Manufacturing Engineer (Assembly)

Summit Polymers, Inc.•Kalamazoo, 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 a focus on operational excellence. The role supports assembly machines and cells throughout new product launches and ongoing production. It works with product development and corporate manufacturing technical leaders to ensure products are designed for manufacturability and quality, specify robust assembly equipment, develop standardized work and machine documentation, and help meet program and plant timing. The position also supports packaging development, production efficiency, quality, safety, troubleshooting, process improvements, and compliance with standardized work and quality systems.

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 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 in software such as SolidWorks eDrawing, 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 software, 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).

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

Support 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 packaging and internal work-in-process packaging for safe, defect-free transportation.
Work with the SLMS lean manufacturing engineer to develop flow racks for assembly cells.
Write standardized work instructions that support safe, quality work performed in the proper time.
Lead and perform assembly machine engineering changes involving electrical, pneumatic, servo motor controls, PLCs, machining, sensors, and vision systems.
Assist maintenance in developing effective preventative maintenance schedules.
Support manufacturing assembly machines and cells in production.
Help production teams improve efficiency, quality, and safety using standardized-work tools, practical problem-solving methods, and kaizen 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.