Manufacturing & Quality

Highlights of my Product Engineering, Manufacturing/Quality Engineer and Vehicle Project Engineer Experience

Process Quality

Mark has extensive background managing supplier relationships and part quality using proven processes and techniques. If you are facing challenges in these areas, Mark can help you manage them or educate you on best practices for process quality engineering.

APQP

Advanced Planning Quality includes managing a variety of aspects of any project, focusing on up-front quality planning. Mark is well versed in the APQP process from years of experience. Whatever your APQP challenges may be, Traxler can assist you in understanding and implementing this process.

Customer Interface Quality

Customer interface quality exists to ensure that customers both experience and perceive a high level of quality. Mark’s experience with stampings, injection molding and facias have given him a thorough understanding of and expertise with customer interface quality. Traxler is well positioned to ensure the highest level of customer interface quality on all your technical engineering projects.

Experience and Achievements

PPAP Quality Engineer, General Motors Corporation (2012—2014)

Managed all 18 elements of PPAP during APQP phase for machining engine blocks, heads, and cranks.

Customer Interface Quality Engineer, General Motors Corporation (2009—2012)

Coordinated root cause, interim corrective actions and closure for quality complaints from internal GM assembly plants and external Tier 1 customers.

  • Challenge: There were no quality systems in place and no way to measure quality. Action: Established new, sustainable quality systems using QS9000 and APQP principles. Result: Metrics to track/improve quality.

Supplier Quality Engineer, Crossover Vehicle, General Motors Corporation (2006-2009)

  • Managed suppliers and part quality using GM Corporate processes and tools, such as PRRs, Master Dot reviews and the APQP process.
  • Team leader of Voice of the Customer (VOC) team, vehicle exterior issues. Compiled and analyzed JD Power, and warranty data, define issues, perform root cause analysis and lead team to implement solutions for wind noise, water leaks and door closing effort issues. Managed input from several data streams.
  • Chaired development team meetings for vehicle weather strip system during launch process.
  • Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence by ASQ.

Vehicle Project Engineer, Sedan, Coupe, SUV, Saturn Corporation, Spring Hill, Tennessee (1998-2006)

  • Played key production launch role across multiple architectures in over 10 major vehicle launches at 5 different GM manufacturing facilities. Issues were in several vehicle areas: sheet metal, mechanisms/hardware, interior trim, weather-strips and HVAC. Resolved complex issues in high pressure, critical situations. Lead multidiscipline teams to resolve launch issues.
  • Vehicle launches and primary manufacturing issues resolved:
Saturn SL/SC Sedan & Coupe, New Interior, Spring Hill TN Assembly

  • Ignition module porosity issue, cracking. Resolution: casting process change.
  • Park lock transmission cable issue, adjustment. Resolution: redesign (Design patent).
  • Engine control module loose, assembly issue. Resolution: added ball lock.
Saturn SL/SC Sedan & Coupe, All New Vehicle, Spring Hill TN Assembly

  • Door system High Risk Issue Champion (HRIC) for major vehicle program. Acted as a focal point for all launch issues for door systems. Laid out detailed action plans to overcome “no build” issues, and determined appropriate facilitators for each action item. Reported progress to upper management daily/weekly. Formulated solutions to both technical and non technical issues.
Saturn VUE, All New Vehicle, Spring Hill TN Assembly

  • Thermoplastic exterior panel gaps and flushness. Resolution: Shims and paint process changes.
  • Inner belt weather strip roll, window bind. Resolution: Profile change to extrusion.
  • Fixed glass detachment during assembly. Resolution: Removed interference induced during assembly.

Saturn ION Sedan & Coupe, All New Vehicle, Spring Hill TN Assembly

  • IP load and fit. Resolution: Reinforce locators.· Panel splits. Resolution: Form/die changes.
  • Appliqué retention. Resolution: Reprocess assembly.

Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, All New Vehicle, Shreveport LA Assembly

  • Interior carpet to IP console fit, gaps. Resolution: New shoddy pad added.
  • Door squeak in body torsion. Resolution: Remove coating from seal.
Chevy Cobalt Sedan & Coupe, All New Vehicle, Lordstown OH Assembly

  • High door closing efforts. Resolution: Dimensional changes to door.
Pontiac Solstice, All New Vehicle, Wilmington DE Assembly

  • Water leak issues. Resolution: Total seal system redesign.
Chevy Trailblazer & GMC Envoy, Existing Vehicle, Moraine OH Assembly

  • Provided Unigraphics design support during new model launch.
  • Addressed facia gap variation issue. Resolution: Bracket position control.
  • Addressed body shop fit issues.

Sr. Project Release Engineer, Body Closures/Spaceframe, Saturn Corporation, Spring Hill, Tennessee (1994-1998)

  • Resident product engineer at Saturn, Spring Hill Manufacturing site. Single point product engineering contact for door systems and surrounding vehicle environment.
  • Liaison between product engineering release community and manufacturing/operations for product related issues.

Sr. Design Release Engineer, Body Group/Mechanical Systems, General Motors, Troy, Michigan (1990-1994)

Manufacturing and Quality
  • Represented product engineering to concurrent engineering team consisting of a manufacturing engineer, a purchasing agent, several designers, and a finance representative.
  • Coordinated procurement of all prototypes for design validation testing.
  • Oversaw all design validation and process validation testing for door system mechanical components.

Product Engineering Team Leader, Eaton Marine Hydraulics, Lansing, Michigan (1986-1990)

Manufacturing
  • Identified and selected manufacturing processes necessary to manufacture each component of power steering system.
  • Acted as primary interface with vendors with respect to component specifications, prototype and validation part costs and scheduling.
  • Resolved design issues related to precision machining of hydraulic pump bodies. CNC vertical and horizontal machining centers.
  • Determined in-house tooling and fixturing requirements for validation builds.
  • Coordinated resolution of all product engineering related issues during prototype and production validation builds.
Quality
  • Defined requirements of automated testing equipment and worked with suppliers to develop effective tooling solutions.
  • Defined production process checks. Included functional and dimensional checks for power steering assemblies and machined components.
  • Reviewed, revised, and approved final draft of receiving inspection procedures.
  • Developed and executed process validation test plans.
  • Advised quality personnel as to appropriate assembly and component CMM checks and part set up.

Manufacturing/Quality Engineer, Eaton Marine Hydraulics, Lansing, Michigan (1984-1985)

Manufacturing/Quality
  • Developed and implemented scrap and rework disposition program for electric motor final assembly plant.
  • Created receiving inspection procedures for purchased parts. Bearings, turnings, plastic molded components.
  • Provided technical assistance to manufacturing and production personnel. Interpreted blueprints , specifications & in process testing procedures. Analyzed problems as to their source: defective components or assembly.
  • Improved efficiency of manufacturing assembly procedures through redesign of line layout, workstation ergonomics, and visual aids. Liaison between operations and product engineering departments.