Ceramic Science and Engineering Consultant in Business Development and Production of Ceramic, Metal, and Polymer Composites

Technical Consultant #1472

Extensive experience and knowledge in the technical and business development, scale up and production of ceramic, metal and polymer composite technologies.
25 years of experience in business development, program management, ceramics/ceramic composites, SiC ceramics, polymer composites, metal casting, specialty refractories, equipment design, industrial processing and process control.
Advanced engineered materials with emphasis on ceramics and composite materials.
Expertise in fabrication techniques, processing, material characterization and market development of advanced polymer composite and ceramics composite materials.
Expert witness and forensic engineering failure and root cause analysis.
Advanced ceramic and polymer composites for turbine engines.
Market analysis and studies of prospective markets and customer's trends for advanced technology.
Ceramic matrix composite fabrication, interface coatings and ceramic material composite processing.
Technology and development of corrosion resistant refractories.
SBIR and grant writing.

President, Consulting Firm, 2006 - Present

Specializing in forensic ceramics and glass for legal assistance and expert witness.
Developed new reaction bonded SiC honeycomb materials for diesel particulate filters.
Commercialized new ceramic proppant technology using recycled materials.
Improved corrosion resistance of refractory brick for high temperature chlorine reactors.
Consulting and technical sales, providing solutions and services with engineered ceramic, metals and polymer materials and processing.
Led the research and development to commercialized products for industrial and government customers through contract research, educational consulting, strategic material and partnership brokering and proposal writing.
Won NYSERDA grant for using egg processing waste as fuel.

Undisclosed Company, Program Manager, 2005 - 2006

Program management and business development in aerospace, semiconductor, and industrial applications, utilizing SiC preceramic polymer chemistry for high temperature ceramic and polymer matrix composites.
Management of $5.5 million aerospace and DoD programs.
Development of ultra-high temperature composites for TPS applications.
Development and marketing of flame resistant coatings for fiberglass fabrics.

Undisclosed Company, Director of Product Development, 2004 - 2005

Technical development, scale up and marketing of reaction bonded ceramic-metal and SiC carbide composites for semiconductor, armor, wear, thermal management, structural ceramics and precision structures markets.
Successfully transferred technology from parent factory to prototype facility.
Established new markets and customers in semiconductor, thermal management and wear applications.
Developed metal brazing and glass bonding technology for large reaction bonded SiC ceramics.

Pratt and Whitney, Middletown, CT, 1996 - 2004

Materials Technologist, Composites/Program Manager

Development of polymer and ceramic composite materials and coating systems used in military and commercial applications.
Coordination of composite materials strategic planning activities for turbine engine related programs.
Designed and implemented 30% cost reduction on F119 polymer coatings.
Managed special development programs in coatings and composite materials.

Program Technical Leader, 1999 - 2000

Integrated engineering functions and capabilities of the cases and stators manufacturing centers with needs and requirements of F119 and JSF programs.
Established integrated product teams responsible for all major part families.
Assembled input for the JSF EMD proposal for HPC cases and stators.

Project Engineer & Manufacturing Technology Manager, 1996 - 1999

Established and directed design and material and process improvement programs, resulting in improved cost performance in military and commercial engines.
Formulated blade repair programs for Ti and Ni Integrally Bladed Rotors (IBR.)
Established funding and managed IBR low cost fabrication technologies.
Spearheaded programs for high temperature discontinuously reinforced aluminum (DRA) and 'yTi' composites.
Established programs for improved abradable rub seal for military engine fans.

DuPont Corporation, Engineering Consultant, Wilmington, DE, 1995 - 1996

Improved corrosion resistant and refractory materials of construction used in TiO2 white pigment production and fluoropolymer technology.
Set up simulated lab tests for reactor environments in high temperature Cl and F process streams.
Established vendor alliances for co-development of new materials.
Implemented in-plant tests of new refractory materials.
Developed new proprietary corrosion resistant refractory compositions.

Alanx Products, Inc., Joint Venture, Newark, Delaware, 1988 - 1995

Project Manager

Transferred composite technology to joint ventures in Japan and Germany.
Trained design, production and marketing engineers on new ceramic composite technology.
Developed processing parameters with Japanese and German materials, equipment, and labor force.
Created manufacturing plant layouts.

Operations Manager, 1992 - 1994

Oversaw all areas of production, facilities, safety and quality implementation.
Directed all technical development and engineering.
Increased capacity to handle four times the volume, while reducing fixed costs 50%.
Converted process and equipment from electric to gas power.
Improved ergonomics and product flow through plant layout redesign.
Incorporated computer based scheduling in production.
Significantly improved on-time deliveries.
Decreased number of days in manufacturing cycle.

Technical Manager, 1988 - 1992

From lab to production scale operation, transferred and scaled up ceramic, metal and polymer matrix composite technologies for market driven abrasion resistant products and applications.
Directed three R&D development and production support teams.
Designed and purchased all lab and production process equipment.
Authored and instituted QC, SPC and SOP procedures.
Developed and commercialized SiC ceramic filled polymer composites.
Designed ceramic composite lined process slurry pumps and hydrocycones.

Lanxide Corporation, Senior Research Engineer, Newark, Delaware, 1985 - 1988

Engineered microstructural and fabrication process control of new ceramic and metal matrix composite technologies, focused on SiC filled particulate and fiber reinforced composites.
Pioneered new fabrication techniques for net-shaped preforms, utilizing ceramic and metal powders in aqueous and non-aqueous systems.
Designed and patented ballistic resistant armor systems (DARPA).
Formed and led multi-group process and materials task force for process development and company wide problem solving.
Developed composites with improved corrosion/erosion resistance for industrial products division.
Awarded 10 key material and process patents.

Ph.D., Ceramic Science and Engineering, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ

M.S., Ceramic Science and Engineering, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ

B.S., Chemistry, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