Hi. I’m John C. Carlton, a currently unemployed mechanical engineer and designer currently living in Southern Connecticut. I graduated from the University of Bridgeport in 1988, a university who’s motto was, when I attended; “Educating For The Real World.” That education must not have taken because the real world keeps hitting back.
I have over 15 years experience in mechanical design and product development. I’ve worked in places as varied as a compressor factory where the technology was straight out of the 19th century and a DOE physics lab where the stuff I did left the cutting edge about five years back. Lately I’ve been designing high end laboratory instruments like mass spectrometers.
I have always been interested in industrial history and railroads. I’ve been known to volunteer at the SONO Switch Tower Museum giving presentations to everybody from politicians to five year olds. I also visit most of the local technical and railroad museums frequently and am a member of many of them.
I seem to acquire hobbies like barnacles and have a bunch. I like computing and the internet(I bought my first computer in 1982, an Apple IIE). I’ve been a scale modeler and model railroader since about seven years old. I try to get on the water with my kayak when I can. Lately I’ve been dabbling in electronics again at the local makerspace.
That’s me in a nutshell. I’m going to keep posting stuff as I find it. Here’s my CV:
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
PerkinElmer Branford, CT (2008-2012) Senior Mechanical Design Engineer Time Of Flight (TOF) Mass Spectrometry
Key mechanical designer, designed components and packaging configuration for new Q TOF(AxION iQT GC/MS/MS). Key designer for mechanical design of Axion DSA from prototype through to production(winner ITF innovation award 2013). Lead mechanical engineer responsible for design and layout of new product “AxIon2 TOF mass spectrometer” including ion train, vacuum system and interfaces, packaging, and final assembly configuration. Designer responsible for cost reduction of TOF component of Plex ID analyzer. In addition, used solidworks to design ion train and packaging for single quad mass spectrometer, improvements on electrospray probes, ion sources, ion guides, manufacturing fixtures and other mass spectrometry components. Brought Axion2 and Axion IQT in as ROHS compliant projects.
Memry Corporation Bethel, CT (2006) Contract Designer
Designed tooling for memory wire and modeled stent wire forms using Solidworks . contract
Start LLc Shelton, CT (2005) Contract Designer
: Designed and analyzed small medical device(blood draw tube) using Solidworks and Mathcad.
Zygo Corporation Middlefield, CT (2002 to 2003). (2004-2005)(2 Contracts) Senior Contract Designer
Designed and developed new 32 in wavelength shifting interferometer, bringing project to completion. Designed fixture for spherical optical test artifact. Implemented engineering changes as required
HARCO Laboratories Branford, CT . (2000 and 2001) Senior Product Designer
Responsible for development of new product line (thermal switches) and produced designs to meet customer requirements. Developed new product (thermal switch) for sale to large aircraft manufacturer. Developed new tooling for new products. Performed FEA analysis on new products to confirm calculations . Initiated, developed procedures for implementation, developed database for major engineering change required by FAA. Created new part drawings and initiated FAA release process for products to apply for FAA PMA license on parts. Performed task as required for quality assurance and manufacturing including inspection fixtures, equipment enclosures, manufacturing drawings, product testing and wire harness fixtures.
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility Newport News, VA (1997-1998) Mechanical Designer
Designed and developed components of 1 KW Free Electron Laser and large electron beam accelerator including ultra high vacuum chambers and support structures, optical mounts, magnets, magnet mounts, beam tube components, small mechanisms, test fixtures, high voltage power components, feedthroughs, equipment mounts, HV conduits and casing, and internal components including loadlocks, cesiator, electron gun parts, shields and electrical connections.
Circon ACMI Stamford, CT (1996) Contract Designer
: Redesigned and created documentation for product(MT-700 cryogun) to meet Circon specifications. Transferred and corrected drawings for medical instruments and optics to create Circon product documentation . Created manufacturing drawings and bills of material.
Energy Industries Corpus Christi, TX (1994) Contract Cad Consultant
: created engineering database, formats and developed process for translating ME10 drawings to AutoCAD.
Norwalk Company South Norwalk, CT (1991 to 1992) Engineer and CAD Administrator
Designed and programmed compressor rod load analysis software using Microsoft Excel. Performed various tasks to install and operate HP ME10 CAD network including technical assistance and macro creation. Designed parts to assist project engineers and provide solutions for field problems. Created CAD drawing standards applying Ansi Y14.5 1991 to 1992
Technical Skills
Design: Solidworks to release 2012, CoCreate Solid Designer, ME 10/30,MathCad. Have had training in Manufacturing engineering, Machining and Geometric design and tolerancing. Have designed electronic enclosures, vacuum chambers, vacuum feedthroughs, high voltage connectors, ceramic parts, high precision parts and assemblies, sheet metal enclosures, castings, precision weldments, building layouts, piping, structural steel, heavy and light machine parts, medical instruments, small mechanisms, manufacturing fixtures, equipment enclosures, aircraft cables and harnesses, thermocouples, welded, machined, braided, PC board, epoxy parts and optical components to ANSI Y14.5 in metric and standard. Currently I am senior designer.
Computer: Have worked in C/C++, Basic, Fortran and the MS Excel macro language to perform engineering simulation and calculation. Have created engineering document databases in Ms Access to assist document control and engineering changes.
Education
BS Mechanical Engineering degree at the University of Bridgeport. Graduated December 1988. Dean’s list.
Interests And Hobbies
Member Western Conn NRHS, volunteer at SONO switch tower museum giving presentations on the history of local railroading, railroad signals and tower operations, May through Oct weekends. New Haven Railroad electrification and history. Japan, Japanese culture and Japanese railroads. Photography and railroad photography.
Check out my Linked in profile for more info:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnccarlton
The Arts Mechanical 
Pleased to meet you.
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I’m a 78 year old retired self employed Toolmaker from New Jersey. I look forward to your postings on Instapundit. I too shudder at what’s happening in our country and the lack of awareness of the public.We are constantly told that people like me need to be retrained….,,to do what? I think people need to be trained to do what I did. I took kids who were thrown over the side by their local schools and taught them how to make a living. I taught them how to think for themselves and develop their own “tricks of the trade.”
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I am a retired mechanical engineer living in the NW corner of CT. I worked in the aerospace industry most of my career and I know that today there is still a need for ME’s in aerospace in CT. I was going to contact you through LinkedIn but the link was broken and I could not find your profile. Contact me and I’d enjoy meeting you (I enjoy your blog) and perhaps could help with your job search. I’d even buy lunch. I’m discouraged by CT’s business climate, but there are still opportunities and in retirement I do what I can to encourage manufacturing here.
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I’d love to get in contact with new people. I didn’t realize the link was broken. I’ll fix it right now. One thing about what I’m trying to do here is to do things that help others. Yes I post weird stuff, but I also am doing the job stuff every week and the “let’s build to help people trying to make a product from a project.
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I would love to comment on the blog posts but don’t have a clue as to how to find the comment box. You know, this one, that says leave a reply? how do I find it when reading a post? I run a small manufacturing company, small, as in mom and pop type. High end architectural woodworking, we ship all over the US. We have a small machine shop as well, to support the woodworking machines. I grew up in central CT, back before RT2 turned the rural areas into suburbs of Hartford.
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