designs for surgical implantation and developed them for our internal production lines, supported by tolerance analysis, engineering drawings and inspection methodology.

Optimum Machining:                                                

Adjusting the part tolerancing scheme to be mid limit on features while not affecting the design functionality in a MMC to allow for a greater bandwidth for the machine operators to machine related features into limit.

Quality Inspection:                                                   

Developed products alongside Quality Engineering ensuring critical features are designed and geometrically toleranced so the shop floor can inspect features using available equipment within relevant process steps.

Technical Support For Sales Team:                                   

Preparation of drawings, template overlays, specification tables for use by the Marketing team and customer communication that aid the Sales team for the new product introduction to market.

Problem Solving:                                                        

Created verification and validation testing strategies for the support of the design to include designing test equipment and targeted customer feedback for the validation of the product during the evaluation period.ion of the product during the evaluation period.deas for root cause analysis and investigations.

Verification & Validation:                                                

Created verification and validation testing strategies for the support of the design to include designing test equipment and targeted customer feedback for the validation of the product during the evaluation period.

• Maintaining Design History file. 
• Project co-ordination. 
• Completed Bio-Mechanics training.

Electro-Mechanical:                                                              

The design of integrated Mechanical solutions with an integrated Electrical and Software solution.

Fault Diagnosis:                                                                  

System analysis, creating State Machines for dynamic systems that depict functional cause and effect and assembly Tolerance build-up scenarios, to determine effect on system function performance to aid in root cause analysis.

Dynamic systems:                                                      

Developed mechanical systems with automated linkages, with special consideration for actuator performance, wear and reliability, as these mechanisms were used in vehicle staring systems with 10+ yrs. life cycles.

Testing:                                                                            

The creation of empirical tests during development and generation of test requirements for final design validation.

CAE Analysis:                                                           

Implementation of CAE analysis tools to aid in the development of Engineering solutions to ensure design can withstand stress loads, by way of material selection, cross sectional area local feature stiffening and fixing strategy.

DFMEA:                                                                              

The creation and implementation of DFMEA’s.  To include boundary diagrams, failure modes and counter measures.  Cascading specific control measures to be implemented in Goods-In, Inspection, Supply chain and Production. 

Mass Production:                                                         

Developed products that were released in the thousands for automotive mass production. 

Technical Reports:                                                                   

Full design traceability in the form of reports that log the development of the design in detailed technical documents that enable investigation and audit of the NPI development process and principle of the design solution.

Patent:                                                                        

Developed a design solution that warranted a Patent for the Mechanical Mechanisms department.  In order to have this submitted, it was necessary I work closely with the Patent Engineer to amend and edit the document sent to the UKIPO.

NPI Process:                                                                   

Introduced a methodology of NPI processes to the company and responsible for teaching this process to the wider team, this included: Requirement specs, technical report writing, Empirical and Analytical approaches to development. 

Project Lead:                                                                          

Sole responsibility for delivering the correct technical solution for the project.  I Ensure supporting Engineers I am responsible for, deliver their work to the required standard, by providing technical support and coordination of their tasks.

Project Management:                                                      

Coordinated activities across departments to include Inspection, Purchasing, Engineering resource, Prototype pre-production build part fabrication, while giving senior management visibility, to meet deliverables.

Mentoring:                                                                               

As the company is a large recruiter of graduate Engineers, this meant as a Lead I was regularly in the position of mentoring the younger Engineers and being a source of information and guidance

Performance Enhancement:                                                

By changing the mechanical design alone I improved the performance of the optics in the system by 300% reducing the level of noise seen and increasing the resolution, improving sensitivity of the entire system.

Optical Design:                                                                       

As the product has strong optical bios my knowledge of mounting optics gained as an Optical Mechanical Engineer I was utilized to aid in the development of the optical circuit.  

Thermal Management:                                                     

Thermal analysis for Heatsink design and thermal management within the instrument.  FMEA software (Cosmos) was used to understand the internal and external heat flow dynamics and heat dissipation.

Overseeing Engineering Solutions:                                   

Looking at technical problems given to other engineers on the project and providing technical guidance and assistance.

CE / FDA Certification:                                                     

Was the lead engineer on the design of a medical instrument for the detection of infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile that required CE and FDA certification.

