Owner and Director of RTEC Engineering Ltd providing contract CMM programming services.

Whilst on secondment I was offered the opportunity to return back to Hucknall to work with the Compressor Components (formally known as Fans) business as the CMM Programmer and Process Owner, where the OGV’s VIGV’s and JSF Lift Fan components are produced.The systems I will be maintaining use a mixture of MCOSMOS, PC-DMIS and Renishaw Modus, with the added bonus and opportunity to use a Renishaw REVO that I am (very) excited about and aims to be a large and interesting continuous improvement project.As I am the Process Owner my responsibilities have increased quite a lot from what I am normally used to. As I consider programming to be my 'bread and butter' I felt this was a sound career choice to step up a little and at least have a good background knowledge that I can apply and work with improvement projects along the way to ensure enough capacity will be available in the coming years and be able to supply robust and auditable measurement data, yet also provide expertise for short term problem solving that the business has lacked for a while.This is a role that will enable me to get to grips with the understanding and measurement of aerofoils, which I have not had the opportunity to do thus far.

Requested to return to Barnoldswick as per the end of August 2013 to continue helping with the issues and implement improvements surrounding the CMM systems and facility.Improvements include:Designing a new front end for PC-DMIS using the BASIC Scripting extension to provide data collection, Equipment Efficiency monitoring and robust data storage.Programming and designing new Acceptance Tests and Procedures to ensure CMM's are maintaining calibration values.

On secondment back to the TS&D business now located in Barnoldswick, Lancashire. Semi-reprising my role from 2008-2011 and helping with Improvement activities as part of a Get Well Task Force.Replaced/Updated Operating Procedures and installed automated/improved documentation methods with a much more robust and singular database with much better traceability.Aided manufacturing and production shop floor support.Installation and testing of new software versions, machines for increased capacity, network and CMM programming standardisation.As per the earlier roll within the same business this is using the PC-DMIS software with DEA frames equipped with Leitz probes and Rotary Tables.I thoroughly enjoyed this Secondment as i had the chance to work with old colleagues and many others who are on a similar professional and personable level. I felt we worked as an excellent team and were able to accomplish many tricky situations.I also had the advantage of sitting alongside employees from the Design offices and learned a great deal about the company and the products which would normally not be so readily available on a day to day basis. It was an interesting experience and we were able to collaborate and offer ideas, help and information to each other.

I moved to Rotatives at D-Site in Derby after the fated closure of the TS&D facility I previously worked at, this involved working in the Shafts side of the business responsible for the production and NPI of mainline and stub shafts found in many Rolls-Royce gas turbine engines.Working with the ME Measurement Team this included the use of Mitutoyo MCOSMOS, Eley TM and Hommel Turbo Optic.

Joined Rolls-Royce as a permanent employee after 3 and a half years contracting in the same role. Working for the Transitions, Structures and Drives business programming and maintaining the CMM Inspection facility which produced HP/IP bearing structures and detail components for many of Rolls-Royce’s gas turbine engines.The main software in use was Hexagon/Wilcox PC-DMIS using DEA frames, Leitz LSPX3 probing systems, TESA indexing heads and RPI Rotary Tables.A small LK machine was also present that both operated with dual installations of PC-DMIS and LK WinCMES.

This was my contract roll proceeding the point where i became a permanent Rolls-Royce employee, using the same systems and equipment.On joining Rolls-Royce i was in place to take over from a couple of other contractors working with Hexagon Metrology after supplying a turn key package to install and upgrade aging CMM equipment with new. I then took on the responsibility of maintaining the installed system, applying continuous improvement and helping with NPI projects.During my time in the contract role i was involved with the RCA, and FVRA following the Trent 900 QF32 incident. I helped internal, CAA and AAIB investigations to analyse data and determine if other parts in and out of service were at risk.I helped with offload programs for both domestic and international sub contract suppliers, and spent some time working in the USA with GKN.I provided help and CMM expertise to people and sub contract supply for Last Article Inspection Reports.

I joined Metris (formerly LK Metrology) after an opportunity appeared to go in as an Applications Engineer.Working for Metris was a huge career bonus as i got to work with 'the best of the best' and learned a great deal about CMM programming, capability and metrology.As an apps engineer i trained other people, both at the company facilities and at the customers sites.I spent time helping and manning the Help Desk, providing on site, email and phone support.I carried out Sub Contract programming and was exposed to a wide range of different companies and industries, including aerospace, automotive, F1, medical, military and space.I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time working with the latest software and equipment, learning and working out issues and bugs.

I started at SPS Aerostructures (formerly Chevron Aerospace) when i left school following the completion of my GCSE's.I was taken on as an apprentice and became time served with an HNC in Mechanical Engineering and various NVQ's in Production and Manufacturing Engineering.I was trained by competent experienced colleagues and undertook college courses for CNC word addressed and conversational programming with FANUC (G-Code) and Mazatrol equipped machines.I started using CMM machinery after i was offered the opportunity by the company. I was trained professionally up to a high level standard after going on programming courses with LK Metrology.Working for SPS i worked with many different projects for companies likes Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Westlands and BAe.It was my responsibility to program and maintain the CMM machinery and equipment and i also stood as a certified inspector.I occasionally also headed small teams of people on work inload and FAIR work.