Materials Design

Film Adhesives

Adhesive for bonding plastic components to glass

Problem: Automotive OEMs and tier suppliers needed a bonding process that eliminated quality issues from application of liquid adhesives, was easy to apply, and was fast curing to eliminate work-in-process.

Solution: Led product development of an epoxy/acrylic adhesive with adhesion to glass, metals, and plastics. The adhesive could be supplied in a film or tape form for easy application, cured upon exposure to UV-light, and had strong initial holding power to eliminate need for fixturing during cure. I led cross-discipline collaboration efforts between Engineering, Corporate R&D, Sales and Marketing, and Regulatory to optimize the UV-curing process, implement a proprietary multi-layer coating process, engage customers, and ensure product compliance.

Outcomes: Led the team through three rounds of MVP (minimum viable product) feedback cycles. One iteration was included in an OEM vehicle prototype build for technology scouting; the prototype survived extensive durability testing. This work resulted in (6) granted patents to protect our competitive edge. The project continued after I transitioned off the team; the commercialization team focused on manufacturing process scale-up, application engineering, and “spec-in” at the big three US automotive OEMs and their tier suppliers.

Business value: Drive organic business growth by commercializing new products ($110M opportunity).

Structural Epoxy Adhesives

Body shop structural adhesives

Problem: Automotive OEMs needed alternatives to existing products and there was expected growth in this market. I led development of the general-purpose product in the portfolio for hem flange bonding.

Solution: I “de-tuned” a high-performance product to give a general purpose product formula meeting cost, performance, and shelf-life requirements . Through in-house testing, I validated that the prototype formula met (3) different customer specifications. I collaborated with Sales and Marketing and Regulatory to prepare product sales literature and regulatory documentation. I facilitated pilot manufacturing trials and collaborated with Counsel to file a patent application on the formula.

Outcomes: Customers gave positive feedback about the performance; one customer agreed to perform independent specification testing as the first step toward acceptance. Business priorities changed and the project was shelved.

Business value: Drive organic business growth by commercializing new products ($10M opportunity).

Antifungal Finishes

Biobased antifungal textile finish

Problem: Customers needed an antifungal finish for semi-finished goods that was less toxic than their current product.

Solution: I developed two non-toxic chitosan-based finishes compliant with EPA minimum risk pesticide requirements that also met the customer's specification for antifungal performance in third-party laboratory testing. I led a cross-functional collaboration with Operations to complete pilot-scale trials and define quality and release testing.

Outcomes: Test data and product samples were shared with the customer for feedback and secured a line-trial at the customer.

Business value: Drive organic business growth by commercializing new products ($1.4M opportunity)

Biopolymer Rapid Prototyping System

Biopolymer rapid prototyping system

Problem: Requests for prototypes of custom products from prospective customers took 4+ weeks to fill and requirements were often not collected.

Solution: I developed and implemented a rapid prototyping system delivering 3-15 prototype polymer formulations per week for business development. Collaborated with business development, sales, manufacturing, regulatory, and fulfillment to define system requirements and iterate toward the implemented solution in 5 months. Built database of existing product and experimental product formulations with recipes, properties, and performance. Built intake process to systematize requirements collection. Hired and trained a technician to plan, produce, and characterize prototypes. Built an information radiator to show request status, sample details, and customer feedback.

Outcomes: Reduced the lead time for prototype ideation-to-delivery by 75%, achieved 95% user adoption rate and achieved 90% product documentation rate.

Business value: System kept prospective customers engaged in the validation of new product ideas and organized product data for repeat orders and product refinement.

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