Expert Details
Electrostatic, Particulate and Environmental Process Development and Commercialization
ID: 722794
Pennsylvania, USA
Expert has over 40 years' experience in industrial product development, process improvement, and management of academic and in-house/outside contract research. He has worked with electric charge processes where there are static charges and moving charges. The charges typically move, because insulating materials are moved, or isolated conductors are moved. Examples of the former are pheumatic conveying, sheet and web transport, the charging and separation of fine particles in electrostatic precipitation, and the drawing of nanofibers. Examples where there are isolated conductors include the electrostatic precipitation of mist, electrostatic finishing (painting), and the hazards of people working with insulating shoes around printing and electronic equipment.
Expert has been involved in the fields of electrostatics and electrostatic processes for over 40 years. Between 1975 and 1988 he served as technical expert on electrostatic precipitation and emerging environmental control technologies for an air pollution control company. From 1988 to 1990 he served the European Commission on Glass towards development of an advanced environmental control technology with electrostatic augmentation. From 1990 to 2001 he headed worldwide technology programs for the industry-leading company supplying static control and charging equipment. From 2001 to 2013 the expert managed a university laboratory in advanced electrostatic processes and was supported by industrial companies and research organizations in the USA and abroad. Since 2013 the expert has been engaged in consulting work. He is a 20 year NARTE Certified ESD Engineer, Member of the Electrostatic Processes Committee of IEEE, and Chair of NFPA 77 Committee on Static Electricity.
Expert has been involved in 70 pilot plant and over 400 industrial installations of electrostatic precipators. He has worked on projects in The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Brazil, Japan, and throughout the USA. He is the developer of the ensemble method for empirically modeling industrial processes, such as electrostatic precipitation systems, wherein a collection of particles is acted upon by steady and time dependent actions. Since the basic processes at the particle level are random, pollution abatement often can be described as a phase transition for the particle system. In that case the observed behavior of the pollution control process is governed by exponential models that are controlled by the ratio of the steady to random energies to which the particle ensemble is exposed. Process models for both particulate and electrostatic processes have been developed under the MathCAD environment. This environment permits ease-of-use and continual development of process models by operations-level personnel. The MathCAD environment also give the power of conventional programming, data processing, and visualization for the engineering and scientific team.
Expert has 40+ years' experience with industrial processes that are enabled or augmented by electrostatic charge. He has also lead the worldwide product development and application-engineering programs of the premier supplier of static control and charging equipment. He has performed studies of surface charge reduction in processes such as e-beam and corona treating.
Developed a rationalized, company-wide product line that enabled acquisition of 8 targeted competitors, growing sales from $28M to $130M in the industrial, ancillary-products market. Set target objectives across multiple divisions. Managed intellectual-property and transferred the best technology between business units worldwide with local adaptation to national standards.Turned around 2 troubled projects, successfully winning patents and yielding $1M+ revenue in first year. Performed experiments to enable commercialization of ancillary components for clean rooms and semiconductor testing equipment. Achieved patents and published peer-reviewed articles. Worked with customers in North America, Europe, and the Far East towards understanding the new technology. Turned around commissioning problems of a $2.5M industrial process system. After several weeks of operation, the interior elements of the process system in Germany became fragile and unusable. Conducted laboratory and on-site tests, selected new materials, and proposed a development plan to rebuild and safely commission the equipment. Successfully obtained re-build order, secured retainage for the entire project, and obtained a follow-on order for a larger system. Recognized hands-on skills of university students in Pennsylvania’s Heartland. Convinced faculty and the university’s administration to build a laboratory for research in support of community and economic development. Secured funding from research foundations, domestic and international companies, and private sources to equip and operate the laboratory. Students have been prepared for graduate study at universities such as the University of Pennsylvania, Penn State, George Mason University, Ohio State, Miami of Ohio, and University of Nebraska. Other former students are involved in product development for industry and teaching in the State’s secondary schools. Patents and publications have given the program visibility around the world.Called upon to develop an industrial process model to help understand driving mechanisms and improve yield from a nanotechnology process. Recognized needs for a model that could be upgraded and used by plant operations. Developed a large-scale MathCAD model and trained end-users. The model is currently used towards development of three process lines and extensions have been funded by government and internal sources towards process improvements.
