Manufacturing Engineer (Molding)

Summit Polymers; Kalamazoo, Northern (MI, KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Summit Polymers in Kalamazoo, MI is seeking an Engineer, Manufacturing (Molding). This hands-on role involves injection molding of automotive interior parts, providing technical leadership to production teams, and driving operational excellence through molding processes, automation, and tooling.

You will collaborate with design and maintenance, develop robust molding processes, program EOAT and robotics, and ensure safety and quality while delivering productivity improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent with injection molding experience.
• Hands-on mold process development knowledge in scientific molding.
• Molding automation/EOAT knowledge and robot programming ability.
• Knowledge of gas-assisted, sequential valve gate processing, and multi-material molding.
• Ability to read and critique injection mold drawings and contribute to high quality mold designs.

Responsibilities

• Develop molding tool & process for new products and participate in part design input/output reviews.
• Support mold design reviews focusing on mold size, press size, manifolds, gates, runners and mold actions.
• Develop molding automation plans, specify EOAT, degators, nesting, and related equipment; source secondary equipment.
• Participate in injection mold trials at sample facilities and support process development and corrective actions.
• Collaborate with plant staff to ensure facilities and equipment for new molds; drive safety, quality and productivity in molding operations.

Skills

Microsoft Office

Communication skills

Analytical thinking

Multi-tasking

Training compliance

Wonderlic assessment

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Tools

Krauss Maffei machines

VanDorn molding machines

Wittmann robots

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Engineer, Manufacturing (Molding) FLSA STATUS: Exempt

REPORTS TO: Manager, Engineering (Manufacturing)

SUMMARY

This is hands-on technical work involving the injection molding of plastic parts for automotive interior trim, full center consoles, and kinetic parts. Under general supervision, provides technical support and leadership to manufacturing production teams with a focus on operational excellence each and every day. Responsibilities include injection mold processing, molding automation and end of arm tooling, and supporting injection mold tooling.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

• Perform as key team member in developing molding tool & processes for new products:
• • Participate in part design input and output reviews
    • Focus on design optimization to produce highest quality parts via robust injection mold tooling conditions and mold processability considerations
  • Participate in injection mold design reviews
    • Focus on mold size, required press size, manifolds, valve gates, runners, gates, mold actions, cooling, ejection, parting lines, venting, engraving
  • Develop molding automation plan and tooling
    • Specifies End of Arm Tooling, degators, nesting, and other molding secondary equipment
    • Procures molding secondary equipment - performs design & construction or external sourcing as required
  • Participate in injection mold trials at sample facilities
    • Support master mold process development, mold critique, and corrective action plans for new injection molds
  • Champion introduction of molding tools and processes at SPI manufacturing plant
    • Collaborates with plant staff to ensure facilities and equipment required for new molds are in place – including hot manifold & valve gate controllers, gas-assist controllers, material drying hoppers, grinders, etc.
    • Identify all issues with injection mold, molding secondary equipment, molding machine and auxiliary equipment and collaborate with program and plant teams to achieve resolution
    • Further develops robust injection molding process for plant specific molding machines based on master molding process
    • Implement molding automation including adjusting EOAT and degator, robot programming, and related interfaces to other press peripheral equipment
    • Document and “control” molding process setup sheets, process verification sheets, and robot programs
    • Develop Operator Instruction Sheets and support development of Quality Inspection Standards to ensure production personnel can work safely while meeting quality and productivity requirements
    • Coordinate entry of all molds, EOAT and degators into preventive maintenance system and develop preventive maintenance instructions
    • Collaborate with SLMS Engineer to develop internal mold store packaging that supports efficient labor and automation while ensuring safe & defect-free storage, transport and handling at subsequent operations based on SPI packaging standards and best practices
    • Perform mold specific setup and operational training for mold technicians, supervisors, utilities/operators and managers and oversee mold change, startups and production until safety and proficiency is achieved
    • Collaborate with project engineering to coordinate engineering changes to molds and molding secondary equipment
• Support and continually improve all production molding operations:
  • Support the production team performance - improving safety, quality and efficiency
    • Utilize practical problem solving (PPS), kaizen and scientific molding methodologies
    • Troubleshoot tooling, process and equipment related problems through collaboration with tooling and maintenance teams
    • Collaborate with maintenance to assess molding machine capability
    • Lead cycle time, scrap, regrind, mold change time and purge reduction activities
    • Develop justifications for various process improvement projects
    • Conduct layered process audits to ensure compliance to process setup/verification, standardized work and quality systems requirements
• Contribute to molding room safety
  • Cause safe operation and behavior by immediately reacting to correct unsafe conditions of molding systems including
    • Molding machines, molds, cranes, side load carts, magnetic platens, robots, robot cages, conveyors, grinders, electrical panels, floor condition, overhead utility conditions, and other 5S or housekeeping conditions
  • Model safe behaviors in all aspects of job performance

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or similar technical discipline OR 5 years of experience in a technical position in an injection molding environment may be considered
• Scientific injection molding knowledge and hands on mold process development ability – Krauss Maffei and VanDorn molding machine experience preferred
• Molding automation / EOAT knowledge and hands on molding robot programming ability – Wittmann robot experience preferred
• Knowledge of a variety of molding technologies including gas-assist, sequential valve gate processing, applique insert molding, and two-shot / multi-material molding preferred
• Knowledge of injection mold design with ability to read and critique drawings and contribute to ensuring high quality mold designs

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software suite – Excel, Word, PowerPoint
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Independent thinking with strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Flexible and able to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously
• Agreement to complete all post-hire required training
• A minimum score of 50 on the Wonderlic Select Assessment (Traditional Score of 26 on the cognitive portion).

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

This position typically does require less than 5% travel.

DISCLAIMER

The information contained in this job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job, nor are they intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to do the job. Management may, at its discretion, assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.