Mechanical Design Engineer - Structural & FEA

Published: 6/14/2022

Job Description

ADC Equipment Innovations & GS Global Resources are seeking a Mechanical Design Engineer – Structural & FEA to support our Weston, Wisconsin manufacturing facility. This position is focused on the design, structural analysis, and production support of welded steel operator cab structures for off-highway equipment, including forestry, agricultural, construction, mining, and other specialty mobile machinery.

The ideal candidate will have strong experience with welded structures, finite element analysis, and heavy-equipment product design. This engineer will own cab structural designs from concept through detailed design, structural simulation, prototype support, production release, and third-party ROPS/FOPS certification.

This is a hands-on engineering role that combines product design, structural analysis, fabrication knowledge, and direct interaction with manufacturing.

Job Responsibilities

As a Mechanical Design Engineer, you will:

Design welded steel operator cab structures for off-highway and mobile equipment.
Create 3D models, detailed drawings, and production documentation using SOLIDWORKS.
Perform structural finite element analysis using ANSYS.
Independently build, refine, and validate FEA models for welded cab structures and related components.
Evaluate structural load paths, stresses, deformation, joint behavior, and overall structural performance.
Use simulation results to optimize designs for strength, weight, manufacturability, durability, and certification requirements.
Support structural analysis and design activities associated with ROPS, FOPS, and similar operator-protection requirements.
Work with third-party certification and testing organizations to define test requirements, provide technical information, review results, and support certification activities.
Develop cab structures primarily using laser-cut and formed steel sheet and plate.
Design welded assemblies with proper consideration for joint design, weld size, weld access, distortion, heat-affected areas, fabrication tolerances, and production welding methods.
Create and maintain fabrication drawings, weldment drawings, Bills of Material, and related engineering documentation.
Support prototype builds and initial production launches.
Work directly with welders, fabricators, and production personnel to resolve fit-up, welding, distortion, tolerance, and manufacturability issues.
Investigate structural failures or performance issues and develop corrective design solutions.
Coordinate with customers, suppliers, manufacturing personnel, certification labs, and other engineers throughout the project lifecycle.
Manage multiple engineering projects while maintaining technical requirements, schedules, and documentation.

This is not a desk-only design position. Engineers are expected to spend time on the manufacturing floor reviewing fabricated structures, understanding production constraints, supporting prototype builds, and troubleshooting real-world issues.

Structural Analysis Responsibilities

A strong candidate should be capable of independently developing and interpreting structural FEA models rather than simply running predefined simulations.

Relevant experience may include:

Structural stress and deformation analysis
Mesh development and refinement
Boundary condition and load definition
Contact and joint modeling
Welded-structure analysis
Material behavior and structural yielding
Large-deformation or nonlinear analysis
Buckling evaluation
Model verification and engineering judgment
Correlation of analytical results with physical testing or known structural behavior

Direct experience with every analysis method listed above is not required, but the candidate should demonstrate a strong understanding of structural mechanics and appropriate FEA practices.

Welding and Fabrication Knowledge

Candidates should have a strong working knowledge of welded steel structures, including:

Fillet and groove weld design
Weld sizing
Weld symbols and fabrication drawings
Weld joint configuration
Weld accessibility
Distortion and weld sequence considerations
Heat-affected zones
Fatigue considerations in welded structures
Fabrication tolerances
Design for manual and production welding
Formed sheet and plate fabrication

ADC has significant internal welding and fabrication expertise available to support continued development of these skills.

Ideal Candidate

The strongest candidate will have experience in one or more of the following areas:

Welded structural product design
Finite element analysis of fabricated structures
ROPS/FOPS design or certification
Operator cab design
Heavy or off-highway equipment
Forestry equipment
Agricultural equipment
Construction equipment
Mining equipment
Truck or specialty vehicle structures
Cranes, trailers, material-handling equipment, or similar fabricated products

Experience with applicable ROPS/FOPS and operator-protection standards for off-highway, agricultural, forestry, or construction equipment is strongly preferred.

Candidates with strong welded-structure and FEA backgrounds from adjacent industries are encouraged to apply even if they have not previously worked directly with ROPS/FOPS certification.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline preferred.
Five or more years of relevant mechanical or structural engineering experience preferred; candidates with fewer years of highly relevant experience will also be considered.
Strong experience with SOLIDWORKS or similar 3D mechanical CAD software.
Experience with ANSYS or comparable structural FEA software.
Demonstrated ability to perform independent structural analysis.
Strong understanding of statics, mechanics of materials, load paths, stress, strain, deformation, and structural behavior.
Experience designing welded steel structures.
Understanding of formed sheet and plate fabrication.
Ability to create and interpret engineering drawings, weld symbols, and technical specifications.
Experience supporting fabricated products in a manufacturing environment.
Strong problem-solving and engineering judgment.
Ability to communicate effectively with production personnel, customers, suppliers, and third-party testing organizations.
Experience with GD&T is beneficial.
Experience with physical structural testing, strain gauges, load cells, or test correlation is beneficial but not required.

Project Ownership

Engineers in this role may be responsible for the complete structural development of a cab, including:

Concept ? structural design ? CAD development ? FEA ? design refinement ? detailed drawings ? prototype support ? production launch ? third-party certification support

Work Environment

This position is based at our Weston, Wisconsin facility and includes frequent interaction with our fabrication and production teams.

The role includes regular time on the shop floor reviewing welded assemblies, supporting prototype builds, and resolving manufacturing issues.

Travel is expected to be limited and will primarily involve customer, supplier, or third-party certification activities as needed.

We Offer

Full tuition reimbursement for job-related courses
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Short- and long-term disability and group life insurance coverage
401(k) match
Paid time off
Sign-on and retention bonuses
Hands-on involvement with complex welded structures and off-highway equipment
Opportunity to own designs from concept through structural certification and production