Mechanical Design Engineer

Description

At the heart of a continuous-strand fiberglass manufacturing operation is the fiberizing bushing, a precious metal alloy component similar to an extrusion die. The design, manufacture and operation of the bushing and supporting components are critical to the financial success of the business. The primary responsibility of the Bushing Design Engineer is to design fiber forming bushings, supporting components, the fiberizing process and provide operational support to our global glass manufacturing facilities.

Required Skills & Experience

MS or PhD in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in thermal/fluid sciences (Aeronautical/Chemical Engineering degree with applicable experience)

Experience in mechanical design, mechanical drawings, and standards

5 years’ industrial design/operations experience

Nice to Have Skills & Experience

Field experience either working in or directly supporting manufacturing operations Experience in metalworking, machining, and welding Experience with commercial CAD, CFD codes, and FEA codes Project leadership including scope, schedule, risk and change management

Job Overview

This position requires a deep understanding of the physics and engineering challenges involved in fiberizing at such high temperatures, as well as proficiency in mechanical engineering, heat transfer and fluid flow. The engineer will utilize advanced Computer Aided Engineering (CAE), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), and structural Fine Element Analysis (FEA) tools for designing and analyzing bushing components, glass delivery systems, and their operation including the overall fiberizing environment. The goal is to enhance fiberizing performance and reduce waste. The engineer is also responsible for translating physical understanding into practical designs for fiberizing components, developing manufacturing documentation, and then installing and evaluating them in a laboratory environment or glass manufacturing plants.

Design and perform experiments to validate and test new materials or glass types

Memorialize relevant work in journal-quality internal technical reports and trip reports and other documentation

Responsibilities

Provide on-site and remote support to global Glass Reinforcements Plants to troubleshoot operational issues and support production startups.

Optimize bushing operational performance

Conduct audits of the fiberizing component operational work standards

Mentor and develop Glass Reinforcements staff

Bushing Fabrication Support

Conduct post-mortem analysis on failed bushing components to determine root cause

Provide fabrication/tooling support for internal bushing fabrication shops