Lead R&D activities in development of innovative nonwoven products that serve filtration, consumer, medical, geotextiles, automotive markets.

Design & develop functional nonwovens for filtration, automotive & acoustics markets

• Designed new products and improved existing nonwoven products for automotive interiors.• Managed projects from concept phase through the development lifecycle to successful product launch. • Conducted product trials in pilot & production lines using design of experiments.• Responsible for product trials – planning & implementation, testing & data analysis.• Worked with customers on product evaluation trials & develop new specifications.• Developed standard work instructions and manufacturing specifications & provided technical assistance to plant to insure continuous process and product improvement.• Actively involved in company marketing strategies and projects & worked closely with the sales team in winning new projects/customers.• Coordinated costing efforts to assure the best possible pricing for existing and new products.• Led APQP meetings/activities & coordinated multi-department tasks while ensuring program launch deadlines.• Led problem solving meetings involving multi-department teams to investigate root cause analysis & implement corrective actions on mis-productions.• Established strong relationship with suppliers by closely working with them.

• In-charge of quality department.• Played a key role in 50% reduction of COPQ & customer claims.• Quality Management Representative – ensuring quality management systems are well maintained & improve quality manual as needed.• Resolved customer complaints by conducting root cause analysis and corrective actions.• Initiated several problem solving projects & trained employees in problem solving tools.• Tracked & monitored quality measurables: PPM, complaints, returned goods & scrap.• Participated in APQP meetings and revised control plans, PFMEA & flow diagrams as needed.• Implemented annual internal audit schedule.• Managed four quality technicians.

• Tested physical properties of nonwoven products & analyzed data to understand the performance.• Managed and analyzed the products for color matching.• Assisted in product trials on pilot lines.• Developed swatches for color approval by OEM.• Set up product BOM & routing info in ERP systems.• Worked closely with Quality team on defective part - root cause analysis & create CAR.• Actively contributed in transition of company quality certification to TS16949 from ISO 9001.• Prepared/updated International material data sheets (IMDS) & helped in Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) and Production Part Approval Plan (PPAPs) as necessary.

Project: Novel Synthetic fibers from Polylactic acid (PLA)/ Polypropylene (PP) Polyblends.• Extruded new fibers from polyblends while optimizing the spinning parameters.• Studied morphology of the fibers using X-ray diffraction & Scanning Electron Microscope.• Demonstrated the dyeing behavior of polyblend fibers.• Evaluated the compatibility between polymers using DSC & mechanical properties of fiber.• Studied the biodegradability of the fibers using Gas Chromatography.