Expert Details
Forensic Mechanical Engineering
ID: 739340
Minnesota, USA
As a Forensic Engineer, Expert is responsible for projects in domestic, industrial, agricultural, transportation, and other areas. His services include scene examination, evidence procurement, research, written reporting, and testimony. Notable losses include plant explosions, auto failures, plumbing failures, agriculture equipment failures, damaged equipment evaluation, furnace failures, chimney fires, propane heater failure, and sprinkler system failures.
Areas of expertise: Gas and Oil Burners; Automobile Failure; Diesel Failure; Fireplace and Chimney Failure; Plumbing Failures; Industrial Equipment; Workplace Safety; Furnaces and Heat Systems; Fire Sprinkler Systems; Automation Failure; Product Failure; Equipment Damage Evaluation.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1990 | Degree: BS | Subject: Mechanical Engineering | Institution: University of Minnesota - Minneapolis |
| Year: 1992 | Degree: MS | Subject: Industrial Engineering | Institution: University of Minnesota - Minneapolis |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2015 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Mechanical Engineer | Department: Consulting |
Responsibilities:Responsible for forensic Mechanical Engineering projects in domestic, industrial, agricultural, transportation, and other areas. Includes scene examination, evidence procurement, research, written reporting, and testimony.Notable losses include plant explosions, auto failures, plumbing failures, agriculture equipment failures, damaged equipment evaluation, furnace failures, chimney fires, propane heater failure, and sprinkler system failures. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2001 to 2014 | Employer: EFI Global | Title: Mechanical Engineer | Department: Consulting |
Responsibilities:Responsible for forensic Mechanical Engineering projects in domestic, industrial, agricultural, transportation, and other areas. Includes scene examination, evidence procurement, research, written reporting, and testimony. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2000 to 2001 | Employer: SIMON DELIVERS.COM | Title: Senior Project Engineer | Department: Engineering |
Responsibilities:Responsible for facility planning, distribution center startup, establishing work processes, capital equipment purchases and cost reduction initiatives. Managed inbound, quality assurance, and outbound activities during the new distribution center startup period. Designed work processes for order pickers and warehousing functions.Led installation, startup, and maintenance of a tote wash line. Installation requirements included 2 million BTU/hr boiler burner, 200 Amp power supply, exhaust venting, HVAC considerations, and a 125 hp blower unit. Designed, purchased, and led installation of a standby power generation system that included a 1500 kW diesel generator, associated automatic transfer switches, and duplicate power distribution grid. Designed, purchased, and led installation of a 3,000 ft2 sub-freezer. Freezer included two 30 hp compressor units, floor heating elements, and a PLC controller. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1999 to 1999 | Employer: Tiffany Fine Woods, Inc. | Title: Plant Manager | Department: Management |
Responsibilities:Responsible for personnel, scheduling, quality, maintenance, engineering, and safety.Led maintenance program for wood processing machinery and automation. Maintenance included breakdown repairs and preventive maintenance. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1999 to 1999 | Employer: University of Wisconsin - Stout | Title: Interim Instructor | Department: Mechanical Engineering |
Responsibilities:Responsible for lecture preparation, delivery of lectures, and course examinations.Courses taught include Mechanics of Solids, Mechanics of Machinery, and Mechanical Design Courses. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1993 to 1998 | Employer: Ford Motor Company | Title: Senior Manufacturing Engineer | Department: Automobile Assembly |
