DONALD L.

AVERY
(603) 443-7860
Lebanon, NH 03766

www.linkedin.com/in/donavery1

Donald.Avery@gmail.com

Education: Masters of Science in Mechanical / Manufacturing Engineering, Bachelors of Science in

Mechanical Engineering, Bachelors of Science in Metallurgy and Two Internships with NASA.
Experience: 20+ years in Precision Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy & Project
Management in Aerospace (jet engine parts), DOD & Commercial applications. I create CAD models /
production drawings using SolidWorks, Creo, AutoCAD, etc. in varied design topics; witness existing
manufacturing become improved manufacturing. I am highly skilled at machine tool design, designing test
fixtures, creating work instructions / assembly instructions, FMEA, Six Sigma, using solid models, time
studies / time standards, root cause analysis, SPC (Statistical Process Control), TQM (Total Quality
Management), Continuous Improvement, liaising with external customers, DOE (Design of Experiments /
Taguchi Matrices and ANOVA), CNC Programming, LabVIEW & FORTRAN. I am a machinist at home on
the production floor who can take engineering drawings and fabricate machined parts, I trouble shoot
manufacturing problems with lathes (340 pg. thesis on hardturning), grinding and milling processes and other
manufacturing equipment. I solve problems with manufacturing floor layouts, heat treatment, manufacturing
methods, production issues, gages, manufacturing efficiencies and final assembly. I justify new machinery. I
manage shop floor personnel and enjoy working with all levels of problem solving contributors in crossfunctional teams. I am a proven leader and mentor (both personally and professionally) who has a strong
desire to excel while giving those around me what they need to succeed. My healthy lifestyle allows me to
avoid burn-out; it makes me an ambitious self starter whose energy levels are high. I am motivated by many
things, not the least of which is the phrase, It cannot be done.
EXPERIENCE
7/99 present

5/13 5/14
Completed
Contract

5/12 5/13
Completed
Contract

4/05 1/06
Completed
Contracts

Private Consulting Engineer

NH Industries: streamlined factory flow, implemented SQC / SPC systems
Vermont Castings: Combustion experimentation quantified in a lab; designed and built an air
distribution system to reduce emissions per EPA, used AutoCAD, clean room
Livingston Co.: designed a special heat sink for use with Pentium Processors, implemented in a
sealed embedded system used in harsh environments
Karl Suss: did start up manufacturing of machines that make Pentium Processors / other
Integrated Circuits, design / clean room
I have provided IT Consulting services for many companies on a variety of subjects
Design and install reinforced concrete sea walls
Victor Technologies, Thermal Dynamics Division, Advanced Manufacturing Dept.
Improved entire product line through better / rapidly generated documentation (SolidWorks /
Design Changes and MS Office). Products include: New Arc Starter, Auto-Cut 200 XT Series,
Auto-Cut 300 XT Series, The Ultra-Cut XT Series. Performed a wiring harness overhaul for all
3 XTs, corrected harnesses, built detailed 3D CAD models of them, designed and built 8
Harness Layout and test fixtures using Cirris Easy-Wire Systems.
Signal Quest, Startup Build / Test of an Anti Roll Micro Sensor Product
Tooled, Setup, Built and Tested deliverables, Kept records of Pass / Fail / Calibration Constants,
recommended corrective action, ESD precautions involved throughout.
Applied Research Associates, Technical Writer / Designer / Troubleshooter for the All Purpose
Remote Transport System Robotic Platform (a bomb squad and mine-sweeping robot). Air
Force Point of Contact for Product Improvements. Mounted Barrett 50 Caliber Rifle to robot
for long range, unexploded ordinance disposal. Completed Bid Contracts for new projects.

Donald L. Avery

Page 2

9/01 2/04

Home Care Provider for my terminally ill first wife (ALS / Lou Gehrigs disease)

2/97 7/99

Timken Aerospace and Super Precision Bearings, Manufacturing Engineering

The Timken Aerospace and Super Precision Bearings Company manufactures specialty
bearings, Timken is one of the largest bearings manufacturers in America.

Methods Engineer / Manufacturing Research and Development

Solved manufacturing problems through adjustment of metallurgical and machining cycles
Applied Advanced Engineering Techniques solving the most difficult, highly visible problems
including the Joint Strike Fighter, a Sikorsky 32 thin section helicopter main shaft bearing and
a Maverick Missile Guidance Bearing
After failed attempts by 6 others I took a very difficult guidance bearing from a 50% scrap rate
(scrap found at inspection in assembly) to 0% scrap in a lot of 23 (adjusted turn, grind and hone,
completely redesigned polish)
Designed durable coolant nozzle for heat intensive, deep slot grinding. Applied fluids principles
to accelerate oil to better than 140 mph with no stream breakup over 6 feet of travel.
Managed several projects at a time while expediting and teaching associates best practices
Employed SPC, Failure Mode Analysis, CpK, Gage repeatability and Six Sigma
Responsibilities included coordinating work toward common goals, maximizing the
effectiveness of the equipment's strong points, designing tooling, CAD, Solved process
problems with hard turning, turning, grind and heat treat.

9/91 12/96

University of Connecticut Graduate School, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Center for Grinding Research and Development / Precision Manufacturing, Research Assistant,
Quality Characteristics in Hard / Diamond Turning, Master of Science, Mechanical / Manufacturing
Engineering. Thesis: Hard Turning, using an especially rigid lathe, instead of grinding, to cut
work pieces up to 70 Rc hardness. This achieved better throughput, concentricity and better
overall quality while significantly reducing costs.

1/88 9/91

The Torrington Bearing Company, Torrington, CT.

Ingersoll Rand, Fafnir Bearings Division, Manufacturing Engineering
Company is the largest broad line bearings manufacturer in America, sales exceed $1 billion.

Reduced time needed to generate all Engineering Documentation from 13 weeks to 7 minutes
Responsible for programming and installing a division wide computer system for generation of
all Engineering Documentation (Air Force Industrial Modernization Program)
Developed and installed a Computer Aided Process Planning System (CAPP) involving costing
and tooling requirements. Output parameters to a Computerized Process Control System.
Programmed a Process Drawing Generator, it cut generation time from 5 weeks to 4 min.
Taught TQM (Total Quality Management) while writing Project Proposals for upper mgmt.

1/87 1/88

Tyco Engineered Systems, Inc., Manchester, CT

This firm designs and manufactures Multilayer Prototype Printed Circuit Boards and State-of-the-Art
flexible Printed Circuit Boards. I was responsible for all first shift work from CAD / CAM system.

1984

Internship: NASA, Biaxial Fatigue Researcher / Nickel Base Super Alloys. Gathered data from
specimens (some of specimens produced at creep temperatures) and proposed methods of failure.
Programmed complete Graphics and Statistics package for analysis.

1983 - 1984

Internship: NASA, Interface Programmer for a large Fluid Laser Doppler Effects Database. Analyzed
"Heart Valve" flow splitting characteristics concentrating on drag.

Interests and
Volunteer work

ASME Programming Committee, Representative: Graduate Student Government, President: UConn

Outing Club, Backpacking, Sailing, Cycling, Skiing, Saxophone, Travel, Boy Scouts of America (20+
years), Volunteered at a Soup Kitchen once a month leading meal prep, setup and cleanup for 10 years