Engineering (General) Consultants: 79

David Smith is an experienced mechanical engineer (MS, PE) with seven issued patents. Award-winning inventor. Vice President of Alpine Engineering and Design, a mechanical engineering consulting company with clients around the United States ranging from individual inventors to Fortune 500 companies. Worked on the development of multiple successful products including among other things: aerial lifts, garbage trucks, thrill rides, ziplines, trailers, oil and gas equipment, exercise equipment, manufacturing equipment, and multiple consumer products. 

Graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. Completed a master's of science degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA with an emphasis in product development. Licensed professional engineer (PE) and certified safety professional in comprehensive practice (CSP). Certified trainer for boom lifts, scissor lifts, rough terrain, and counterbalanced forklifts. Over 10 years of experience in product development, patents, equipment safety, and risk assessments. 

Experienced expert witness having drafted over 200 reports/declarations in patent cases and catastrophic injury and death cases. Designed and built multiple custom testing devices to obtain data and evaluate opinions. Created multiple demonstratives to explain the mechanics and circumstances of accident sequences and patented devices. Testified in deposition 11 times and in trial once.

Expert Witness Services Professional Expert Reports Testing Forensic/Failure Analysis Accident Reconstruction Demonstratives Inspections/Measurements Compliance with Standards Expert Testimony Patent & Patent Related Issues Patent Searches Provisional Patent Complete with Illustrations Patent Infringement Review

Product Development Innovative Concept Multi-Industry Experience Powerful Design Tools Full Service Fabricating Materials Design Analysis Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Electrical Structural Integrity Tests Value Analysis

DireenTech is a Design and Systems Development firm in the Electronics and Software Industry. They are currently under contract with the US Air Force Academy Center for UAS Research, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the area of using General Purpose Graphics Processing Units (GPGPU) in UAVs / Drones to provide fast autonomous target identification and GPS denied navigation. DireenTech has also partnered with FalconWorks and Falci Adaptive Motor sports on the NeuroGroove program to develop technologies to help those with neuromotor disabilities, including U.S. veterans, increase their ability to control and interact with their environment.

Core Services

• Software Design and Development
• Electronic Hardware Design and Development
• Research using GPGPUs for Control, Navigation and Image Processing
• Intellectual Property
• Reverse Engineering Hardware, Software, and Firmware
• Product Forensics

Chief Operating officer, Harry Direen, PhD, PE has over 30 years of experience as an engineer Designing and Developing Systems in the Electronics and Software Industry. He has taught engineering courses at the US Air Force Academy and at the University of Colorado. Dr. Direen currently works with a research group at the US Air Force Academy developing control systems and image processing using GPGPUs for UAVs. An inventor, he holds 3 United States patents. Dr. Direen has a broad base of knowledge in electronic and software systems gained from a long career developing a wide range of products and systems. He has reverse engineered a variety of complex systems over the years, including: media players, modems, modem compression algorithms, coriolis mass flow meters, database systems, and a range of other products to support patent infringement cases generating detailed claim charts and writing expert reports to demonstrate infringement. Dr. Direen has successfully discovered and analyzed complex digital signal processing algorithms and pertinent operations within these products for many years.

View Dr. Direen's Expert Witness Profile.

William R. Acorn is founder of Acorn Consulting Services, LLC, an engineering firm. As a consulting mechanical engineer, Bill provides project analysis, forensic reconstructions and litigation support services relating to the design, delivery, and functioning of high-tech manufacturing facilities, semiconductor fabrication facilities, institutional laboratories, data centers, health care facilities and a variety of commercial buildings. He is a recognized expert in the evaluation of deficiencies in HVAC systems, cleanrooms, piping systems, refrigeration systems, construction defects, building and fire code compliance, and patent and trade secret disputes. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants.

Bill has more than 40 years of experience as a professional engineer and is a recognized expert in assessing, evaluating, remediating and providing testimony on complex project design, construction and operational matters. His consulting expertise has been influential in shaping approaches to code compliance and life safety in semiconductor and similar advanced technology facilities.

