November 28, 2023 by SME We spoke recently with Juan Martinez, a manufacturing engineer with Suhner Industrial Products from Rome, Georgia, who became an SME member in August of this year. His energy, drive and enthusiasm for manufacturing and his career are amazing. Juan is working on a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kennesaw State University Tell me a little about what you do at Suhner Industrial Products as a mechanical engineer. I work with our sales and engineering team. Our bread and butter in the department is machining. We do everything that comes along with that – drilling, tapping, reaming, milling. One of the big things that I've been working on is helping with our robotics product line within our Machining division. I’m working on applications where customers are trying to automate their process for material removal. That would include anything like grinding, sanding, polishing, and even small hole drilling. I’ve been the robotics expert on our new electric force compliance device. What made you interested in manufacturing as a career? I liked being able to take things apart, see how they work, then put them back together. It was just something I always enjoyed doing. Early on, I thought I was going to work with computers. My parents frequently would say, “Hey, this computer is not working,” and they would expect me to fix it. So I would take it apart, blow it out, move some things around, and then have it back operating. I got into mechanical engineering because of this passion. After I graduated, along came an opportunity to work in manufacturing making flexible fuel cells for various aircraft. This included fuel cells for F-18s, F-15s, aircraft such as Honda Jets, Beechcraft jets, and even missile bladders. From there I joined the Suhner USA team, and I think for me it was an opportunity to see a different aspect of manufacturing beyond just the aerospace industry. Did you have anyone in your family who was involved in manufacturing who helped you? Both of my parents work in manufacturing at Kellogg’s. They work here in Rome, Georgia, making cookies, crackers, and Rice Krispies. It’s maybe not manufacturing in the sense most people might think. One of the biggest pieces of advice that my parents told me is, if you're going to be an engineer, make sure you listen to the people out on the floor. These people know their machines, so they would definitely give me advice on how I should approach the industry, especially speaking with operators and keeping an open mind when making changes. What about SME resonated with you – what did you find appealing? Recently, I started working on my master's degree in mechanical engineering. My professor recommended that our group join SME, which I did in August, but I’ve been receiving communications from SME since 2021. How does your SME membership help you in your role at Suhner as a mechanical engineer? I think the biggest thing for me is that SME helps members know what's going on in the industry. You know, the release of new products, software, peoples’ success stories, how they're achieving things in their own industry segment. I think you can take that information and apply it to your own success story. It's one of the greatest things that SME can do for you as a member. I think the reason I had initially started looking at SME was to gain certification for manufacturing flexible fuel tanks. I like the opportunities that SME can provide regarding certifications.
