Vance Willis, Pe

Vance Willis, Pe Email and Phone Number

Engineering Leader @ Franklin Engineering Group, Inc.
Vance Willis, Pe's Location
Franklin, Tennessee, United States, United States
About Vance Willis, Pe

An engineering leader with hands-on experience in all aspects of product development and project management. Experienced in designing reliable and innovative products for a variety of manufacturing processes, driving speed to market, with an eye toward process efficiency and cost savings. A proven leader in mobilizing and training staff, while developing talent and influencing cross-functional teams.Leadership Skills• Product Development• Engineering Management• Lean Manufacturing• Shainin Red-X• Kaizen• Supplier/Partner Management• VOC Translation• Safety Agencies (UL, CSA, ETL, etc.)• Project Management• Phase Gate Process• Process Engineering• Capital Expenditure Management• Customer Problem Solving• IP Portfolio ManagementTechnical Expertise• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE)• Fuel Gas Combustion• Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Systems• Energetics (explosives) Manufacturing• SolidWorks• FEA• Product Testing• Design & Process FMEA• Heat/Thermal Design• Root Cause Analysis• Electro-Mechanical Assemblies• Injection Molding• Metal Forming & Fabricating• VBA ProgrammingSee full resume at http://vancewillis.net/resume

Vance Willis, Pe's Current Company Details
Franklin Engineering Group, Inc.

Franklin Engineering Group, Inc.

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Engineering Leader
Vance Willis, Pe Work Experience Details
  • Franklin Engineering Group, Inc.
    Project Manager
    Franklin Engineering Group, Inc. Nov 2021 - Present
    Us
  • Kilgore Flares Co., Llc
    Advanced Development Manager
    Kilgore Flares Co., Llc Jan 2020 - Oct 2021
    Reporting to the Director of Technology, having responsibility for research and development of countermeasure product design and manufacturing processes.• Developed design improvements for countermeasure products to simplify manufacturing and improve performance, coordinating design changes directly with the customer, which was the US Air Force.• Coordinated large-scale manufacturing process improvement program, funded by the US Navy’s Office of Naval Research ManTech program, resulting in cost savings and improved operator safety.• Implemented pressure decay leak testing as a replacement for legacy bubble leak testing, improving robustness and removing human error from the process.• Held a national security clearance, and worked on classified projects for the US Department of Defense.
  • Big Ass Fans
    Mechanical Engineering Design Manager
    Big Ass Fans Apr 2019 - Jan 2020
    Lexington, Ky, Us
    Reporting to the Global Director of Engineering, managed a team of 12 engineers and designers, having product design engineering responsibility for all fans and LED lighting fixtures for industrial, commercial, and residential applications.• Implemented and trained best-practice processes and procedures for Design FMEA and Design Review, increasing the level of rigor and improving the robustness of product designs.• Led in problem solving and root cause analysis for complex product failure issue involving dynamic balancing of a ceiling fan design, rapidly restoring customer delivery.• Provided leadership for projects involving mechanical design as well as systems design, involving cross-functional teams such as program management, electrical engineering, and software engineering.• Contributed heavily to the design of the Sidekick 48” portable barrel fan, including design and patenting of the frame system with outer steel rings and inner injection molded barrel segments.
  • Hayward Pool Products
    Engineering Manager
    Hayward Pool Products 2013 - Dec 2018
    Charlotte, North Carolina, Us
    Reporting to the VP of Engineering, managed a team of 10 engineers, designers, and technicians, having product design engineering responsibility for gas-fired, heat pump, and electric resistance heaters.• Developed a comprehensive thermodynamic model for simulation of outdoor swimming pool heat loss, including writing of software to use for energy analyses. Solved a decades-old problem of truly understanding equipment sizing, and quantifying energy savings opportunities. • Directly managed an external industrial design firm to support the aesthetic design of a new platform product, including bidding and negotiation. Resulted in a striking design where form followed function, and 6 additional user features were added, all under the design firm's initial budget.• Developed an innovative portfolio of advanced diagnostic algorithms using sensors to identify system faults and to predict faults before they occur so they can be addressed with zero appliance down-time.• Designed, specified, and implemented climate conditioning equipment and control systems to maintain wet and dry bulb air temperatures and water temperature to within 0.4°F, for accurate lab testing of heat pump water heaters, per ASHRAE 146. Wrote software to automate data acquisition and test sheet completion.• Played integral role in reengineering of Hayward's toll gate product development process through cross-functional collaboration and value stream mapping. Reduced steps to improve speed to market, and established templates for project teams to use. • Drove incremental $100K cost savings projects by implementing a summer college internship process. Recruited and mentored college students, resulting in project bandwidth increase and accelerated project timing.• Became a sought-after resource within the company for solving challenging design and manufacturing problems. Drove idea-generating, brainstorming sessions, rapidly sketching ideas, to quickly evolve a workable solution.
  • Hayward Pool Products
    Senior Mechanical Engineer
    Hayward Pool Products 2007 - 2013
    Charlotte, North Carolina, Us
    Reporting to the VP of Engineering, managed a team of 5 engineers, designers, and technicians, having product design engineering responsibility for gas-fired and electric resistance water heaters.• Designed a product having certification to the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, including design of a complex cast bronze water manifold which maintained the hydraulic performance of the incumbent plastic manifold. Played key role in vendor selection for the castings, including visiting suppliers and conducting audits.• Solved a complex combustion ignition problem in a water heater product, allowing the simple rework and release of over $1M of inventory for sale.• Redesigned indoor vent attachment configuration on a high-volume product, mitigating a safety issue, reducing product cost, and expanding product functionality to include Category I in addition to Category III venting.• Supported qualification of alternate vendors for components such as blowers, burners, electro-mechanical devices, gas valves, gaskets, insulation, and paint coatings. Delivering $300K+ annual product cost savings, while confirming component reliability through stress testing.• Identified issue with measurement uncertainty of thermal efficiency test procedure. Researched and developed a statistical procedure for determining aggregate uncertainty for a multi-instrument calculated result. Old system provided ±2.3% accuracy. New system provided ±0.4%, reducing cost, and ensuring product ratings were accurate.• Led project to qualify existing product for high-altitude via external test lab vendor. Overcame issue with vent pressure switch setting in real-time during testing at the vendor, preventing additional costs due to re-tests.
  • Hayward Pool Products
    Mechanical Engineer
    Hayward Pool Products 2002 - 2007
    Charlotte, North Carolina, Us
    Reporting to the Engineering Manager, having product design engineering responsibility for gas-fired and electric resistance water heaters, underwater LED lights, and pool/spa automation systems.• Designed and patented an injection molded water manifold and pressure bypass mechanism that resulted in the industry's best hydraulic efficiency of 1.1 PSI head loss at 40 GPM, where competitors were 2.8-6.5 PSI.• Filled crucial role of applications engineer for pool/spa automation systems which were manufactured and name branded by an external partner. Developed specifications and tests to ensure performance and reliability.• Key driver in the design of ColorLogic LED underwater lighting products, performing all mechanical designs, managing external electronic design partner, and confirming reliability through testing. At launch, ColorLogic light sales were 3X forecasted.• Developed a comprehensive documentation package for underwater lighting products, enabling procurement and production at contract manufacturers. Oversaw on-time launch with contractors in US and China.• Designed Hayward's first low-NOx emissions water heater, achieving less than 40 ng/J emissions (California requirement), while maintaining product cost and profit margins.
  • Hayward Pool Products
    Lab Technician
    Hayward Pool Products Jun 1995 - 2002
    Charlotte, North Carolina, Us
    Reporting to the Engineering Manager, having product testing responsibility for gas-fired and electric resistance water heating products, and management of the test lab.• Implemented NOx emissions testing protocols, including interpretation of standards, purchasing of test equipment, third-party certification, and writing procedures.• Obtained agency accreditation of the Hayward test laboratory, including ISO 17025 compliance, development of procedures, and record keeping. Resulted in faster speed to market, and $50K+ annual savings.• Designed and constructed an outdoor life-cycle testing apparatus, using cooling towers to exhaust heat, allowing accelerated duty cycle operation of water heaters. Prior to this, no product life-cycle testing had been performed at Hayward.• Renovated test lab, converting water holding systems to larger volume vertical tanks and valve systems to free up space and obtain better flow control of test apparatus.• Implemented a distributed PC-based data acquisition system, streamlining testing, and reducing human error related to manual instrument readings.
  • United States Marine Corps
    Corporal
    United States Marine Corps Nov 1992 - Feb 2000
    Washington, Dc, Us
    Infantry Machine Gunner, MOS 0331. Led teams and squads of infantry Marines. Specialized in automatic weapons including M60E3, M240G, MK19, and M2. As a reservist, was attached to India Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Division, based in Nashville, Tennessee.

