Engineering Head (Forging Industry)

Role & responsibilities:

Job Summary

The Engineering Head is responsible for leading all engineering activities in the forging plant, ensuring efficient production processes, equipment reliability, new product development, process optimization, quality improvement, and cost reduction. The role requires strong technical expertise in hot forging, die design, automation, and continuous improvement while ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering & Manufacturing

• Lead engineering operations for hot Forging industry
• Develop and improve forging processes to enhance productivity and product quality.
• Optimize cycle time, material utilization, and overall equipment efficiency (OEE).
• Support production in resolving technical issues and reducing downtime.
• Drive process capability improvement through engineering solutions.

Tooling & Die Management

• Oversee forging die design, development, validation, and maintenance.
• Improve die life through design optimization and process improvements.
• Coordinate with tool room for timely availability and refurbishment of dies.
• Standardize tooling practices to reduce setup time and tooling costs.

Project Management

• Lead installation and commissioning of forging presses, hammers, furnaces, manipulators, and automation systems.
• Manage capacity expansion and plant modernization projects.
• Ensure projects are completed within budget, schedule, and quality requirements.

New Product Development (NPD)

• Support customer development projects from feasibility to production.
• Completing RFQs and costing of components.
• Review engineering drawings, GD&T, and technical specifications.
• Coordinate APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plan, and process validation activities.
• Develop manufacturing processes for new forged components.

Cost Optimization

• Identify opportunities for cost reduction in tooling, energy, consumables, and production processes.
• Improve material yield and reduce scrap generation.
• Prepare engineering budgets and monitor expenditures.

Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with statutory safety regulations.
• Drive risk assessments and safe engineering practices.
• Support environmental sustainability initiatives.

Technical Skills

• Forging process engineering
• Die design and tooling development
• Metallurgy and heat treatment
• CAD/CAM software (AutoCAD, SolidWorks, CATIA, NX)
• APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, SPC, MSA
• TPM and OEE improvement
• Automation and Industry 4.0 initiatives
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
• Budgeting and project management

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinking
• Decision-making
• People management
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Problem-solving
• Change management
• Communication and presentation skills
• Customer focus
• Results orientation

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
• Productivity improvement
• Reduction in downtime
• Die life improvement
• Scrap and rejection reduction
• Engineering cost savings
• On-time completion of engineering projects
• Customer complaint reduction
• Successful new product launches
• Safety and compliance performance

Preferred candidate profile:

1. APQP

2. PPAP Documentation

3. Tooling Design & Simulation

4. Timely completion of RFQs

5. Process Sheets and Process Optimization