Recent Accomplishments

• Assumed Responsibilities of Quality Engineer

Paul supplied Quality Department expertise to fill in a customers requirement for additional Quality Engineering staff. Due to increase job launch activities and job vacancies the customer needed additional staff. The duties of this 14 month contract included:

• Handling Customer Quality Concerns
• Submitting and following PPAP requirements
• Handling Internal Quality Concerns
• Completing Corrective Action Reports
• Issuing Internal Quality Alerts

• Creation of an Excel® Spreadsheet based Downtime Reporting System

Paul was able to create a downtime reporting system for a customer to input, analyze, and report machine and employee downtime. This system allowed the customer to collect and report downtime in a more accurate and graphical manner to assist in reducing downtime and inefficiencies.

• Creation of an Excel® Spreadsheet based Key Measures System

Paul was able to automate an customers existing Key Measures Reporting system. The existing system required MUCH Excel® entry and formatting to create colored data tables. Quality representatives would spend approximately 3 days inputting, arranging, and formatting data. The automated system allowed the user to enter the data into a single spreadsheet, and the macro would place the data in the proper spreadsheets, format the data, compare it to goals, set background colors (red, yellow, green), and rearrange the data in three separate required formats. The time required to complete dropped from 3 days to approximately 15 minutes.

• Enhancement of an Excel® Spreadsheet based Production Reporting System

Paul greatly enhanced an Excel®-based system that a customer had in place to report production completion numbers and quality measurables. This enhancement (using Visual Basic Macro programming) allowed each department to maintain ownership over their own data, but allowed that data to be effortlessly gathered together into one report. A summary trend graph was also created that allows the user to select which product line, measurable, and time period to graph. A macro was also supplied that automatically creates individual graphs for the all sixteen (16) product lines for all three (3) measurables for the previous ten (10) calendar days.

• Implementation of Touch Probes in a CNC Lathe to Improve Quality

Paul supplied engineering and quality expertise in the implementation of a cost savings / quality improvement project. This operation had a requirement to hold a tight tolerance to a feature machined in a previous operation. Renishaw touch probes were added to the CNC lathe to measure the feature and adjust the machine work coordinate system to that feature. Tasks included:

• Designing appropriate tooling to hold the Touch Probes
• Coordinate with the Maintenance Department to make required Machine Modifications
• Write and Debug new CNC programs for the Lathes
• Evaluate new Quality Levels and Verify Functionality of Lathe
• Updating of Required Production and Quality Documentation

• Finishing the launch activities of a new production line

Paul supplied engineering expertise in finishing the production approval process and launch of a manufacturing line. Due to several engineers having left the company, the launch activities were behind schedule and not well managed. Tasks included:

• Required Tooling that had not been Designed and Purchased
• Correcting CNC programs for Part Geometry and reducing Cycle Time as much as 75%
• Re-arranging the Manufacturing Layout for Adequate Part Flow and Buffering
• Training Operators on the use of New Equipment
• Scheduling required Operators and Maintenance Support
• Updating of Required Production and Quality Documentation

The above was accomplished, along with meeting the requirements for sample submission, pre-production trial runs, and production intent prototype part delivery.

• Starting the launch phase of a new Production / Assembly Line

Paul supplied engineering expertise in the development of a capital appropriation request and in the subsequent launch process for a state of the machining and assembly line. Assistance included:

• Working with Product Designers to insure that the Part and Assembly could be Manufactured
• Creation of Preliminary Process and Quality Documentation
• Receiving, Evaluating and Approving Equipment Builder Quotations
• Creation and Submission of Funding Approval Paperwork
• Maintaining Launch Timing Charts
• Raw Material (castings) Print and Tolerance Approvals
• Creation of Process Simulation Models to Verify Process Assumptions

• Being part of a Multifunctional Continuous Improvement Team

Paul supplied engineering expertise through the participation of a continuous improvement team working to improve a flexible production system. The system included multiple versions of different components, being assembled into 17 different assemblies. Assistance included:

• Completion of Time Studies
• Data Collection and Interpretation to Determine Before and After Quality Levels
• Creation, Refining, and Approval of Various Floor Plan Scenarios to Improve Production Flow
• Scheduling Equipment moves to Minimize the Impact on Production Levels
• Purchasing New Material Handling

It was determined that by rebuilding several non-utilized pieces of equipment, and moving the existing equipment, that two dedicated high volume lines and one low volume service line could be implemented. This drastically reduced the amount and effects of downtime due to changeovers.