Being an Engineer

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Derek Harper shares his experiences in engineering innovation in the medical field, including insights on career development and effective leadership strategies. 

Main Topics:

• Engineering career paths
• Medical device development
• Leading engineering teams
• Leadership styles
• Emerging trends in biomedical engineering like biologics and brain chips.

About the guest: Derek Harper is a seasoned professional in the biomedical engineering field with a rich history of innovation and leadership. Derek's career has spanned various roles and has been instrumental in developing and introducing groundbreaking medical devices and technologies. Engineers listening to this episode will gain invaluable insights from Derek's experiences, learning about the challenges and triumphs of engineering in the medical field, leadership, and the intersection of engineering innovation and market needs.

Links:
Derek Harper - LinkedIn

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The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

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PDX offers a dynamic bootcamp-style experience tailored exclusively for engineers engaged in the design and development of hard goods products. Unlike conventional conference presentations, our interactive event fosters direct engagement between the industry’s highest-performing subject matter experts and ambitious engineers, facilitating the transfer of practical skills and knowledge across the PDX community.

Participants not only benefit from invaluable insights shared by seasoned professionals but also gain access to a vibrant community of like-minded peers committed to mutual support, advancement, and inspiration. Whether you specialize in designing consumer products, developing medical devices, or creating automated machinery, the expertise and camaraderie cultivated at PDX yield tangible, real-world solutions that drive both personal career growth and substantial company success.

Learn more at https://www.thewave.engineer/product-development-expo/pdx2024info/.

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

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Ian McEachern returns to discuss his career in R&D engineering, focusing on challenges in medical device development and the importance of persistence. He shares stories about developing artificial heart pumps and mentoring young engineers.

Main Topics:

• Challenges in sourcing components and standards interpretation for medical devices
• Defining the role of R&D engineers; streamlining manufacturing processes
• Failure and iteration in product development
• Ian's grandfather's journey from WWII to NASA
• Building an encouraging engineering culture.

About the guest: For over 15 years Ian McEachern has been helping cutting edge companies design highly complex products including artificial hearts, blood pumps, and class III medical devices. Products Ian has designed are in Times Square, the Disney Parks, the Smithsonian, and implanted in people around the world. Ian, I’m super excited to talk with you today, thank you for joining me on the show.

Links:
Ian McEachern - LinkedIn
Ian’s Website

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Send us Fan Mail

Aaron Moncur interviews Paul Lee about his career in renewable energy engineering and his role in the documentary "Cities of the Future." They discuss emerging sustainable energy technologies and the challenges and opportunities in transitioning to renewable sources

Main Topics:

• Space-based solar power
• Vertical air taxis
• Wind and solar farm technology
• Hydrogen fuel cells
• Smart buildings
• Battery storage
• Rooftop solar costs
• Engineering collaboration
• Cities of the future film

About the guest: Paul Lee is a renewable energy engineer in Los Angeles who is always searching for new ways to harness energy from sustainable sources. His current work involves planning resources for a 100% clean energy city as an Energy Policy Analyst with the Mayor’s Office of Energy and Sustainability of the City of Los Angeles.  He has also worked on developing projects such as utility scale wind, solar, geothermal, biomass resources as well as energy storage such as batteries, pumped hydro, and other emerging technologies. 

Links:

Paul Lee - LinkedIn
American Society of Civil Engineers

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Send us Fan Mail

Aaron Moncur interviews Dylann Ceriani about her career in mechanical engineering and medical devices. They discuss prototype injection molding, material selection, 3D printing applications, and advice for young engineers.

Main Topics:

• Career journey from biomechanics to founding ProtoShop
• Differences between production and prototype molding  
• Cost considerations and timelines for prototype tooling
• Advances in medical device development and regulations
• Tips for minimizing molding costs and selecting materials
• Advice for advocating for yourself and learning from all experiences

About the guest: Dylann Ceriani is a distinguished figure in the field of mechanical engineering and the co-founder and principal mechanical engineer at Protoshop Inc. With a rich background in biomechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, Dylann has carved a niche in the medical device industry, showcasing her expertise in product development, particularly in in-vitro diagnostics (IVDs) and orthopedics. Her career spans over 25 years, marked by a deep commitment to innovation, quality, and efficiency in engineering design. At Protoshop, Dylann leads the charge in revolutionizing prototype tooling, emphasizing the replication of production mold quality in prototypes. Her hands-on approach and strength-based leadership have not only advanced medical device product development but also inspired a generation of engineers.

Links:
Dylann Cerian - LinkedIn
ProtoShop Inc Website

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Send us Fan Mail

Aaron Moncur interviews Roger LaBrecque about his career journey in medical device innovation, focusing on accelerating R&D processes while ensuring compliance. They discuss strategies for effective collaboration, problem-solving, and networking.

