Engineer Project

**** ****** ****

VENU PONNALA Waukesha, Wisconsin 53189

262-***-**** abl7wd@r.postjobfree.com

Summary of Experience

Senior Design and Project Engineering professional with over 14 years of experience in gaseous fuel spark

ignited engines and diesel fuel compression ignited locomotives. Background in project management and

project engineering for structural, thermal, design projects. Skilled in logical problem solving techniques, cost

reduction ideas for new and existing mechanical systems, participated in cross functional reviews,

implemented concurrent engineering principles, oversaw the release process and led design teams.

Waukesha Engine, Waukesha, Wisconsin

2003 to

2009 A global company manufacturing natural gas engines.

Sr. Design Engineer: Responsible for new product development, cost reduction initiatives,

2004

to redesign of systems. Collaborating with vendors, manufacturing, service, quality and

2009 purchasing. Utilization of resources and maintaining tight project schedules. Conducting

meetings for several stages of design reviews and overseeing release processes.

Identified and proposed over 10% cost reduction items on $250,000 Advanced Power

Generation (APG 1K) engine. Result: Currently in various stages of implementation.

Redesigned and vendor managed for spark plug carrier and recess tube. Result: Saved

$1,000 per engine while eliminating galling and necking of material.

Split the cam shaft length into two pieces and analyzed the joint to reduce the bottleneck of

supplier issue. Result: Maintained same life with durable joint.

Led the design team to convert fabricated oil pan into a casting while minimizing oil leaks

and packaging issues for option codes. Result: Saved $2,000 per engine.

Redesigned and rerouted manufacturing process for turbo connections with

cross-functional engineering inputs. Result: Saved $3,000 per engine.

Redesigned several dry exhaust manifolds by eliminating 50% leak paths, with enhanced

serviceability while accommodating thermal growth. Result: Saved $3,000 per engine.

Rerouted coolant flow path by eliminating short circuit with introduction of bleeding path in

wet exhaust manifold system. Result: Rectified current manifold LCF thermal cracks.

Analyzed several concepts of piston reentrant bowl and gallery shapes as part of DOE

funded Advanced Reciprocating Engine System (ARES II) project with structural

optimization program TOSCA. Wrote script to vary design parameters to generate FEA

runs. Result: Scouted the parameters to understand piston design variables.

Conceptualized pre-ignition chamber to achieve defined swirl and tumble.

Result: Projected to optimize intake port, piston bowl, and oil gallery for other parameters.

Collaborated with vendors on several Mist Eliminators to optimize the condensate removal

from low pressure EGR. Result: Optimized condensate removal to 95%.

Sr. Analytical Engineer: Responsible for supporting new and existing product developments

2003

to including field service problems with FEA and numerical tools in suggesting modifications and

2004 writing Analytical Job Request Reports.

Provided Torsional Analysis Services for existing products including generating

Mass/Elastic Data Reports and Torsional System Vibration Analysis (TVA) Reports on Full

Engine Driven Systems for Generator Applications.

Analyzed existing product issues like 4 point mounting on 12 cylinder VHP engines,

Resume of VENU PONNALA Page 2

external mounting of oil filter housing on VEE engines, and harmonic analysis on Omaha

WWTP enginator. Result: Eliminated product issues and increased the product reliability.

Created a package in Excel using VBA to generate automatic Mass Elastic System

Reports. Result: Reduced report generation to less than half with minimal or no errors

and later all TVA reports were generated in similar logic.

Electro Motive Division, Lagrange, Illinois

1995 to

2003 A global company manufacturing diesel locomotives.

Project Engineer: Responsible for Finite Element Analysis of Engine structures and

1998

to components under thermal and mechanical load conditions. Teamed with EMD clients and

2003 vendors for various design and manufacturing issues.

Resolved fire face cracks of H16 cylinder head under thermal, mechanical, and assembly

load conditions. Result: Eliminated low cycle thermal fatigue.

Redesigned breaking thrust washers in two-piece piston to analyze damage caused

reverse cycle fatigue. Studied clearance analysis of power assembly for thrust washers

wear rate. Result: Created a no-go gauge to reduce service warranty cost.

Collaborated with cross-functional teams for cost savings project by changing forged piston

carrier to cast carrier. Result: Saved $500,000 per year.

Co-led project on production change of H16 oil pan cracks for main bearing and firing

loads. Implemented, learned design concepts in tidewater project. Result: Eliminated oil

pan cracks in service.

Analyzed compressor scroll, exhaust duct, exhaust duct support and blades for new 12H

turbo charger. Result: Accomplished the New Product Development and Launching

(NPDL) validation process for components.

Design Engineer: Responsible for 2 new requirements of truck group structures and its

1995

to components and cab group for Long Island Rail Road. Coordinated between design and

1998 engineering to implement design changes.

Analyzed prime component of truck frame casting (2000 lbs) from box cross section to

U cross section. Result: Improved manufacturing process control and saved $10,000.

Designed cab roof to accommodate 95 percentile male for Long Island Rail Road (LIRR).

Result: Reduced weight by 60% in comparison to F59PH cab roof.

Designed engineer’s and helper consoles on LIRR project. Result: Achieved a design to

ergonomically accommodate 90 and 95 percentile male and female population.

Education: M.S. Degree - Mechanical Engineering

Texas A & M University, Kingsville, Texas, 1994

B.S. Degree - Mechanical Engineering

Gogte Institute of Technology, Belgaum, India, 1990

Seminars: Engine Performance and Combustion Series by University of Wisconsin Madison, Heat

Transfer using Ansys by Ansys, ProEngineer: Introduction to solid modeling I and II, Gas

Engine Technology, nCode Durability with FE Based Fatigue Analysis with FE-Fatigue,

Structural Dynamics and Structural Nonlinearities using ANSYS, Master Model Concepts using

Unigraphics

Computer CAE Software: Ansys, TOSCA, Fluent, nCode, and Fe Safe

Skills: CAD Software: Pro Engineer, Unigraphics, and SDRC I- Deas

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