Summary - Ellen E. Link

Materials Engineer with over 15 years of laboratory and failure analysis experience. Over 5 years experience within a diversified industrial equipment and components manufacturer and 3 years with a commercial testing laboratory providing material and process selection, consulting in materials related technologies, standards, supplier audits, failure analysis and testing. Experienced with new product development processes, VA/VE, and manufacturing processes, warrantee cost elimination, and manufacturing cost improvements.

Education
Lehigh University
M.S. Materials Science & Engineering, 1995
B.S. Materials Science & Engineering, 1993

Experience

• 2001-Present Link's Materials Consulting, Bethlehem, PA
  Materials Consultant
  Self-owned materials consulting business. Currently providing materials support to several corporations and working to expand client base. Specialty areas include failure analysis, testing, material and manufacturing process selection, specifications, and heat treat. Building web site to promote business in conjunction with fellow consultants. Maintaining alliances with various testing laboratories for subcontract testing.

• 2001-2004 Stork MMA Testing Laboratories, Newtown, PA
  Chief Metallurgist
  Responsible for management of day to day operations of the metallurgy and failure analysis departments and associated technicians. Performed metallurgical analyses including microstructural evaluations, plating thicknesses, fastener evaluations, grain size, microhardness evaluations. Materials included cast irons, carbon and alloys steels, stainless steel, superalloys, copper alloys, aluminum alloys, and titanium alloys. Conducted all failure analysis projects along with operation of a state-of-the-art Hitachi variable pressure scanning electron microscope equiped with and Oxford energy dispersive spectroscopy system. Provided general metallurgical consulting for diverse industries. Responsible for training of new technicians. Updated and authored new internal metallurgical procedures to meet NADCAP, A2LA and customer-imposed standards for testing.

• 1999-2000 Ingersoll-Rand - Strategic Technologies/Advanced Materials Engineering, Huntersville, NC
  Materials Engineer
  Provided materials consulting, materials selection, and coordinated damage analysis work performed at outside laboratories predominantly for Air Solutions, Club Car, Portable Power, and Fluid Handling. Negotiated and maintained contract relations with laboratory service providers. Major focus was on near-net-shape manufacturing, metals and limited experience in polymers. Tracked developments in near-net-shape technologies and made recommendations to divisions based on product knowledge. Worked with design engineering, purchasing, and strategic sourcing to ensure quality products that are also cost effective. Assisted divisions with equivalent specifications for products sourced and manufactured overseas. Particpated in new product development projects. Created and maintained divisional intranet web site that was aimed at transferring materials technology.

• 1995-1999 Ingersoll-Rand - Materials Technology Center, Phillipsburg, NJ
  Materials Engineer (1997-1999); Materials Technologist - Professional Engineering Training Program (1995-1997)
  Responsible for materials consulting, materials selection, and damage analysis for multiple IR divisions with emphasis on the Production Equipment Group, Air Compressor Group, and Ingersoll-Dresser Pump. Managed failure analysis and testing projects for various divisions within the laboratory. Recommended corrective actions based on analysis results. Participated on a new product development project team and led a Fusion of Technology workshop. Supervised the tribology and structural analysis portions of the laboratory, which included scanning electron microscopy, metallography, and photography, as well as the technicians that worked in these areas. Designed and implemented tribology programs including adhesive and abrasive wear tests. Accepted a temporary assignment two days a week for 5 months at the Tool and Hoist Division in Athens, PA as the plant materials engineer. Supported production, sustaining engineering, and warrantee claims.

• May 1992- November 1992 Pennsylvania Metallurgical, Inc., Bethlehem, PA
  Quality Control Engineer
  Prepared and evaluated metallographic samples, checked hardness and microhardness, when necessary, to ensure compliance to customer requirements. Specified process for re-heat treating, when applicable. Monitored and adjusted flow of gases and temperatures in atmosphere furnaces.

• 1992-1994 - Ben Franklin Technology Center
  Research Assistant
  Developed a test procedure for a project with the Wheel Collision Center. Cataloged wheel types and performed metallography, and monotonic and fatigue testing of repaired aluminum automobile wheels to determine if they were comparable to undamaged wheels. Made process change recommendations to ensure integrity of the repaired wheels.

• 1990-1995 Lehigh University Materials Research Center - Bethlehem, PA
  Research Assistant
  Characterized microstructures for various materials projects. Consulted on a copper beryllium project for NGK. Worked on reversed cyclic fatigue testing of thin-walled tubing for Becton Dickinson. Prepared light optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy fracture surface samples. Compiled photographs from both LOM and SEM. Studied the effect of tubing size and bending angle on cycles to failure.

• 1990-1992 Lehigh University Engery Research Center - Bethlehem, PA
  Metallographic Lab Technician
  Prepared samples for failure analysis projects.

• 1989-1993 Lehigh University Work Study Program - Bethlehem, PA
  Metallographic Lab Technician
  Prepared samples, light optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and photography. Assisted an undergraduate laboratory on sample preparation, microscpy and photomicroscopy. Prepared metallographic booklet used as a guidebook for an undergraduate laboratory. Performed general maintenance of metallographic laboratories. Prepared metallographic samples for laboratory courses. Mixed etchants. Demonstrated scanning electron microscopy to incoming students. Maintained photographic dark room. Mixed/tested dark room chemicals.

Publications, Presentations, and Activities

"Metallic Materials of Pump Construction and Their Damage Mechanisms," The Pump Handbook, Third Edition. Co-authors Ronald Miller and Colin McCaul.

"Integrity Assessment of Repaired Cast-Aluminum Automotive Wheels" SAE Technical Paper Number 940535. Co-authors Gary A. Miller, Daryl L. Robbins, and George J. Herschman.

Presented at the SAE International Congress and Exposition in 1994.

Member - ASMI
Founding Member - Lehigh University Child Care Parents Committee