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Expert in Mechanical Design, Intellectual Property, Innovation Management, Market Development Engineering
Available for your Consulting and Expert Witness Needs
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Summary of Expertise:
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Listed with other top experts in: |
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Patent claims are critical choices of words that establish the legal scope of an invention as recognized by the patent examiner and patent department. Broad independent claims are the key to protecting your market of interest! This Expert has 12 patents in his name and is a successful design engineer that can help you avoid litigation by successfully designing around known patents. His consulting and testimonial expertise is available to assist your attorneys when you anticipate Patent Infringement Litigation or are involved in a Patent Case. He understands patent law, including the Requirements for Patentability, the Importance of Prior Art, Intellectual Property, Patent Claim Construction, Infringement, and Litigation Support. He can assist with Claim Drafting considering factors like Anticipation, Non-obviousness, Enablement, and Recapture. He has experience as the Director of Industrial Solutions and the Technology Transfer expert between industries and between universities and industry.
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Commercialization, the process of introducing a new product into the market, depends on accurate research and test marketing to identify the primary target consumer groups. Market Development Engineering is a valuable part of commercialization where professional engineering experts search your existing markets, identify unattended market segments and develop new products for these market segments through customer needs. This Expert will help you identify the new markets and develop your product line to fit the Capabilities-Needs Profile. The four key questions (When?, Where?, To Whom? and How?) are answered. Work is completed with your company's administration to target only those markets that match your overall Corporate Strategic Goals. Work is continued through the Design Phases to test and debug a prototype product, complete Rapid Prototyping, perform Cost Analysis and Projections, establish Marketing Communications support, and file for Patents and Trademarks. The outcome of this work is usually a new product and market for your company and a strong advance in your company profits. This expert's “outside position” communicates at all levels within your organization and advances your Corporate Technology. This expert uses a variety of Computer-Aided Design programs, Finite Element Analysis, Design for Manufacture/Assembly (DFMA) and Cost Analysis Data to determine the best possible design based on the MOI (Markets Of Interest).
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Design for Manufacture/Assembly, or DFMA, uses design technology and software to reduce your company's product costs and allow you to compete firmly in the global economy. This Expert has utilized the DFMA process for over 40 years with companies that include Whirlpool, General Electric and Rubbermaid. He will take a look at your Product Design and Automated Production Processes simultaneously and advise you on designs that will reduce your part count before your tooling investments are made. He will advise you on the purchase of DFMA software and help you integrate DFMA into your company goals and strategy to enhance your competitive edge in the global economy. He currently teaches seminars in DFMA at the University and at company facilities.
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Concurrent engineering is a design strategy that involves supply engineers, manufacturing representatives, and others to be part of the design team and interact with the design engineers throughout the design process. The numerous benefits include a reduction in Product Developing Lead Time, an improvement in Design Quality, a higher Production Efficiency and a lower Production Cost. This Expert has over 40 years of direct industrial experience in the development, design, testing, and operation of medical devices, hand and power tools, major electrical appliances, diamond wire dies and cutting tools, manufacturing equipment, material handling systems, robotics equipment, industrial control systems, safety interlocks, and automation equipment. He will assist in focusing on the entire life of the product, the support of design teams, the process developments, the planning of information-centered tasks, the development of product requirements, the development of multiple concepts, the decision-making process, the quality design process, the concurrent development of product and manufacturing processes and the importance of good communication throughout. This expert teaches Mechanical Innovation and Senior Design at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His consulting customers will attest to the many innovative solutions and the management skills he brings to solve today's complex product designs.
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Corporate strategic planning is the process of defining your company's position, its goals and where it will go in the future. How your company will get there includes allocating your resources to pursue this strategy including capital, personnel, corporate growth and direction, new product development, joint ventures and opportunity assessments. Companies typically see new product development as a first stage in generating and commercializing new products within the overall strategic process of Product Life Cycle Management used to maintain or grow their market share. This Expert will help you achieve Strategic Planning and New Product Development through Idea Generation, Product Design, and Market Development Engineering. His expertise is based on 40 years of direct industrial experience, starting as an engineer and becoming a company president, and includes Design for Manufacture/Assembly (DFMA), Manufacturing Processes, Commercialization, Concurrent Engineering, Innovation and Development Engineering Management, Design Engineering Management and Development Engineering Management.
