Daniel Caron

Experience

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  New Britain Machine

  Aug 1985 - Sept 1989

  Tool Designer / CNC Programmer

  - Machine tool and fixture design for new and rebuilt New Britain Machines- CNC programming, program qualification, program troubleshooting and cycle time reduction- Supervised 52 vertical and horizontal CNC new machine orders for Chrysler and Saginaw tooling design, CNC programming and qualification- Chrysler and Saginaw company drafting documentation expert- Designed product tooling and programming demonstrations for Chicago machine tool show

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  Smith & Wesson

  Sept 1989 - Sept 1991

  Assembly Engineer

  - Designed and implemented ergonomic polishing workstations reducing operator injuries and workers' comp claims- Implemented air screwdrivers for assembly and designed cutting tools retrofitted to the airscrewdrivers, which reduced processing time by 15% and reduced operator injuries and workers' comp claims- Implemented a broaching process that improved the process capability by 60%- Developed an aqueous cleaning process eliminating chlorinated and fluorinated solvents

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  Danaher - Jacobs Vehicle Systems (Jake Brake)

  May 1992 - Sept 1997

  Cell Manager / Heat Treat Supervisor / Manufacturing Engineer

  Technical Cell Manager / Manufacturing Engineer: Oversaw cellular technology design, capital equipment justification, and standard work leveling production. Designed and executed process control plans, using QS9001 standards. Instilled just-in-time inventory planning based on Kanban and customer requirements. Troubleshot for problems and implemented process improvements. Managed 27 operators in 3 work cells.Operational Highlights:- Saved $300K annually by facilitating Design of Experiments (DOE) project eliminating part failure.- Reduced grinding cell area manpower 40% and acquired 50% additional grinding work.- Designed and implemented a successful Standard Work process for a components work cell with mixed products, mixed customers and different Takt Times. - Supervised a major harden and temper furnace department fire code and quality upgrade.- Led the design and implementation of a quick changeovers using SMED to decrease CNC lathe set-up time from 180 minutes to 3 minutes, machining center set-up reduced from 120 minutes to 8 minutes and Induction Hardening set-up reduced from 45 to 5 minutes. Consistently reduced machine set-up times by 90% to 98%.- Led a team of engineers and managers to produce an assembled product from blueprint to shipping container within 60 hours in a crisis situation.- New product development using Concurrent Engineering reducing engineering and manufacturing time by 67% equating to over 44,000 employee hours saved.- Implemented Kanban system reducing inventory by 70% from 10 days to 3 days.- Researched, developed and implemented a robotic high-pressure air and aqueous cleaning process eliminating chlorinated and fluorinated solvents. Show less

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  O. F. Mossberg & Sons

  Sept 1997 - Sept 1999

  Business Unit Manager

  Business Unit Manager: Implemented Lean Manufacturing tools and developed engineers. Directed $5.1 million budget for a $52 million business unit. Supervised 6 direct reports and 100 employees. Operational Highlights:- Increased production output by 37% and reduced budget spending by 10%, utilizing machine cycle-time reduction, tool change scheduling, SMED and TPM.- Decreased machine downtime 52% through the implementation of a TPM program.- Reduced scrap $200K through an MRB scrap reduction program.- Saved $180K by reducing machine cycle times 21% through training, tool redesign, and tool elimination.- Reduced machine set-up time 99% from 180 minutes to 1 minute on CNC machining centers. Reduced set-up time from 60 minutes to 5 minutes on a milling machine. Reduced set-up time from 30 minutes to 5 seconds on a drilling machine. Trained engineers and set-up operators on SMED and Lean Thinking principles. Show less