Certifications and Designations:

• Registered as a Professional Mechanical Engineer in the States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington.
• Registered with the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying NCEES (Certificate No. 6999)
• Fellow in the HVAC industry leading organization ASHRAE
• Visiting lecturer at the Arizona State University Del E. Webb School of Construction in Tempe, AZ
• Advisor to CREATE, ACE – Alliance for Construction Excellence and the IAB – Industry Advisory Board, all affiliated with ASU

Building Systems Analysis:

HVAC and Refrigeration Process and Power Piping Plumbing Systems Standard of Care in Design and Construction

Chemical Exposures in the Workplace Cleanroom Design and Performance Codes and Standards Patent and Trade Secret Disputes

Litigation Support: Bill’s pragmatic approach to both forensic and litigation consulting as well as project consulting is based on more than 40 years of real-world experience as a design professional, mentor and forensic analyst, as well as many years as an instructor in professional and academic settings. Represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of jurisdictions throughout the US and Asia. Bill’s ability to explain complex issues to non-technical audiences, including juries, mediators and judges, is a key to successfully solving your litigation challenges.

• Forensic Analysis
• Strategic Litigation Consulting
• Trial Demonstratives
• Expert Testimony

Acorn Consulting Services

Consulting Services: Services range from peer review to conceptual design to development of strategies and programs for expedited project delivery.

Bill frequently acts as an owner’s agent and mentor, functioning as an extension of the owner’s project team. On other projects, Bill serves as a subject matter expert assisting project delivery firms in their development of viable solutions and review of construction documents.

As a project consultant, Bill assures the project gets off to the right start and provides his expertise through completion and operation to maximize return on investment.

Consulting Expertise Includes:

• Project Design and Management Consulting
• Forensic Analysis and Litigation Consulting
• Mentoring & Advanced Education

Dr. Adam K. Aleksander, PhD, PE, CSP, has over 40 years of experience in the areas of Mechanical Engineering, Human Factors, and Safety Engineering. His consulting services include industrial projects related to utility and heavy industrial plant events, equipment failures, combustion, STG, chlorine, and material handling systems. Principal at ALEKSANDER & Associates and VP of an Energy Services firm, Dr. Aleksander has been a practicing engineer since 1972, focusing his Manufacturing, Consulting and Forensic investigations on Problem Definition and Root Cause Analysis of complex problems in confidential issues.

Dr. Aleksander has performed extensive research in his field of expertise. The author of numerous publications on Mechanical Engineering, Human Factors, and Safety Engineering, he has delivered lectures and presented seminars to such entities as the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the International Academy of Forensic Sciences, and the National Academy of Forensic Engineers.

ALEKSANDER & Associates Services Include:

Investigative Engineering Accident / Incident Investigation Accident, Loss, & Exposure Evaluations Environmental Permitting & Reclamation Product Liability Risk Management & Safety	Preventive Engineering Accident / Incident Investigations Human - Machine Interaction & Ergonomics Research & Investigations RMP & PSM Work Site Evaluation
Safety / Ergonomics Industrial Ergonomics Risk Management, PSM, Loss Control Accident, Loss, & Exposure Evaluations	Consulting Engineering Engineering Design & Analysis OSHA & Regulatory Issues Industrial Forensics

View Dr. Aleksander's Expert Witness Profile.

All About Pavements, Inc. (API) is capable of performing virtually any project related to Pavement Engineering. API's objective is to provide practical, innovative, and cost-effective pavement engineering solutions in the areas of design, research, management construction, repair and maintenance issues. API personnel have worked at numerous airport and roadway systems located throughout the United States and abroad.

Consulting Services:

Pavement Management Systems Non-Destructive Deflection Testing Pavement Condition Surveys Roughness / Ride Quality Testing Network and Project Level Pavement Evaluation

Geographic Information Systems Research and Software Development Technical Training Courses Asset Management Construction Consultation

Wayne J. Seiler, PhD, PE, is a Principal Engineer with All About Pavements Inc (API), with responsibility for Airport, Highway, and Port Pavement engineering and construction projects. With over 38 years of pavement engineering expertise, he is a Registered Professional Engineer in Minnesota, Illinois, North Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Maryland, and Mississippi.

Dr. Seiler has conducted pavement evaluations and developed numerous pavement designs for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of airports throughout the United States during his 38 year career. As a project manager, he has completed pavement evaluation, rehabilitation design, and pavement management work for several commercial airports, including BWI, Charlotte International Airport, Portland International Airport, Pittsburgh International Airport, O'Hare International Airport, Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Dayton International Airport, Wichita’s Mid-Continental Airport, and Montreal’s Mirabel and Dorval International Airports. These studies were accomplished through extensive records review, thorough investigations, pavement condition index surveys, nondestructive deflection testing, remaining life analyses, rehabilitation design using FAA procedures and more advanced mechanistic analyses, and life cycle cost comparisons.

