Expert Details
Electronics Controller Engineering / Industrial Electricity / Manufacturing Safety
ID: 735822
Michigan, USA
Experienced as an engineer in the U.S., under three automakers, as well as overseas electronics plant manufacturing experience. Extremely aware of module and sensor failures from design issues, environmental issues, circuit board issues, Integrated circuit issues, electromagnetic interference, and the manufacturing processes that make them. Held suppliers responsible for quality and failure issues. Worked in a Defense (General Dynamics) company for 2.5 years as a Diagnostics Engineer. Authored hundreds of diagnostics procedures to help soldiers troubleshoot their armored vehicles. Seven years prior experience becoming a Journeyman Industrial Electrician, trained in many subjects within Ford Motor company’s vast Rouge Plant Complex; including Electrical Power stations, electrical construction, Substation operation, Transformers and motor theory, DC motors and crane repair, preventative maintenance, High Voltage training and safety, Electrical panel construction, line automation troubleshooting and repair, programmable controller programming and repair, high line safety and heavy press electrical troubleshooting. Also held a residential Journeyman’s License. As an engineer, Expert co-holds three US electronics patents.
Major Experiences:
• Design and release engineer for automotive Powertrain (e.g. Engine and Transmission) controllers in America, Europe, Latin America and Spain. Volumes of over 2M a year.
• Design Responsible for 4 wheel drive controllers (most embedded controllers share similar failure modes and causes) for GM High End vehicles (Escalade, Yukon, etc.)
• Responsible as Design and Release engineer on all Hemi Engine cam and crankshaft sensors (magnetic / Hall Sensors) and dealt with many types of warranty and sensor issues
• Seven years experience as an Industrial Electrician - Troubleshooting a myriad of electrical issues of many types of manufacturing automation and machines.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1985 | Degree: BS | Subject: Electrical and Computer Engineering | Institution: Wayne State University |
| Year: | Degree: Electrical Journeyman's License | Subject: Certification for Industrial Electrician | Institution: Henry Ford Community College |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2018 to 2019 | Employer: Generral Motors | Title: Design Responsible Engineer on Transfer Case Control Module | Department: Chassis Controls |
Responsibilities:• Raised the incumbent suppler from a near last place performer to a near top performer to meet the very aggressive product deliverables timeline - with improved function, quality, and vehicle safety• Expanded understanding of GM’s complicated and immense “Global B” Electrical Architecture (Secure programming, CAN messaging, etc.) • Acquired an understanding of 4WD Transfer Case control basics and variants. • Understand Safety issues associated with 4WD engagement / transfer case |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2013 to 2017 | Employer: Fiat Chrysler (FCA) | Title: Ignition Components Engineer– Powertrain Ignition Systems | Department: Ignition Sensors Group |
Responsibilities:• Tackled all facets/ release of all Hemi Engine Cam and Crank Sensors and resolved all manufacturing and warranty issues.• Discovered and corrected supplier IC manufacturing processing issue - plaguing the company with warranty. Engaged supplier to apply newer IC technology with no-cost increase. • Acquired understanding of Hall Effect technology and Magnetic circuit designs to conquer sensor reliability issues. Understand what causes sensors to act sporadically. • Interfaced regularly with Engine plants / Vehicle Plants to resolve field issues and manufacturing concerns |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2010 to 2012 | Employer: Fiat Chrysler (FCA) | Title: Technical Cost Reduction Engineer – Powertrain Operations | Department: Technical Cost |
Responsibilities:• Exceeded every annual Cost Reduction Target for Chrysler Powertrain Electrical over 3 years. Submitted over $39M in booked savings against FCA’s Annual Purchase Volume of $800M. Savings exceeded more than 10 times personal quota• Conducted all day electrical cost reduction workshop or portions of engine workshops • Garnered the talent of Powertrain subject matter engineers through 17 total engine and transmission teardown workshops. Managed applicable ideas from inception to realization with engineers and suppliers. • Handled 280 Electrical cost reduction ideas involving ignition and emissions sensors, actuators, and powertrain controllers and pressed their implementation across Powertrain Electrical systems • Analyzed net cost reduction impact across engine and vehicle lines to understand corporate benefit |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2006 to 2009 | Employer: General Dynmics land Systems | Title: Diagnostics Engineer | Department: Diagnostics Engineering |
