Chinedu Obasih

Analytical materials engineer with nearly eight years of experience testing, sampling, and analyzing materials to support optimal product development and production. Well-versed in using laboratory equipment and characterization techniques to perform quality assurance activities. Effective communicator who can provide technical training and assistance to various stakeholders while working with clients to improve material-related processes and monitor metrics to uncover gaps and produce successful outcomes.

Core Competencies
 

• Materials Processing
• Materials Development
• Laboratory Testing
• Characterization Techniques
• Scientific Analysis and Reporting 
• Process Improvement
• Quality Assurance
• Metrics and KPI Tracking
• Leadership and Collaboration

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

ITW Buehler, Laboratory Department – Lake Bluff, IL

Materials Applications Engineer (Applications Engineer II) Aug 2018 – Present 

• Assist customers with developing sample preparation processes to characterize materials for specific applications, drive research & development, manipulate material properties, and perform failure analyses.
• Create and improve procedures to test polishing cloths and diamond grinding discs to better characterize current and new products. 
• Author new approaches to beta testing new equipment, increasing testing speed from weeks to days.
• Track and report metrics via Excel, Microsoft Dynamics, and Power BI to uncover performance gaps and make strategic adjustments.
• Teach basic metallography courses to educate and demonstrate best practices to customers and train new hires. 
• Mentor interns to support their projects on metallography case studies, applications case studies, and smaller NPD projects.
• Serve as a technical liaison between laboratory and other departments, vendors, or contractors, communicating on quality control testing, materials qualification testing for engineering change order (ECO), and materials qualification testing for NPD.
• Help product managers test new epoxies and phenolics for markets that need less hazardous formulations due to regulations. 
• Author and produce technical articles, blogs, videos, and micrograph images for products and methods for marketing and customers. 
• Found a way to etch titanium for structure using 3% hydrogen peroxide rather than more hazardous hydrofluoric acid or chemicals that dissociates hydrogen fluoride commonly found in etching techniques for titanium alloys.

Materials Engineer (Applications Engineer I) Jun 2015 – Aug 2018

• Prepared lab samples and conducted testing of raw materials, in-process materials, and finished goods within a manufacturer of metallographic lab testing equipment, including scientific instruments & supplies for cross-sectional material testing. 
• Materials include ceramics, composites, semiconductors, metals, rocks and minerals, and plastics.
• Completed lab service requests as proof of concept for new lab equipment and suppliers and developed materials preparation methods for product development for external customers; authored lab and analysis reports to show reliability and compliance.
• Used metallography methods that revealed true structure of materials for hardness testing, SEM analysis, and image analysis by optical microscope in compliance with ISO and ASTM standards.
• Conducted weekly/monthly laboratory safety and equipment checks, including chemical inspections for proper labels and storage.
• Performed quality assurance tests on products to evaluate density, peak exotherm, hardness, materials removal rate, and more.
• Served clients across industries, including automotive & supplier, aerospace, electronics & telecom, bio medical, machine & plant manufacturer, metal processing / fabrication, primary metals, energy, petrography, defense, optic, and corporate R&D.
• Assisted new product development team with alpha and beta testing of metallurgical saws, mounting presses, grinder-polishers, hardness testers, and other new equipment.
• Used optical microscopy to identify layer thickness, deformation, layer structure, diffusion zone, voids / porosity, precipitate study, shrinkage, cracks, and more.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science, Materials Science and Engineering – University of Wisconsin-Madison 2014

Senior Capstone Project: Investigation of Material Properties of Gray Cast Iron in Brake Disc Rotors