Microsoft Office
James Buffington
Summary
Highly successful track record of engineering accomplishments; Diplomatic and tactful with professionals and non-professionals at all levels; Exceedingly effective at communicating and gaining agreement with senior leadership, peers and subordinates; Accustomed to handling large, small and multiple projects; Broad exposure to multiple manufacturing environments; Excellent at team building and Continuous Improvement. Detail-oriented with excellent communication, interpersonal, and creative thinking skills. Frequently praised as hard-working by my peers. I can be relied upon to help your company achieve its goals.
Overview
42
42
years of professional experience
Work History
Design Engineer
CTE, Inc.
05.2023 - 05.2024
- Create drawings to make tooling & dies to produce customer parts.
- Layout preliminary designs for quotes of new customer tools & material.
- Update drawings to reflect changes and upgrades for the production department.
- Use AutoCAD and SOLIDWORKS for drawings, drawing updates and quotes.
Owner & Principal
DLD & Associates Engineering Services
09.2019 - 09.2022
- Develop detailed project plans, including timelines, budgets, and resource requirements.
- Create and maintain project schedules to ensure timely completion.
- Oversee the design and development of project components, ensuring they meet technical specifications and standards.
- Utilize computer-aided design (CAD) software to create detailed project designs and models.
Allocate and manage resources, including labor, equipment, and materials, to optimize project efficiency. - Conduct safety training for project personnel and promote a culture of safety on-site.
Field Engineer
Diversified Conveyors Int'l, LLC
06.2018 - 09.2019
- Monitored construction methods and installations, inspection and testing processes.
- Delivered high-quality field services, ensuring all projects were completed on time and within budget constraints.
- Conducted thorough site assessments to identify potential hazards, ensuring a safe working environment for all personnel involved in field operations.
- Established rapport with clients by maintaining open lines of communication and addressing concerns promptly and professionally.
Project Engineer (Contractor)
CBF Bakery Systems
04.2017 - 01.2018
- Produced drawings for field clarification of issues.
- Took field measurements, as necessary.
- Communicated material discrepancies with design engineers in Memphis, as necessary.
- Used Autodesk Inventor 2020 to make corrections to drawings based on red lined prints, produced structure clarification drawings.
Industrial Engineer
Die-Tech Inc.
07.2015 - 01.2017
- Supervised Quality Department.
- Established, maintained, and improved all quality systems including ISO 9001.
- Drove process improvements throughout the engineering and manufacturing process for stamped metal products and their assembly with other components.
- Led Continuous Improvement projects throughout the company.
Mechanical Designer (Contractor)
Eastern Bakery Systems
01.2014 - 04.2015
- Developed new designs and made improvements to current designs.
- Analysis and specification of electro-mechanical and electro-pneumatic systems/components.
- Produced detailed, accurate and complete layouts/installation drawings, equipment lists and utility schedules.
Project Engineer
Klinge Corp.
03.2011 - 10.2013
- Provided technical expertise throughout all phases of the project, ensuring accurate execution of designs and specifications.
- Responsible for meeting major design objectives of projects.
- Maintained records for each project and engineering discipline using Microsoft Project.
Product Engineering Mgr / Ops. Mgr / Project Mgr
GEA PHE SYSTEMS N.A., INC
10.2004 - 01.2011
- Designed and brought to production readiness gasketed heat and brazed heat exchangers.
- Managed Product Engineering Department.
- Established and maintained product data in SAP.
- Maintained the design of both types of heat exchangers using the ECN/ECR system.
- Improved product design by using commonality of components and using readily available materials.
- Managed daily manufacturing operations to ensure products met cost, quality, and quantity requirements.
- Managed the construction of a state-of-the-art 250,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility on time and within the $63M budget. Project was tracked using Microsoft Project.
- Reviewed and coordinated machinery specifications for the new facility.
Manufacturing Engineer (Contractor)
Harley-Davidson Inc.
12.2003 - 09.2004
- Updated plant layout using AutoCAD to gain a more efficient workflow and reduce the cost of production.
- Redesign allowed use of the 80% common parts between the two lines.
- Integrated SPC capable tooling into the assembly line and tracked data using WinSPC.
Mechanical Engineering Supervisor
Westfalia Technologies, Inc.
02.2002 - 10.2003
- Collaborated with sales and marketing teams to develop customer-focused engineering solutions that drive revenue growth.
- Achieved successful project completion with rigorous scheduling and resource allocation.
- Approved proposed design changes after analyzing drawings, schematics and prototypes.
- Reviewed and approved product designs, verifying compatibility with project principles and goals.
