Quality Assurance Engineer

DAROL L. HEIDLEBAUGH

e-mail: *********@***.***

cell: 612-***-****

Versatile Engineer

With a great track record of improving yields and profits in defense and

civilian industries on microscopic to megalithic products. Now looking for

a challenging Quality Engineering position in the medical device industry

that would best utilize my investigative nature, skills with hands-on

problem solving, product development, new product introduction, design and

process improvement.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

BAE Systems, Fridley, MN

2008-2009 (Defense

Industry, Army Programs Prototypes and Qualification)

Senior Quality Engineer (contract-to-direct)

Was Quality Point of Contact for all activities related to hardware for use

on prototypes for the Future Combat Systems program. Assured compliance to

Quality Systems, provided prompt evaluation and corrective action for

discrepant product. Coordinated failure and return documentation through

TIPQA, tracked inventory and location of millions of dollars worth of

electronics. Active team member in Configuration Control Board and

Material Review Board. Was also Quality POC for the prototype assembly

area, procurement and stockroom. Maintained extensive hardware records

from receiving inspection through return/repair cycles and location in

prototype vehicles. Coordinated hardware replacement in prototype vehicles

undergoing qualification at remote test sites.

. Investigated allegations of procedural violations so that corrective

actions could be implemented prior to an ISO audit.

. Earned an award for devising a method of tracking the location of all

electronics by serial number throughout various BAE facilities, test

sites and supplier repair facilities. Warded off a potential Class III

CAR from DCMA by locating $2.8M of equipment that was previously

unaccounted for.

Multek Flexible Circuits, Inc., Northfield, MN

2006-2007 (roll-to-roll manufacture

of Flexible Printed Circuits)

Senior Product Engineer (full-time)

Reviewed customer CAD files and negotiated final designs, coordinated with

internal CAD dept. to prepare for prototype layout and soft-tooling,

production layout and hard-tooling, prepared production documentation in

Oracle and ETQ for local and remote assembly sites, prepared detailed

product assembly data for RoHS requirements, data preparation for PPAPs.

Conducted design reviews, participated in failure investigations, resolved

issues with customers.

. Performed cost/benefit analysis that proved using better but slightly

more expensive base material would provide payback within the first 1%

increase in yield by eliminating shrinkage. Some programs were as low as

50% yield.

. Solved mysterious variation in solder plating process that had caused

customer complaints for several years.

. Instrumental in shortening prototype turnaround time to only three days

with a major customer.

. Took a new product from prototype to 6M/month production in 4 months.

ATK Ordnance Systems, Plymouth, MN

2005-2006 (Defense Industry, Prototype

Development and Qualification)

Production/Process Engineer (contract)

Assured compliance to Quality Systems, provided prompt evaluation and

determination of corrective action for discrepant product. Developed and

documented assembly processes, oversaw assembly in the prototype lab and

maintained configuration records of all products. In preparation for mass

production in remote facility, went through Design For Manufacturing

process on all subassemblies, improving design and streamlining processes.

Darol L. Heidlebaugh

Page Two

ATK Ordnance Systems, (continued)

. Became an SMT specialist and designed complete SMT line for maximum

throughput.

. Authored the Validation Plan for the new assembly line, sub-cells and SMT

line.

. Researched supplier compliance to RoHS and the "Tin Whisker" issue to

determine component finish requirements for long-term full-scale

production.

Resistance Technology, Inc., Arden Hills, MN

1997-2002 (Medical Device

components, miniature injection-molded electromechanical assemblies)

Senior Production Engineer (full-time)

Responsible for performing and writing reports of

validation/qualification testing on new products and product improvements

per GMP. Performed failure analysis on customer returns and line

rejects, determined root cause and corrective action, performed incoming

inspections and cell audits, coordinated improvements with customers and

suppliers. Determined and generated design improvements during prototype

and after new product introduction, generated and maintained assembly

procedures and machine operating instructions for custom automation,

coordinated with toolmakers and technicians to maximize machine

performance and product quality. Applied statistical tools (SPC, DOE,

FMEA) to determine process controls and product improvements.