Vance Willis, Pe Skills

Manufacturing Solidworks Dmaic Product Design Product Development Continuous Improvement Kaizen Process Engineering Process Improvement Root Cause Analysis Lean Manufacturing Fmea Cross Functional Team Leadership Design For Manufacturing Engineering Engineering Management Spc Gas Combustion Refrigeration Project Management Project Portfolio Management Combustion Systems Computer Aided Design Prototyping Microsoft Excel Visual Basic For Applications Plc Programming

Vance Willis, Pe Education Details

  • Tennessee State University
    Tennessee State University
    Mechanical Engineering
  • Nashville State Community College
    Nashville State Community College
    Mechanical Engineering Technology

Frequently Asked Questions about Vance Willis, Pe

What company does Vance Willis, Pe work for?

Vance Willis, Pe works for Franklin Engineering Group, Inc.

What is Vance Willis, Pe's role at the current company?

Vance Willis, Pe's current role is Engineering Leader.

What is Vance Willis, Pe's email address?

Vance Willis, Pe's email address is va****@****ail.com

What is Vance Willis, Pe's direct phone number?

Vance Willis, Pe's direct phone number is +161597*****

What schools did Vance Willis, Pe attend?

Vance Willis, Pe attended Tennessee State University, Nashville State Community College.

What skills is Vance Willis, Pe known for?

Vance Willis, Pe has skills like Manufacturing, Solidworks, Dmaic, Product Design, Product Development, Continuous Improvement, Kaizen, Process Engineering, Process Improvement, Root Cause Analysis, Lean Manufacturing, Fmea.

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