Related Interview: Cassandra talks about her experience and perspective on engineering 

In a recent interview with Cassandra Dugal, Chain Program Manager at TSP, in Houston Texas, we got the opportunity to learn about the fasteners industry, her perspective as an engineer, professional association involvement, and some insight into the trends happening in her industry. In Cassandra’s words: “Engineering as a word will never change – there will always be people who are trying to engineer better solutions to the problems at hand”

Cassandra earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Notre Dame. After college, Cassandra worked first for Norfolk Southern Railroad in Fort Wayne, where she performed as an assistant trainmaster and then for Corning Inc. at a manufacturing plant in Charlotte, NC, as a shift supervisor.  Growing up in a family of engineers she knew that she would one day fit into that field.  She decided on mechanical engineering after an internship at Intergraph where she was exposed to many different engineering fields.

Q: Tell us about TSP.
TSP provides supply chain solutions for fastener distribution all over the world.  The majority of our customers are in the Oil and Gas industry.  At this time, TSP has five mechanical engineers and one industrial engineer.  Our mechanical engineers spend most of their time interfacing with our customers.  Most of us have office space at different customer sites so that we can be intimately involved with the design, purchasing and delivery of fasteners.  Our industrial engineer works with each of the mechanical engineers to help design appropriate product delivery processes. 

As a company, we supply engineered fasteners that are made to high quality standards and focus on always doing our best to provide the highest quality product that fully meets the extreme conditions of our customers’ applications.

Q: How did you make the decision to accept your current job?
I decided to take this job by jumping at a chance.  I wanted to work in Houston, my interview with TSP was intriguing and it was a great opportunity.  For me, working in a smaller company was the best decision I could make.

Q: What is your role at TSP?
As Supply Chain Program Manager, I work with our customers to ensure that they receive the right fastener, at the right time in the right place.  A typical day for me includes multiple conversations with customer engineers.  Our customers require help understanding and applying specifications that are related to fasteners.  This collaboration leads to better purchasing specifications for fasteners.

I also help with the purchasing process by finding opportunities for TSP to handle tasks for our customers.  This can include setting up consignment programs or creating virtual employee positions for TSP people in our customers’ systems.

Q: What type of challenges have you incurred or learned along your career?
Part of my job is to work with the customer closely.  Many of our customers have very technical product that requires an understanding of fastener technology and also the application technology.  Taking on a new account is always challenging because the customer applications change dramatically and fasteners can be used in ways which are unique to that application.

For example, I worked with an engineer at a customer site who needed help with an application.  In almost 6 years of dealing with this industry, I had not seen anyone use fasteners in the manner he wished to use them.  For 4 weeks, I researched the issue while he tested and got his application approved.  After my research was complete, I presented the conclusion that even if it worked as designed there was a more common and well tested way to design the connection.  It was a difficult time as we had to go up the chain of command to rationalize the appropriate action.  As an outside vendor, everything I said was double and triple checked by the engineers of the company.  However, my facts were clear and researched so the design was redone.  It reminded me how important and necessary it is to properly research and develop a strong, logical argument.

Q: Tell us about some professional or life experience that became a tipping point in your career.
I thought I wanted to be less technical in my career, so I took my first job out of college at Norfolk Southern Railroad.  Although I liked the job, after a few years, I knew I had made the wrong decision and I started searching for a job that was more technical.  I discovered that with a goal in mind I could direct my own path despite “common wisdom” information.

Q: What are the trends on the forefront in your industry?
Working globally is changing the fastener industry.  Specifications from different countries overlap and can cause issues because of their differences.  For example, in one country plating can be applied to a type of high strength bolt, in the next country no plating can be applied to that type of bolt due to possible hydrogen embrittlement issues and the plating from the other country cannot be applied because of environmental issues.

There are also issues of relocating manufacturing to other countries.  Product expectations change depending on manufacturing locations and whereas some countries have strong laws and standards for fasteners others do not.

Q: What are the considerations one should keep in mind when deciding whether to work in your industry?
In most cases, an engineer needs to work from the ground up either through manufacturing or sales.  There are countless applications to identify and learn.  Opportunities exist at a higher level if an engineer has the drive to find them.

Q: Are you part of any engineering professional organizations or other volunteer organizations in general?
I am involved in ASME, SWE (Society of Woman Engineers) and APICS (The Association for Operations Management.)  At this time, I am highly active in ASME as a member of the Board on Affinity Communities, several special action groups and as a member of several Codes & Standard’s B18 Subcommittees.  I am taking some time off from officer positions in SWE and APICS.

I joined SWE (8 years ago) when I moved to North Carolina with Corning, Inc.  In a new city, I was reaching out to other engineers.  I joined ASME (6 years ago) when I moved to Houston, TX and started to work at TSP.  At the time, TSP only had one other engineer so I joined ASME to network with other engineers.  I joined APICS (3 years ago) to earn my CPIM (Certification in Production and Inventory Management) as many of my customers recommended.

Each organization fulfills a different part of my development.  SWE has given me the chance to interact with strong female engineers, many of whom have become role models.  ASME has given me the chance to branch out into some very technical aspects of fasteners by working on the Codes and Standards related to my field.  ASME also provides many opportunities for me to help mechanical engineering as a field.  I am highly interested in involving members with the organization because of the strength our membership has to enact change when they choose.  APICS provided a certification that I needed to work in the field of supply chain management.  Supply chain management was not included in my mechanical engineering classes.

Q: What advice will you give to early career engineers in general for them to get involved in professional organizations?
The best thing for an early career engineer is to research opportunities available and pick something that is interesting.  Within ASME, I would recommend applying for the ECLIPSE (Early Career Leadership Intern Program to Serve Engineering) program.  I was an ECLIPSE intern and it really helped me understand where in the organization I wanted to serve.

Q: What are your plans for the future?
Continue with TSP and broaden my interaction with our customers’ applications.  I know that there is more to learn and I am interested enough to find it.  I will continue to be active in my professional organizations as they provide networking and growth opportunities that I cannot find in a smaller company.

If you have comments about this spotlight or would like to contact Cassandra, please email earlycareerengineers@asme.org.