Responsibilities:Responsible for resolving current assembly, quality and ergonomic concerns, managing new model launches, and implementing corporate initiatives.Coordinated plant preparations for new model introductions and ongoing design changes. Member of new vehicle design review that evaluated design features for durability, safety, and manufacturing ease. Member of supplier quality review that evaluates component suppliers for quality and ability to meet schedule. Served as the plant interface for corporate manufacturing support groups, production personnel, and component suppliers to ensure timely completion of concurrent activities. Identified, justified, purchased, and led installation of assembly robotics and automation. Member of plant preventive maintenance team and ISO9001 certification as part of plant implementation team. Led plant and division Process Engineers in developing new labor processes. This entailed working with plant and division process engineers, prior to launch, to identify and resolve assembly, quality, and ergonomic concerns. Led internal and external groups to plan production changes and resolve immediate production concerns. Responsible for preparing new model plant workforce, requiring the coordination of assembly process development, workforce hiring and funding of plant launch activities. |
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Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| National Society of Professional Engineers American Society of Gas Engineers International Association of Arson Investigators State of Wisconsin Hunter Education Instructor American Society of Plumbing Engineers Northwest Loss Association American Society of Mechanical Engineers International Facility Management Association Society of Manufacturing Engineers Institute of Industrial Engineers Triangle Fraternity International |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| STATE OF CALIFORNIA, Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists, 2022 to current. STATE OF COLORADO, Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Professions and Occupations, 2019 to current. STATE OF ILLINOIS, Department of Professional Regulation, 1996 to current. STATE OF IOWA, Professional Licensing Division, 2004 to current. STATE OF KANSAS, Board of Technical Professions, 2007 to current. COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, Division of Professional Licensure, 2010 to current. STATE OF MICHIGAN, Board of Professional Engineers, 2003 to current. STATE OF MINNESOTA, Board of Engineering, 2002 to current. STATE OF MISSOURI, Board of Engineering, 2013 to current. STATE OF MONTANA, Department of Labor and Industry, 2003 to current. STATE OF NEBRASKA, Nebraska Board of Engineers and Architects, 2007 to current. STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA, State Board of Registration, 2003 to current. STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA, Board of Technical Professions, 2002 to current. COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, 2022 to current. STATE OF WISCONSIN, Department of Regulation and Licensing, 2002 to current. CERTIFIED GAS ENGINEER (CGE), American Society of Gas Engineers, 2008 to current. CERTIFIED IN PLUMBING DESIGN (CPD), American Society of Plumbing Engineers, 2002 to current. CERTIFIED FIRE PROTECTION SPECIALIST (CFPS), National Fire Protection Association, 2004 to current. SPECIAL CLASS BOILER ENGINEER, State of Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, 2015 to current. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| Over 22 years as a forensic engineer and several thousand cases. Licensed as a professional engineer in 15 states. Testified in litigation on 47 occasions,14 times in trial. Most commonly hired as a forensic engineer in cases involving HVAC equipment, fuel gas systems, water or sewer plumbing, or mechanical equipment. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| Numerous continuing education classes, seminars and on-line training as necessary to satisfy CEU requirements for licenses and accreditations. Education topics include engineering, applications, safety, ethics, etc. Other training includes: Introduction to Hybrid and Electrical Vehicle Fires – MN IAAI, 2023 Fuel Gas Piping Systems – ASPE, 2022 Power Engineering Fundamentals – SunCam, 2022 Review of Mechanical Materials – SunCam, 2022 Corrosion Control Tactics – SunCam, 2021 Introduction to NFPA 25 – NFPA, 2019 Inspection of Boilers and Unfired Pressure Vessels – PDH, 2018 Review of NFPA 921 and NFPA 1033– MN IAAI, 2017 Cylinder Delivery Operations – PERC, 2016 Principles and Practices of Propane – PERC, 2016 Engineering the Microgrid, NSPE, Arden Hills, MN 2016 Fire Protection Systems – ASPE, 2015 Gas Appliance Design Topics – ASGE, Las Vegas, NV, 2015 Mechanical Systems I – Engineer Educators, 2015 Sprinkler Plan Review, Warren, New Jersey, 2013 Expert Witness Topics, Rosemont, IL, 2013 Principles of Metallography – ASM, Materials Park, OH, 2011 Principles of Failure Analysis – ASM, Materials Park, OH, 2006 Elements of Metallurgy – ASM, Materials Park, OH, 2005 |