Manager Engineer

Kenneth Van Hodges **********@**.**.***

**** ******* *****, ***** *** 336-***-****

Raleigh, NC 27604

Hands on Engineering Manager with implementation leadership skills for product development,

manufacturing, and project management. Leadership demonstrated through certifications achieved in

lean concepts and quality management systems. Offering a practical engineering approach and people

skills combined with creativity and a can do attitude to seek continuous improvements and delivery of

completed projects as expected.

Professional Experience

MTS Sensors Division 2007 2009

Manufacturing Engineering Manager (Cary, NC)

Responsible for operations process development, implementation, safety and maintenance to support the

design, marketing, manufacturing, and sales of high precision electronic measurement instruments.

Manager whom utilizes Lean Manufacturing, DFT, 5S, Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen, Kanban and TPM.

Utilized lean concepts to develop a new shipping department which resulted in a 50%

reduction in shipping costs. Developed standardized modular packaging material concepts which

improved safety and storage issues.

Provided leadership and project management for operations including production

meetings, scheduling, engineering change processes, root cause analysis, process improvements,

lean concepts, writing standards and work instructions.

Developed an integrated stainless steel orbital welding system to produce sensors used in

the pharmaceutical industry.

Developed a wire ribbon measurement system to feed the termination machine.

Eliminated waste (materials, labor, space) using the kaizen approach.

Deere Hitachi Construction Machinery 1998 2006

Manufacturing Engineer (Kernersville, NC)

Provided engineering support for the paint and assembly departments. Provided leadership

with DFT lean certification and ISO 9001 certification. Recognized leader in prototype builds,

production root cause analysis, reliability centered maintenance, kaizen events, and standards

development.

Lean manufacturing concepts integrated into production starting with prototype and

preproduction builds of hydraulic excavators. Actively pursued input from production by rotating

technicians into the prototype builds.

Developed staging, kitting and material movements using lean concepts.

Audited operations and coached technicians and supervisors in safe work practices

resulting in zero lost time injuries during a five year period in the engineering, assembly and paint

departments.

Introduced and maintained DFT (Demand Flow Technology lean production) principles to

achieve DFT certification for the paint and assembly departments

Developed a comprehensive lifting device standard and program to insure the safety and

design of all lifting devices and slings used in logistics (kitting), assembly, welding (fabrication) and

paint departments.

Implemented pumps and metering systems to provide oil, grease, ethylene glycol, paints,

solvents and catalysts to various locations within the plant.

Developed a hydraulic cleanliness standard and program to prevent and detect hydraulic

oil contamination.

Authored and implemented plant wide quality plans for torque control using statistical

process control methods, RCM, root cause analysis including critical technician input.

Evaluated all bolt failures in production. Evaluated problem for root cause identification

and initiated corrective action plans.

Managed the paint department hazardous waste policies and audited for compliance.

Developed the Deere Hitachi paint specification for in house two pass, wet on wet, and

repairs as well as the supplier paint standard. Coordinated with paint suppliers to validate the

performance of the paint.

Implemented paint mixing systems for two part paint systems using predetermined purge

cycles to reduce solvent loss and off color paint applications.

Developed and managed project budgets for the paint and assembly departments.

Presented and participated in the annual John Deere Paint Symposium. Critical paint

process data and trends were presented by John Deere facility representative from around the world

one week a year.

TRW Rack & Pinion Steering 1989 1998

Process /Project Engineer (Greenville, NC)

ISO 9000 implementation team leader and coach. Wrote corporate wide standards for

multiple categories including preventative maintenance, control of nonconforming product and

corrective actions.

Initiated SPC charting in all production cells for steering gears, inner and outer tie rods.

Capital equipment administrator for assembly and machining of outer and inner tie rods

and rack and pinion power steering gears. Utilized pFMEA and dFMEA formats to prioritize process

and product improvements.

Implemented an infra red temperature monitoring device for control of an induction

hardening process. Control provided real time input on product quality.

Brought about force monitoring on reciprocating thread rolling equipment. Utilized outputs

from monitor to actuate rejection chute. Reduced costly equipment failures by limiting machine

loading.

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Implemented force monitoring the cold header when preventative tasks included in cold

header tool change and machine set up procedures failed to produce expected results.

Recognized as expert counsel to help others in techniques to develop effective poke

yokes.

Conceived preventative maintenance plans for coldheading, threading, assembly,

machining, and heat treating equipment based on trends developed through monthly monitoring of tool

and repair costs. Utilized process FMEA to prioritize machine maintenance activities.

Education Tennessee Technological University Cookeville, TN

B.S.M.E. Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering

Certifications/ Professional Development:

CPR & First Responder Value Stream Mapping

Certification

pFMEA trainer Demand Flow Technology

Helium Leak Detection Lean Enterprise/ JIT

Performance Development Joint Fastener Technology

Process

ISO 9001 Internal Auditor GD& T

Visual Inspector II / Color Acuity CNC Programming (multiple

controls)

Auto Cad Orbital Welding

Leadership Development National Machinery Coldheaders

Train the Trainer Hydraulic Controls and Systems

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