Robert V.

Experience

• Entrepreneur / Business Owner Viz-Mec Design · Part-time Feb 2018 – Present 8 yrs 4 mos Port Elizabeth, EC, South Africa Although I have a full time job, my passion is still designing (mechanical). I have therefore kept my design business going as a part time venture, and still take on many of the same projects I used to as a full time entrepreneur.
• General Manager Xmeco PTY Ltd. · Full-time Feb 2018 – Present 8 yrs 4 mos Port Elizabeth, EC, South Africa The overall management of the entire production facility including the machine shop, foundry, design office and CAD CAM stations. Also responsible to all production deadlines and all logistical functions within the orginisation.
• Entrepreneur / Business Owner Viz-Mec Design · Full-time May 2008 – Jan 2018 9 yrs 8 mos Port Elizabeth, EC, South Africa Start up business providing a engineering design and drafting service to the local industry. Worked with various CAD packages (i.e. AutoDesk Inventor, Catia, Solidworks, AutoCAD). Projects ranged from Automation equipment, agricultural equipment, Foundry equipment and tooling design, automotive body shop jigs and fixtures, grippers, machine shop jigs and fixtures, and many more
• QA and Fettling yard manager Xmeco Ferrous Foundry · Full-time May 2008 – Jun 2011 3 yrs 1 mos Port Elizabeth, EC, South Africa Responsible for all casting method calculation, as well as the entire quality system (ISO 9001:2008) and fettling yard, including casting heat treatment and upgrading.
• Manufacturing Director Xmeco PTY Ltd. · Full-time Jan 2004 – Apr 2008 4 yrs 3 mos Port Elizabeth, EC, South Africa Responsible for all technical aspects within the of the business including the overall design and manufacture of all parts from the machine shop and foundry areas, as well as project and production planning.
• Project Director Xmeco PTY Ltd. · Full-time Jan 1999 – Dec 2003 4 yrs 11 mos Port Elizabeth, EC, South Africa Responsible for all projects undertaken by the company, which include many projects in other parts of the world. The responsibility included the project, planning, design, manufacture installation and commissioning of all new project installations. These projects were all related to resistance welding equipment projects for new model launches.
• Designer Xmeco PTY Ltd. · Full-time Jan 1995 – Dec 1998 3 yrs 11 mos Port Elizabeth, EC, South Africa Promoted from the machine shop to the design office, working primarily in AutoCAD designing resistance welding equipment and machine shop jigs and fixtures. During this time the company established a non-ferrous foundry. The design of many of the patterns and tooling equipment was the responsibility of the in house design office at this point with a total of 13 designers. This period was also my introduction to project management, managing fairly larger automotive body shop projects with specific focus on the design, manufacture and installation of resistance welding equipment.
• Machinist Xmeco PTY Ltd. · Full-time Mar 1985 – Dec 1994 9 yrs 9 mos Port Elizabeth, EC, South Africa After completing my apprenticeship, I worked as a machinist (manual), machinist (CNC), programmer / setter / operator of several Fanuc and Heidenhein CNC milling machines and lathes. During this time I also operated the CAD/CAM systems (Cimatron, MasterCAM), and also did a lot of design work in AutoCAD.