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With over 40 years of direct industrial experience in design, development, marketing, manufacturing and management for industries such as military, aerospace, medical, appliance and automotive, this Expert's key mission is to provide customers with solutions through innovation, engineering analysis, design and marketing in order to help them remain successful in their business and the global economy. He has specific experience in the development, design, testing, and operation of medical devices, hand and power tools, major electrical appliances, diamond wire dies and cutting tools, manufacturing equipment, material handling systems, robotics equipment, industrial control systems, safety interlocks, and automation equipment. This expert teaches Mechanical Innovation and Senior Design at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is their Director of Industrial Solutions. He offers seminars that include Quality Function Deployment, Decision-Making Methods, Concurrent Engineering, Design for Assembly, Taguchi's Method for Robust Design and TRIZ (the Forty Inventive Principles). His current customers will attest to the many innovative solutions and the management skills he brings to solve today's complex product designs.
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Management during the development of a product can be a challenge in today's world. Companies typically see product development as the first stage in generating and commercializing new products. It becomes part of their overall strategic process of product life cycle management and they use product development to grow their market share. But too often these companies have been forced to reduce their design talent and they have difficulty producing a new item from design through to the product manufacturing processes. This Expert's key mission is to help your company achieve strategic planning, manage new product development and remain successful in the global economy. His expertise is based on years of experience, starting as an engineer and becoming a company president that managed cost, production, quality, performance, reliability, serviceability and end-user features. He has over 40 years of direct industrial experience in design, development, marketing, manufacturing and management for industries such as military, aerospace, medical, appliance and automotive. Another key mission for this Expert is to provide your company with successful Creativity and Innovation Management. He helps your managers introduce innovation within your organization through Innovation-Friendly Culture, Strategic Planning, Idea-to-Commercialization, Portfolio Thinking, Divergent/Convergent Thinking, Idea Funneling, and Stage-Gate Systems. Your managers will develop the skills needed for stimulating imagination and innovation as part of their everyday business operations. This Expert currently teaches Mechanical Innovation and Senior Design. Many of his student's innovations are currently mass produced by industry! His current customers will attest to the many innovative solutions and the management skills he brings to solve today's complex product designs.
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Inventing generally refers to both the radical and the incremental changes to products, processes or services and, when interlocked with marketing, is considered a major driver of the corporation and the economy. The factors that lead to innovation are considered to be critical to corporate policy makers. This Expert has 12 patents in his name and over 40 years as a successful design manager that can help you obtain rapid answers and alternatives to solve difficult problems. You benefit from “outside the envelope ideas” for manufacturing processes and product designs. His team of analysis experts will work on-site and off-site to quickly solve your problems. Their fast solutions to your problems include Product Decomposition Analysis, Patents as a Source of Ideas, the 6-3-5 Source of Ideas, Extremes and Inverses, the Morphological Method and the TRIZ Method. Creativity and Innovation Management training is available from this expert, an experienced executive, with his own history of successes in the workplace. He trains managers to introduce innovation within their organizations and accelerates the development of creative performance in their staff. His program centers on Incremental Innovation, Idea Generation Techniques, Market Development and how to imbed these techniques into a result-orientated, innovative business department. Your managers will develop the skills needed for Stimulating Imagination and Innovation as part of their everyday business operations. This expert currently teaches Mechanical Innovation and Senior Design at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is their Director of Industrial Solutions. Many of his student's innovations are currently mass produced by industry! Innovation is change and often this is contrary to traditional management techniques. Upper management is taught to encourage small evolutionary changes by setting goals that include; Idea Generation Techniques, Everyday Incremental Innovation, Methods for Opportunity Recognition, Moving Innovation to the Market, Creativity and Creative Groups, Enhancing Creativity, The Innovation-Friendly Workplace, Ideas–to–Commercialization, Market Development Techniques and the Handling of Radical Innovation.
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Energy Management is becoming a key issue in the innovation, engineering analysis, design and marketing of new products, processes and services. This Expert's key mission is to provide customers with Energy-Efficient Designs that will assure them of success in their business and the global economy. He teaches mechanical engineering at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His team of energy experts will work on-site and off-site to quickly solve your problems. Their fast solutions to your problems including Conservation, Peak Shaving and Off-Peak Demand, Supply and Power Quality issues have become a vital part of the business survival strategy in the USA. They are available to help you address your Specific Utility Use Energy Management, and Conservation issues. Your company will be advised and helped as they establish Reduced Consumption Methods, Energy Purchasing Strategies, Off-Peak Operations, Product and Process Efficiency.
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Factory automation is the use of new manufacturing technology (such as lasers or robots) and control systems (computers) to control industrial machinery and processes. Additionally, factory automation has increased the emphasis on flexibility and convertibility to avoid costly changes in production lines. This Expert has over 40 years of direct industrial experience in robotics, automation and manufacturing for industries such as military, aerospace, medical, appliance and automotive. He has specific experience in the development, design, testing, and operation of tooling and end effectors, manufacturing equipment, material handling systems, robotics equipment, industrial control systems, safety interlocks, and automation equipment. This expert was president of an automation company for 25 years and is an expert witness in Robotics Product Liability. He currently teaches Introduction to Robotics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and trains factory employees in Design for Manufacturing/Assembly (DFMA), Robotics and Automation, Robot Tooling, Maintenance and the Purchase of Integrated Systems.
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Innovation and Inventology refer to both the radical and the incremental changes to products, processes or services and, when interlocked with marketing, is considered a major driver of the corporation and the economy. The factors that lead to innovation are critical to corporate policy makers. This Expert has 12 patents in his name and over 40 years of direct industrial experience as a successful design manager. He can help you obtain rapid answers and alternatives to solve difficult problems. You benefit from “outside the envelope ideas” for manufacturing processes and product designs. His team of analysis experts will work on-site and off-site to quickly solve your problems. Their rapid solutions to your problems include Product Decomposition Analysis, Patents as a Source of Ideas, the 6-3-5 Source of Ideas, Extremes and Inverses, the Morphological Method and the TRIZ Method. Creativity and Innovation Management training is available from this expert, an experienced executive with his own history of successes in the workplace. He trains managers to introduce innovation within their organizations and accelerates the development of creative performance in their staff. His program centers on Incremental Innovation, Idea Generation Techniques, Market Development and how to embed these techniques into a result-orientated, innovative business department. Your managers will develop the skills needed for stimulating imagination and innovation as part of their everyday business operations. This expert currently teaches Mechanical Innovation and Senior Design at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is their Director of Industrial Solutions. Many of his student's innovations are currently mass produced by industry!
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In today's economy the process of designing and developing a device, assembly, or system can be a challenge. Companies have limited their design talent and often have difficulty producing a new item from design through to the product manufacturing process. This Expert provides answers to issues involving cost, production, quality, performance, reliability, serviceability and end-user features. He has over 40 years of direct industrial experience in design, development, marketing, manufacturing and management for industries such as military, aerospace, medical, appliance and automotive. This Expert's key mission is to provide customers with new product solutions through innovation, engineering analysis, design and marketing in order to help them remain successful in their business and the global economy. He has specific experience in the development, design, testing, and operation of medical devices, hand and power tools, major electrical appliances, diamond wire dies and cutting tools, manufacturing equipment, material handling systems, robotics equipment, industrial control systems, safety interlocks, and automation equipment. This expert teaches Mechanical Innovation and Senior Design at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he is their Director of Industrial Solutions. He offers seminars that include Quality Function Deployment, Decision-Making Methods, Concurrent Engineering, Design for Assembly, Taguchi's Method for Robust Design and TRIZ (the Forty Inventive Principles). His current customers will attest to the many innovative solutions and the management skills he brings to solve today's complex product design.
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In today's economy, many companies have been forced to limit their design talent and often have difficulty producing a new item from design through to the product manufacturing process. Many of these companies have witnessed their market share dropping as the competition develops the new, advanced products. This Expert provides Innovative Engineering Solutions for your technical problems through his Rapid Innovative Engineering Solutions process. His team of expert innovators will work on-site and off-site to quickly solve your problems. Their rapid solutions to your problems include Patents as a Source of Ideas, the 6-3-5 Source of Ideas, Extremes and Inverses, the Morphological Method, Product Decomposition Analysis and the TRIZ Method. They provide you with rapid, strictly confidential answers and alternatives to solve difficult problems. You benefit from “outside the envelope ideas” for manufacturing processes and product designs. Many products developed by Rapid Innovative Engineering Solutions are patented, royalty-free, as the sole property of the customer company. This Expert's key mission is to provide customers with new product solutions through innovation, engineering analysis, design and marketing in order to help them remain successful in their business and the global economy. He teaches Mechanical Innovation and Senior Design at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he is the Director of Industrial Solutions. He offers seminars that include Quality Function Deployment, Decision-Making Methods, Concurrent Engineering, Design for Assembly, Taguchi's Method for Robust Design and TRIZ (the Forty Inventive Principles). His current customers will attest to the many innovative solutions and the management skills he brings to solve today's complex product designs.
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An industrial robot is a manufacturing machine with an arm that is capable of holding a tool, workpiece or inspection device. The application of robots into an existing manufacturing plant can radically increase productivity, reduce production costs and easily accept flexibility and convertibility to avoid costly changes in production lines. This Expert has over 40 years of direct industrial experience in robotics, automation and manufacturing for industries such as military, aerospace, medical, appliance and automotive. His key mission is to expand the development, design, testing, and operation of Tooling and End Effectors, Manufacturing Equipment, Material Handling Systems, Robotics Equipment, Industrial Control Systems, Safety Interlocks, and Automation Equipment. This Expert was president of an automation company for 25 years and is an expert witness in Robotics Product Liability. He currently teaches Introduction to Robotics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and trains factory employees in Design for Manufacturing/Assembly (DFMA), Robotics and Automation, Robot Tooling, Maintenance and the Purchase of Integrated Systems.
