Tooling Designer

Role details

Title: Tooling Designer

Reports to: Director of Engineering

General Summary:

FRIMO Inc. is looking for a Tooling Designer to join our Engineering team at our North American Headquarters. In this role, you will help design tooling and equipment that support FRIMO's product portfolio and enable the production of high-quality plastic components across a range of applications. FRIMO is a leading machine builder and tooling company known for developing advanced manufacturing systems and solutions.

Key Responsibilities

-Design new tooling and modify existing designs based on customer requirements.

• Apply technical knowledge of manufacturing processes, including raw material selection, CNC machining requirements, assembly constraints, and pneumatic circuit design.
• Understand how customers manufacture parts using FRIMO tooling, including the effects of heat, adhesives, and material expansion.
• Design heated tools with appropriate allowances for thermal growth and dimensional accuracy.
• Calculate the pressure required to laminate customer products.
• Develop effective parting lines and tooling concepts that support reliable tool performance.
• Account for tooling slide attack angles and their impact on part quality.
• For EF tools, apply knowledge of hot air, blowers, electric heaters, airflow, and heat transfer to support adhesive activation.
• Establish tooling die draw to reduce slide actions and simplify both part production and tool manufacturing.
• Identify undercuts and die-lock conditions that could make a design impractical.

-Support the creation of assembly and detail drawings as needed.

• Use GD&T and ISO limits and fits to ensure proper mating-part fitment.
• Create assembly drawings with a clear understanding of build sequence and part manufacturability.

-Create bills of materials and release jobs in SAP.

• Release parts for purchasing in support of each design.
• Select purchased components with lifecycle, reliability, and production-volume requirements in mind.

-Create job books that track programs through the design phase and document the project lifecycle.

-Help deliver a strong customer experience.

• Work directly with customers in a confident and professional manner.
• Lead technical reviews and explain design decisions using sound engineering reasoning.

-Manage and communicate project and program information across the organization.

• Prepare technical presentations and communicate clearly with cross-functional teams.
• Share engineering changes quickly and effectively across the organization.

-Collaborate across teams to achieve technical and business objectives through design reviews and regular project meetings that support on-time, on-budget execution.

• Read and interpret project timelines and take ownership of schedule commitments.
• Partner closely with Purchasing to support accurate and timely material delivery.

-Build a strong understanding of FRIMO technologies. This expertise is developed through hands-on experience with FRIMO's specialized technologies, which are used by a limited number of companies worldwide.

• Edge folding tooling
• Press lamination tooling
• Trim tooling
• Foam tooling
• Vacuum lamination tooling
• Fixtures for scoring, assembly, and trimming

-Support the development and implementation of design standards and best practices that improve manufacturability and efficiency.

• This capability is built through broad experience across the technologies listed above and may not always be fully captured in formal standards.

What We're Looking For

-Ability to travel to Germany as needed for training.

-Working knowledge of 3D CAD software; DesignCenter NX2512 preferred.

• Success in this role requires the ability to apply CAD tools effectively within FRIMO's specialized tooling environment.

-0-5 years of experience in tooling or mold design, including thermoforming, edge folding, lamination, or foaming.

• Experience with FRIMO technologies is highly specialized and is typically developed through direct hands-on work.

-Understanding of pneumatics.

• Pneumatics is essential to the function of every tool we design, including cylinder selection based on pressure and force requirements.
• Candidates should understand safe-design principles for tools with pneumatic functions.

-Strong computer skills, including Word, Excel, Project, and PowerPoint.

-Self-motivated with strong problem-solving skills.

-Able to manage multiple priorities and meet project timelines.

-Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

This is a full-time opportunity based in Wixom, MI, offering a competitive salary and benefits package.