Process and Production Engineer EPG Plant

Process & Production Engineer EPG Plant

Department: Manufacturing / Operations EPG Plant
Location: Belagavi, Karnataka
Reporting To: Plant Head / Manager EPG Plant
Experience: 25 years
Education: Diploma / B.E. / B.Tech – Mechanical, Production, Polymer, Plastics or related discipline

Role Purpose

The Process & Production Engineer will be responsible for managing and improving the EPS production process, ensuring that the plant consistently achieves required production volumes, quality standards, cycle times and material efficiency. The role is hands-on and shop-floor focused, with responsibility for process control, troubleshooting, rejection reduction and productivity improvement.

Key Responsibilities

1. Production Management

• Plan and execute daily EPS production as per production requirements.
• Monitor production against planned targets and identify gaps.
• Ensure optimum utilisation of EPS moulding machines and manpower.
• Monitor machine-wise and shift-wise productivity and reduce machine idle time.
• Coordinate with stores to ensure availability of raw materials and consumables.

2. EPS Process Control

• Establish and maintain standard operating parameters for EPS moulding.
• Monitor pre-expansion, density, steam pressure, steam temperature, moulding cycle time, cooling time, material loading, mould filling and demoulding.
• Ensure critical process parameters are consistently maintained across machines and shifts.
• Develop and maintain process parameter sheets, SOPs and work instructions.
• Identify process variation and take timely corrective action.

3. Quality & Rejection Control

• Work closely with Quality to ensure EPS liners meet specifications.
• Control defects including density variation, short filling, weld lines, cracks, dimensional variation, surface defects, improper fusion and deformation.
• Analyse rejection and conduct root-cause analysis.
• Implement corrective and preventive actions and continuously reduce rejection and rework.

4. Productivity & Process Improvement

• Improve cycle time, output per machine and material utilisation.
• Conduct time studies and machine capacity studies.
• Reduce material wastage and EPS scrap.
• Drive Lean / Kaizen / continuous improvement initiatives.
• Improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
• Support automation and process improvement projects.

5. Machine & Mould Coordination

• Monitor EPS moulding machine performance and coordinate with Maintenance for breakdowns and preventive maintenance.
• Identify recurring machine-related problems.
• Coordinate with Tool Room / Mould team on mould-related production issues.
• Ensure proper mould setting and changeovers.
• Support new mould trials and process validation.

6. New Product Development Support

• Support NPD during development and trials of new helmet EPS liners.
• Conduct mould trials and establish production parameters.
• Validate cycle time, density and dimensional requirements.
• Support scale-up from trial stage to mass production and document standard parameters.

7. Manpower & Shop-Floor Management

• Allocate manpower according to production requirements.
• Ensure operators follow defined processes and SOPs.
• Train operators on machine operation and critical process parameters.
• Monitor shop-floor discipline, safety and housekeeping and ensure 5S.

8. MIS & Production Reporting

• Maintain daily and monthly reports covering production, target vs. actual, machine utilisation, OEE, cycle time, rejection, scrap, downtime, productivity and process deviations.
• Track corrective actions and follow up to closure.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

KPIExpected FocusProduction achievementMeet or exceed planned productionEPS rejectionContinuous reductionMachine OEEContinuous improvementCycle timeReduction without compromising qualityMaterial utilisationContinuous improvementDensity variationWithin defined specificationMachine downtimeReductionManpower productivityImprovementProcess adherence100% complianceCustomer / OEM complaintsZero process-related complaintsNew mould / product trialsSuccessful trials within agreed timelines

Candidate Profile

• 2–5 years of hands-on manufacturing experience, preferably in EPS moulding, helmet manufacturing, EPP/EPE/foam manufacturing, plastic processing, polymer processing or automotive component manufacturing.
• Preference for candidates who have worked in high-volume manufacturing environments.
• Strong practical understanding of process parameter setting, density control, moulding cycle optimisation and machine troubleshooting.
• Working knowledge of Root Cause Analysis, 5 Why, Fishbone, CAPA, 7 QC tools, OEE, Lean Manufacturing and 5S.
• Good Excel/MIS reporting skills; basic AutoCAD / engineering drawing knowledge is an advantage.

Personal Attributes

• Hands-on and strongly shop-floor oriented.
• Strong troubleshooting and analytical ability.
• Comfortable managing and training operators.
• Proactive, disciplined and strong on follow-up and execution.
• Comfortable working under production pressure and in shifts when required.
• Focused on productivity, quality, safety and continuous improvement.