This week we chatted to Lead Design Engineer, Jack, about his role at HD and the most challenging project he has worked on this year as well as his advice for others working toward becoming Chartered.
I started playing with construction toys like Lego and K’Nex when I was about 6. When I was 14, I undertook a work experience placement at Airbus in Bristol which included visiting the A380 wing manufacturing line. It was here that I realised that engineering was a profession, and so I started focusing my education on the subjects I needed to pursue a career in engineering.
For my A-Levels, I studied physics, maths, product design, and geology. These subjects allowed me to start a course in Mechanical Engineering at Cardiff University where I went on to achieve an MEng. During my degree, I completed a yearlong industrial placement working at a medical device manufacturer called Gyrus ACMI who manufacture electrosurgical equipment. After university I worked at Renishaw who are a metrology company that also manufacture metal 3D printing machinery. After leaving Renishaw in 2019, I joined Haughton Design which offers me the ability to work on a variety of projects from medical devices to large industrial machinery.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve been doing a mixture of working from home and in the office. Currently, I work from home on Monday’s and Friday’s. On a Monday morning, we have a team meeting where everyone runs through the status of their projects and we discuss what everyone will be working on over the next week. In my Lead Engineer role, I speak to each engineer individually to discuss any specific project related and technical risks and how to address them. The rest of the week consists of working on my own projects, team projects, drawing checking, meeting with clients and liaising with suppliers.
I enjoy working on the wide range of projects as it keeps the day interesting as well as exposes me to a wide range to technologies. It also gives me the opportunity to learn from one industry and apply it to another.
We worked on a project that included injection moulded plastic components which were under high forces within a small area and therefore posed a complex engineering challenge. With all plastic components, it was important to consider all of the material failure modes such as creep, stress relaxation, wear and over stressing. It can sometimes be difficult to balance all of these considerations against each other for example, in a clip which is under prolonged load but is required to bend to operate – it must be designed so that its cross-sectional area is as thick as possible to minimise creep but as thin as possible to make it flexible… To overcome these challenges, we have a great external partner (PS Partnerships) who have a wealth of experience in plastics and can advise on the best materials and grades to use for difficult applications. We also use advanced non-linear finite element analysis (FEA) which allows us to simulate the complex behaviour of plastics and can significantly increase the chance of getting a design right first time.
When the limits of non-linear FEA and previous experience were reached, we used rapid tool manufacture to allow us to get parts injection moulded in the intended production materials allowing us to test function components as well as confirm the accuracy of our simulations.
I am naturally interested in technology so spend a fair amount of time reading about new technologies online – typically on platforms such as LinkedIn where people are always excited to show what new products or services they are working on. As a member of the IMechE, I receive a monthly magazine from the institute which showcases new developments in engineering.
The best advice I can offer is to speak to someone who is already chartered themselves or even better, are a fellow of the institute you would like to join. They will help demystify a lot of the requirements and help you understand whether you have got the qualifications and experience required to become chartered. If there are any areas that you need to improve on, they will be able to point you in the right direction to work on these. Most engineering companies will also support you in developing your experience with an aim towards achieving chartership if you speak to them. Applying for chartership should not be scary, remember you are just writing about your experiences within engineering and when it comes to your interview, they won’t be trying to trip you up, they will be interested in what you have worked on and what problems you have solved.
And once you are chartered that is not the end of your education, there will always be new technologies and skills to learn about and apply!
Engineering Director
Jacks is responsible for the engineering aspects of projects to ensure technical risk is minimised. With expertise in simulation, drug delivery devices, and electronics, Jack guides your project team on all related deliverables.
Jack is a Chartered Engineer with a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has over 10 years’ experience working in both the medical sector and on complex machinery.
Get In Touch
Discover how Haughton Design's diverse team leverages their extensive experience to drive innovation in device development. Learn about our expertise and unique insights that ensure successful project...
Explore how commercial constraints influence innovation in businesses. Discover whether budget limits, regulations, and market pressures drive creativity or stifle progress in today's competitive land...
HD strive to foster effective collaboration on all projects to push boundaries in innovation. We discuss how collaboration with the NHS can provide unique insight....
Why do we trust the accuracy of digital devices more than their non-digital counterparts? HD discuss the 'why' and how this improves device development....
We discuss the whether the medical device industry can embrace paper as a viable alternative to plastic as we advance towards Net Zero....
What is the impact of emerging technologies on medical device and product development? Design Engineer, Dan Kirkham, discusses their applications....
We discuss transforming medical device development through the utilisation of interdisciplinary, and cross industry teams....
A pharmaceutical company approached HD to enhance the performance and improve the usability of a Dry Powder Inhaler within a short timeframe and, a tight budget. ...
Pharmapack 2024 was a captivating blend of innovation, collaboration, and foresight. Read our round up of the eco-focused event here....
2023's DDL event brought together industry experts in the field of respiratory health. Here we discuss the latest breakthroughs and innovations....
Should Human Factors as a standalone discipline be made redundant? Design Engineer, Elena, considers this for medical device development?...
Can we achieve the perfect balance of usability, sustainability & connectivity in medical device design? Design Engineer, Rob, considers how....
2023's PDA & PODD conferences provided valuable insight into the drug delivery industry. Here we discuss trends and hot topics from the conferences....
Ahead of the 20th PDA Universe of Pre-Filled Syringes and Injection Devices Conference, we cover where medical device innovations are expected to go....
As the world becomes increasingly connected and user needs constantly evolving, the design of safety critical IFU’s must keep up with this. Design Engineer, Rob, discusses the future of IFU’s, and...
With the speed at which the medical device world is changing, collaborative partnerships will be essential for success. HD discuss the benefits....
