Michael Crayton Email & Phone Number

Seattle, Wa, Us

Manufacturing and Sustaining Engineering

Seattle, Wa, Us

Lead mechanical, sustaining engineering efforts for all hardware platforms. Analyze, triage, stabilize, and improve factory production output, product quality, and customer experience in the field.Includes the Sprint Profiler, nCounter Gen2.5 PRO, GeoMX DSP, and CosMx Spatial Molecular Imaging platformsAdvanced troubleshooting and lead support for fluidic-handling, high-resolution, robotic-microscope research platforms which are used for cutting-edge biotechnology research applications.Lead engineering change orders, SME for quality events, risk assessments, Pareto analysis, end-of-life component validation, complaint reduction, production optimization, and cost reduction efforts.

Seattle, Wa, Us

Mechanical and Sustaining Engineer for the NanoString GeoMx DSP biological research platform.

Bellevue, Wa, Us

Contracted to NanoString via Protingent.- GD&T application and analysis of the GeoMx DSP biological research platform.- Manufacturing stabilization and process improvement.- Tolerance analysis and process variation studies.- Optical system performance analysis.

As an independent contractor, I specialize in mechanical and product design consultation. I have a unique background that blends user-centric design theory, solid engineering fundamentals, and significant hands-on experience building a diverse array of products. I thrive in fast-paced, iterative design environments, and am familiar with the special needs of startups and small businesses.I excel at solving difficult engineering and design problems for companies developing new technology. The top skills I bring to your team to help you achieve your design goals include:- Deep proficiency in SolidWorks 3D CAD Computer-Aided Design (6500+ hours)- PDM project data and document standards management- Tool design, development, and qualification- ANSYS and structural and thermal analysis- Accurate and consistent GD&T drafting - Root-cause failure analysisMy clients tend to be small to mid-sized product development firms, but I also work with startups and individuals, both on-site and remotely. See my 'Experience' section below for details on the following select clients:- Intellectual Ventures- PCSI Design- CASE Forensics- Manta Product Development**Let me know how I can help you reach your current engineering and production targets.**

Bellevue, Wa, Us

My largest client was the Global Good division of Intellectual Ventures, working in their laboratory with support from the Gates Foundation. I was brought in to finalize, build, and test a detailed housing upgrade design for villagers in The Gambia, Africa as part of a disease-study analyzing Malaria infection rates. I helped the team reach an aggressive delivery goal of shipping finished product overseas by a hard, weather-driven deadline. Achieving this milestone required:- Detailed mechanical design, drafting, and tolerance stack evaluation- Collaborating with the research, design, and manufacturing teams- Researching and purchasing materials from specialty vendors- Communicating custom designs with Asian manufacturers- Design for manufacturing analysis and revisionIn addition to generating a precise, modular product to meet the needs of both the disease researchers and the end users, I helped guarantee the project's successful delivery through:- Test plan development, design qualification, and final unit testing- Packaging requirement analysis and shipping design modification- Design cycle documentation and project hand-off**My effort concluded with the shipment of 400+ insect and weather-resistant panels to the trial site in Africa. The intellectual property behind the design will be made publicly accessible to aid the future development of the African housing market upon conclusion of the study.**

At Ramgen I had the opportunity to contribute to large-scale research devoted to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing power plant energy efficiency. As a senior engineer for the small startup, I supported multiple mission-critical projects from the development stage through manufacture and test. My cross-functional responsibilities and contributions included:- Drafting production-level drawings for extreme precision machined parts- Structural and thermal analysis for pressure vessel components- Designing combustor components, liners, and fittings- Developing turbine retrofit modifications- Aiding in turbine dis/reassemblyIn parallel with combustor development, I helped lead preparations of the test facility. This required involvement from early planning stages through construction, where I was tapped to:- Model the existing test bay and utilities (natural gas and air compressor and liquid systems)- Integrate experimental assemblies with as-built facility model- Draft and update production drawings for piping and instrumentation- Act as liaison between research engineers and piping contractors- Invent steam exhaust vessel and wastewater pumping mechanismsWorking on large industrial equipment made from exotic alloys operating at extreme conditions solidified my skills in GD&T, collaborative design, tolerance analysis, failure modes analysis, and cross-functional teamwork and leadership. It also cemented my passion for large-scale engineering projects in the energy, power, and engine space.**Ramgen Power Systems was acquired by majority investor Dresser-Rand in 2014 (which in turn was acquired by Siemens, and then acquired again by Curtiss-Wright). After the first buyout, the office was converted into a smaller corporate research center and testing was rebalanced with Dresser-Rand's larger portfolio. I left during this transition to start my own consulting business.**

Returning from Europe, I joined PCSI Design (now PCSI Consultants) as a product design consultant. I served as the primary in-house SolidWorks 3D CAD specialist, and helped on-board new clients and contractors. This was a versatile position that taught me a great deal about what it takes to run a successful small business.In this role I significantly expanded my design capabilities by:- generating and achieving goals with minimum supervision- jump-starting client projects in the blue-sky design phase- collecting and evaluating a range of user requirements- rapidly generating and iterating prototype geometry- delivering complete custom engineering solutionsI was the design lead for clients representing a wide range of industries, including:- alternative energy and waste reclamation- industrial food processing equipment- scientific instrumentation- consumer electronics- medical equipmentMy responsibilities also included troubleshooting SolidWorks software, running CAD tests on new hires, CAD support for other employees, and assembling and testing valve components in the manufacturing department. I represented the company in new client meetings and maintained a professional demeanor targeting a higher-end customer base.**Near the end of 2011, I transitioned to one of PCSI's clients with the endorsement of the CEO to help Ramgen Power Systems meet an extremely challenging set of drafting deadlines.**

Mountlake Terrace, Wa, Us

My next major client was CASE Forensics (Consultants/Architects/Scientists/Engineers, now Jensen Hughes), where I was brought in as a metallurgical analyst and test engineer to support their largest project to date. This gave me the chance to deepen my ability to examine technical field failures and determine root cause. The project involved researching severe water damage to multiple data centers to establish insurance liability, while also inventing and deploying an emergency fix.The results of my testing were the backbone for a report used to determine fault for millions of dollars in facility damages. I was responsible for:- collecting evidence and ordering exemplar pieces for testing- pull-testing 2,500+ high-grade bolts taken as evidence- analyzing and ranking levels of metallic corrosion- documenting results in Excel for use in court- installing and performing strain-gauge tests- modeling and drafting clamps and fittings- supporting hydraulic hammer testingI was also appointed as the company's SolidWorks 3D CAD expert, where I performed:- structural analysis of automobile collisions- thermal analysis of heater ignition cases- cost/benefit analysis of implementing 3D CAD across the departmentAdditionally I helped with a number of other projects in the warehouse, from building and monitoring test structures to transporting evidence and performing site visits.**Upon completing this project, I went to Budapest to help start the Aquincum Institute of Technology as a student-faculty liaison.** (see Education)

Kirkland, Washington, Us

Once the commercial design was frozen, I switched over to manufacturing engineering to meet the company's need to build product. I was an integral member of the transition team dedicated to scaling up production to meet the initial sales targets. As a manufacturing lead, I was responsible for:- sourcing parts and selecting vendors- writing manufacturing procedures- tool and process qualification- designing assembly tools- supplier qualificationAfter our first successful product runs, I was appointed Process Manager for 8 manufacturing stations in a clean-room environment. My additional accomplishments in this role included:- training and evaluation of 10-20 assembly workers- updating tools and procedures from feedback- maintaining an excellent safety record- increasing productivity 300%Assembly operations ranged from UV-curing and razor operation to electronics testing and pre-torque catheter application. I also helped with inspection and product sampling, and remained on-call to the manufacturing floor to be able to respond to line-down and safety incidents.I also helped revamp the product based on doctor feedback from using the first commercial version. This second version, Jetstream G2, received FDA clearance in 2009. (see link)**In 2009 Pathway began a heavier shift to manufacturing development for eventual acquisition. Looking to broaden my engineering experience outside of medical devices, I left to resume contracting as an independent consultant.**

