Mike F.

About Mike F.

A dedicated Test and Measurement professional with over seven years of experience at Bell Flight, specializing in metrology, calibration, and test engineering. Developed and implemented automated and manual calibration solutions for electrical, pressure, force, and temperature measurements using tools like LabVIEW, Python, and Fluke METCAL. Contributed to process improvement initiatives, cost reduction strategies, and the creation of a robust internal library of calibration procedures. An advocate for innovation and data-driven decision-making, currently leading a major test system redesign project to enhance operational efficiency and accuracy. With a strong focus on measurement science and automation, collaborated with teams to collect, analyze, and act on complex measurement data. Passionate about fostering technical growth, mentoring junior engineers, and aligning laboratory advancements with organizational goals.

Experience

1. Principal Calibration Engineer, Standards and Calibration Lab

   Bell Flight

   Apr 2018 — Present · Fort Worth, TX, US

   Provide technical support for corporate, captive calibration lab supporting manufacturing and R&D. Create end-to-end automated and manual measurement solutions for electrical, pressure, force, and temperature-based calibrations using combination of LabVIEW, Python, and Fluke METCAL. Maintain, create, and own internal library of manual and automated calibration procedures. Develop and train junior Engineers. Develop strategic roadmap and budget plans for laboratory capital acquisitions. Identify and develop solutions for process improvement and cost-reducing activities. Collect, analyze, and make decisions from measurement data.Currently leading major test system redesign project of a novel hardware and software test system with external vendor. This new LabVIEW/TestStand-based test system features a HAL/MAL (Hardware and Measurement Abstraction Layer) and when deployed, will be responsible for 50% of our internal captive lab inventory used across Pressure, Force, and Test Cell systems for in-lab and onsite calibrations. Deploying these new automated test systems avoids over 7 figure labor cost offset of manual calibrations alone. I started formal RFQ process with corporate sponsorship. I reverse engineered and extracted software and hardware requirements from a 25k line VB codebase as well as complete disassembly of a legacy system. I regenerated new system block diagrams and system schematics and block diagrams. To prove new system design viability, I created a LabVIEW-based proof-of-concept to illustrate system viability to external stakeholders. Developed a Python-based parsing and visualization tool that a legacy binary data format to NI TDMS. This preserved historical data and stablilty of 23 years of work of onsite and in-lab calibration, enabling continuity from legacy test system to establishing Implemented local NI device Calibration program saving company over $350k in outsource calibration costs over a 5 year period.

Education

• Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory Apprentice School

  Technical Training, Metrology, Calibration, Repair

• Texas State University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Computer Software Engineering

• Springboard

  Data Science

• Community College of the Air Force

  Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Electronic Systems Technology