The Process Engineer - Lamination is responsible for developing, optimizing, and sustaining lamination manufacturing processes to improve safety, quality, productivity, and cost performance. This position serves as the technical expert for fiberglass lamination operations, including material utilization, resin systems, tooling, work methods, and process controls. The Process Engineer works closely with Engineering, Production, Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain teams to reduce variation, eliminate waste, improve throughput, and ensure consistent product quality. This role leads continuous improvement initiatives, process validation activities, capital projects, and problem-solving efforts that drive operational excellence throughout the lamination department.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Serve as the primary technical resource for all lamination manufacturing processes.
- Develop, document, and maintain standardized work instructions and process specifications for fiberglass lamination operations.
- Analyze and improve lamination processes to enhance safety, quality, throughput, and efficiency.
- Monitor and improve key performance indicators including labor efficiency, material utilization, scrap, rework, first-pass yield, and overall process capability.
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective action activities related to lamination defects and process variation.
- Evaluate and implement improvements in resin application methods, reinforcement materials, tooling, consumables, and manufacturing techniques.
- Develop and validate new lamination processes, materials, and equipment.
- Support product launches by establishing manufacturing processes, labor standards, and quality controls.
- Lead Kaizen events and continuous improvement initiatives within the lamination department.
- Identify and implement opportunities for labor reduction, material savings, and cycle-time improvements.
- Partner with Quality to investigate defects, warranty concerns, and non-conformances.
- Work with Design Engineering to ensure products are optimized for manufacturability.
- Establish and maintain process control plans and standard operating procedures.
- Support CAPEX planning, equipment selection, and implementation of new manufacturing technologies.
- Train supervisors and production personnel on new processes, procedures, and best practices.
- Participate in safety initiatives and drive ergonomic improvements within the lamination area.
- Utilize data analysis and statistical methods to identify trends and support continuous improvement projects.
- Collaborate with Supply Chain and vendors to evaluate and qualify new materials and processes.