Chad Follmar Email & Phone Number

Louisville, CO, US

Boulder, Colorado, US

Devils Thumb Design is passionate about product development. We move your ideas forward by helping define, design, and commercialize your product. Our technical resources and product development experts are committed to delivering value by supporting your specific project needs.

San Diego, CA, US

Leading a team in developing best-in-class navigated surgical instrumentation

Neenah, WI, US

• Developing technical leadership and skills
• Sustaining an engaging team culture that fosters customer service
• Ensuring exceptional technical execution and quality of service
• Staffing and talent development

Neenah, WI, US

Neenah, WI, US

Neenah, WI, US

• Direct engineering activities across domestic and international resources.
• Lead new business development, customer proposals and quoting efforts. Building, mentoring and guidance of teams is my passion.
• Provide clients with product development expertise to navigate programs through this process Key ProgramsSystem Lead on Drug Infusion System
• Constructed a team of 14+ engineers over multiple domestic and international design centers
• Mentored team members to allow for their personal development and responsibility
• Responsible for all technical aspects of a multi-year, $2M+ program while providing accurate assessments project managers.

Golden, CO, US

• As Lead ME, I bring expert resources in-house to develop extremely ruggedized electromechanical systems. Ascend Geo designs and manufactures the Ultra G5, a wireless acquisition system for the land seismic industry.
• Ultra G5 components acquire, transmit and process data. Most of these components have environmental challenges that far exceed MIL-STD-810. This required development of new internal standards to test and qualify.
• Previous DOCK developed by an outside team was failing many key requirements including thermal, shock/vibe, water ingress and cost. My redesign met all requirements while reducing weight, size and cost to less than.
• Designs validated using FEA simulation and rapid prototyping to prove concept prior to tooling.
• Working closely with the Electrical and Software team, I designed a fan-less, sealed enclosure that successfully dissipated 120 watts while allowing components to operate in required range.
• Other responsibilities include selection/coordination of vendors, suppliers and contract manufacturers; managing CAD database, developing product specifications and test protocols, developing product BOM and cost.

• As part of a compact and efficient team of engineers and industrial designers, I provide quality product solutions within an aggressive timeframe and budget. Excellent communication and coordination allow this goal to.
• Products include medical, consumer, health/fitness, security, energy and industrial sectors.Example Medical Device Project: Portable Ultrasound Unit with Video Goggles
• Coordinate all engineering aspects of this lightweight, environmentally ruggedized unit. Selected polymer and elastomer materials to meet impact, sterilization and aesthetic requirements.
• Cost savings in a limited timeframe are achieved by selecting local and international vendors of top quality. Daily email and Skype calls maintain program schedules.
• Assist client’s understanding of the product through the use of functional prototypes.
• Develop impact and submersion tests for quick identification and solution of unforeseen issues. Example Consumer Project: Mobile Manager for the Visually Impaired

Chicago, IL, US

• Lead engineer for the development of plastic-based, silicone-overmolded dental hand instruments. Ergonomic, mechanical, environmental and aesthetic requirements are solved through unique material applications..
• Invented ultrasonic generator with the unique ability to self-recognize cleaning tip. This dental hygiene device improves patient comfort, relieves operator strain and increases tip life – a first in the industry.
• Responsible for engineering of the Instrument Management System that includes medical-grade metal and injection-molded items. Cost reduction and enhancements were on-going objectives.

Irvine, California, US

• Spearhead mechanical architecture of next-generation archival tape library system. Sold mechanical concept to CEO and Directors after only 4 weeks of conceptual design.
• Implement and train ME team on CAD, FEA and file management systems.
• Assemble and test prototype for manufacturability, airflow, temperature profile, strength and position accuracy. Based on results, revise design for Engineering Testing.
• Design molded tape magazine that drastically cut cost and part count from previous design.
• Interface with Hardware Engineers on signal and power requirements, component and PCB mechanics and connectors. Design all system cabling.
• Research vendors for price, rapid prototyping capabilities and value-added abilities.

• Responsible for mechanical design of the optical cross-connect switch system.
• Created physical design of chassis, printed circuit board, optical component suspension system, fiber routing, cosmetic faceplates and artwork. Prototyped plastic injection components.
• Analyzed CFD thermal model to insure passive cooling for high-density design.
• Developed test plan to optimize mechanical performance during shock and vibration.Lead Engineer on high-density, optical technology printed circuit board.
• Responsible for mechanical aspects of high-speed optical multiplexing card. This extremely dense card pushed the design envelope with mechanical, optical, manufacturing and thermal challenges. Daily interface with.
• As the Physical System’s first mechanical engineer, team-building responsibilities included CAD/ PDM/ FEA/ CFD tool selection and training, vendor/supplier selection and procedure implementation.

US

• Lead Mechanical Engineer for the T1 and M1-3 Multiplexer product lines.
• Design metal and plastic chassis, focusing on mechanical fit and function, thermal transfer, electromagnetic compliance and electronics packaging.
• Develop an active cooling system option, thereby creating new $20M market for the Multiplexer product line. Further reduce manufacturing cost by 90% through plastic injection molding.
• Evaluated existing product designs for cost reductions and improved manufacturability.
• Designed kit that reduced equipment wall footprint by 50% and install time by 75%.Lead Thermal Engineer for next generation M1-3 MUX / Optical platform.
• Interfacing closely with Electrical Team, optimized thermal solution of dissipating 120W in 1 RU. Co-designed the electronics packaging solution including optical connector selection and fiber routing.

Tinley Park, Illinois, US

• Lead Product Design Engineer for multiple data-connector product groups:
• Directed multi-divisional program from conception to market. Products include molded housings, extrusions, stamped contacts and connector assemblies.
• Primary engineering liaison with Singapore Design Group. Supervised and trained team of 6 in CAD, part design, corporate procedures, tool and part debug and acceptance, product testing and QA.
• Developed product specs, test plans, schedules, financial justifications and regulatory listings.
• Guided selection of lower cost plastic while maintaining performance for a $2M savings.
• Continued to develop new as well as upgrade existing products.