Bill Burd has been an Engineer for Laser Precision since 2014. He graduated from Western Michigan University with a BS in Engineering Graphics and Design Technology (and a double major in Psychology). Stints in Sales and Marketing paid the bills, but something wasn’t quite right. The jobs just didn’t suit his personality and knowledge set. So, he answered an ad we placed for an opening in the Engineering Department. It didn’t take long for him to know he had made the right decision.

Acquiring Practical Knowledge
Bill’s academic background gave him a base-level knowledge of CAD and CAM software, the design process, metrology and even CNC machining. But, after starting with us, he realized that it was just the beginning of his education. As he put it, “I had a wealth of knowledge, but infinite amounts to learn.” Given his engineering mindset, it was natural for Bill to pitch into a self-imposed on-the-job training program. His main technique was to ask questions. A lot of questions. “I was actually kind of a pain,” he admits. No one from the executive suite to the shop floor escaped his burning curiosity. He quickly found that everyone was happy to take the time to explain what they were doing and why they were doing it that way. He says it was an awesome learning experience.

An Analytical Approach
Bill enjoys finding ways to take time and cost out of a manufacturing process while maintaining the customer’s quality standards. He also likes helping new customers who know what they want, but not the best way to manufacture it. He also likes helping new customers who know what their needs are, but not how to visually represent it or best best way to manufacture it. This gives him the chance to work with a blank canvas and build a solution from the ground up. “It’s fun to sit in front of the computer and move a process along from a 2-D print to a 3-D model to a manufacturing print to the finished product,” he said. Bill also acts as liaison with customer engineers if there are any product issues, helps out in the Quality Department and works on projects such as designing weld fixtures for assemblies.

The Idea Exchange
Bill feels that one reason for the company’s success is basic in principle, but rarely seen in practice. It encourages an environment where no one is intimidated and everyone feels free to offer suggestions. “We all have the same goal – working together to find the best solutions for our customers,” he said. “This free and easy exchange of knowledge and insights means that individuals and small groups feed off each others’ energy and come up with some great ideas that benefit our customers.”

Engineering as a Lifestyle
Even when it comes to hobbies, Bill is an engineer at heart. Although a fine golfer, he failed to make his high school team. This only motivated him to get better. With books, videos, charts and notes, he broke down his swing and experimented until he reached his form of today.

In a similar fashion, he took the love of pencil drawing he inherited from his mother and grandmother and found books and videos full of drills and lessons that would help him improve his raw talent. For computer work, he wanted to type faster, so he made it into a hobby. He got some videos and books… you get the idea.

Co-workers may not know that Bill is an accomplished barefoot water skier. As you can imagine, you can’t learn this complicated skill from books or videos. He learned it from his uncle, who used to compete in the sport. But that internal drive to learn helped him even then.