Education
Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
---|---|---|---|
Year: 1975 | Degree: PhD | Subject: Physics | Institution: The Ohio State University |
Year: 1974 | Degree: MS | Subject: Physics | Institution: The Ohio State University |
Year: 1970 | Degree: BA | Subject: Physics | Institution: Bloomsburg State College |
Work History
Years | Employer | Title | Department |
---|---|---|---|
Years: 2001 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: General Partner and CEM | Department: |
Responsibilities:Expert is founder and manager of an independent research laboratory at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania in electromechanics and advanced oxidation technologies. His developments improve industrial processes and serve environmental goals. His work often involves international technology transfer with Japan, commercialization of environmental and nanotechnology products, and general business management for startup companies. He has been called on to teach courses at the university in such areas as modern manufacturing technology, introductory electronics, and career development. His laboratory is generally funded by industrial contracts with objectives towards development of products and intellectual property. |
|||
Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1990 to 2001 | Employer: Illinois Tool Works, Inc. | Title: Vice President R&D/Engineering | Department: ITW Static Control and Air Products |
Responsibilities:For this $10B manufacturer of industrial products, Expert managed a budget of $5M while a key member of the management team involved in the strategic and technical planning for as many as 12 business units. Served as in-house engineering and product development manager for 3 business units, and overall program monitor for the worldwide group of companies. Headed patent and international technology transfer programs. Was a member of Board of Directors for Japanese joint venture. Led project R&D and cooperative efforts with universities and research organizations. |
|||
Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1989 to 1990 | Employer: General Dynamics | Title: Engineering Group Specialist and Program Manager | Department: Fort Worth Division |
Responsibilities:Expert managed the company's participation in the DARPA GaAs MIMIC (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency micro/millimeter wave integrated circuits) Program. Promoted to Advanced Technology Programs unit and served as Consultant to the Netherlands's research organization TNO in a project with the European Commission on Glass. |
|||
Years | Employer | Title | Department |
Years: 1976 to 1988 | Employer: United McGill Corporation | Title: Director of Technology | Department: |
Responsibilities:United McGill is a leader in engineering, manufacturing and field installation of air pollution control, autoclave processes, and commercial/industrial ventilation equipment. Expert directed key technology functions with $1M budget, including bench- and pilot-scale research towards product specification, outside cooperative research, commissioning support, and competitive, new-technology assessment. Reported to VP R&D, Dir. Marketing, General Council, and President. Provided expertise on contracts, intellectual property, visibility in the industry, and regulatory and standards development. Contact point for licensees in Germany and Brazil. |
International Experience
Years | Country / Region | Summary |
---|---|---|
Years: 1975 to 2005 | Country / Region: Far East and Asia | Summary: He has been involved in international technology transfer between Japan and the United States for 30 years. Early assignments involved commercialization of air pollution control technology licensed from a Japanese company. Through development, he served as contact point for licensees in Korea and India. More recently, he served eight years on the Board of Directors for a Japanese Joint Venture in Kobe, and was involved in technology development and transfer between the USA and Far East Markets. Expert continues to travel to Japan regularly and remains involved in numerous cooperative and technology-transfer projects. |
Years: 1984 to 2001 | Country / Region: Latin America | Summary: He served as contact point for an air pollution control licensee in Brazil and later as an expert supporting a sales representative program in South and Central America. He has been involved in work with the environmental authorities in Brazil and several onsite commissioning assignments with the glass industry in Brazil. |
Years: 1975 to 2005 | Country / Region: Europe | Summary: As with Japan and Latin America, Expert has worked on many commercialization and technology transfer projects in Europe. He was a contact point for licensee, manufacturing operations, and representatives in most European countries. |
Career Accomplishments
Associations / Societies |
---|
Expert is a Senior Member of the National Association of Radio and Telecommunications Engineers. He is also a Senior Member of IEEE and a 25 year Member of IEEE’s Electrostatic Processes Committee under their Industry Applications Society. He has served four times as a session chair and peer-review coordinator for Annual Meeting sessions of the IEEE Industry Applications Society. He is also a Member of NFPA 77: Committee on Static Electricity and deeply involved in the development of their recommended practice document. He is principal author of a chapter on Industrial Gas Cleaning and Air Pollution Control for the ASHRAE Handbook, serving two-terms (10 years) as Handbook Subcommittee Chair for Technical Committee 5.4. He has been an ASHRAE Member for 19 years. Finally, he holds memberships in the American Physical Society and the Electrostatic Society of America. |