Responsible for supervising operators and maintaining workcells for

several product lines, including the company's most technically complex

and most visible cell (Final Assembly involved 2 robots, 2 vibratory

feeds, a vision system, 3 monitors, 2 pick-and-place, a flipper and a

shuttle UV light cure), collected data and maintained charts for metrics

such as Units per Hour, Test Yields, Operator Efficiencies and Machine

Down Time. Responsible for starting up production lines for new

products. Duties also included interviewing, evaluating, hiring and

firing operators.

. Took over a product line plagued by low yields (approx. 30%) and high

field returns and turned it into a highly profitable line with high

yields and virtually no returns (approx. $200K cost savings in 1 year).

. First to implement Process Capability and Lean Manufacturing.

D. S. Manufacturing, Inc., Pine Island, MN

1994-1997 (precision high-

finish Metal Fabrication)

Quality Assurance Manager (full-time)

Supervised inspectors responsible for Receiving Inspection (raw material,

purchased parts and subcontract processes), Inprocess and Final

Inspection. Successfully tackled difficult technical problems (including

material quality, tool design and packaging) which had eluded

Manufacturing Engineering and Subcontract Management. Worked closely

with all other departments to achieve continuous quality improvements

resulting in higher yields and better profit margins. Performed supplier

audits which resulted in dramatic increases in quality.

. Introduced a cost-of-quality cost reduction program.

. Initiated the purchase and utilization of a CMM (coordinate measurement

machine) to certify check-fixtures and weldment set-ups.

. Initiated process and product improvements by demanding better

material, tooling, processes and lot traceability.

. Authored a Quality Assurance Manual per the ISO 9001 format and

developed systems to support compliance.

Darol L. Heidlebaugh

Page Three

Curtis Electronics Corp., Hastings, MN

1993-1994

(multi-layered Circuit Board fabrication, Quick-Turn Short-Run)

Quality Assurance Manager (full-time)

Directly supervised personnel in Microsection, Electrical Test, Final

Inspection and Shipping. Promoted cross-training, better materials,

process improvement and increased involvement in problem solving with other

departments.

. Re-established good working relationships with federal government (DESC)

and U.L. representatives and hosted their audits.

. Cleared backlog of previous MIL-P-55110 audit violations by updating and

organizing documentation, establishing an internal audit system and

developing new procedures.

. Originated system of documented feedback so that inprocess inspections

could improve the manufacturing process of the current order and future

orders.

. Rapidly reduced scrap rate from 56% to a more reasonable 13%.

Honeywell Inc., Minneapolis, MN

1978-1993 (Aerospace and

Defense, miniature electromechanical navigational devices-gyroscopes and

accelerometers)

Senior Quality Assurance Engineer (full-time)

Held Secret Clearance. Directed failure investigations, performed root

cause analysis, developed and implemented corrective action and authored

reports to customers, resulting in increased yields and profits as well as

customer satisfaction. Specialized in new programs and demanding

customers; negotiated Quality Requirements; developed report and data sheet

formats. Active participant in 2 Just-In-Time implementation teams, 2

Performance Improvement Program teams, 2 Scrap and Rework teams,

Workmanship Standards Committee, various Failure Analysis and problem

solving teams. Led the Housekeeping and Cleanroom Team for 3 years,

successfully eliminating particle generators from production areas and

upgrading to modern practices. Consistently requested by other departments

to represent Quality on their programs. Requested by customer to remain on

project through its 10-year life cycle due to long-term good working

relationship. Was assigned program manager responsibilities on various

retired programs where support was required for repair activities and field

concerns. Responsible for continuous monitoring of Quality program

expenditures. Performed internal and external audits resulting in much

tighter process controls.

. Directly responsible for reducing prototype leadtime on a new program by

12 months.

. Achieved a 1-year cost savings of over $335K on a long-term project.

. Voluntarily interceded on another Q.E.'s program to regain good customer

relations and avoid a costly customer visit and First Article Inspection.

Excellent results achieved with a 10 minute phone call to the customer.

EDUCATION: Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, University of Minnesota

Institute of Technology, 1978

KEYWORDS: Six Sigma Green Belt, TIPQA, CAPA, SPC, DOE, FMEA, DFM, SOP,

GMP, SMT, ISO 9001, RoHS, CMM, injection molding, insertion molding, metal

fabrication, medical device, aerospace & defense, prototypes,

qualification/validation/risk analysis.

Contact this candidate