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  Abbott Ball Company

  Sept 1999 - May 2002

  Director of Quality

  Director of Quality: Identified internal and external quality control concerns and directed methods for resolutions. Quality Management System Representative for ISO9002/QS9002. Member of the core business team. Introduced and implemented Lean Six Sigma principles. Partnered with Manufacturing to create cost-effective systems, processes and employee development through job rotation, Kaizen participation and Corrective Action teams. Collaborated with executive management, Sales and Marketing to establish and improve customer relations and new product development. Co-produced company’s 5-year business plan with Sales and Manufacturing. Supervised 2 direct reports and 20 employees.Operational Highlights:- Implemented and achieved QS9002 certification on 1st audit within 5 months of hire with zero nonconformances. - Maintained quality system performance accomplishing 4 follow-up audits with zero nonconformances.- Implemented Lean tools including Kaizens, Standard Work, 5s, MRB, TPM and SPC. - Reduced OSHA work-related absences from 502 days to 2 days, cutting workers’ compensation costs $360K.- Decreased scrap 40% by implementing operator quality ownership inspections and an auditing program.- Reduced quality document revision process time by 94% from 8 hours to 30 minutes by streamlining QS9002 system. Show less

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  Community Renewal Team

  May 2002 - Nov 2004

  Senior Director/Vice President of Administration

  Senior Director/Vice President of Administration: Managed P & L of $65 million with finance, human resources, information technology, maintenance facility repair and renovations and internal audits reporting to me. Directly interfaced with state and federal governmental agencies to implement and comply with contractual performance standards. Implemented cross-functional training eliminating overtime. Developed and implemented procedures to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Chaired Safety Committee training 750 employees in safety awareness across 41 work sites throughout Connecticut. Supervised 5 executive/senior level direct reports and 85 professional employees.Operational Highlights:- Implemented cost-effectiveness measures company wide: Restructured and reorganized 2 departments to save $516K yearly. Cut annual overtime expenditures $170K without disrupting service by crosstraining employees and using this as a performance metric. Reduced administrative overhead $223K by in-sourcing consultancy and purchased services without any additional hiring. Renegotiated IT contracts to save $90K annually by consolidating and grouping communications services. Instituted workers’ compensation training to reduce claims 52%, saving $167K. Total savings over $1 Million annually.- Performed due diligence for acquisition of a $700K nonprofit agency. Appointed as ExecutiveDirector to develop business opportunities and allocate resources to drive $3 million in revenue.- Managed staff, architectural consultants, financial consultants and external legal team to open thestate’s largest 100 room assisted-living facility, an $18.3 million project. Dealt with federal and stategovernmental agencies in developing and getting the assisted-living facility approved.- Defended and won a $1.5 million annual tax abatement through the Hartford City Counsel. Show less

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  Lean Effects

  Nov 2004 - Jul 2008

  Lean Consultant, Sole Proprietor

  Sole Proprietor, Daniel Caron business ownerConsulting services designing and implementing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma and Quality Systems.Operational Highlights:- Teledyne – Aerosance (AS9100 Certified): Implemented Standard Work, 5s Visual Control, Part Process Engineering Development and AS9100 Quality System improvement. Created and executed inventory process, with a 50% reduction in inventory. Initiated, expedited, resolved and implemented customer returns (RMA) reducing scrap by $100K. Provided Aerospace part process engineering for new electronic flight control products and developed testing for the new products. Trained suppliers on testing methods. - Doncasters - New England Airfoil Products (AS9100, ISO9002, ISO14001, NADCAP Certified): Performed 3 to 5 day Kaizen events designing and implementing Lean Work Cells, Standard Work, 5s Visual Control, MRB, TPM, Set Up Time Reduction (SMED) and Value Stream Mapping (VSM). Designed and performed Quality Gage training. A VSM Kaizen event reduced lead time 50% for aerospace blade manufacturing process, resulting in a 75% in-process inventory reduction and a 40% decrease in floor space usage. Designed an innovative training program using LEGO bricks to illustrate the principles of Lean Six Sigma. It simplified training and clarified the understanding of Lean tools. This became a standard training module. Show less

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  Mahle Inc.

