Mike has been working with automation, manufacturing, product and process development for over 25 years. His expertise is in bringing creativity and experience together to find solutions to difficult problems. Then reducing those concepts to practice.
Expertise
- Mechanisms for industrial, consumer electronics, and wearable device markets
- Working with industrial design/human factors
- Power trains: including printer and lab instrument sized and miniature
- Utilizing data and experiments to aid design
- Reducing design complexity and cost
- Manufacturing processes
Experience
Senior Mechanical Engineer
Simplexity Product Development, Inc. 2007 – Present · 15 yrs
Selected Accomplishments:
- Fluid handling and valve design for wearables, consumer products and laboratory equipment
- Powertrain design for consumer and laboratory equipment
- Multiple projects seen through ideation/constraints to detail design (sheetmetal, plastics, gears, pins, etc) to prototyping/testing and manufacturing handoff
- Design and installation of multiple manufacturing tools
Design/Development Engineer – Product Design Group
Xerox 2004 – 2007 · 3 yrs 1 mo
Developed major subsystem for a high-end consumer product. Initiated project with requirement generation and concept selection. Advanced project through prototype design and testing. Conducted tests and designed experiments to refine design. Transferred design to overseas manufacturing.
Selected Accomplishments:
- Demonstrated cost, safety and performance advantages of an all new printer subsystem.
- Designed molded plastic parts, springs, sheet metal, and electrical components.
- Performed elaborate functionality and reliability testing on custom built fixtures.
Advanced Project Engineer
Adalis 2002 – 2004 ·2 yrs 1 mo
Exercised diverse skill set and self-directed work ability in a small engineering department. Improved existing Adalis technology to meet ever-increasing customer demands. Responsible for all phases of product development: from concept generation, and implementation, to on-site installation. Responsible for large automation design/development projects requiring project management, diplomacy, automation, trouble-shooting, and mechanical design skills.
Selected Accomplishments:
- Designed, built, tested, and installed in customer’s facilities 3 new product offerings
- Performed frequent patent work and consultation including several new patents that include #7,104,493 (Dispensing Apparatus and Method)
- Managed difficult, though ultimately successful new automated dispenser project
Hardware Design Engineer
Hewlett-Packard 1996 – 2001 · 5 yrs 1 mo
Designed printer hardware to meet customer needs. Prototyped and selected best design from feasible design concepts. Considerations included: product performance, reliability, cost, ease of manufacture and ease of assembly. Selected appropriate materials and created final designs suitable for tooling. Transferred drawings to vendor, and worked with vendor to insure part performance and dimensions. Finally, verified overall product performance.
Selected Accomplishments:
- Designed robust components and assemblies that H.P. customers are using today
- Multiple U.S. patents
- Improved printer characterization ability
Manufacturing Development Engineer 1996-1999
Conceptually designed, specified, and procured custom automation for clean-room manufacturing. Selected and managed vendors throughout procurement process. Designed critical assemblies and key fixtures personally. Extensive hands on work including assembly and debug of prototype equipment. Developed processes, documented, and qualified machinery. Experience encompassed wide range of machinery, including pick and place, laser cutting/marking, lamination, vacuum processing, and inspection.
Selected Accomplishments:
- Awarded two separate trade secret awards for manufacturing process improvements
- Designed new standard machine components that reduced product damage
- Procured $600K custom automation component with unprecedented features
Education
- BS in Mechanical Engineering, Oregon State University
Recognition
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
Patents
Patents are one of my favorite parts of my job. Frequently, they are the result of applying a solution from one field or industry, to a new problem in an unrelated field. For example, using a textured round belt that is commonly used to moved packages in light industrial settings to deliver ink-sticks in a printer.
30 US Utility Patents
- Application 20210220102 Hand-Wound Powered Toothbrush with Replaceable Brush Head
- 11,135,859 Grounding for media
- 10,934,114 Media level state indicator
- 10,183,819 Assembly for Printer having damped media tray
- 9,261,133 Media transport assembly shaft
- 8,550,609 System and method for measuring a supply of solid ink in a solid ink printer
- 8,414,116 Melt plate for use in a solid ink printer
- 8,186,785 User adaptable ink status conveyance system
- 8,132,877 User adaptable ink status conveyance system
- 8,091,999 Melt plate for use in a solid ink jet printer
- 8,075,119 Method for feeding solid ink stick with multiple interlocking axis in a solid ink printer
- 8,047,643 Temperature sensor mount for melt plate
- 7,976,144 System and method for delivering solid ink sticks to a melting device through a non-linear guide
- 7,976,118 Transport system for providing a continuous supply of solid ink to a melting assembly in a printer
- 7,883,195 Solid ink stick features for printer ink transport and method
- 7,878,641 Solid ink stick with reversible keying and interlocking features
- 7,878,636 Solid ink stick chute for printer solid ink transport with mating solid ink stick chute
- 7,819,513 Solid ink stick with multiple axis interlocking
- 7,798,627 Multi-position interlocking ink stick
- 7,798,624 Transport system for solid ink in a printer
- 7,794,072 Guide for printer solid ink transport and method
- 7,780,284 Digital solid ink stick identification and recognition
- 7,762,655 Printer ink delivery system
- 7,651,210 Transport system for solid ink for cooperation with melt head in a printer
- 7,322,541 Apparatus and method for dispensing elongated material
- 7,172,666 Web material application methods and systems
- 7,104,493 Dispensing apparatus and method
- 7,007,883 Apparatus and method for dispensing elongated material
- 6,840,598 Automatic printhead-to-media spacing adjustment system
- 6,685,294 Method for controlling media ejection
- 6,672,696 Automatic printhead-to-media spacing adjustment system
Interests / Obsessions
- Mentoring in Public Schools- Previously MESA, but First Robotics this year.
- Blacksmithing and hobbyist foundry
- Hand tools
- Stirling engines
- Weight training
Favorite Quote
“It is well known that a vital ingredient of success is not knowing that what you’re attempting can’t be done.”
– Terry Pratchett