Main Topics:

• Strategies for accelerating R&D while following regulations 
• Techniques for collaboration and problem-solving across functions 
• Approaches to innovation and patenting, and advice for networking as an engineer.

About the guest: Roger Labrecque, a distinguished figure in the field of medical device innovation. Roger boasts an impressive career marked by his deep passion for addressing unmet needs in healthcare. With a rich portfolio of over 20 patents, he is recognized for his innovative thinking and expertise in product development, from ideation through commercialization. Roger's leadership extends beyond technical skills, as he is known for fostering robust collaboration across cross-functional teams and incorporating critical insights through the Voice of the Customer process.

Links:

Roger Labrecque - LinkedIn

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Send us Fan Mail

Derek Pietz shares his journey from engineering student to co-founding a successful automation startup and his current role leading engineering teams at Intuitive. He discusses the challenges of starting a company, lessons learned, and trends in the automation industry.

Main Topics:

• Engineering career path
• Founding and growing a startup
• Challenges and pivots
• Prioritizing work/life balance
• Designing robotic surgery equipment
• Improving team morale
• Communication best practices
• Future of AI and vision systems in automation

About the guest: Our guest today is Derek Pietz, the Director of Automation Equipment and Test Engineering at Intuitive, a trailblazing company at the forefront of robotic-assisted surgery. Prior to his role at Intuitive, Derek has been a part of four start-up ventures including one as a co-founder. He has built and led engineering and operations teams, designed machines, run a P/L, pitched investors, obsessed over supply chain, developed sales strategies, taught robots to make pizza and fixed customer problems.

Links:
Derek Pietz - LinkedIn
Intuitive website

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Send us Fan Mail

Jon Montcrief shares his career path in chemical engineering and process development roles in the medical device industry. He discusses challenges in manufacturing, supply chains, and the regulated medical device industry. 

Main Topics:

• Engineering career paths
• Chemical engineering background
• Manufacturing trends
• Supply chain challenges
• Technical and soft skills for engineers
• Challenges facing medical device companies
• The future of medical technology.

About the guest: Jon Montcrief, holds a bachelor's and master's degree in chemical engineering and is currently the director of process development and sustaining engineering at Becton Dickinson, where he applies his process engineering and polymer background to develop products in the medical device space. John, thank you so much for joining us today.

Links:

Jon Montcrief - LinkedIn

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Send us Fan Mail

The episode explores Aaron Call's journey from engineer to entrepreneur, and his insights on innovation, market intelligence and the future of Medtech.

Main Topics:

• Medical device development and market fit
• Market research methods for disruptive innovation
• Market analysis and decision-making in the medical industry
• Engineering background and its impact on business decisions
• Medical device industry trends, AI, and fundraising.

About the guest: Aaron Call is the innovative founding principal of Jaunt, a company specializing in market intelligence and strategic decision-making for the medical device industry. With a rich background in biomedical engineering and product management, Aaron has been instrumental in guiding both startups and established enterprises through the complex landscape of medical technology. His expertise extends to Class I and Class II medical devices, digital health technologies, and he holds patents in the medical device field. Aaron's leadership at Jaunt is marked by a commitment to empowering companies with the insights and strategies needed to succeed in the dynamic world of medical technology. Join us as we explore Aaron's journey from engineer to entrepreneur and delve into his insights on innovation, market intelligence, and the future of MedTech.

Links:
Aaron Call - LinkedIn
Jaunt Website

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus 

Send us Fan Mail

Matt discusses his career path in medical device engineering and leadership insights. He shares how he developed a passion for understanding how things work from a young age and pursued biomedical engineering. Matt discusses developing grit and perseverance, managing stress and ambiguity in leadership roles, and balancing sustaining vs. new products.

Main Topics:

• Engineering career path
• Leadership skills
• Managing stress and anxiety
• Medical device challenges
• Innovation strategies
• Balancing existing vs. new products
• Integrating manufacturing earlier in design.

About the guest: Matt Zachek holds a Bachelor’s degree and PhD in biomedical engineering and is currently the Sr Director of R&D at Werfen, leaders in specialized diagnostics in the areas of Hemostasis, Acute Care Diagnostics, Transfusion, Autoimmunity, and Transplant. Skilled in product roadmapping, stakeholder management, and product delivery in the medical device, pharmaceutical and diagnostic device spaces, Matt is a strategic thinker with a passion for bringing new ideas to life and a talent for fostering a culture of collaboration and creativity.

Links:
Matt Zachek - LinkedIn

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus