Andrew Menz

About Me

At Work

I enjoy working on complex problems with a talented team. I gravitate towards anything high-tech, still get a thrill from seeing a robot do what I programmed it to do, and get excited about turning data into insight, and insight into solutions.

At Home

I love cooking, reading, and being outdoors. My most recent hiking adventures were the Rocky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, and Redwood National Park.

Portfolio

Seagate R&D

My time at Seagate was spent in the Mechanical R&D group which develops manufacturing processes and equipment to create HDD read/write heads. These small electrical devices have dimensional tolerances ranging from microns to angstroms, require high-precision equipment with well-controlled processes to manufacture, and require advanced metrology to measure. I worked with engineers from across the globe to develop software, equipment, and processes that manufacture these devices to meet product roadmap specs, and then transferred those manufacturing technologies to high-volume production sites.

I began my career in a software development role but transitioned into project management, process development, and data analytics. Below are some of my key projects and experiences.

Project Management

Led multiple concurrent software development teams in successful completion of complex, technical manufacturing solutions.

Worked with SME’s from multiple engineering disciplines to identify and translate project requirements, then envisioned and created solutions to ensure customer success.

Negotiated customer success metrics, experimentally quantified and verified product performance against success metrics, created and delivered sales presentations for managers/executives at high volume factories, supported product integration into those factories, and provided after-sales support.

Used Jira to document requirements, assign tasks to developers, track project progress, and manage project schedules.

Manufacturing Equipment Software

Created automation software for multiple types of dicing saws, material handlers, and autocollimators using Visual Studio (C#, C++, VB.NET), CNC G code, and PLC ladder logic.

Developed end point detection technology via sensor integration for ceramic lapping tools, ion mills, and DLC deposition (see US Patent US20150111468A1).

Created custom image analysis software for interferometric profilometers, AFM, SEM, and various machine vision systems. Capabilities included:
- Contamination detection
- Defect detection
- Part detection and alignment
- Dimensional measurement
- Surface metrics (flatness, curvature, roughness)
- Cut position detection and cut profile metrics

Worked with equipment vendors to establish custom communication protocols (TCP/IP, RS-232, SECS/GEM) for manufacturing and metrology equipment, then wrote front and backend software to integrate the equipment into the factory.

Data Analytics

Created the schema for large relational databases (Oracle, SQL Server, SQLite) to record manufacturing process data including part history, process history, metrology results, dynamic process flow paths, machine maintenance/calibration/configuration history, and more.

Built queries and stored procedures to allow engineers to run custom reports to evaluate yield, throughput, and machine performance.

Used JMP for statistical and multi-dimensional analysis across data from multiple processes and metrologies in a 2,000,000 parts/day factory in order to find root cause of yield loss, identify underperforming machines, and quantify process improvements.

Studied the dynamic process flow of a fleet of 40+ tools to identify mechanical faults in individual tools, including worn ball screws, worn mounting fixtures, cracked axis couplers, scratched camera objectives, and imbalanced spindles.

Analyzed the distribution of process abort conditions to identify high frequency fault cases. Used this information to create solutions to reduce instances of the highest frequency fault cases, resulting in a 20% throughput increase.

Identified a faulty machine vision metrology algorithm by analyzing the distribution of the delta between two different metrologies, noticing an unexpected bimodality, and isolating the second mode to a particular product and subset of the metrology tools.

Process Development

Created the process flow for multiple wafer dicing saw systems used in read/write head manufacturing, with a focus on throughput and yield.

Created an algorithm that balanced yield and throughput by dynamically adjusting inline part measurement frequency based on:
- Likelihood of yield loss based on predicted distribution of critical dimensions
- Historical variability of wheel and part position

Implemented real-time Fault Detection and Classification (FDC) for excursion prevention.
- Created sensor analysis that:
  - Detects out-of-control conditions during processing
  - Predicts future out-of-control conditions
- When out-of-control condition detected or predicted:
  - Attempts automated corrective action if possible, or gracefully aborts the process
  - Locks out equipment until corrective action resolves the fault

Created an algorithm that improved yield by dynamically adjusting cut targeting based on real-time feedback from inline image processing.

Developed software to track and assist with machine setup, calibration, preventative maintenance, and consumables.
- Equipment detects when service is required and locks out until service is completed.
- Service procedures are automated where possible using internal cameras/sensors.
- Wizard-like application guides technicians through semi-automated service procedures, including pictures and documentation.

Increased throughput via motion optimization.
- Experimented to determine correlation between axis velocities and yield.
- Minimized axis path distances.
- Identified and leveraged opportunities for concurrent axis/actuator motion.