Plastics​/Tooling Development Manager

Job Title

Manager, Tooling Expert

Align with our company culture, mission, values, philosophy, and policies and procedures by exemplifying our C.L.E.A.R. Principles.

Curiosity- look for a better way as a solutions-oriented problem solver.

Leadership- take ownership and be the catalyst of change.

Enthusiasm- be motivated and passionate about your work.

Accountability- deliver commitments and acts with integrity.

Respect- be present, listen and engage with inclusive, open, honest, and direct communication.

Responsibilities include:

Manager:
Tooling expert with management responsibilities. Position will include management of the following direct reports:

• 2 Plastics/Tooling Engineers
• 2-3 Mechanical Technicians (Mold makers)

NPI (New Product Development) Team Member:
Position and department serve as internal experts for plastic injection mold design and development on a multi-disciplinary Engineering team. NPI teams consist of technical experts in areas of Mechanical Design, Electronics, Optics, Manufacturing/Process, and Validation.

Life Cycle / Subcontracted Tool Support:
Provide support and technical input as requested for life of product line (tooling repairs, Engineering changes, troubleshooting, etc.).

Product Types:
Products include (but are not limited to) LED headlamps & fog lamps, LED signal & marker lighting, wire harnesses, and other state-of-the-art lighting and visibility products for commercial vehicles.

Primary Job & Departmental Functions:

• Quote Development – Provide budgetary quotes and timing to the NPI team for quoting purposes.
• Prioritization – Prioritization of projects for both Tool Engineers and Mechanical Technicians.
• Performance Reviews, Training, and Development – Required tasks pertaining to your team.
• Plastic Materials – Provide input to plastic material selection based on intended use, operating environment, and part appearance requirements.
• Plastic Part Design & Analysis – Provide input to plastic part design for optimized quality, manufacturability, and appearance. Design input is based on factors such as wall thickness, intended gating, draft & texture requirements, tooling construction – parting line, slides & secondary actions, etc.
• Moldflow Analysis – Perform initial analysis to validate initial design and establish ideal molding process (gate location, tonnage, cycle time, weld/knit line locations, predicted warpage).
• Injection Mold Tooling Development – The position will have primary responsibility for overall plastic part tooling development:
• Develop Mold Specifications (cavitation, gate & runner type, tooling materials, etc.)
• Sourcing – Manages tool sourcing & development process following Truck-Lite procedures and practices. (Quote, vendor selection, design & build, sampling/verification, and final approvals)
• Design – Review and approve mold designs developed by selected tooling suppliers. Oversee tooling design & development activities to ensure cost, quality, and timing objectives are met. Directly responsible for mold designs for tools built at our internal shop.
• Qualification – Attend mold qualification trials, establish, and document ideal process parameters, verify molded part quality, provide final approvals and sign-off.
• Processing – Provide support to manufacturing teams for in-house mold qualifications. Assist in problem solving efforts to resolve manufacturing issues related to injection mold tooling, material, or processes.
• Tool Build Expert – Tool building/development is a requirement as it is needed to support the Mechanical Technicians that report to this position.

Requirements:

• Minimum 5-10 years industry experience with direct experience with injection mold tooling – Materials, Design, Construction, and Maintenance
• Familiarity with general machine shop equipment and capabilities (CNC machining, EDM, Polishing, Grinding, General bench, etc.)
• 3D CAD Modeling (NX or Solid Works)
• Preferred candidates have a B.S. degree or higher in Plastics Engineering, Plastics Engineering Technology, or Mechanical Engineering

Position requires compliance with the Technology Control Plan and the Federal Export Control Policy established for the Corporation.