Manufacturing Engineer, Molding

About the Role

Summit Polymers is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer specializing in Molding for their 2nd shift operations. This role involves hands-on technical work focused on the injection molding of plastic parts for automotive interior trim, full center consoles, and kinetic parts. The position requires providing technical support and leadership to manufacturing production teams with a focus on operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform as a key team member in developing molding tool & processes for new products.
• Participate in part design input and output reviews.
• Focus on design optimization for highest quality parts through robust injection mold tooling conditions and mold processability considerations.
• Participate in injection mold design reviews, focusing on mold size, press size, manifolds, valve gates, runners, gates, mold actions, cooling, ejection, parting lines, venting, and engraving.
• Develop molding automation plans and tooling.
• Specify End of Arm Tooling (EOAT), degators, nesting, and other molding secondary equipment.
• Procure molding secondary equipment, performing design, construction, or external sourcing as required.
• Participate in injection mold trials at sample facilities.
• Support master mold process development, mold critique, and corrective action plans for new injection molds.
• Champion the introduction of molding tools and processes at the Summit Polymers manufacturing plant.
• Collaborate with plant staff to ensure facilities and equipment required for new molds are in place, including hot manifold & valve gate controllers, gas-assist controllers, material drying hoppers, grinders, etc.
• Identify issues with injection molds, molding secondary equipment, molding machines, and auxiliary equipment, and collaborate with program and plant teams to achieve resolution.
• Further develop robust injection molding processes for plant-specific molding machines based on master molding processes.
• Implement molding automation, including adjusting EOAT and degators, robot programming, and related interfaces to other press peripheral equipment.
• Document and control molding process setup sheets, process verification sheets, and robot programs.
• Develop Operator Instruction Sheets and support the development of Quality Inspection Standards to ensure production personnel can work safely while meeting quality and productivity requirements.
• Coordinate the entry of all molds, EOAT, and degators into the preventive maintenance system and develop preventive maintenance instructions.
• Collaborate with the SLMS Engineer to develop internal mold store packaging that supports efficient labor and automation, while ensuring safe & defect-free storage, transport, and handling at subsequent operations.
• Perform mold-specific setup and operational training for mold technicians, supervisors, utilities/operators, and managers; oversee mold changes, startups, and production until safety and proficiency are achieved.
• Collaborate with project engineering to coordinate engineering changes to molds and molding secondary equipment.
• Support and continually improve all production molding operations.
• Support production team performance by improving safety, quality, and efficiency.
• Utilize Practical Problem Solving (PPS), Kaizen, and Scientific Molding methodologies.
• Troubleshoot tooling, process, and equipment-related problems through collaboration with tooling and maintenance teams.
• Collaborate with maintenance to assess molding machine capability.
• Lead activities for cycle time, scrap, regrind, mold change time, and purge reduction.
• Develop justifications for various process improvement projects.
• Conduct layered process audits to ensure compliance with process setup/verification, standardized work, and quality systems requirements.
• Contribute to molding room safety by immediately reacting to correct unsafe conditions of molding systems, including molding machines, molds, cranes, side load carts, magnetic platens, robots, robot cages, conveyors, grinders, electrical panels, floor condition, overhead utility conditions, and other 5S or housekeeping conditions.
• Model safe behaviors in all aspects of job performance.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Injection molding of plastic parts for automotive interior trim, full center consoles, and kinetic parts.
• Injection mold processing.
• Molding automation and End of Arm Tooling (EOAT).
• Supporting injection mold tooling.
• Robot programming for molding automation.
• Microsoft Office software suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Practical Problem Solving (PPS).
• Kaizen.
• Scientific Molding.
• Mold change, startups, and production.
• Engineering changes to molds and molding secondary equipment.
• Layered process audits.
• 5S or housekeeping.
• Krauss Maffei and VanDorn molding machine experience preferred.
• Wittmann robot experience preferred.
• Knowledge of gas-assist, sequential valve gate processing, applique insert molding, and two-shot / multi-material molding preferred.
• Ability to read and critique injection mold design drawings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a similar technical discipline, OR 5 years of experience in a technical position in an injection molding environment.
• Scientific injection molding knowledge and hands-on mold process development ability.
• Molding automation / EOAT knowledge and hands-on molding robot programming ability.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software suite.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Independent thinking with strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Flexibility and ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
• Agreement to complete all post-hire required training.
• A minimum score of 50 on the Wonderlic Select Assessment (Traditional Score of 26 on the cognitive portion).

Travel Requirements: Typically requires less than 5% travel.