From Medical Devices to From Medical Devices to Paintball Guns:Paintball Guns: Innovation, Innovation, Invention and EntrepreneurshipInvention and Entrepreneurship

Who is Michael Quinn?Who is Michael Quinn?

• Senior Mechanical Engineer at BD, a medical Senior Mechanical Engineer at BD, a medical device manufacturerdevice manufacturer

• Married and father of a 1 year old daughterMarried and father of a 1 year old daughter• Lifelong resident of NJLifelong resident of NJ• Graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology Graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology

with bachelors and masters degrees in with bachelors and masters degrees in Mechanical EngineeringMechanical Engineering

• Hobbies: running marathons, triathlons, Hobbies: running marathons, triathlons, competitive paintballcompetitive paintball

The “Normal” EngineerThe “Normal” Engineer11stst Job Job

• Designed assembly equipment for Emabond Designed assembly equipment for Emabond Systems Inc.Systems Inc.– Provided high performance plastic welding Provided high performance plastic welding

technology for other companiestechnology for other companies

The “Normal” EngineerThe “Normal” Engineer11stst Job Job

• Emabond Welding Systems made parts for:Emabond Welding Systems made parts for:– Cars Cars – Appliances Appliances – Medical devicesMedical devices– Consumer ProductsConsumer Products

The “Normal” EngineerThe “Normal” Engineer22ndnd Job Job

• Designing Computer Hardware Armor Designing Computer Hardware Armor for the US Navyfor the US Navy

The “Normal” EngineerThe “Normal” Engineer22ndnd Job Job

• Armored cabinets to protect the Armored cabinets to protect the computers within themcomputers within them

The “Normal” EngineerThe “Normal” Engineer22ndnd Job Job

• How we tested the cabinets: Float them out How we tested the cabinets: Float them out onto a barge and detonate a HUGE explosive onto a barge and detonate a HUGE explosive next to it! next to it!

The “Normal” EngineerThe “Normal” Engineer33rdrd Job Job

• Designing syringes and needles for Designing syringes and needles for Becton DickinsonBecton Dickinson

The “Normal” EngineerThe “Normal” Engineer33rdrd Job Job

• Challenges at BDChallenges at BD– Make 10 BILLION syringes per year with Make 10 BILLION syringes per year with

only 4 out of a million defectsonly 4 out of a million defects– Make them to satisfy the needs of all the Make them to satisfy the needs of all the

countries around the worldcountries around the world– Make them at ½ the cost that they were Make them at ½ the cost that they were

made 30 years agomade 30 years ago

• Make devices that reduce infectionMake devices that reduce infection– Prevent accidental needle sticksPrevent accidental needle sticks– Prevent accidental infection of sick hospital Prevent accidental infection of sick hospital

patientspatients

The Entrepreneur InventorThe Entrepreneur InventorThe StartThe Start

• I played competition paintball and wanted to upgrade my equipmentI played competition paintball and wanted to upgrade my equipment• I realized that many of the “upgrades” didn’t work well or were simply I realized that many of the “upgrades” didn’t work well or were simply

“hype”“hype”

The Entrepreneur InventorThe Entrepreneur InventorThe StartThe Start

• I began designing my own parts and upgrades and I began designing my own parts and upgrades and started a small business on the weekendsstarted a small business on the weekends– BarrelsBarrels– Body kitsBody kits– ValvesValves

The Entrepreneur InventorThe Entrepreneur InventorExpanding my RepertoireExpanding my Repertoire

• Contacts from Paintball lead to consulting for other Contacts from Paintball lead to consulting for other industriesindustries– LED LightingLED Lighting– Billboard Frames for TrucksBillboard Frames for Trucks– Consumer productsConsumer products

• Each new job challenged my skillsEach new job challenged my skills– Learned new technologiesLearned new technologies– Learned business models for multiple industriesLearned business models for multiple industries

The Entrepreneur InventorThe Entrepreneur InventorFull product designer for paintball & Expert Full product designer for paintball & Expert

Witness for legal casesWitness for legal cases• Designing full product lines for the largest Designing full product lines for the largest

company in paintballcompany in paintball• Provide consulting services for legal cases as Provide consulting services for legal cases as

an expert in product design and use of an expert in product design and use of paintball markerspaintball markers

What is Engineering Design?

• Identifying a problemIdentifying a problem• Gathering input from customersGathering input from customers• Defining the problem and what the solution has to Defining the problem and what the solution has to

accomplishaccomplish• Creative thinking to make a product that fits the Creative thinking to make a product that fits the

solutionsolution• Prototype the product (both mathematically and Prototype the product (both mathematically and

then physically)then physically)• Test the productTest the product• Manufacture the productManufacture the product

Conclusion

• MAKE ENGINEERS VISIBLE!MAKE ENGINEERS VISIBLE!• Shine a light on the engineering profession Shine a light on the engineering profession

so students know what we doso students know what we do• Introduce actual engineers to the studentsIntroduce actual engineers to the students

• Field tripsField trips• Guest speakersGuest speakers• Q&A sessionsQ&A sessions