Prototype Validation:                                                 

Formulated and setup initial test procedures and specifications to evaluate wither the development prototype meets requirements, prior to undergoing official more costly certification tests.

Manufacturing Build:                                                      

Training of staff in the creation of Operation Layouts and assembly build. To include coordinating a small team of production staff to build prototype units.

Production Support:                                                         

Due to lack of resource I was made responsible for new development builds. To include designing build flow diagrams, build process procedures, build area layout and optimizing the build process by designing jigs & fixtures.

Concept Development:                                                   

Working from the system requirement spec. I put together a Mechanical requirement spec.  Then I start from a ‘blank sheet’ to develop several concepts and development designs to be presented to customer for evaluation. 

Coordinating Sub Contractors:                                                 

As lead engineer on the project, I was responsible for directing sub-contractors and other mechanical design engineer’s workload and technical efforts.

Coordinating Department Tasks:                                  

Frequently given overall responsibility for the completion of time critical tasks and required to produce a detailed plan, for not only the mechanical tasks but also other related departments.

Micro Design:                                                                         

A sound understanding of Geometrical tolerance, manufacturing limitations and tolerance build-up within the assembly were required to develop components in the range of 300μm and wall thicknesses from 50μm. 

Existing Products:                                                            

Provided support for existing products, diagnosing problems and providing mechanical solutions.

Engineering Lead:                                                             

Worked on products where I was solely responsible for the mechanical development on the project.  

FMEA:                                                                           

Utilized stress analysis software to aid me in the design of parts.  One example required the identification of failure due to stress whilst ensuring the Load exerted on the part does not exceed the Yield strength of the material, deforming its shape. 

Seal Enclosures:                                                          

Designed products to an IP rating of 67 (no ingress of dust and 1 meter immersion into water).

EMP Protection:                                                           

Designed enclosures to protect the instrument in the event of an EMP pulse from a nuclear explosion.

Product Certification:                                                                      

Outlined the test standards for the official validation of EMC and Environmental certification.

Military Standards:                                                         

Designed products for UK and US Military, so familiar with MOD and DOD defense Mil-Spec standards.

Requirement Spec.:                                                              

With each project I gather information, challenging the client’s rationale to gain a fuller understanding of the features needed in order to produce a mechanical requirement specification before design work will commence.  

Fabrication:                                                                

Designed production parts using various materials, so had to be versed in Sheet metal, Plastics, machined parts and rapid prototype design.

Molded Chassis:                                                               

Designed plastic molded chassis for an Injection Mold.  Designing with due consideration to sink marks, structural stability, warpage and tool shut off positions.  

Machinist:                                                                      

Utilizing In-house Lath and Bridgeport Milling machines to make parts to aid me in prototype design and test.

Technical Data Pack:                                                          

The creation of technical engineering drawing for the production department.  This included OP layouts (step by step assembly instructions) for the production staff.  Fully detailed assembly drawings and Inspection sheets.  

Document Management:                                                             

I was a key member in the development of a manual and semi-automatic document management system that encompassed change control, tracking project related data, 3D Cad data and best working practices.

Concept To Production:                                                               

I worked on several products that started off as a basic customer requirement. I would then turn that requirement into an actual working prototype then into a production unit.

New Ideas:                                                                       

Quickly understanding the scientific principles and difficulties behind what we are trying to achieve.  This enabled me to participate and find potential hardware solutions, design avenues and project directions to reach our goals.

Communicate Ideas:                                                                 

A skill I utilize at the early development feasibility stage is the ability to produce quick concept and development sketches to convey my mechanical arrangements and solutions to engineering problems.

Time Management:                                                               

With each project I put together a comprehensive project plan of my tasks with durations and milestones.  I then incorporate this into the overall project plan giving realistic timescales for completed mechanical tasks.

Project Resourcing:                                                                  

Was responsible for putting together a budgetary cost, looking at internal engineering resource and sub-contractor resource.  Along with project costs for prototype parts and testing.

CAD Support:                                                                           

I acted as the first point of support for the engineers for all CAD related issues from software configuration, modeling techniques (Solid, in context and surface modeling) and giving data management support to the drawing office.

Electronics Support:                                                                 

I worked closely with the electronics team on several projects. Incorporating variables such as operating temperature of devices, component selection, board population and layout design.

FMEA:                                                                              

Critical in aiding me in the design of the optical bench and optical mounts. Demonstrating the thermal stresses on the bench from the heat generated by electronics and its corresponding effect on alignment of the mounted optics.