Licenses / Certifications |
---|
He has been a NARTE Certified ESD Engineer for more than 20 years. |
Professional Appointments |
---|
Earlier in his career he served as a three term (9 yr.) member of the Editorial Review Board of the Air & Waste Management Association, being appointed to the seat held by Dr. Harry White, a pioneer in electrostatic precipitation. He has participated in standards development with the U.S. EPA and environmental authorities in Europe, Brazil, and the People’s Republic of China. He is currently Chair of NFPA 77, committee which sets guidance and standards for reducing hazards by static electricity. |
Awards / Recognition |
---|
He is a Member of Sigma Xi and Sigma Pi Sigma honorary societies, and listed in Who’s Who in Science and Technology. |
Publications and Patents Summary |
---|
He has been awarded 7 U.S. Patents, published more than 20 peer reviewed manuscripts, and has contributed a chapter on static elimination to the Marcel Dekker Handbook of Electrostatics. He has also been a significant author to the ASHRAE Handbook's chapter on Industrial Gas Cleaning and Air Pollution Control and NFPA 77's guidance document on hazard reduction from static electricity. |
Additional Experience
Expert Witness Experience |
---|
He has served as an expert witness for a multinational oil company, and worked for more than 30 years with contract and IP attorneys to protect property and bring projects to completion. |
Training / Seminars |
---|
He has conducted seminars and provided conference presentations in over 20 countries and has university teaching and corporate managment/development experience. |
Vendor Selection |
---|
As a chief technology officer for about 25 years, he has been responsible for locating vendors and suppliers in a broad variety of industrial markets. He also has been called on in due diligence investigations of potential acquisitions. |
Marketing Experience |
---|
While in the industrial ancillary products markets, his product development programs achieved business growth from $28M to $130M in revenues with as much as 35% of the revenue generated by products less than 3 years old. He worked with marketing teams and representatives around the world to achieve market-driven product line objectives. He has special expertise from market studies within the plastics industry. |
Other Relevant Experience |
---|
Expert has more than 30 years experience with intellectual property management, technology commercialization, product development, project turnarounds, budgeting, prototype development process improvement, project management, defending patents, and organizational development. He is a global executive with 30 years experience in research, product, and project management for manufacturing firms in the aerospace, capital equipment, and general industry markets, including Fortune 500 Illinois Tool Works and General Dynamics. He has managed a $5M budget while developing new products, generating sales, and increasing revenue. Turned around multi-million dollar projects. He is a technology expert and spokesperson, who effectively communicates with R&D, sales and marketing, manufacturing, and both domestic and international customers. He has authored numerous patents and publications and delivered a multitude of full manuscript conference presentations. He is an expert on industrial electrostatic processes for semiconductor and disk drive, plastics, paper, automotive, chemical, and other industries where insulating materials are handled. He has experience with non-thermal plasma processes, corona discharges, electrostatic microelectromechanical systems (MEMs), static eliminators and electrical equipment to position or hold materials, electromechanical technology, and electrostatic precipitation and coating. |
Fields of Expertise
electric charge, static charge, corona discharge, dry electrostatic precipitator, electric corona, electro-quasistatics, charge density, electrostatics, particulate pollution process, electrostatic charge, surface charge density, volume charge density, surface charge, technology commercialization, industrial gas manufacturing, nanotechnology regulation, intellectual property management, plastics competitive analysis, plastics competitive intelligence, business development, dust collector system, business intelligence, aerosol physics, competitive intelligence, air-cleaning system, micro electric field, induction charging, electric flux, electric field strength, electric displacement, cement plant pollution, high-temperature air pollution control, nitrogen oxide treatment, positive charge, negative charge, Coulomb field, Coulomb force, Coulomb's law, emission control device, air pollution control system, charge carrier, brush discharge, corona discharge surface treatment, competitive analysis, pulp-and-paper industry air pollution control, gas high-voltage electric corona, electric potential, coulomb, electric field effect, backplane, electrical product, fugitive-dust control, air-pollution management equipment, stationary-source particulate control, stationary source air pollution control, electric field theory, air-pollutant control equipment, air pollution control, air-filtration equipment, electrical conduction, electric charge energy, electromigration, electrical phenomenon, electrodynamics, electric field, indoor air pollution control, electrostatic field, electric discharge, cyclone collector