Content from previous site, last updated 3/30/2018

---

I am currently one of the top workshop facilitators for my current employer in Wooster.  This is especially for VA/VE and cost reductions, as I have facilitated easily over 50 such workshops.  I have been trained and certified for VA/VE through SAVE International.

Here are a few example successful workshops:

• One VA/VE workshop for a torque converter used on a 6-speed automatic transmission resulted in over $1.8 million annual savings.
• Another VA/VE workshop for a low volume commercial torque converter resulted in over $2 million in tooling savings.
• Three workshops have been conducted at facilities in other countries (Brazil and Mexico).  One workshop for a manual automotive part resulted in a savings of 4.36 Brazilian Real per assembly.

Below are a few example slides that I have used in previous VA/VE workshops.

Starting in 2008, I was a project manager for launching a new torque converter for an automatic transmission that had a volume of over 100,000 units per year.  As a project manager, I had to drive the product through development and production startup and ensure the product met goals of performance, cost, and timing.  Below is a 3D model of the torque converter. 

One design I worked with had spacer rivets that were hardened in the middle to control the gap between components.  This hardening process was very costly.  Since there were nine of these rivets per assembly, and since there were many applications that used this design, removing the hardening process presented a significant cost savings.  In summary, the project involved various durability tests and capability studies using Minitab.  Below is a picture of one of a cross section showing one of these rivets in addition to an excerpt of one of the capability studies.  

I was excited to complete the development of a medium truck tire that was released into full production.  The tire is used for all-position pickup and delivery.  A picture of the tire is shown below.  It is still being sold today under a different name and with some minor design differences than the design that I completed. 

To earn my Six Sigma green belt, I had a project to reduce scrap and rework from high imbalance on a turbine assembly.  To accomplish this, I conducted a DOE to find the root cause.  Then, I used capability studies to tighten tolerances and reduce the frequency of high imbalance.  Below is a cross section of the subject part in the study. 

I'm a big fan of using Microsoft Access.  Here are some databases I've made using Microsoft Access:

• A scrap database to track top scrap issues and trends
• A cost reduction database to keep records of all cost reduction ideas
• A project tracker that is also used to log hours.  My costing department uses this one as well.
• A database for fantasy football.  (My personal favorite.)
  

Below is a snapshot of the scrap database I created.