In 2017, ASCE’s Transportation & Development Institute awarded Dr. Seiler with their national Airfield Pavement Practitioner Award. This award honors and recognizes practicing engineers employed in the airfield pavement engineering profession with demonstrated leadership and achievement in airfield pavement projects.

View Dr. Seiler's Expert Witness Profile.

Dr. Charles R. Anderson has long specialized in the Characterization of Surfaces, Interfaces, Thin Films and Coatings. He and his team offer Materials Consulting Services, enhancing material and/or process to meet requirements and provide advantages over competitors. 

Dr. Anderson is able to apply decades of experience, cross-industry knowledge, and diverse areas of expertise to serve as a cost-effective partner to enhance or augment current R&D capabilities or capacity. Anderson Materials (AME) is prepared to deploy an array of analytical techniques and experiences to provide top-tier analysis and consulting services. 

AME offers services to such industries as Aerospace and Defense, Building Materials and Construction, Chemical, Communications, Consumer Goods, Electronics, Energy & Utility, Government Agencies, Industrial Equipment, Medical Industries, Resource Materials, and Colleges and Universities. 

Consulting Specialties:

Adhesive Bonding Cleanliness & Contamination Coatings CTE, Thermal Expansion Elemental Analysis Glass Transition Temperature Interfaces Materials Identification / Verification

Medical Devices and Prostheses Melting Temperature Outgassing and Water Content Particle Analysis Plastic Testing Surface Chemistry Surface Roughness Thin Film Analysis

View Expert Witness Profile.

ANNA is a mechanical and electrical engineering firm dedicated to Gas, Coal-fired, Hydroelectric, and Nuclear Power Generation. ANNA has global relationships that augment their ability to solve any power generation problem, no matter how specialized or complex.

Services Include:

• Design and Construction
• Startup, Troubleshooting, Modifications, and Additions
• Forensic and Expert Witness Services

Principal, Ole E. Haaland, PE, has thirty four years experience in power production, design, construction, and commissioning, with 30+ years managing people and projects.

Mr. Haaland is a registered professional engineer in Maryland and held a Senior Reactor Operator’s license at Indian Point #3 Nuclear Power Plant. His experience is in conventional, nuclear, and alternate fuel power plant mechanical and electrical systems management, design, construction, plant outage management, start-up, performance testing, and operation.

Mr. Haaland has performed as aProject Manager, Construction Manager, and Commissioning Manager for several Greenfield power projects and other prime movers around the globe. He has successfully engineered, estimated, planned, executed work, and provided troubleshooting services on electrical switchgear, voltage regulators, plant control and automation systems, steam turbines, hydro turbines, diesel generators, steam generators, isolation valves, engine exhaust systems, heat recovery systems, condensate polishers, feed water heaters, main condensers, and moisture separators.

View Ole Haaland's Expert Witness Profile.

ATech Designs, Inc. is a five-time award winning Product Development, Design and Consulting company. They have worked with clients in many different fields of work including the Medical Product Device Design and Development industry. The types of medical products ATech Designs, Inc. has developed include medical disposables, medical devices, laparoscopic devices, anastomotic connectors, catheters, intravenous (IV) devices, mitral valve repair devices, non-invasive surgical instruments, and knitted multi-pole pockets for RF endometrial ablation. Services Include:

Product Design and Development Machine Design Polymer Selection Detail Drafting Finite Element Analysis (FEA) Manufacturing FACTTM Molding

Product Assembly Product Testing Root Cause Analysis / Dynamic Mechanical Analysis Animal Studies Clinical Studies Expert Court Witness Design Prototyping

Karl R. Leinsing, MSME, PE, President of Atech Designs, Inc., is a Professional Mechanical Engineer who specializes in Medical Device Product Development from concept to production. Mr. Leinsing has been granted over 20 patents (needle free IV valves, laparoscopic devices, needlescopic devices, suture lockers, catheters, mitral valve repair devices, knitting machines) and excels in solving the most complicated problems and design challenges. The winner of five design awards, Mr. Leinsing is recognized as one of the top 100 medical device professionals in the nation by MD&DI. For dedication to his industry, he was made the 2014 Chairman of the Medical Device and Manufacturing Conference in Anaheim, CA. Mr. Leinsing has also been acknowledged for his work in a publication by Life Magazine.

View Karl Leinsing's Expert Witness Profile.

Michael Nranian, JD, MBA, MS has over 30 years experience focusing in Product Development, Intellectual Property, Patent Litigation, Legal and Technical Compliance, and Product Liability Litigation. He is a licensed attorney in Michigan, Texas, & the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Nranian is a Six Sigma Black Belt, Professional Engineer, & Certified Project Management Professional. He has an in-depth background and education in Law, IP, Electrical, Chemical & Computer Engineering, & Business. He has testified extensively as an expert witness in depositions, hearings, and trials in state & federal courts.

