Project Engineer - Genie Industries, a division of Terex (Aerial Work Platforms) Designed hydraulic and electric drive systems,  computer controlled electro-hydraulic systems and vehicle wiring systems.
	Design and Project Engineer - Goldendale Aluminum 12 years. Focus in project management, machine design (including numerous electro-hydraulic, PLC controlled machines.) Performed troubleshooting on large, complex machinery.
	Designer/Liaison Engineer Freightliner Corporation Performed cab structural design for military truck vehicle project(2,600 units). Followed truck through production line made modifications to design while in manufacture, communicated design changes necessary for manufacturing process capability to designers for all aspects of vehicle.  Corrected design of cab and related components.
	Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) - Washington State University, 1988
	Registered Professional Engineer (P.E.)  -  State of Washington
	Private Pilots license

Designed a machine to automatically trim(sweep) Soderburg Aluminum Reduction Cells. The operator performs this hot, dirty work  from the cab of a hydrostatic, air conditioned Linde Baker vehicle. The unit is equipped with proportional electric hydraulic PID feedback control system which monitors brush motor torque and automatically adjusts the height of the brush head to maintain consistent brushing action and to improve brush life.  See a Drawing and Brochure (pdf)

DECKTRIMMER ATTACHMENT(in relation to production cell)

Alumina Fluoride Delivery Vehicle

Utilized standard Baumann side-loading forklift cab, frame and powertrain.  Designed and mounted bulk material hopper and precision screw feeding system.  Factory hydraulics were removed and replaced with Danfoss electric proportional hydraulic system.  PLC controller receives dose weight by polling the company production database via wireless Ethernet connection. A digital rotary encoder monitors screw feeder shaft position and speed to ensure precise fluoride dose.  Stationary production cells are remotely controlled, also via wireless Ethernet.

 

Custom Tapping Vehicle

Designing a new self-contained tapping vehicle with on board air compressor and Diesel engine. Existing units are battery powered and must be tethered to air hoses. New tapping vehicle will be equipped to draw metal directly into a transfer crucible, thereby eliminating an existing pour operation.  Eliminating "the pour" cuts gaseous fluoride emission dramatically, eliminates unsafe and floor damaging, molten metal spills. Not pouring reduces metal reoxidation thereby contributing to project payback..

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Diesel Powered Mobile Crustbreaker - See Brochure & Envelop DWG. (pdf) 

-or- Click here to view hydraulic crustbreaker video 
(If video doesn't play, download  Windows Media Player from Microsoft. ) 

Current section air crust breakers are tethered to a plant air line resulting in limited range, and dependence on varying plant air pressure. This inability to move around the plant requires numerous spares to distributed throughout the cell production lines. The new unit is mounted to a standard Linde Baker fork truck frame. A   new hydraulic system installed in place of the factory setup which uses regenerative cylinder extension and accumulator energy storage(during upstroke.)    The stored energy is then employed to afford greater breaking power while maintaining the fast cycle time of the air powered units. Controls are integrated into a single joystick.

 

Spading Machine Overhaul and Hydraulic Upgrade

Removed outdated, unresponsive hydraulic pilot, joystick controlled hydraulic control system and replaced with modern, proportional electric piloted, load sensing hydraulic system.  The new system is a nine function hydraulic stack with internal load sense shuttle network.  It's proportional flow control spools provide finer control while eliminating about forty hoses and six discrete valves.  The system allows adjustable load sense pressures for each direction of each hydraulic function.   The flexibility of electric control signals will allow the elimination of one of the three existing joysticks.   Two ergonomic, multifunctional joysticks can perform the same function with much less operator fatigue.

 

Install New Hydraulic System and Automate Crucible Cleaning Machine.

Remove leak prone hydraulic system mounted internally to machine frame. Existing system was controlled via mechanically stroked hydrostatic pump circuit and mechanical proportional hydraulic valve. The system was replaced with PLC controlled electro-hydraulic system with hydraulic linear positioner system with MTS linear transducer, Rexroth proportional control valve, and electrically stroked Denison 85 GPM closed loop pump. Machine can now run manually via electric proportional joystick control or under automatic cycle. Under automatic control the PLC controller monitors machine vibration and hydrostatic pump drive motor current. If either parameter is above threshold level, the positioner cylinder slows down the cutting head advance rate to preserve the carbide tipped cutter teeth.

 

150 Ton Press

This press is not large as presses go, until you consider that it has a 10' deep throat to allow straightening  of 16' X 29' cathode bottom shells and anode side casings that the previous 100 ton press could not touch.  The unit employs a dual pump(hi-lo speed) circuit which automatically unloads the high volume pump when high  pressure is required.  The work pieces are so large that a remote control pendant is used so that operator is able to see the operation, while operating the controls.