Responsibilities:• Protected the lives of solders in warfare by taking any known potential failure modes of the General Dynamics “Stryker” armored vehicle, (Mobile Gun System variant) and providing the shortest troubleshooting procedure to restore optimal functionality their weapon• Authored hundreds of electronic “flip-through” procedures with step by step text, graphics and artwork that accurately described in-vehicle troubleshooting procedures. These guided the “in-theatre” soldier to make his vehicle/ weapons system operational, as rapidly and as safely as possible • Conquered each troubleshooting procedure by understanding vehicle computer start-up sequences/events and schematics for a related failure mode and determine the best course of trouble shooting actions. Boarded military vehicles and analyzed whenever necessary • Clearly documented, according to the Government’s strict verbiage requirements for Validation and Verification (ValVer) text, styles and rules for procedures • Trained in counter-intelligence, vehicle fire awareness, hazardous material safety, and blood borne illness safety |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2005 to 2004 | Employer: Self Employed | Title: Independant Consultant | Department: |
Responsibilities:• Assisted upstart Taiwanese car maker in methods of Powertrain Electronics test procedures, Design, and Production Validation testing, adding oversight to the general development process of the incumbent Powertrain Module supplier’s (Delphi Electronics) quality• Created and refined Taiwanese auto manufacturer’s technical specifications • Taught Taiwanese Powertrain Engineers on basic Powertrain Controller theories of operation |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2001 to 2003 | Employer: Ford Motor Comapany | Title: Assistant Team Leader | Department: Electric Assist Power Steering |
Responsibilities:• Coordinated Advanced Engineering Team's efforts in meeting hardware deliverables, documentation deliverables and cost targets for 48 volt, Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) control modules.• Assistant to Electric Power Steering Module Design Team manager: Coordinate tasks of the team to ensure concept prototype deliveries meet MRD Dates Mentored in the creation process from concept designs to feasible production manufacturing Conducted Value Engineering offsite sessions and garnered engineering input from manufacturing, design, purchasing, etc. to reduce EPAS module costs at the next design level. Attended and oversaw prototype builds at the Pennsylvania plant to ensure build quality, functionality and testability |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1998 to 2001 | Employer: Ford Motor Company - Ford “Cadiz Electronica” Plant, Spain. | Title: Design and Release / Manufacturing Support Engineer | Department: Product improvement Design Engineering |
Responsibilities:Cadiz Electronica produced Powertrain, ABS, and Anti-Theft electronics for Ford’s European Automotive theatre. Boarded a four year, Foreign Service assignment in Spain to acquire European module design, electronic manufacturing, and overseas experience.• Make the transition as an experienced design engineer, to an electronics manufacturing problem solver. Optimize currently manufactured, older designs, with better quality and reduce cost. • Layout a plan for tests needed to ensure quality on cost reduction and manufacturing driven changes • Exacted $2M - $5M in cost reductions annually, revamping current module designs with updated printed circuit panel optimizations, materials changes, IC shrinks, mechanical design changes, and general technology improvement changes • Understand, on a first hand basis, how electronic manufacturing plant processes and equipment can play a vital role in electronic module quality or conversely, create insidious quality issues. • Provided strategic input to the Powertrain Electronics Manufacturing team to understand/guide contrary driving forces between European and US Powertrain module design philosophies • Avert manufacturing part shortages, component robustness issues, and running change issues that threatened production shortages or posed warranty concerns • Reduced total plant part complexity within the plant by directing the creation of a computerized part substitution program • Coordinated the purchase, teardown, analysis, and report on competitive European module designs that helped reduce cost and improve designs • Gained European PCM engineering and product market value system perspectives. • Acquired Spanish as a second language |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1997 to 1998 | Employer: Ford Electronics Divison | Title: "SLEEC" Team Leader | Department: Powertrain Controls |
