Manufacturing Engineer (Assembly)

Summit Polymers, Inc.•Sturgis, MI

About The Position

This is a hands-on technical role involving assembly of injection-molded plastic parts for automotive interior trim, including full center consoles and components such as air-conditioning outlets, cup holders, glove boxes, and bins. The engineer provides technical support and leadership to manufacturing production teams, with an emphasis on operational excellence. The role supports assembly equipment and cells from new-product launch through production. It works with product development and corporate manufacturing technical leaders to ensure manufacturability and quality, specify robust and ergonomic equipment with effective error-proofing, and develop standardized work and manufacturing documentation. The engineer monitors equipment construction, participates in design reviews and validation, supports packaging and assembly-cell flow development, and writes safe, quality-focused work instructions. The position also leads or performs assembly-machine engineering changes, supports maintenance in developing preventive-maintenance schedules, and works with production to improve efficiency, quality, and safety. This includes troubleshooting, process audits, project justifications, standardized-work analysis, problem solving, and kaizen improvements. A bachelor's degree in engineering or a similar technical discipline is required, although five years of experience in an automotive manufacturing or assembly-machine supplier environment may be considered in lieu of a degree.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in engineering or a similar technical discipline, or five years of experience in an automotive manufacturing or assembly-machine supplier environment may be considered in lieu of a degree.
Proficiency in Omron PLC programming.
Basic machine-shop skills and ability to fabricate simple components.
Ability to read electrical and pneumatic prints.
Ability to view assembly machines using software such as SolidWorks eDrawings, cut sections, and measure dimensions.
Knowledge of plastic-welding processes for injection-molded parts, including sonic, vibration, hot-plate, and IR welding.
Knowledge of secondary-decoration processes, including hot stamping, pad printing, laser etching, and laser marking.
Knowledge of and ability to use a variety of sensors and vision systems to create robust assembly machines and processes.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Independent thinking with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Flexibility and ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
Ability to gather and analyze information and make decisions from a limited number of choices.
Minimum score of 50 on the Wonderlic Select Assessment (traditional score of 26 on the cognitive portion).
Agreement to complete all required post-hire training.

Nice To Haves

Experience with SolidWorks.
Experience with VisMockup.
Six-axis robot and collaborative robot programming experience, including Fanuc and UR.

Responsibilities

Support all assembly-machine activities associated with new-product launches.
Work with product development and corporate manufacturing technical leaders to ensure products are designed for manufacturability and quality.
Specify robust assembly machines with effective error-proofing, good ergonomics, and efficient standardized work.
Provide feedback to corporate manufacturing technical leaders to improve assembly-machine standards.
Develop standardized work, machine-quote specification sheets, capacity analyses, work-balance tables, and assembly-cell layouts from NBA through the end of the program.
Participate in machine design review meetings.
Monitor assembly-machine construction progress to ensure program and plant timing requirements are met.
Participate in machine reviews and validation runs of assembly equipment before shipment to the manufacturing plant.
Work with corporate packaging engineers and suppliers to develop external and in-process packaging that ensures safe, defect-free transportation to subsequent operations and customers.
Work with the SLMS lean-manufacturing engineer to develop flow racks for the assembly cell.
Write standardized work instructions so operators can perform work safely, to the required quality, and within the proper time.
Lead and perform engineering changes to assembly machines involving electrical, pneumatic, servo motor controls, PLC, machining, sensor, and vision-system aspects.
Assist maintenance in developing effective preventive-maintenance schedules.
Support production assembly machines and cells.
Help production increase efficiency, quality, and safety using standardized-work tools, practical problem-solving methods, and kaizen improvement opportunities.
Troubleshoot process- or equipment-related problems and provide timely solutions.
Develop justifications for process-improvement projects.
Conduct process audits to ensure standardized-work and quality-system compliance in assembly.
Perform other duties as assigned.