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Show Secondary and Basic Areas of Expertise | Localities:
Expert may consult nationally and internationally, and is also local to the following cities: Charlotte, North Carolina;
Greensboro, North Carolina;
Winston Salem, North Carolina;
High Point, North Carolina;
Asheville, North Carolina;
Gastonia, North Carolina;
Concord, North Carolina;
Columbia, South Carolina;
and Greenville, South Carolina.
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Degree |
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Subject |
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Institution |
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Honors |
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1969
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BSME
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Mechanical Engineering
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Georgia Tech
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Pi Tau Sigma
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1973
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MSME
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Mechanical Engineering
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University of Massachusetts
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| Years |
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Employer |
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Department |
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Title |
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Responsibilities |
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2004 to
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(Undisclosed University)
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Mechanical Engineering
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Director of Industrial Solutions
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Director of Industrial Solutions that linked mechanical innovation students with Irwin Tools, Stabilus, Inc., Hargraves and other industries. Three patents pending for these student groups. Established the multidisciplinary senior design program that linked industrial needs with student projects and collected $50,000 in support from industry.
He developed and taught the course “Mechanical Innovations,” first in the nation! He developed and taught the course “Introduction to Robotics,” which emphasizes systems integration. He created and directed the Industrial Solutions program with 3 patents pending!
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1982 to 2004
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Robo-Tech Systems, Inc.
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President
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He was President and Founder of Robo-Tech Systems, a company that designed and built grippers, tooling and support equipment necessary for successful operation of material handling equipment, robots, assembly machines, assembly lines, and pick-and-place. He originated the corporate management, sales and marketing, product development, production, finance, marketing communications. He sold products to end users that included Harley-Davidson, SKF Bearing, Ford Motor Co., Johnson Controls, US Filter and others. He invented the Multi-Position Self-Locking Gripper; 3 US patents. He designed and implemented a sales, marketing and distribution network for custom-made products. He originated and reduced the operating cost of the corporation in design, accounting, purchasing, scheduling and work processing through computer program integration and management (CPIM).
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1975 to 1982
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General Electric Company
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Specialty Materials
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Senior Market Development Engineer
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He coordinated “Man-Made” diamond product development, fabrication, testing, marketing and sales. He was responsible for two COMPAX (TM) product lines; developed and patented three diamond products. He replaced mined natural diamond with diamond made from graphite on mechanical presses. He justified and introduced thermally stable COMPAXTM blanks with proprietary diamond crystal structures. He identified future customers and markets of interest (MOI). He completed eight international marketing trips to Japan, Germany, UK, France, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Romania.
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1968 to 1975
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Whirlpool Corporation
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Laundry Group
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Project Engineer
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He invented improved appliance products for Whirlpool Corporation. He designed the glass impregnated propylene appliance foot, water warning valve, washing machine suspension system and conveyor transfer apparatus. He developed the Vertical Axis Balance Mechanism for the full line of automatic washers. He introduced two manufacturing robots in the Clyde, Ohio Division. He designed and built the Conveyor Transfer Apparatus (two US patents). He invented the plastic appliance feet that were a $9 million annual cost reduction (in 2007 dollars).
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Associations/Societies
ASME, NSPE, ASEE
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Licenses/Certifications
EIT, State of Michigan
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| Publications: |
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Publications and Patents Summary
He has 12 patents, 18 publications and 3 awards.
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Selected Publications and Publishers
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- International Forum on Design for Manufacturer and Assembly
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- Robotics Today
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- Assembly Technology Expo
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- Japanese Industrial Diamond Association
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- NASA Conference on Space and Military Applications of Automation and Robotics
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| Government Experience: |
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| Years |
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Agency |
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Role |
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Description |
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1965 to 1966
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Army Missile Command
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Engineer
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Designed a separation system for a rocket.
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| Selected Consulting Examples: |
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He invented, licensed and developed self locking hydraulic and pneumatic cylinder mechanisms for a fluid power company. He directed their market development program with end users.
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He designed a glass enforced plastic cylinder that replaced a steel cylinder in a commercial tank product line. This innovative design has reduced the production costs on a high volume line.
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He invented, licensed and manufactured a 3 Axis, Force Feedback Electric End Effector with DC Stepping Motor Drive for a major defense contractor.
