Chris Converse, BSME

Owner, Converse Design Engineering

A mechanical engineer for over 25 years. I possess a deep skill set in both project management and mechanical design. My experience spans high tolerance aerospace projects to high volume injection molded products, and everything in between. Whether the academic research environment, product development, or consumer goods, I execute management and design principles to the highest standards. Building the team, designing the appropriate development process, holding the project vision clearly, executing the process toward that vision and mentoring junior staff; all part of what makes a successful product development, and what I enjoy as an engineer.

Profile

Disciplines

Opto-mechanical
Oceanographic
Flow cytometry
Aerospace
Corrosion resistant
Mechanism development
Vacuum/cryogenic
Soft goods and footwear integration
Asian fabrication

Manufacturing Processes

High tolerance machining
Injection molded
Ultrasonic welding
Urethane castings
Rapid prototype
Investment casting
Sheet metal
Extrusion, Pultrusion
Powder metal
Spring/screw

Software

Solidworks
Simulation – FEA
Flow Simulation – CFD/Thermal
PDMWorks
MS Project

Budget development
Specification development
Validation Planning
Quality planning/tracking
Risk analysis/tracking
Schedule building/tracking
Requirement Management
Group brainstorming
Cross-discipline collaboration
Client facing communication
Vendor relations
Product development process development
Product development data management
Asian Manufacturing

Owner

Converse Design Engineering, Boulder, CO

Converse Design Engineering provides product development services to companies requiring mechanical design expertise and manufacturing implementation. Services include mechanical design, project management, prototyping, manufacturing sourcing and scaling, both domestically and in Asia. Clients include Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Lockhead Martin, Brightspace Technologies, InDevR, Ecolibrium Solar, Baby Jogger, Fiberspar, to name a few.

Project Engineer

Boa Technology, Denver, CO

Boa makes closure and tensioning systems for footwear. From initial concept design to prototyping and testing, Boa ensures that its technology is the perfect solution to each unique footwear design and end use. Managed product developments from concept to completion, leading design, engineering, and offshore manufacturing teams to bring high volume injection molded products to market. Acted as liaison to C-level stakeholders for product developments. Built requirement management database and PDMworks implementation. Led junior engineers in R&D activities.

Principal Mechanical Engineer

InDevR, Boulder, CO

InDevR develops advanced life science instrumentation and assays, providing rapid and cost-effective solutions for virus quantification and pathogen detection. In my role as the lead mechanical engineer for new product development, I am designed the next generation of flow cytometer, implementing precision opto-mechanics on a rapid development cycle.

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Product Architects, Boulder, CO

Product Architects manufactures beverage containers for the sporting goods industry and are originators of the insulated sports bottle, the Polar Bottle. I created standards and practices for a growing design department, including implementation of PDM, designed point of purchase display systems, assembly machinery, and bottle concepts.

Staff Mechanical Engineer

Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Boulder, CO

Mechanical engineer for EUV Variability Experiment, part of Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), (launched April 2010). I designed and tested complex thermal, optical, and mechanism systems for spaceflight instruments. I built ground support equipment and performed field testing.

Staff Mechanical Engineer

Benthos, Inc., North Falmouth, MA

Senior mechanical engineer for Ocean and Taptone Divisions. Managed mechanical engineering group, led cross-functional product developments, and managed Remotely Operated Vehicle product line. Implemented LEAN design program methodology into design process. Co-designed ISO 9000 process and led company-wide transition to the new standards.

Mechanical Systems Engineer

soest_oval_textblock_307C_white_264px2 About

SOEST, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI

Supported science initiatives in fields of physics, geology, and oceanography as lead mechanical engineer. Designed underwater fiber optic junction system for undersea mooring network for DUMAND Project. Site work at sea.

Opto-Mechanical Engineer

Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI

Designed infrared cameras, spectrometers, and other instruments for land-based astronomical telescopes. Packaging of optics, cryogenically cooled digital arrays, and precision mechanical systems. Site work at Mauna Kea Observatories, including the NASA IRTF.

Ocean Engineer

SAIC, Inc., NOSC Hawaii, Kaneohe, HI

System integration and testing of undersea communication devices for Navy. Secret Clearance. Offshore operations on R/V Kaimalino .

Ocean Engineer

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA

Designed instrumentation for ocean research, including neutrally buoyant shear probe and optical microstructure profiler. Pioneered use of high modulus composite materials for underwater structures. Offshore operations on R/V Knorr.

Closure devices including incremental release mechanisms and methods therefor; US 20150014463 A1

Tightening Systems; US 20130239303 A1

Mouthpiece Ligature for Woodwind Instruments; US20150013522 A1

Tension limiting mechanisms for closure devices and methods therefor; US WO2015003079 A1

Methods / devices for retrofitting footwear to include a reel based closure system; US20140290016A1

Flow cytometer system including autosampler and system integration structure; WO2015142658A1

Publications

C. H. Converse, A.J. Williams 3rd, P.D. Fucile, and R.W. Schmitt, 1986. A Free Ocean Vehicle to Measure Optical Microstructure, Current Practices and New Technology in Ocean Engineering – OED Vol. 11. T. McGuinness and H. H. Shih, eds. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York , :341-345.

A.J. Williams 3rd, C. H. Converse, J.W. Nicholson, 1987. Richardson Number Float, Current Practices and New Technology in Ocean Engineering. OED Vol. 12. G. K. Wolfe, ed. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York , :25-29.

Trainings

Design Thinking, Denver, CO
Class 10,000 clean room certification , Boulder, CO
ASME Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), ASME Y14.5M, Boulder, CO
Developing Products in Half the Time: Preston Smith Conference Series, Falmouth, MA
Injection Molded Plastics: Short Course. University of Lowell, Lowell, MA
Part & Assembly Modeling for SDRC Master Series. Computer Aided Products, Peabody, MA
Illustration & Rendering. Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
Yacht & Boat Design, Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology