Tooling Engineer

Role details

SUMMARY

The Tooling Engineer is responsible for interfacing between Spectrum Plastics, Minneapolis location and tooling suppliers to support a successful mold design, build, qualification, and release to production. This position will be accountable for tooling cost, quality, and delivery performance, and supplier management, and provide metrics to the management team on tool shop performance. In addition, this position will support the sales and engineering functions through Design for Manufacturability (DFM) analysis and technical tooling expertise.

The ideal candidate possesses strong injection molding, tooling, material experience, and DFM knowledge to identify manufacturing risks to lead tool suppliers through tool design and build.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Actively promote and drive a culture of safety within Spectrum Plastics Group.
• Responsible for tooling P&L, adherence to tool delivery dates and quality of work for all of Spectrum MN tooling transactions.
• Lead DFM reviews to optimize part designs for manufacturability, quality, cost, and tooling robustness. Provide technical guidance on gating strategy, venting, cooling, shrinkage, mold steel selection, and wear considerations.
• Ability to influence customer part designs through effective communication on recommendations.
• Lead tool design reviews and collaborate with suppliers, internal teams, and customers to resolve concerns and reduce tooling risk prior to tool build.
• Effectively measure and drive the reduction of tool lead times.
• Participate in and support the quoting and sales process. Responsible for tooling supplier selection and acquiring tooling quotes.
• Provide technical tooling expertise and support to all NPI and production sustaining teams.
• Identify continuous improvement efforts for outside tooling sources and provide feedback to management.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage all facets of tool procurement including design and construction with tool suppliers, reducing the number of mold iterations and samples. Making sure the tooling is built correctly the first time to agreed upon standards. Take a lead position in driving new technologies with associate teams.
• Review customer CAD models and drawings to identify tooling and manufacturability risks and lead customer discussions regarding DFM recommendations and required part design modifications.
• Manage and report mold build and rework schedule to applicable internal team members, striving for on-time or early delivery.
• Provide engineering and manufacturing recommendations for new projects and quotations, improving quote capture rate.
• Provide technical support to Sales and both external and internal customers
• Collaborate on common tool design standards to be used across at Spectrum MN and other Spectrum injection molding locations.
• Establish and implement continuous improvements metrics for tooling suppliers and report to management.

EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• Preferred Experience:
• 7-10 Years of tool design experience
• 3-5 Years tool building experience.
• Strong knowledge of injection mold design, DFM principles, and plastic part design.
• Proficient at reading engineering drawings with GDT interpretation.
• Expertise with CAD (Solidworks experience preferred).
• Experience utilizing (or interpreting) Moldflow or equivalent simulation software to evaluate fill patterns, cooling optimization, warpage, and molding risk.
• Experience with tool design and build with engineering-grade thermoplastics, including PEEK, PEI, PSU, and glass-filled or carbon-reinforced materials.
• Ability to communicate technical recommendations effectively with customers, suppliers, and cross-functional teams.
• Experience supporting medical device or other highly regulated manufacturing environments preferred.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills. Demonstrates a sense of urgency.
• Embraces Spectrum Plastics core values.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The noise level is usually low in the office setting and moderate to high in the manufacturing area.

The employee may be exposed to fumes and dust.