Sr. Materials Engineer

Vikranth Gullapalli

******************@*****.*** Phone: 940-***-****)

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SUMMARY

Seeking for a challenging opportunity in Business Development and Product Management. An Engineer strongly emphasizing in engineering processes, quality, research and development of different metals and materials like polymers & composites that best utilizes my knowledge and experience in manufacturing, materials science and mechanical engineering. WORK EXPERIENCE

Lear Corporation (Integrated Manufacturing & Assembly, Detroit) (Sr. Materials Engr/Sr. Quality Engr) Nov. ‘16 – Present

• Manage US/North America based materials engineering function and materials by providing advanced materials engineering technical expertise and metallurgical resource for projects in manufacturing, new/value product introduction (VPI), supplier quality improvement/commodity for change to US sourced current product/supply base.

• Strong knowledge of design and manufacturing quality tools (DFMEA/PFMEA, Value Engineering, SPC, Root Cause Analysis, DOE, Lean Manufacturing), well-versed in GD&T principles.

• Implemented an extensive approach (Non-destructive testing) like Phase angled Ultrasonic inspection in reducing destructive testing scrap by 30% & helped in reducing cycle time of releasing batches & savings of $400,000 annually.

• Development & integration of thermoplastic materials such as EPP, EVA, PET etc for automotive seating applications.

• Development of lower VOC, low density and lower cost Headrest & Armrest chemistry for new launched programs.

• Development of Visco & Pseudo visco polyurethane foam for dynamic (active) Head Restraint Systems & their designs

• Developed pigmented color dyes for polyurethane foam process - improving performance and reduce defects

• Lead through SREA, Product Trail Runs (PTR) to support the Engineering Changes and the results were analyzed for better Product or Process Development and are reported through Engineering Change Fast board.

• Assisted in the determination and implementation of Kaizen projects that yielded total cost reduction of $250,000 annually in establishing automated testing processes like advanced water jet cutting, mounting and polishing process by increasing productivity and reducing cycle time.

• Assisted in performing Pareto analysis and identified top 5 defects which contributes around 70% of the total defects and appropriate action plans were taken in reducing them. Materials Engr/Validation Engr/ Supervisor (Integrated Manufacturing & Assembly, Detroit) July. ‘15 – Nov. ’16

• Specialized in automotive seating’s for validating manufacturing processes like Laser, GMAW & Resistance welding & responsible for developing experiments in elastomer and thermoplastic material compounding, processes, and property characterization, new products, and global cost improvements for Lear.

• Responsible for maintaining laboratory by mentoring & managing 10 direct reports in validating & reviewing the reports through different types of failure & analytical testing techniques like cut & etch, peel, gauging (CC & SC Characteristics), SEM/EDX, hardness, CMM, fatigue, Tensile, TGA, FTIR, GC, DMA, DSC, HPLC then specified corrective actions through compound redesign or process modifications accordingly.

• Evaluate the foam properties by using six sigma methods (DOE, DMAIC & Statistical Analysis).

• Development of polyol system for specific grade of Polyurethane elastomer.

• Development of Prepolymer elastomer using various kinds of isocyanate (MDI, pMDI, XMDI, HMDI, etc).

• Resolved quality issues by using six sigma/Lean techniques, implementing root cause analysis and problem solving techniques like 8D-5 Why’s.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Characterization Skills: SEM/EDX, hardness, CMM, fatigue, Tensile, TGA, FTIR, GC, DMA, DSC, HPLC, Dual FIB, TEM, X- ray Diffraction, EBSD, MOSS (Multi Optical Stress Sensor) R&D Skills: Thin Film Analysis, Mechanical Testing, Manufacturing Techniques, Quality Improvement. Design, Analysis Tools (Solid Works, CAD, CATIA, Pro Engineer, & ANSYS) Quality Skills: Control Plan, PFEMA, SWI, Internal Audits (Poke Yoke, LPA, DOC audits),5S, Continuous Improvement, Kaizen/Six Sigma, 8D, DMAIC, SPC, Pareto charts, GD&T, Gage R&R, Kanban Vikranth Gullapalli

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Previous Work & Research Experience

3S Business Corporation (Supply Chain Management Consultant) Nov. ‘14 – Jul. ‘15

• Setting up the enterprise structure of plants and storage locations & Implemented Procure-to-pay (P2P) cycle process & configured Purchase requisitions and automated purchase ordering process. Mobile Net Services (RF Engineer) Jun. ‘14 – OCT. ‘14

• KPI testing to check the performance of UMTS & LTE cell sites for voice and data signal strengths University of North Texas, Denton, Texas (Graduate Research Assistant) Aug. ‘11 – May. ‘14

“Study of Metal Whiskers Growth & Mitigation Technique Using Additive Manufacturing”

• Worked on Electronic reliability issues like metal whiskers (Sn & Zn). Focused on novel manufacturing technique

(Aerosol 3D Jet) that has potential to mitigate metal whiskers growth.

“Study of Stent implants using Theoretical and Numerical approach”

• Understand and quantify biomechanical environment of artery-stent-blood flow interaction and on a long run in improving patient care by providing individual patient treatments and extending lives. Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), India Dec. ‘10 – May.’11

“Development and Study on Al-SiC Metal Matrix composites by Spark Plasma sintering”

• Worked on proposing a novel methodology in processing aerospace materials through metal matrix composites using Nano-powders like Al-SiC by Spark Plasma sintering.

• High energy ball milling is used by varying the SiC compositions and parameters (temperature, pressure). Vishakhapatnam Steel Plant, Vishakapatnam, India Jan. ‘10 – July. ‘10

“Study of Al-Fade for the steel treated in tundish at secondary metallurgy”

• Involved in steel making process from pig iron to continuous casting of steel bars.

• Performed keen operational analysis using DMAIC methodology in identifying the areas which needed cost and cycle time reduction. Assisted them in improving the quality of steel in reducing the porosity.

• Statistical analysis is performed using Minitab to draw X-bar, R-charts for variables and P-chart and NP-charts for characteristic attributes.

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Hyderabad, India Jan. ‘09 – July. ‘09

“Life Time Assessment of Power Plant components”

• Involved in quality for assessing the power plant components like turbine blades, rotators, shafts through Non- Destructive(ND) & Destructive method (Mechanical testing: Hardness, Tensile, Fracture & Fatigue analysis). Education

Master’s in Business Management (Global Leadership) (May 2019) GPA: 3.7/4.0 Cleary University, Howell, Michigan

Master’s in Mechanical and Energy Engineering, May 2015 GPA: 3.6/4.0 University of North Texas, Denton, Texas

B. Tech in Metallurgy & Materials Technology, April 2011 GPA: 3.5/4.0 Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU), Hyderabad, India PUBLICATIONS

• “Review of biomechanical studies of arteries and their effect on stent performance” – International Journal of Cardiology Heart & Vasculature

• “Comparative Study on Properties of Sn & Zn Whisker” – TMS conference 2013.

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