John Burford
6945 W. Dartmoor Rd.
West Bloomfield, MI. 48322
Phone: (248) 705-0616
jburford@burford-eng.com
Experience |
VI-Grade GmbH, Application Engineer, West Bloomfield, MI., May 2019 – Present
Create vehicle dynamics models and Driving in Motion simulator operations.
® On-Board
and Support customer technical needs for Compact Simulators
and Drive
In Motion Simulations.
® Perform
services projects in the areas of automotive Vehicle Dynamics
and aerospace Landing
/ Ground Maneuvering.
® Demo
Compact Simulators and DIM Simulations to prospective customers.
Aurora Flight Sciences, Dynamics Engineer, Manassas, VA., Feb 2015 – April 2019
Responsible for Multi-Body Dynamics analysis of aircraft landings and provide design guidance for concept aircraft configurations.
® DARPA Side-Arm project objective was to recover autonomous drones without a runway. Performed analysis in MSC.Adams/View to simulation and correlate capture mechanism to physical testing.
® Air Force Orion UAS Block 1 program included development of loads for landing and ground maneuvering. Analysis tools for this project include: VI-Aicraft, HyperMesh, and Matlab.
Contractor, CAE analyst March 2004 – Feb 2015
Boeing, CAE analyst, Everett, WA. and St. Louis, MO., Sept 2010 – Feb 2015
Responsible for weight reduction projects on the 777, 787-9 and 737-MAX commercial airliners.
® Typical projects include collecting background data of existing designs, generating correlated finite element models to baseline information, and developing an optimization analysis to reduce weight and cost while maintaining positive safety margins.
Honda Research and Development, CAE analyst, Raymond, OH., May 2008 – Sept. 2010
Responsible for developing Multi-Body Dynamics models to support the Vehicle Performance group.
® Developed full vehicle simulation methods and data processing to correlate simulation to physical tests: 4-post tests, K and C tests, handling maneuvers (constant radius, J-turns, lane change, etc..), torque steer tests, brake judder tests, and drift/pull tests.
BE Aerospace, CAE analyst, Winston
® Supported design and analysis of customer products to reduce structural weight using Optistruct topology optimization.
Rockwell Collins, CAE analyst,
Responsible for creating and validating Multi-Body Dynamics models of pilot flight controls including:
® Parametric models created for Gulfstream G-650 Pitch, Roll and Yaw controls.
®
Correlated Boeing 787 Pitch controls to test
data.
®
Programmed FORTRAN code to assist loads
extraction from MSC.Adams
results.
Caterpillar, CAE analyst, Decatur,
IL., Oct. 2006 – Nov. 2006
Supported introduction of Optistruct
topology optimization into product design cycle.
®
On-site training of engineers and demonstration
of optimization analysis on current products.
International Truck, CAE
analyst,
Supported vehicle dynamics and
structural simulation for the following projects:
® Test data correlation to MSC.Adams/Car models of full vehicle ride simulation of Heavy-Duty trucks.
® Flex-body generation of truck ladder frames and cabs using MSC.NASTRAN.
® Modal test vs. FEA correlation using MSC.NASTRAN, MSC.PATRAN, and MSC.PROCOR (modal assurance criteria).
Stewart-Stephenson, CAE
analyst,
Supported concept phase Future Tactical Truck System
MSV (8 by 8) and UV (4 by 4) vehicles.
® Responsible for developing vehicle dynamics simulations and structural analyzes to guide concept design trade studies.
General Dynamics, CAE
analyst,
Developed dynamic simulations for
gun systems utilizing MSC.Adams
and I-DEAS. Projects included:
® Joint Strike Fighter Gatling gun and ammunition handling system.
Altair Engineering, Inc.,
Project Engineer,
® CAE analyst and designer, Structural optimization of ArvinMeritor Heavy-Duty truck differential housing.
® Project engineer, Simulation of Delphi Quadrasteer suspension.
® Project engineer, 2003 Mustang Cobra wheel shudder simulation (Paper presented at MSC/ADAMS conference 2003).
® Chassis engineer, Ford Motor Company, Safety Structures group.
® Project engineer, full vehicle compliance testing using Leica laser tracker system.
University of Texas-Arlington Formula SAE race team, Arlington, TX.
Team
Leader and Chief Engineer, June
1994 – May 1998
® Responsible for raising funds, training team members, organization of team resources, scheduling, purchasing, and vehicle design intent.
® Designed and manufactured suspension, steering system, brakes, chassis (including FEA), drivetrain, ergonomics, crush zones for frontal and side impact, methanol-air intercooler, improved clutch basket and main gear, body work, and aerodynamics.
® Conducted driver training and vehicle development including test design, test setup, and analysis of data.
® 2018 As the inaugural winner of the Formula Student UK competition, the 98 car was invited to return for 2018 competition and run the dynamics events.
Team
member,
® Researched and developed University of Texas-Arlington in-house electronic fuel injection system.
® Designed and manufactured suspension.
® Performed track side vehicle development including test design, test setup, and analysis of data.
® Created braking system simulation.
® Responsible for operation and safety of Formula SAE machine shop.
® Designed and manufactured braking system, hand clutch and shifter, drivetrain, and pedal assembly.
Skills |
Software:
® CAD packages: Catia, Solid-Works, and Rhinoceros (NURB surfacing).
® Solver software: MSC.ADAMS, VI-Aircraft, Hyper-Works, Motion View, Optistruct, and MSC.NASTRAN.
® Suspension software: Adams/Car and , Motion View.
Languages: Experience in FORTRAN, Templex, and Matlad.
Fabrication Experience:
® Lathe, vertical mill, horizontal mill, horizontal grinder, shaper, band saw, drill press, Welding, brazing, and composite wet lay-ups (graphite, Kevlar, and fiber glass).
|
Education |
University of Texas-Arlington, May
1998
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering (1998)
|
Leadership Achievements |
2013-Present Formula
SAE Competition volunteer and Rules committee member: Technical Inspector and Rules Committee member. SES group leader – This is a group of
volunteer engineers that review student chassis designs for safety and rules
compliance.
2011-Present Design Judge for Formula SAE Competition - Responsible for evaluating engineering design and methodology of student built single seat race cars.
1999-2003 Mentor to Lawrence Technical University Formula SAE team –Trained new team members on the fundamentals of vehicle dynamic and high performance driving. Tutored suspension design group in the fundamentals of vehicle tuning.
1996 and 1998 Team Leader and Chief Engineer - University of Texas at Arlington Formula SAE team. The goal of the Team Leader position was to supply team members with the resources, information, guidance, and motivation that would result in the successful completion of their projects. The goal of the Chief Engineer position was to guide the design intent of the vehicle and to verify all analyzes, designs, and prints.