Mechanical Designer

Asten Johnson is the leader in technical fabrics. Our drive to provide the best products and service in our industry is fueled by our associates and their drive to innovate. We want our associates to build careers here and become part of the fabric of our 230 year old company. We offer competitive pay, excellent benefits and a workplace built on respect and purpose.

Asten Johnson is a world-leading supplier of paper machine clothing, specialty fabrics, and filaments for the worldwide paper industry with a 200-year history as a family-owned business. Asten Johnson also has a growing nonwovens division called AJ Nonwovens, which has been developing and producing premium quality needlepunch textiles since 1952. Asten Johnson’s Central Engineering is located in Kanata and supports all Asten Johnson and AJ Nonwovens sites worldwide, providing a variety of unique projects and design opportunities.

Central Engineering is involved in mechanical and electrical machine design, research and development, maintenance, fabrication, machine erection, and commissioning.

Work as part of a multidisciplinary engineering team to support the planning, design, fabrication, procurement, assembly, installation, and commissioning of custom equipment. Responsibilities include mechanical design, drawing preparation, project planning, equipment procurement, safety reviews, and assistance with equipment installation, commissioning, and training at Asten Johnson facilities worldwide.

• Collaborate with mechanical and electrical team members, vendors, manufacturers, and site stakeholders to develop practical, safe, and robust mechanical solutions for new and existing manufacturing and testing equipment.
• Review existing equipment and site conditions, take field measurements, document equipment interfaces, and prepare layouts or as-built information as required.
• Assist in developing project cost estimates and schedules.
• Design custom mechanical components for use in specialized equipment.
• Create detailed 3D CAD models, equipment layouts, assemblies, and bills of materials.
• Select appropriate materials and commercial mechanical components based on application requirements, performance, environment, manufacturability, availability, and cost.
• Perform and document mechanical calculations and analyses to verify equipment designs, including free-body diagrams, statics, dynamics, and component sizing.
• Coordinate electromechanical interfaces and component integration with the electrical team to support assembly and commissioning.
• Apply relevant engineering standards, internal design practices, and machine safety requirements to equipment designs.
• Participate in design reviews and equipment risk assessments to incorporate safety, reliability, maintainability, ergonomics, manufacturability, and cost into equipment designs.
• Prepare complete engineering drawing packages for fabrication and assembly, including appropriate dimensions and tolerances, assembly instructions, and welding requirements.
• Maintain accurate models, drawings, BOMs, revision records, and as-built documentation throughout the project lifecycle.
• Obtain vendor quotations and coordinate procurement and fabrication of purchased and custom components.
• Provide technical support during fabrication and assembly to resolve drawing, manufacturability, assembly, and design issues as required.
• Support equipment assembly, installation, and commissioning through hands on assistance, troubleshooting, and design modifications.
• Participate in equipment testing and validation to confirm that designs meet functional, safety, quality, and performance requirements.
• Monitor equipment performance following installation and work with manufacturing and maintenance personnel to analyze data and identify and implement improvements.
• Participate in task forces to investigate and resolve challenging technical problems.
• Develop technical knowledge through collaboration with experienced team members, review of applicable engineering standards and technical literature, and participation in relevant training.
• Travel to Asten Johnson PMC and AJ Nonwovens…