Tooling Engineer - Flex-N-Gate Corporation

Flex-N-Gate is a leading manufacturer and supplier of components for the automotive industry, recently ranked 10th of the 150 Top North American Suppliers in “Automotive News.” A growing and vital company, Flex-N-Gate provides a great opportunity for hard-working and skilled individuals.

Scope of the Position

The Tooling Engineer develops and maintains effective methods of efficient and profitable manufacturing by installing approved methods and standards, recommending efficient distribution of manpower, analyzing plant methods and standards, preparing cost estimates of changes in plant layout and material handling and performing time and motion studies.  The Tooling Engineer provides technical expertise in the areas of product, material, process and quality.

Responsibilities

• Co-ordinates tooling for new jobs and/or changes to existing jobs in accordance with customer specifications.
• Ensures advanced programs adhere to customer specifications and established standards.
• Creates and maintains timelines for production tooling and equipment engineering changes, vendor tryouts and installation, and final tryouts.
• Follows up on tooling and equipment related to engineering changes or new builds and provides direction and assistance to vendors.
• Solicits vendor quotes and helps select vendors on basis of cost, timing and previous work quality.
• Responsible for Design Potential Failure Mode Effect (DFMEA) and Process Potential Failure Mode Effect and Analysis (PFMEA), process flow diagrams for work instructions, packaging instructions for all product.
• Responsible for the transfer of engineering data to supplier operations when necessary.
• Responsible for tooling set up sheets.
• Responsible for Product Verification Database.
• Responsible for Document Control Change Form (DCCF)
• Responsible for updating Master Blue Print Listing
• Quotes, analyzes and manages any cost reductions and improvements in current production and continuous improvement projects.
• Provides engineering support on technical issues to all departments.
• Finds new product and manufacturing methods to improve production.
• Provides support to tooling and weld technicians in problem solving any process deficiencies in the tooling or welding of certain product.
• Understands strain grid analyses and forming analyses for forming die operations.
• Works with the customer (engineering) in the development of manufacturing product design.
• Assists in the quoting effort, with the input from affected departments in quoting production tooling and equipment with all the necessary paperwork for engineering changes only.
• Understands, adheres to and practices safety guidelines in the production environment.
• Monitors progress of jobs being performed by tool sources and assists them with any problems they may have.
• Reviews tool designs submitted by tool sources and makes necessary recommendations to meet customer specifications and assures process capability.
• Ensures timing, cost and customer satisfaction throughout the program duration.
• Ensures that all information and communications are documented and relayed throughout the appropriate channels.
• Analyzes and implements the most economical production methods of equipment.
• Analyzes and implements an effective method to reduce steel progression.
• Initiates, facilitates and maintains project plans for all team members.
• Identifies and qualifies all potential program risks, identifies program unknowns and establishes contingency plans to keep the program progressing.
• Maintains program timing and budgets.
• Attends APQP meetings to support successful launch of new programs.
• Attends new tooling reviews with corporate tooling design team.
• Participates in New Business Quoting Activities for the facility.
• Responsible for upkeep and maintaining of the Ventra Machine Standards
• Responsible for upkeep and maintaining of the error proofing matrices
• Ensures the completion of Reverse PFMEA’s at the integrator as well as at the home line facility.
• Responsible for customer tooling audits
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Requirements

• Associates Degree in Tooling or;
• Three to five years related Tool and Die experience in an automotive manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of manufacturing systems related to metal stampings.
• Technically inclined.
• Strong commitment to quality.

• Physical ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Manual dexterity required to use desktop computer and peripherals.
• Ability to physically implement designs.

Benefits