Back to freelancer search

Richard C.

AutoCAD Designer | Heat Exchanger & Fabrication CAD Specialist | Defense & Production Experience

Kansas City, United States

Global rank:

13,309 / 137,319

Skill pts: 5

AutoCAD CAD Design CNC Laser/Plasma Cutting Product Design Welding

Get a quote

About

I’m a fabrication-first AutoCAD designer with 20+ years of hands-on experience supporting heat exchanger manufacturing and industrial fabrication. My background includes welding, fabrication, inspection, and CAD support in production environments where accuracy, repeatability, and code compliance matter.

I’ve worked in a heat exchanger manufacturing facility (Thermal Engineering International) supporting production teams with CAD drawings used for pressure-retaining components, tube sheets, shells, structural supports, and welded assemblies. I understand how CAD decisions affect fit-up, weld sequencing, distortion control, inspection, and final assembly—because I’ve supported these processes directly on the shop floor.

I don’t just draft parts.
I create shop-ready, fabrication-ready drawings that reduce rework, eliminate shop questions, and support efficient production.

I currently operate Guided Light Welding LLC, providing remote AutoCAD and fabrication drawing support to manufacturers and fabrication shops that need reliable CAD without hiring full-time staff.

Experience

Senior Drafter/Designer Guided Light Welding LLC · Self-employed Jan 2008 – Present 18 yrs 5 mos Joplin, MO, United States • Design parts using blueprints and AutoCAD
• Nest parts using pronest (CNC software)
• Plasma 400 Amp and Propylene Cutting Torch from 10ga to 12 ½” Thick.
• Layout Hemispherical Head per blueprint and burn openings in multiple positions.
• Read blueprints for bevel and size details per AWS welding standards.
• Assist management in project schedule with grit blasting and part production.
• Manage department per schedule and work assignments during manager absence.
• Document material identification on Excel spreadsheet and parts per pressure vessel code.
• Load plate and remove parts using a 20/10/25 ton overhead crane or forklift
Inspection Thermal Eng. · Full-time Oct 2004 – Present 21 yrs 8 mos Joplin, MO, United States • Discard or reject products, materials, and equipment not meeting specifications.
• Analyze and interpret blueprints, data, manuals, and other materials to determine specifications, inspection and testing procedures, adjustment and certification methods, formulas, and measuring instruments required.
• Inspect, test, or measure materials, products, installations, and work for conformance to specifications.
• Notify supervisors and other personnel of production problems and assist in identifying and correcting these problems.
• Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as rulers, calipers, gauge, or micrometers.
• Analyze test data and make computations as necessary to determine test results.
• Accept or reject parts using NDT Testing procedure and specifications.
• Review MTR documents per receiving inspection specification procedures
• Design parts using blueprints and AutoCAD
• Nest parts using pronest (CNC software)
• Plasma 400 Amp and Propylene Cutting Torch from 10ga to 12 ½” Thick.
• Layout Hemispherical Head per blueprint and burn openings in multiple positions.
• Read blueprints for bevel and size details per AWS welding standards.
• Assist management in project schedule with grit blasting and part production.
• Manage department per schedule and work assignments during manager absence.
• Document material identification on Excel spreadsheet and parts per pressure vessel code.
• Load plate and remove parts using a 20/10/25 ton overhead crane or forklift

• Assign work detail to multiple employees and assist in day to day running of shop floor production
• Work with management team to establish production time and completion dates per schedule
• Custom cut attachments for pressure vessel assemblies
• Establish degree lines on the exterior and interior of pressure vessels to 1/32” tolerance
• Cut openings in carbon, stainless and titanium material to a 1/32” tolerance
• Tack weld attachments to pressure vessels per procedure and code requirements while maintaining print requirements
• Flux core welding of pressure vessel attachments and non-pressure welding 1G,2G,3G,4G and 6G
• Tig welding on pressure vessel attachments and non-pressure welding 1G,2G,3G,4G and 6G
• Mig welding on pressure vessel attachments and non-pressure welding 1G,2G,3G,4G and 6G
• Sub Arg welding on pressure vessels and non-pressure welds

Education

Missouri Welding Institute Master Pipe Fitter and Welder, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Pass 2001 – 2002
Nevada Regional Technical Center Agriculture Mechanics, Agriculture Mechanics, Pass 1992 – 1996 Activities and Societies: Ag Science, marketing
Nevada High School General High School Diploma, GENERAL, Pass 1992 – 1996 Activities and Societies: FFA, 4-H

Other experience

CMM PROGRAMMER
CMM Operator
CAD Design
Home Improvement
Welding and Metal Fabrication

Licenses & Certifications

Master Pipe fitter Welder Missouri Welding Institute Mar 2002 – Present