Responsibilities:• Choose and lead a Product Design “skunkworks” team to create an engineering break-off design of advanced technology, packaging and system architecture for the Powertrain Control Module Department.• Direct the team to assess strategic technologies to create a prototype design that involved new package-less IC technologies, miniaturization techniques, underhood vehicle packaging, active cooling, and system integration concepts to demonstrate module and system capability • Provided first prototypes in less than 14 months with only 3 core engineers - without a dedicated budget • Design became a forerunner of a super small PCM design to be used in future programs • Conceived / Jointly held 2 Powertrain Control related patents awarded to the team |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1987 to 1997 | Employer: Ford Electronics Divison | Title: Design and Release Engineer | Department: Powertrain Controls |
Responsibilities:• Learned all aspects being a module design engineer, from schematic capture, BOM creation, mechanical drawing release, to coordination of prototypes for DV, PV builds.Key Accomplishments: • Created PCM designs for European and South American PCM market and launched the first PCM products in the Ford Sao Paulo Electronics Plant, Sao Paulo, Brazil • Owned PCM module Programs on Vehicle lines exceeding 2 million a year. Never had a major quality issue • Instrumental in technically saving Ford’s Autolatina program by recreating a critical engine knock detection and control circuit for Volkswagen engines in the Brazilian Market. (Joint Patent awarded for the concept and application - patent later adopted in Europe) • Dramatically reduced cost the first Brazilian module design where costs “couldn’t be reduced” • Department “point-man” on many Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC/EMI) issues which affected module reliability and safety. • Key player in PCM Design Reviews, Cost/Value Meetings and Product Launch Reviews. • Trained in many of Ford’s in-house courses on Quality, Statistical Process control (SPC), Electromagnetic Compatibility, and Failure Mode Analysis, Safety, and Intellectual Property Protection. Design Engineer “C” Ford Electronics, Advanced Technology Office Nov 1987- Nov 1988 • Assess potential emerging technologies are needed by the electronics division by researching trade papers, technical publications and division library. • Create a vision of new, enabling technologies by interfacing with electronics product managers in technology assessment meetings to understand new product wants and enabling technologies to escalate the divisions technological edge • Create Division technology roadmaps to enable emerging products and guide product focus. |
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Government Experience
| Years | Agency | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2006 to 2007 | Agency: General Dynamics | Role: Diagnostics Engineer | Description: Created Diagnostics for Stryker Mobile Gun System (8 wheeled mobile Cannon -similar to Abrahams tank cannon). Obtained security clearance for vehilce entry and technology. |
International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 1994 to 1998 | Country / Region: Brazil | Summary: Traveled numerous times to Ford Sao Paulo Electronics Plant to launch the manufacturing of Ford Powertrain Control Module for that market. |
| Years: 1998 to 2001 | Country / Region: Spain | Summary: Resided in Spain for 4 yeaes as part of a Foreign Service assignment for Ford Motor. Worked in the Cadiz Electronics plant therre as a design engineer to revamp older electronics, desing, acquire electronics manaufacturing expertise and to obtain foriegn experience. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| Eta Kappa Nu - Electrical Engineering (no longer there) Wayne State Society of Physics students - (No longer attend) |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| Industrial Electrician Journeyman's Certification |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| Jointly holds three patents from his time at Ford Motor Co. |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| Co-Hold Patents: - Throttle body system with integrated electronics - Electronic control module assembly using throttle body air for cooling and method thereof - Knock detection system and control method for an internal combustion engine |
Additional Experience
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| 3-4 seminars on Electrromagnetic Interfernce of Electronics TRIZ - Thinking outside the box Many Value add and Cost reduction meetings Statistic Process Control / Siz Sigma Training Failure of Electroics Training |
Language Skills
| Language | Proficiency |
|---|---|
| Spanish | Was quite proficient, but would say gets by now. Some review may get him quite capable depending on the degree of accuracy and setting. |
Fields of Expertise
automotive electrical system, automotive carburetion, automotive electrical wire, automotive electronics science, automotive engine, automotive engineering, automotive engineering design review, automotive ignition system, industrial electric power distribution, alternating-current motor, electric motor control, Electrical High Voltage, electrical construction, electrically erasable programmable ROM, programmable logic control, assembly automation, crane (device), electric switch, defect electronics science, electronic assembled device reliability, electronic circuit, electronic component processing, Hall effect, Hall effect transducer