Manufacturing Engineer (Contractor)
Case New Holland
01.2001 - 01.2002
- Developed technical documentation, including standard operating procedures, work instructions, and engineering drawings, to support manufacturing operations during the transition of machining operations from a facility that was closing.
Owner & Principal
DLD & Associates Engineering Services
01.1998 - 12.2000
- Maintained a safe working environment by adhering to industry safety standards during all phases of project execution.
- Developed innovative solutions for complex mechanical problems.
- Delivered high-quality technical documentation including drawings, specifications, and reports for various projects.
Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor
Dayton Parts
01.1990 - 12.1997
- Managed quality control initiatives to ensure adherence to industry standards, maintaining a high level of product reliability.
- Reduced machine downtime for increased productivity by conducting regular equipment maintenance and troubleshooting.
- Streamlined workflow processes, resulting in decreased lead times and increased customer satisfaction.
- Enhanced production efficiency by implementing lean manufacturing principles and process improvements.
Senior Manufacturing Engineer
ACCO Chain & Lifting Co.
01.1988 - 12.1989
- Mentored junior engineers.
- Coordinated selection of manufacturing methods, fabrication, and operation of product designs.
- Used lean manufacturing principles to develop, evaluate and improve casket manufacturing methods.
- Promoted Design for Manufacturability.
- Performed concurrent design and manufacturing engineering and other functions to reduce time required to bring product to market.
- Reviewed products for compliance with Design for Manufacturing (DFM) requirements.
Process Engineer
BMY Division Of HARSCO
01.1985 - 12.1987
- Provided technical assistance to production team when issues arose.
- Evaluated new technologies and equipment upgrades to enhance overall process capabilities, ensuring market competitiveness.
- Optimized production flow by designing and implementing efficient workstations and tooling solutions.
- Streamlined manufacturing processes by identifying inefficiencies and implementing corrective actions.
- Assisted in capacity planning efforts by providing accurate data on cycle times, throughput, and equipment utilization rates.
- Troubleshoot non-conformances and develop corrective actions for root cause analysis findings.
Manufacturing Engineer
AMP Inc.
10.1982 - 12.1984
- Developed technical documentation, including standard operating procedures, work instructions, and engineering drawings to support manufacturing operations.
- Conducted root cause analysis on defective products, leading to targeted improvements in manufacturing processes.
- Reviewed products for compliance with Design for Manufacturing (DFM) requirements.
Education
Bachelor Of Science - Mechanical Engineering
Michigan Technological University
Houghton, MI05.1982
Skills
- Create and maintain work instructions
- Root Cause Analysis
- Quality Management Systems
- Continuous improvement
- Computer-Aided Design
- ISO 9001 compliance
- Manufacturing Safety Protocols
- Cost Reduction and Efficiency
- Quality Control
- AutoCAD
- Bill of Material (BOM)
- Procedure Documentation
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimeWork Location
On-SiteImportant To Me
Company CultureHealthcare benefits401k matchPaid time offSoftware
Microsoft Project
AutoCAD
SolidWorks
Timeline
Design Engineer
CTE, Inc.
05.2023 - 05.2024
Owner & Principal
DLD & Associates Engineering Services
09.2019 - 09.2022
Field Engineer
Diversified Conveyors Int'l, LLC
06.2018 - 09.2019
Project Engineer (Contractor)
CBF Bakery Systems
04.2017 - 01.2018
Industrial Engineer
Die-Tech Inc.
07.2015 - 01.2017
Mechanical Designer (Contractor)
Eastern Bakery Systems
01.2014 - 04.2015
Project Engineer
Klinge Corp.
03.2011 - 10.2013
Product Engineering Mgr / Ops. Mgr / Project Mgr
GEA PHE SYSTEMS N.A., INC
10.2004 - 01.2011
Manufacturing Engineer (Contractor)
Harley-Davidson Inc.
12.2003 - 09.2004
Mechanical Engineering Supervisor
Westfalia Technologies, Inc.
02.2002 - 10.2003
Manufacturing Engineer (Contractor)
Case New Holland
01.2001 - 01.2002
Owner & Principal
DLD & Associates Engineering Services
01.1998 - 12.2000
Manufacturing Engineering Supervisor
Dayton Parts
01.1990 - 12.1997
Senior Manufacturing Engineer
ACCO Chain & Lifting Co.
01.1988 - 12.1989
Process Engineer
BMY Division Of HARSCO
01.1985 - 12.1987
Manufacturing Engineer
AMP Inc.
10.1982 - 12.1984
Bachelor Of Science - Mechanical Engineering
Michigan Technological University
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