Manufacturing, Quality & Materials

Experience and Achievements

Manufacturing/Quality Engineer, Eaton Marine Hydraulics, Lansing, Michigan 1984-1985

Manufacturing/Quality

  • Developed and implemented scrap and rework disposition program for electric motor final assembly plant.
  • Created receiving inspection procedures for purchased parts. Bearings, turnings, plastic molded components.
  • Provided technical assistance to manufacturing and production personnel. Interpreted blueprints , specifications & in process testing procedures. Analyzed problems as to their source: defective components or assembly.
  • Improved efficiency of manufacturing assembly procedures through redesign of line layout, workstation ergonomics, and visual aids. Liaison between operations and product engineering departments.

Product Engineering Team Leader, Eaton Marine Hydraulics, Lansing, Michigan 1986-1990

Manufacturing
  • Identified and selected manufacturing processes necessary to manufacture each component of power steering system.
  • Acted as primary interface with vendors with respect to component specifications, prototype and validation part costs and scheduling.
  • Resolved design issues related to precision machining of hydraulic pump bodies. CNC vertical and horizontal machining centers.
  • Determined in-house tooling and fixturing requirements for validation builds.
  • Coordinated resolution of all product engineering related issues during prototype and production validation builds.
Quality
  • Defined requirements of automated testing equipment and worked with suppliers to develop effective tooling solutions.
  • Defined production process checks. Included functional and dimensional checks for power steering assemblies and machined components.
  • Reviewed, revised, and approved final draft of receiving inspection procedures.
  • Developed and executed process validation test plans.
  • Advised quality personnel as to appropriate assembly and component CMM checks and part set up.
Materials

Selected and defined all component materials and required processes for power steering system shown above. Materials included: 

  • injection molded thermo and thermo set plastics
  • Nylons
  • Acetals
  • Bakelite
  • Die cast aluminum
  • Impact aluminum extrusions
  • Forward aluminum extrusions
  • Turned, cold headed, and stamped 300 series stainless steels
  • Investment casted 400 series stainless steel
  • Nitrile seals
  • Sintered bronze and iron
  • Turned, stamped and formed low carbon steels
  • Turned, heat treated, and ground high carbon steels
  • Extruded and carburized low carbon steel
  • Chrome, nickel and zinc plating
  • Petroleum based paints and adhesives
  • Phosphate, irriditing, anodizing and chemical hardening
  • Through hardening and surface hardening of steels

Sr. Design Release Engineer, Body Group/Mechanical Systems, General Motors, Troy, Michigan 1990-1994

Manufacturing and Quality
  • Represented product engineering to concurrent engineering team consisting of a manufacturing engineer, a purchasing agent, several designers, and a finance representative.
  • Coordinated procurement of all prototypes for design validation testing.
  • Oversaw all design validation and process validation testing for door system mechanical components.

Sr. Project Release Engineer, Body Closures/Spaceframe, Saturn Corporation, Spring Hill, Tennessee 1994-1998

  • Resident product engineer at Saturn, Spring Hill Manufacturing site. Single point product engineering contact for door systems and surrounding vehicle environment.
  • Liaison between product engineering release community and manufacturing/operations for product related issues.

Vehicle Project Engineer, Sedan, Coupe, SUV, Saturn Corporation, Spring Hill, Tennessee 1998-2006

  • Played key production launch role across multiple architectures in over 10 major vehicle launches at 5 different GM manufacturing facilities. Issues were in several vehicle areas: sheet metal, mechanisms/hardware, interior trim, weather-strips and HVAC. Resolved complex issues in high pressure, critical situations. Lead multidiscipline teams to resolve launch issues.
  • Vehicle launches and primary manufacturing issues resolved:

Saturn SL/SC Sedan & Coupe, New Interior, Spring Hill TN Assembly

· Ignition module porosity issue, cracking. Resolution: casting process change. 
· Park lock transmission cable issue, adjustment. Resolution: redesign (Design patent).
· Engine control module loose, assembly issue. Resolution: added ball lock.
   

Saturn SL/SC Sedan & Coupe, All New Vehicle, Spring Hill TN Assembly

· Door system High Risk Issue Champion (HRIC) for major vehicle program. Acted as a focal point for all launch issues for door systems. Laid out detailed action plans to overcome “no build” issues, and determined appropriate facilitators for each action item. Reported progress to upper management daily/weekly. Formulated solutions to both technical and non technical issues.
   

 

Saturn VUE, All New Vehicle, Spring Hill TN Assembly

· Thermoplastic exterior panel gaps and flushness. Resolution: Shims and paint process changes.
· Inner belt weather strip roll, window bind. Resolution: Profile change to extrusion.
· Fixed glass detachment during assembly. Resolution: Removed interference induced during assembly.

Saturn ION Sedan & Coupe, All New Vehicle, Spring Hill TN Assembly

· IP load and fit. Resolution: Reinforce locators.· Panel splits. Resolution: Form/die changes.
· Appliqué retention. Resolution: Reprocess assembly.
 
   

Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, All New Vehicle, Shreveport LA Assembly

 

 

 

· Interior carpet to IP console fit, gaps. Resolution: New shoddy pad added.
· Door squeak in body torsion. Resolution: Remove coating from seal.
   

Chevy Cobalt Sedan & Coupe, All New Vehicle, Lordstown OH Assembly

· High door closing efforts. Resolution: Dimensional changes to door.
   

Pontiac Solstice, All New Vehicle, Wilmington DE Assembly

· Water leak issues. Resolution: Total seal system redesign.
   

Chevy Trailblazer & GMC Envoy, Existing Vehicle, Moraine OH Assembly

· Provided Unigraphics design support during new model launch.
· Addressed facia gap variation issue. Resolution: Bracket position control.
· Addressed body shop fit issues.

Quality Engineer, Crossover Vehicle, General Motors Corporation 2006-Present

  • Manage suppliers and part quality through the use of GM Corporate processes and tools. E.g. GP-12, PRR’s, Master dot reviews and the APQP process.
  • Team leader of Voice of the Customer (VOC) team, vehicle exterior issues. Compile and analyze JD Power, and warranty data, define issues, perform root cause analysis and lead team to implement solutions for wind noise, water leaks and door closing effort issues. Manage input from several data streams.
  • Chair development team meetings for vehicle weather strip system during launch process.
  • Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence by ASQ.

Formal Education and Training

Education Through Universities:

  • MBA JIU, Centennial Colorado 2010. Summa Cum Laude.
  • BSME Michigan State University, East Lansing Michigan 1984. Concentration: Computer Aided Engineering.
  • Manufacturing Technology- World Class Manufacturing Principles. GMI
  • Automation, GMI

Education Through Technical Training At GM, Saturn and Eaton Marine Training Organizations, and Through SAE:

  • Global Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) Assessment.
  • Controlled Shipping (GP-5) Assessment.
  • Error Proofing Labels.
  • Value Stream Mapping.
  • Drill Deep and Wide.
  • Layered Audits.
  • Eliminating Waste in the Production Process.
  • PFMEA (Process Failure Mode Effects And Analysis.
  • ISO 9000 Accredited Lead Auditor Training and Certification, Excel Partnership Inc.
  • Production Approval For Supplier Quality.
  • How to Respond To an Auditor.
  • How to Be an Audit Escort.
  • Just In Time Manufacturing Principles.
  • Continuous Improvement Processes.

 

Copyright © 2012 Mark Traxler. All Rights Reserved.