Kirkland, Washington, Us

I decided to pursue the startup technology scene on the West coast, and drove to Seattle from Boston at the end of 2006. Soon after, I was hired as a consultant to teach SolidWorks surfacing to engineers at Pathway Medical (now part of Bayer Healthcare). I was then given the opportunity to help bring their catheter prototype to commercial release as a full-time R+D engineer.The device was a miniature drill to remove blockages from arteries for the treatment of Peripheral Artery Disease. In many cases the device could prevent the need for amputation of the leg.Initial design work supported the continuing clinical trials in Paraguay and Germany, and the FDA medical device approval process. I performed impact, drop, and pull tests and revised strain relief features based on these results. I wrote and revised testing protocols and proved equivalency in the new product design for successful FDA approval in several key areas.My deeper engineering contributions during scale up to commercial launch included:- design/sourcing of primary electro-mechanical control switch- injection-molded features to protect electronics from fluids- motor housing, sealing, and vibration damping- tolerance analysis of catheter drill- blood lab bench tests- packaging design- tubing routingAdditionally, I took on an expanded role as SolidWorks manager. I was responsible for:- PDM database oversight- SolidWorks error support- SolidWorks training and recruitment testing- coordination of company-wide software upgrade- creation and maintenance of drawing, file, and BOM standardsI also led an independent effort to name and brand the initial product line, submitted a marketing presentation with another engineer that was successfully accepted and trademarked (Jetstream).The design team achieved FDA clearance in 2008. (see link)

Cambridge, Massachusetts, Us

I began my contracting career in Boston after graduation. My first client was Manta Product Development, where I was brought on to assist in developing a confidential medical device.I heavily utilized the advanced surfacing tools in SolidWorks to create an ultra-thin alloy cover for a precision oral surgery tool. In addition to all modeling and drawings, I was responsible for:- researching new materials- sourcing prototype vendors- developing a manufacturing plan- generating client presentations- creating a methods and suppliers database- meeting the client's aggressive timeline**The successful delivery of this product inspired my future as a product design consultant.**

Vélizy-Villacoublay, Fr

During my Junior year, I had the privilege of meeting the inventor of SolidWorks during a New Technology Ventures business course. Our conversation after class led to my starting a now long-running summer internship program at their headquarters location.I was placed directly in the Quality Assurance department to work alongside the main engineering team on testing, validating, and releasing the 2005/06 SolidWorks package. Tasks and accomplishments include:- running automated test scripts- submitting software problem reports (SPRs)- performing multilingual, multi-platform installations- spellchecking the program's master file- validating the mechanical simulation suite - evaluating the Smart Fastener, Hole Wizard, and toolbox features Also, frustrated by the bugs missed during automated testing, I petitioned the VP to be able to pursue an independent quality initiative. I then dis/reassembled, modeled, drafted, and rendered a complex product (a vacuum), mimicking a typical engineering use scenario. The project uncovered multiple software crashes, which resulted in more dynamic testing during future release cycles.During this time I also maintained the highest software defect detection rate in the office.

Greenbelt, Md, Us

After my Sophomore year at Olin, I was selected to help start a NASA summer study with my physics professor/mentor and a small team of students. The goal of the program was to help NASA scientists improve their satellite mechanisms, while giving students a taste of real engineering with a hard deadline - the launch schedule.The program kicked off with a trip to the Goddard Space Flight Center, where we met the lead researchers and saw the experimental hardware under construction. I then served as project manager for one of the designs while contributing to engineering on two others. In addition to learning about design for cryogenic and high vibration environments, I was able to refine my SolidWorks and mechanical analysis abilities.At the end of the summer, I helped deliver and present manufactured solutions to the Goddard scientists which solved technical challenges for the following experiments: - adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator heat switch- far-infrared calibration jig- magnetometerNASA continued to offer this opportunity to Olin students several years thereafter.

Certificate In Architecture And Model-Based Systems Engineering, Systems Engineering

Ait Student Ambassador, Design, It Entrepreneurship, Bioinformatics

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Engineering Design