Led design teams delivering custom solutions to complex, challenging applications involving production assembly and test equipment. Projects spanned design collaboration, structural and modal analysis, cycle time optimization, safety system integration, controls design, project planning and budgeting. •Delivered reduction of millions of dollars in component costs as friction stir-weld lead: • Steered a team of engineers that designed an automated 4-axis friction stir welding machine. • Collaborated with team members to overcome a multitude of difficult design challenges • Applied real time force control of the pin tool to ensure hermetic sealing of the welded joint. • Delivered the machine to the factory in record time. •Led development of a next-generation high-performance head testing system as servo-mechanical lead: • Determined shortcomings of existing system by taking structural response measurements • Developed a finite element model of the plant to support servo development. • Validated the model with scanning LDV measurements. • Utilized validated FEA model to optimize new design to meet servo performance target. • Design used cutting-edge 3D-printed Aluminum structure to meet the stringent requirements. •Designed a high purity gas sampling system for hard drive failure analysis that integrated to a time-of- flight mass spectrometer. Used to detect contaminants in the hard drive internal environment and inform future product design decisions for extended product life.

Ensured future product designs would integrate seamlessly with existing automated assembly equipment in collaboration with product design engineers. Directed numerous designers, drafter, technicians, and machinists in the design, documentation, assembly, and troubleshooting of complex, automated assembly equipment. •Designed a fully automated assembly machine that evacuated air from a hard drive, filled it with an inert gas, and applied a seal. The leak rate and cleanliness requirements of the system required special design considerations and extensive testing to qualify the system. •Ensured cleanliness requirements were exceeded through creation and development of a fully automated material handling system to support a new hard drive assembly line and a specially designed injection molded storage shelf assembly. •Devised tooling and gauges to support a laser welding system. Used finite element analysis to optimize design of a compliant clamp plate used to uniformly load final cover during welding. •Concepted and designed a fully automated balance measuring system to meet the stringent balance specifications of a new 2.5-inch hard drive that required extensive development of a vibration isolation system and balance transducer to meet the requirements. •Designed an automated machine to correct imbalance of motor disk assemblies that used high-speed robots, custom vibratory part feeders, and machine vision to pick and place custom balance weights onto the hard disc clamp assembly.