Senior Consultant Injection Molding and Surface Finishing Automotive Supplier

Project overview

An internationally active industrial group with a focus on automotive and plastics processing is looking for an experienced Interim Manager / Senior Consultant with proven expertise in injection molding and surface finishing (painted plastic visible parts).

YOUR CHALLENGE

YOUR TALENTS

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• Start: ASAP
• Duration: 6 months (with option for extension)
• Remote/On-Site: On-site
• Utilization: 100 %
• Analysis and stabilization of existing injection molding processes for painted plastic components (visible parts), including parameter and material evaluation
• Systematic identification of quality defects (e.g., sink marks, warping, knit lines, surface defects, paint adhesion problems) including root cause analysis
• Conducting process audits directly on the shop floor (injection molding, handling, pre-treatment, painting, drying) and deriving actionable action plans
• Optimization of process windows, setup and release processes, and inspection characteristics for sustainable reduction of scrap and rework
• Development, documentation, and roll-out of standards/best practices for injection molding and painting processes (e.g., checklists, control plans, process parameter standards)
• Close coordination with production, quality, and development for robust defect prevention (e.g., adjustments to tooling, material, component design, paint structure)
• Support of series production launches, including troubleshooting, maturity tracking, and assistance with initial sample inspection/approval (EMPB/PPAP)
• Training and coaching of team leaders and employees on-site (problem-solving methods, process discipline, standard work)
• Must-have: 5+ years of relevant experience in series production of injection molding, ideally with a focus on visible parts and painted plastic components
• Must-have: Very good knowledge of injection molding technology (tool/cavity understanding, process parameters, tempering, venting, material behavior)
• Must-have: Material know-how in common thermoplastics, especially PP, ABS, PC (possibly blends) and their influence on surface and paintability
• Must-have: Proven shop floor experience, including structured analysis of process deviations and rapid implementation of corrective actions
• Must-have: Experience with painting processes for plastics (pre-treatment, adhesion promoter/primer, paint structure, environmental conditions) and surface requirements
• Methodological competence: Confident use of Lean / Six Sigma, FMEA, 8D, Ishikawa, SPC, as well as sustainable action and effectiveness control
• Desirable: Project experience in the automotive environment (OEM/Tier-1/Tier-2) including high quality and documentation requirements
• Desirable: Routine in PPAP/EMPB, support for series production launches, and interface with customer/supplier quality
• Strong in communication and stakeholder management – from line staff to plant/department management

Project details

• Start: flexible
• Location: DE
• Languages: German

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