EMC Certification:                                                                

Some of the design issues I had to overcome were meeting the EMC specifications (300MHZ) that complied with the EMC Directive 89/336/EEC and CE certification. 

Rapid Prototyping:                                                               

I was responsible for material selection and manufacturing processes used to create my working prototypes.  Various techniques were used such as:                                              

SLS - SLA - Thermojet Modelling - Vacuum Casting - Injection Molding - Silicone and Aluminium tooling (RIM).

Manufacturer Visits:                                                               

I made frequent onsite visits to manufactures, overseeing the design of the parts and working very closely with them to understand their limitations and processes to ensure a more manufacturable design.

Assembly & Part Drawing:                                                              

My duties included detailing all aspects of the assembly process, including bonding instructions, masking details and paint specifications, exploded assembly drawings, BOMs and Geometrically tolerance part drawings.

Product Support:                                                                            

I would liaise with the Tech. Support Department to gain a greater understanding of their responsibilities to aid me in the Creation of jigs, instruments and alignment tools that was not thought of during the initial design phase. 

Training Production Staff:                                                      

I trained the production department in the assembly of the product, answering any design queries, going through the validation process in detail and if necessary, setting up test procedures.

Aesthetic Design:                                                                     

I worked with marketing department to develop a balanced functional and aesthetic design, presenting concepts for the stylized identity of the product while using CAD to show space limitations effected by chassis profile design.

Marketing Support:                                                        

Creation of marketing literature for journals. Creation of 3D photorealistic images using; SolidWorks Renderer and Adobe Photoshop. I also created animation sequences to illustrate the assembly and main components.  

• SIRA Optics Course: I successfully completed Opto-Mechanical Design course and applied acquired knowledge to the company projects such as Kinematic Design to overcome instability issues.

Project Leader: 

Provided the development team with Leadership and technical direction, to include providing technical support to the less experienced members of the team.

Experiments: 

Analytical and Empirical approach to problem solving, designing and carrying out experiments and design calculations to predict, measure and validate instrument performance with respect to mechanical and thermal parameters.

Kinematic Design: 

Utilized good practice kinematic optical mounting principles in order to satisfy design criteria.  

Product Life: 

As the product life was 10 years my design solutions were engineered to have a high focus on durability, reliability and easy serviceability. Including considerations such as material selection, coatings and Wear.

Production Issues: 

Working with tech. specialists to solve production issues related to mechanical performance. 

Product Design: 

I created the overall product concept, which determines how the customer interacts with the product.

Concept: 

Generation of multiple concepts to choose from that satisfy Marketing, Engineering and Project requirements.

6 Sigma Tools: 

I gained acceptance for my designs using selection of 6 sigma techniques such as Evaluation Matrixes, Priority Weightings, Feedback collation, delivered in succinct presentations to the wider team to include 12 department heads

Stabilizing Optics: 

Design and tested Stable camera module for the Total Station, Improving the stability of the mounting for the Beamspliter while conducting empirical development work in order to improve the performance of the assembly. 

Sealing Design: 

One of the projects required the designing of the door closing mechanism and door release button for the instrument. Ensuring door sealing is sufficient to withstand an IP65 rating, while maintaining a minimal closure force. 

DFM (Design For Manufacture): 

With well-established production lines in place, my new designs were constrained to existing off-site and in-house assembly line production processes, tools, infrastructure, and skill set.

High Volume Production: 

As the product is produced in the thousands, alongside other design considerations, I was required to design with component and mechanism reliability, manufacturability and low component cost as a priority.

Injection Molding: 

Worked together with the tooling manufacturers, ensuring features meet my functional requirements while adhering to minimum wall thicknesses, optical surfaces and tool shut off positions while ensuring simplified tool design. 

Concept Feasibility: 

I made analytical calculations in order to look at the feasibility of different design concepts and sealing designs to ensure the closure force is within allowable levels while meeting the IP rating prior to prototype creation.

• Lead Engineer.
• Coordinating tasks. 
• Concept to production. 
• New ideas. 
• Molded chassis. 
• Aesthetic design.

• SolidWorks. 
• NX.
• Catia V5. 
• SolidEdge.  
• AutoCAD.
• Pro-Engineer.
• Mechanical Desktop.