Dave Hardy

About Dave Hardy

An adept problem-solver who thrives when the stakes are high. I find gratification in…

Experience

1. Manager, R & d Test Lab

   Hunter Douglas, Inc.

   Jan 2017 — Present · Buford, CO

   Responsible for leading multiple teams of engineers and technicians in the testing and regulatory compliance validation of window coverings for the home decor industry. This includes component testing as well as life and reliability testing. My teams and I act as a resource to both R&D and Quality, optimizing new product development and ensuring regulatory compliance.In this role I have increased the capabilities and capacity of the test labs, largely through the addition of automation. In addition to dedicated-task machinery that I have developed in-house, I have also added multiple 6-axis collaborative robots to our operation. The flexibility of these coupled with the ability to operate them in a lights-out environment has allowed us to dramatically increase throughput and decrease time to results. Integrating external sensors and stepper/servo motors in parallel with the robots further increases capability and lets us achieve better real-world results in an accelerated testing environment. Finally, I also oversee our prototyping shop, including 3D printing, manual machine tools, a Haas CNC mill, a CNC laser cutter, and a large-format web printer. Via the implementation of a web-based test request system and robust KPI focus, I have overseen the department improve from a legacy on-time-completion rate of less than 40% to over 95%, while delivering more robust results. One of the most exciting aspects of this role is that I have insight into many different facets of the business, and get to utilize my creativity to solve problems across the organization. This has included the production of demo kits for our field sales team, the development of machinery for use in production operations, the opportunity to consult with the R&D team on design optimization, and working with the product team to identify areas of differentiation and superiority in our product versus that of our competitors.

Education

• University of Georgia - Terry College of Business

  Master of Business Administration (MBA)

  2010

• Southern Polytechnic State University

  BS, Mechanical Engineering Technology

  2000

Skills

• Strategic Planning
• Manufacturing
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Engineering
• Cad
• Consumer Products
• Product Development
• Troubleshooting
• Design for Manufacturing
• Computer-Aided Design (Cad)
• Six Sigma
• Iso Standards
• Project Management
• Medical Devices
• Process Improvement
• Leadership
• Lean Manufacturing
• Automotive
• Iso
• Business Process Improvement