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He helped a commercial manufacturing company resolve litigation over a material handling system and correct the deficiencies into a fully operational mode.
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Recent Client Requests:
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Hydraulic troubleshooting expert needed for consulting on hydraulic troubleshooting.
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Expert for consulting on Hydraulic Cylinder Cushioning.
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Expert in on the development of a cutting tool and evaluation method.
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Click the green button above to contact
Expert for a free initial screening call regarding your expert consulting needs.
Expert is available for consulting to corporate, legal and government clients.
Remember, your initial screening call to speak with
Expert is free.
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Expert Witness Experience Summary:
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He is currently representing a manufacturing company that received a defective automation system. He has completed Time and Motion studies that support the defective arguments. He has helped many other customers avoid these problems by completing runoff testing prior to shipment and upon delivery.
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Recent Litigation Client Requests:
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Expert in and plane blade manufacture for litigation.
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Consulting on Patent Infringement Litigation.
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Click the green button above to contact
Expert for a free initial screening call regarding expert testimony,
litigation consulting and support, forensic services, or any related expert witness services.
A few litigation needs include product liability, personal injury, economic loss, intellectual property
(patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright), and insurance matters. Remember, your initial screening
call to speak with
Expert is free.
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| International Experience: |
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| Years |
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Country / Region |
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Summary |
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1976 to 1981
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Japan
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He completed four international marketing trips to Japan and presented a paper to the Japanese Industrial Diamond Association.
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1976 to 1982
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Germany, France, UK
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He completed 3 international trips to develop markets in industrial diamond products.
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1980 to 1982
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Sweden, Denmark
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He completed an international trip to develop markets in industrial diamond products.
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1981 to 1981
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Switzerland
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Attended the International Diamond Conference and presented a paper on Diamond Industrial Tools.
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1981 to 1981
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Romania
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He completed an international trip to develop markets in industrial diamond products.
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With over 40 years of direct industrial experience in design, development, marketing, manufacturing and management for industries such as military, aerospace, medical, appliance and automotive, his key mission is to provide customers with solutions through innovation, engineering analysis, design and marketing in order to help them remain successful in their business and the global economy. He has specific experience in the development, design, testing, and operation of medical devices, hand and power tools, major electrical appliances, diamond wire dies and cutting tools, manufacturing equipment, material handling systems, robotics equipment, industrial control systems, safety interlocks, and automation equipment. He is currently an engineering consultant, specializing in management and design of products utilizing kinematic hardware for industrial applications and consumer products.
Click the green button above to contact
Expert for a free initial screening call regarding your marketing research, industry research, and company
research needs. For research needs involving multiple experts or secondary research,
a Research Director can be assigned to coordinate the work into a custom report for you as a potentially quicker
and more cost effective alternative to doing this work yourself or hiring a boutique consultancy.
Remember, your initial screening call to speak with
Expert is free.
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| Additional Skills and Services: |
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Training/Seminars
He has developed and taught the course “Mechanical Innovations” (MEGR 3090) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He has developed and taught the course “Introduction to Robotics,” (which emphasizes systems integration) at UNC Charlotte. He created and directed the Industrial Solutions program at UNC Charlotte with 3 patents pending!
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Supplier and Vendor Location and Selection As President/Owner of Robo-Tech Systems, Inc. (an automation company) he screened and selected suppliers, vendors and distributors for over twenty years. His purchasing and distribution system covered the entire United States. He is an expert in the mechatronics distribution system.
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Other Skills and Services
His areas of expertise include Intellectual Property, Patent Claim Construction, Infringement, and Litigation Support. He helps companies with "Rapid Innovative Engineering Solutions" and teaches Creativity and Innovation Management. He provides expertise in Product and Systems Engineering as well as Manufacturing Optimization. His background in Design for Manufacture/Assembly will help your company compete firmly in a global economy by taking a look at your product design and automated production processes simultaneously. He has 12 patents in his name and five are licensed to industry.
6,343,538 Multi-Position Self-Locking Cylinder
5,829,811 Multiposition Locking Gripper Assembly
4,339,896 Dressing Tool
4,300,522 Compact Dressing Tool
4,062,440 Conveyor Transfer Apparatus Hook Release Device
4,056,188 Conveyor Transfer Apparatus Pickup Means
3,901,547 Multiple Prehension Mechanism
3,866,966 Multiple Prehension Manipulator
3,729,960 Leaf Spring Suspension for Automatic Washer
3,665,960 Audible Indicator Solenoid Valve
3,566,795 Acceleration Actuated Striking Mechanism
3,464,354 Land Mine
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Education