  Jul 2008 - Dec 2009

  Quality Assurance Manager

  Quality Assurance Manager: Identified and resolved internal and external quality problems. Management Representative for ISO quality system. Implemented Lean Manufacturing methods including Lean Work Cells, Standard Work Operations and discrepant Material Review (MRB). Introduced and trained management on Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). Designed Quality reporting metrics and improved Quality process documentation. Supervise 5 direct reports and 23 employees. Operational Highlights:- Empowered direct and indirect employees to resolve out-of-control machining problems using Corrective and Preventive Action systems, MRB, and SPC reducing scrap and rework.- Reduced cycle time by 46% from 140 seconds to 76 seconds and level-loaded operations to meet Takt Time.- Led two new technology introductions into the facility; laser scanning inspection and resin part impregnation to seal casting imperfections and porosity. Show less

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  Lean Effects

  Jan 2010 - Jun 2011

  Lean Consultant, Sole Proprietor

  Sole Proprietor, Daniel Caron business ownerConsulted for Barnes Aerospace, Ahlstrom, CT Tool-Whitcraft, Rogers Corporation, AdChem Manufacturing and Daniel Penn Associates. Operations, Lean Manufacturing and Quality Assurance consulting firm specializing in system design, implementation and improvement.Lean and Quality Consultant / Trainer: Collaborate with clients to identify areas needing system improvements, then implement changes to enhance production and reduce waste. Advise executives on training methods and train employees on Lean and Quality systems by using Kaizen techniques, formal training and supervise implementation. Advise executives on training methods and train employees to be Lean leaders.Operational Highlights:AdChem Manufacturing Technologies (AS9100 Certified): • Root Cause, DIVE, QCPC, PFMEA problem resolution for internal and external quality problems.• Designed training and performed 8D, Inspection Gage training. Authored and implemented AS9100 procedures. Daniel Penn Associates: • Designed training and performing 1-day and 3-1/2 day Lean Kaizen events. Leading, mentoring and facilitating Kaizen projects implementing Lean Work Cells, Standard Work, 5s Visual Control and Set-Up Time Reduction (SMED) for the following organizations: - Central Connecticut State University (CCSU-ITBD) state funded Lean projects. - Northeast Utilities (NU) and Connecticut Light & Power’s (CL&P) Process Re-engineering for Increased Manufacturing Efficiency (PRIME) program. SMED Improvements of 61% resulting in 11 hours savings per machine set-up resulting in $2 Million potential increase in revenue. Show less

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  DiSanto Technology, Inc.

  Apr 2011 - Oct 2012

  Quality Director

  Quality Director: Identify and resolve internal and external quality problems. Management Representative for ISO13485/ ISO9001 Quality Management Systems. Medical Device FDA Compliance. Designed and implemented Material Review Board (MRB). Designed Quality reporting metrics and improved Quality process documentation. Supervise 3 direct reports and 11 employees in Quality. Operational Highlights:- Designed and implemented Lean Work Cells for 2 product families. Developed 2 Lean leaders.- Trained employees to use Statistical Process Control (SPC) implemented and maintained SPC for critical to quality (CTQ) processes.- Implemented Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and reduced machine downtime by 30%.- Implemented Master Validation Plan. Revised IQ, OQ and PQ Validation Plans. Revalidated 38 machines.- Reduced audit findings by 88% from 8 minor findings in 2010 to 1 minor finding in 2011. - Reduced customer complaints by 85% from 30 to 4 per month in one year with 3 months with 0 customer complaints.- As a team managed and reduced overtime throughout the company saving $80K per month without reducing production. Show less

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  Habasit America

  May 2013 - Jan 2018

  Quality Assurance and Lean Manager

  Quality Assurance and Lean Manager: Management Representative for ISO9001 Quality Management System. Identify and resolve internal and external quality problems. Implement Lean Manufacturing principles and set up area Lean leaders. Value Stream Mapping (VSM), process analysis and improvement. Quality documentation and system improvement.Operational Highlights:- Implemented and passed transition to ISO9001:2015 standard from ISO9001:2008 standard.- Trained 3 area Lean leaders. Facilitated, trained and implemented 8 "5s" Kaizens and 3 SMED (Set up reduction) Kaizens in 2 product areas.- Designed, implemented and report on Quality Metrics based on Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and Productivity (SQDCP)- Designed, implemented and trained employees on Visual Quality Alert System for customer and process defects.- Designed, implemented and trained employees on electronic Timing Belt Visual Inspection.- Developed Process Maps for Seamless Belts then used for VSM to accomplish 50% reduction in product lead time. Show less

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  Retired

  Nov 2019 - now

  Retired