Product Design & Development
Companies: Philips Sonicare, Meta Oculus, Caterpillar R&D
Industries: Medical Devices, Consumer Electronics, AR/VR
Volume: >90 Million units
Expertise:
PD Team & Project Leader (Schedules, BOMs, Budgets, Suppliers, RCAs, Tooling, Issue/Action Tracking...)
Design & Manufacture: Injection Molding (SME), Sheet Metal, Thermal Design, Rubber/Foam, PCBA, FATP...
CAD (NX & Creo), Simulation (FEA, CFD)
2 years
2 programs
Oculus, Quest Pro Successors
Cameras, Face-Tracking
Thermal Design, ID, EE
8 years
6 programs
Sonicare ProtectiveClean
Sonicare 2-Series, 3-Series
Inventor, New Motor Design
8 years
4 programs
Metals-to-Plastics Conversion Program
Airflow Lab, Turbochargers, Testing
Hybrid Vehicle & Electrification Program
Developed new thermal architecture that removed 20 g of weight by consolidating components and conducting through the chassis.
Worked with Simulation team, then built, tested, and iterated prototypes on airflow rig to minimize pressure drop between inlets and outlet.
Collaborated with EE and other design owners to arrange components and heat sources in the optimal airflow path and order.
Design owner for Lower Face Tracking (LFT) cameras, LEDs, microphones, internal structural components, flexible circuit boards (PCBs), and Molded-Optic Window (IR Transparent Resin)
Balanced ID aesthetic requirements with functional requirements from EE, Software Engineering, and Camera Development Engineering
Designed & built several prototypes, including one for MZ review
Led team of 4 PD engineers: from kick-off to on-time launch
3 mechanically unique models, 25+ color configurations, 120+ unique SKUs
Multiple trips to Asian suppliers and Philips' final assembly & test facility
Highest initial quality & reliability of any Sonicare product
Led team of PD engineers: from kick-off to on-time launch
3 color configurations
Designed reliable mechanism for head pivot & retention/release
Mechanical design owner for entire assemblies and integrated electronics
Led nightly calls with Chinese suppliers and our FATP factory throughout project
Implemented improvements (below) to first-generation design for reliability and cost
Designed and developed for mass production (70+ Million units) all parts below
>100 million units produced with my new LSR seal design
Led 3-year project: RCA → Redesign → Testing → Production
New geometry, molding method, and material virtually eliminated the failures of mold in-growth - saving approximately $10M savings/year
Retrofitted into all existing products and used in all new products
Praised by Industrial Design team for "clean" appearance
Redesigned battery connection to PCBA, eliminated drop-event breakage
Collaborated with suppliers to be compatible with automated reel-feed machines
Invented and developed this low-cost solution to noise & efficiency problems
Silent bearing with built-in resonance for use in power toothbrush at 250 Hz
Patents: CN113543748B, US20220151755, EP3934571B1, WO2020182410A1
Lead inventor and developer of this novel method of constrain shaft to rotation about its axis
Silent bearing minimizes friction with contact only along shaft's central axis (via access notches)
Patents: CN108135684B, US10548699, EP3334373B1, JP6615390B2
Designed Polypropylene (PP) one-piece construction with living hinge
Reliable Latch design and compensation for warpage after mold ejection
Caterpillar customers work in dirty environments and were clogging DEF inlet filters
Lead mechanical designer and developer of user-friendly removable & cleanable inlet filter
Patent from my development work on this project (inspired by Tesla valve): US10328366
Converted valve cover from cast aluminum to glass-filled nylon 66
Cost savings of 35% with no compromise to performance.
Designed and tooled for injection molding, tested on engines
15 trips to visit factories & suppliers in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Austria, Holland, and England
Led multiple product launches & corrective actions
Supported line improvements and developed new processes
Final Assembly & Test, Molding, Stamping, PCB P&P, Decoration, Tooling...
Managed schedules and training for personnel at Caterpillar R&D Airflow Labs
Ensured accurate and timely testing for turbochargers, filters, engine heads, valves, etc.
Led Lab Renovation: budget, schedule, floorplan changes, and Facilities collaboration
@ Meta Oculus VR Headsets - 2 Programs
Developed Thermal Architectures for VR Headsets
Integrated Lower-Face-Tracking (LFT) Cameras & LEDs
Integrated Microphone array into nose bridge
Built & tested prototypes of various concepts
I optimized the arrangement of internal components like the fan, heat sink, chassis for maximum air flow. I worked closely with Industrial Design to design intake and exhaust ports into the gap between the front cover and main body with minimal aesthetic impact. My design achieved thermal rejection targets AND was several grams lighter than the previous design.
For another headset project, I was the design owner for microphones and lower-face tracking (LFT) cameras and LEDs. Throughout development, I collaborated daily with many other functions like R&D, EE, RF engineers, ID, and Manufacturing engineers. I designed a complex injection-molded lens that is transparent to infrared light and concealed cameras and LEDs.
@ Philips Sonicare Power Toothbrushes & Oral Irrigators - 6 Programs
Product Development (PD) Engineering Team Leader for Sonicare ProtectiveClean and Power Flosser Cordless 3000 Programs
Led 4-year project to redesign silicone top seal, in production >100 Million pieces
Invented new motor drivetrains (2 patents) to improve reliability and efficiency
Mechanical design owner for Sonicare 2-Series & 3-Series Programs (Development, Launch & Improvements)
I traveled to Philips' China factory >10 times to support developments, launches, and corrective actions. I led teams of PD engineers from project initiation through product launch with daily stand-ups, cross-functional collaborations. I led many design reviews, set up testing, and wrote documentation.
Months of troubleshooting noise issues inspired me to invent new motor designs for which I was granted 2 patents. One design employs mechanical flexures that primarily allow rotation with an integrated spring tuned for efficient resonant operation. I chartered a new internal project continue development and built several prototypes to demonstrate viability.
