mechanical-eng-success-stories-main_md.j

Hi I’m Mauritz Johnson

Mechanical Engineer

A Bit About Myself

For as long as I can remember my father had his own business manufacturing agricultural equipment. I grew up in this industry and would work at his factory in school holidays for extra pocket money. After my studies I started working for my father in his manufacturing factory full time.

I progressed to sales and design. This was out of my comfort zone but I enjoyed every moment of this new challenge. I began to enjoy this new challenge in my life. The best challenge was creating new designs according to client specs. This taught me the necessary skills to manage a project and a team. I can work independently or as part of a team.

From the machines on this website I have created numerous versions for numerous industries. From blueberry trees (2m tall) all the way to macadamia nut trees that are 7m tall. I enjoyed designing these machines as I had to run the project from initial client interaction all the way through to final delivery. This included design, costing, creating parts lists, creating assembly and manufacturing drawings, presenting to clients, agreeing time schedules, prototyping and manufacturing.

My new job brings a new chapter to my life. I have moved on from farming equipment into the smart metering industry. This change brought its own new and exciting challenges. I had to adapt to a new type of engineering I was not used to. From big steel structures to small molded plastic parts.

With all that I have done in my professional career I have found managing a project was the most enticing. I enjoyed working with a team to bring an idea to life.

Past Experience

Past Roles

Mechanical Engineer, Explospot Systems

March 2022 - July 2023

Design & Development

Creating concepts for fire suppression systems according to client specifications:
- Automatic fire suppression for the mining industry.
- Manual & Automatic fire suppression for the military industry.
Testing new designs to ensure they comply with international standards.
Creating costings for new and current designs.
- Detailed costing for new designs.
- Costing on older designs.
Creating basic 3D files from 2D drawings.
Converting client drawings into usable models.
Creating a new design to fit on the created 3D file.
Designing, with input from production, to ensure parts are manufactured efficiently.

Administrative Tasks

Keeping parts control centre up to date.
Creating new part numbers for new designs.
Creating ECRs for part changes and tracking revisions made on parts.
Sourcing quotes from suppliers.

Daily Tasks

Assisting production with their daily needs as requested.
Planning deadlines and updating management system regularly.
Updating the hub (our proprietary management software) as tasks are completed and processed.
Crisis management when necessary.

Projects

I was tasked to create a concept system for a client that will be used in an underground mine. The project entails liaising with the client as the project progresses.

Mechanical Engineer, Lesira Manufacturing

October 2020 - March 2022

Research & Development

Designing and modifying plastic and rubber molds. This involved improving current molds with new designs.
Testing newly molded parts. Destructive testing to evaluate performance and non destructive testing to assist production to improve product quality.
Creating Jigs needed to simplify and improve production speed.

Administrative Tasks

Creating process flow charts together with work instructions. Training staff on the work instructions to ensure process is followed.
Updating CAD drawings and acceptance specs. This is to ensure that all incoming parts can be checked by goods receiving before issued to production.

NRCS, SANAS and SABS rolls

I was closely involved with the formulation of a Quality Manual that is used in accordance with NRCS and SANAS guidelines. This is to ensure that we follow the correct procedures to ensure we keep our accreditation.
I was involved in internal audits to help ensure we were prepared for external audits. This included updating documentation and keep track of daily tasks that needed to be done as stipulated in the Quality Manual.
I implemented process flows in accordance with SABS ISO 9001 standards. This included process flows for Engineering Change Requests, Technical Incidents and Deviations.

Projects

There was a need to stop the use of chemicals to seal the devices water tight. I designed a rubber grommet to encapsulate the wire coming out the body. This was a great success. The lid that normally is normally glued onto the body was replaced with a rubber o ring and 2 clips on the side. Doing this stopped the use of chemicals while still keeping an IP68 rating.
I designed and 3D printed a testing JIG used to check all incoming PCB's. This freed up time with production
An easy project was minimizing the amount of outsourcing we did. It started with printing our cards for the devices inhouse. This process will be automated in the future.

Junior Engineering Manager, Orchard Spraying Systems Africa

October 2018 - May 2020

Sales & Client Relations

I have independently sold spraying machines to new international clients in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The Mozambique sale was the highlight of my sales career as it resulted in potential future sales.
I have also sold machines to local clients in places such as Limpopo and Mpumalanga. This was for once off sales as well as recurring annual sales.
After sales service is a very important aspect and formed part of my daily responsibilities. From supplying spare parts to giving technical advice or even a site visit to ensure client satisfaction.

Research, Development and Design

I have designed numerous agricultural machines for new industries. Ranging from berry spraying machines to water tankers. These machines are currently being used in the industry. These machines were developed according to client requirements.
The machines were designed in such a way to incorporate the latest in GPS technology for spraying machines to gain a competitive advantage in the market. The GPS system was backward compatible with older generation machines.

Projects

The berry machine was the first project I ran. I worked closely with the client to ensure his expectations were met. I ran the project from initial contact with the client through prototyping and final delivery as well as any after sales technical support. Since the initial machine the client has been ordering additional machines annually.

Trainee Engineer, Johnson Advance Machinery

July 2016 - September 2018

I worked here as part of my practical training for my NDIP in Mechanical Engineering.
I started working in the factory and learning the manufacturing process.
Then moved on to do field services.
After which I moved on to sales and client relations.
Finally, I started designing in Solidworks while continuing on with sales and client relations.

Education

Qualifications

January 2022 - December 2024

Beng in Mechanical Engineering, UNISA

Subjects to be Completed:

Engineering Chemistry (In Progress)

Completed Subjects:

Engineering in Society (Completed)
Heat and Mass Transfer (Completed)
Thermo-Fluids (Completed)
Statistical Techniques for Science and Engineering (Completed)
Sustainable Energy (Completed)
Mechanics of Composite Materials (Completed)
Mechanical Engineering Research Project (Completed)
Mechanical Engineering Design Project (Completed)

March 2021 - July 2021

Online Short Course in Project Management Principles, Practices and Scheduling, Enterprises University of Pretoria

In this course I learned about the basics of project management.

January 2018 - December 2020

Btech in Mechanical Engineering, UNISA

Subjects Completed:

Strength of Materials IV
Stress Analysis IV (Passed with distinction)
Fluid Mechanics IV
Thermodynamics IV
Refrigeration and Air-conditioning IV
Maintenance Management I
Design Project; My project is about designing a 3000L fiberglass tank for the agricultural industry.

July 2011 - June 2016