Summary:
Assumes manufacturing engineer responsibilities, based on demonstrated performance and experience. Responsible for successfully coordinating project work and problem solving activities as they relate to present or new manufacturing processes and products. Must be familiar with all phases of planning and costing, but is primarily concerned with robotics, tooling and fabrication, finishing, assembly, machine design, etc. Primary responsibility is to support and facilitate manufacturing/processing operations while accommodating changing products and manufacturing technology.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Responsible for providing direct engineering support and interface to customers, internal operations team, suppliers, contractors and product engineering organization. Specially focused on the following processes:
- Injection Molding
- Metal Frame Welding / Tube Bending
- Foam processing
- Headliner manufacturing
- Door Panel assembly
- Overhead Console assembly
- Develops, implements and supports on-going production processes, methods, tools, equipment, and controls for the manufacture of products and components consistent with obtaining and maintaining design integrity, optimum costs, quality, inventories, and investment in facilities.
- Provides leadership and sets direction for a small team of manufacturing engineers, processing technicians and maintenance personnel.
- Actively applies new manufacturing technologies and aggressively evaluates and reports on manufacturing opportunities which will contribute to the plant's objectives and goals.
- Participates in Kaizen improvement activities to assure optimum productivity and costs. Suggests alternative designs, materials, or processes. Must be capable of resolving all problems while maintaining good rapport with customers and peers.
- Maintains effective communications with all people affected by projects and issues operating instructions when required. Issues periodic status reports to keep affected personnel informed.
- Prepares manufacturing studies to determine optimum manufacturing costs, quality, and inventories and/or evaluates feasibility for new or existing products, processes or materials.
- Recommends changes for the most practical and economical manufacturing processes, including material, labor, tooling, equipment, and ancillary factors.
- Participates in selecting, approving, and developing tooling and equipment to satisfy manufacturing requirements and product design intent.
- Provides customer liaison as relates to product design and engineering matters.
- Coordinates new processes implementation and training. Insures that all relevant tooling is capable of making required product to meet all timing goals.
- Serves as resource person to process changes, problem solving committee, etc., to insure product design intent is not jeopardized.
- Actively pursues quality improvements in the manufacturing process.
- Researches and implements state of the art technology to assure that product design is manufactured in most capable/cost effective manner possible. Insures that product design allows for these state of the art technologies.
- Works closely with Advance Manufacturing Group in Plymouth to provide direction to ensure plants are pursuing latest technological advances.
- Work closely with lean manufacturing teams to ensure key measures such as:
· Quick Tool Change
· Press Utilization
· Die Performance
· O-PPM
· Scrap and off-fall reduction meets or exceeds world class standards.
· Minimization of indirect labor to increase productivity and efficiency
· Lean Manufacturing Implementation.
· Six Sigma Projects
· Line balancing (MODapts experience a plus)
- Performs other duties and special projects as assigned.
EDUCATION PREFERRED: B.S.M.E. or equivalent
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Minimum of five (5) years experience with multiple manufacturing processes in the automotive interiors and seating business:
i. Injection Molding
ii. Metal Frame Welding / Tube Bending
iii. Foam processing
iv. Headliner manufacturing
v. Door Panel assembly
vi. Overhead Console