Wes Snaza

Experience

• 

  Caterpillar Inc.

  Sept 2005 - Dec 2005

  Engineering Intern - Operations and Facilities
• 

  Terex Corporation

  Jul 2008 - Jan 2016

  I improved product design and led design changes for multiple product families including material lifts, portable aerial work platforms, and the Genie Runabout and Scissor product families . The complexity of these machines ranges from a lightweight material lifts all the way to the Genie Runabout machines which have both an extrusion lifting structure and hydraulic drive chassis. Main responsibilities include:• Product design improvements• Troubleshoot existing production for manufacturability, • Customer improvements, and new product option releases. • Review and administer all Engineering Change Notices (ECN's) associated with the product. • Calculate, Analyse, Prototype, and Sourcing support through working with various departments, production (assembly and fabrication teams), aftermarket parts, service, technical publications (operators and service manuals), and product management. I have to respond quickly to all these teams which has helped me to development my prioritization skills. Show less I was both an individual contributor which evolved into team leader during later phases of this project. The scope of work I was responsible for involved:• Developing software specifications for machine functionality for new option releases• Leading design release of injection molded enclosures and all sourcing activites• Leading prototype assembly for field test and monitor/evaluating all field test results• Leading project time and schedule with operations and manufacturing engineeringThe launch of this project was successful with over 70,000 Genie machines in the field that currently use this control system technology. Show less I was involved in two projects:• Developed project scope and supported the launch of a new Terex facility start up in China. • Led technical aspect of a new engine sourcing project.My main responsibilities for these two projects are:1. Facility Startup:• Development of a project scope document. • Administering the Terex New Product & Process review process. • Developed a Sales and Operations planning process. 2. Tier 4 Engine Sourcing:• Investigated new technologies that each supplier planned to use and determine if they were quoting accordingly. • Gathered all this technical information and determine how these new engines were going to impact the end user; this technical review then led to discussion that included me presenting to the senior leadership team at Genie. • Compared the various pricing within the engine packages. • Proposed the solution, which allowed us to leverage the pricing data we received from all vendors to reduce many of the high cost engine package options. Show less Led the assembly of the first SKL electric powered drill, and involved in design work including an upgrade to the water injection system.This new product had a successful launch during my time at Terex Reedrill (now part of Caterpillar Mining). I personally helped lead the assembly of the first SKL electric powered machine while working on design work including an upgrade to the water injection system. Due to this 300,000 lbs machine being a prototype it was key for the success of the project to have design support line side to make quick decisions on any assembly issues that would arise. The redesign of the water injection system involved water pump and hydraulic motor sizing, control valve sizing, and also cold weather packing to allow the system to work in sub zero temperatures. Machine specifications can be found here: https://mining.cat.com/cda/files/3991861/7/ Show less I completed two rotations in Terex Watertown facility. • The first rotation is product redesign of the HRX/TCX product lines. I successfully resolved a large complex manufacturing issue involving booms not being straight on the production line. I made a significant design change to the HRX/TCX product lines to add an eccentric bushing carried into the join of the boom. I overcame the challenges of how to maintain alignment on five separate pin bores to not cause binding within the boom joint, sizing the amount of eccentricity, and also how to physically package the assembly on the boom. I did stress calculations as well as pin preload and bearing friction. Additionally led the brittle lacquer and strain gauge testing on the first component prototype. • The second rotation is to follow this design project out to the production floor and provide manufacturing engineering support. This was a great opportunity for me to understand how my design decision impacted the production team and their ability to meet production rates. I also support resolution to other day to day manufacturing issues that arose on the production line. Show less

  • Senior Design Engineer/Project Manager

    Jul 2015 - Jan 2016

  • Senior Engineer, Product Design Engineering Lead for Genie Portable and Scissors Products

    Mar 2012 - Jun 2015

  • Design Engineer II - New Product Development, Smartlink Control System

    Jul 2010 - Mar 2012

  • Graduate Development Program - Project Management

    Mar 2010 - Jul 2010

  • Graduate Development Program - New Product Development

    Jul 2009 - Feb 2010

  • Graduate Development Program - Design/Manufacturing Rotation

    Jul 2008 - Jun 2009
• 

  Cascade Corporation

  Sept 2016 - now

  General Manager, Cascade Construction - Engineering leader of both the design engineering and manufacturing engineering team - Leading product planning and offering for PSM- Developing and engineering custom attachment solutions for multiple markets and products- Part of business leadership and decision making for construction division

  • General Manager

    Apr 2024 - now

  • Plant Manager

    Sept 2021 - Mar 2024

  • Engineering Manager

    Sept 2016 - Sept 2021