Mr. Nranian conducts Product and Technology Analysis, Patentability & Prior Art Research,and provides Technology & Litigation Support for Intellectual Property. His litigation background includes patent infringement / non-infringement under literal infringement and the doctrine of equivalents, patent validity / invalidity, prior art, & file-wrapper estoppel, for both ITC and Federal cases, including Inter Partes reviews. He conducts analysis of patents and products, prepares claim charts, & expert witness reports. This includes testimony and document preparation for cases before state, and federal court jurisdictions, and the International Trade Commission and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Mr. Nranian is thoroughly familiar with all 101, 102, 103, 112, and other enablement and prior art arguments. His experience includes Technology Standards Boards and Licensing Authorities, Antitrust / DOJ, Technology Development and Transfer, Patents, Trademarks, Trade Secrets, and Copyrights, Licensing, Unfair Competition/Trade, False/Deceptive Advertising, & Lanham Act Actions, & Class Actions.

His Product Liability Expert Witness litigation background includes all types of Safety Systems, Electrical Systems, Fires, Accident Reconstruction, and Evaluation of Alternative Designs for Automotive, Medical and other industries. He has over 29 years of experience in Automotive Safety Systems, Sensors, Seatbelts, Airbags / Curtains, Seats, Diagnostic Systems, Crash Recorders, Crash Pulse Analysis, System Diagnostic, Fault Codes, Structure (including roof-crush and door) and front, side & roll-over systems (including sensing and algorithm development) for domestic and international corporations. He is thoroughly familiar with all regulatory (including FMVSS), and corporate due-care requirements, & preemption arguments, occupant kinematics, & injury causation.

Beaubien Engineering is a Transportation Design, Planning & Operations consulting firm. The firm offers services in the following areas of Traffic Operations:

• Municipal Traffic Engineering
• Traffic Impact Statements
• Intelligent Transportation Systems
• Road Safety Audits
• Traffic Incident Management

Richard F. Beaubien, PE, PTOE is a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer and Managing Director at Beaubien Engineering. He was previously Transportation Department Head at Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Consulting Engineers for more than 23 years. Mr. Beaubien's employment experience includes 5 years as a highway engineer with the Federal Highway Administration and 14 years as the traffic engineer for the City of Troy, Michigan.

Mr. Beaubien is a past International President of the Institute of Transportation Engineers and the past President of the Intelligent Transportation Society of Michigan. He currently chairs the Metro Detroit Traffic Incident Management Coordinating Committee.

Mr. Beaubien is the author of numerous articles on topics within his area of expertise including Managing Traffic Incidents, Intelligent Transportation Systems, and Traffic Safety. He has delivered presentation and seminars to such entities as the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Mr. Beaubien is the recipient of the President’s Award, Intelligent Transportation Society of Michigan, 2003 and the Burton W. Marsh Award, Institute of Transportation Engineers, 1998.

View Richard Beaubien's Expert Witness Profile.

Biernath Consulting, Inc., helps small companies assess how AI and other advanced sciences & technologies can help grow their business, then helps them create and implement inventive solutions to achieve that. 

Rolf Biernath, PhD in Chemical Engineering, has over 35 years in the Chemicals and Electronics Industries with a concentration on AI & advanced technology new product development. He developed new products and product lines at 3M for 31 years in senior technical roles.  His 57 issued US patents span a broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines. He has a strong drive to find the simplest and most effective solutions that meet customer needs and business objectives.  His broad technical background and his resourceful ability to learn new fields quickly make him an ideal partner to help turn product "hunches" into fully realized new products and services.  If it can be done, he'll find the way.  If not, he'll tell you why, and let you know what advances might enable it in the future.

Rolf also works with VC and Angel Investors to assess a startup's new technology odds of technical and business success.  He is known for his ability to break down complex technical problems and find the critical aspects that will make or break a new product.  This helps investors ensure that financial investments are used to target the highest risks first, thereby reducing the money and time wasted chasing after products that may likely never see the light of day.

Consultant Specialties:

New Product Innovation Manufacturing Innovation Generative AI Prompt Engineering Root Cause Identification Automation Chemical Engineering

Smart Devices IoT Devices IIoT Sensors Electromechanical Assemblies

Background Experience - Dr. Biernath has 57 Issued US Patents on New Products, including:

• Industrial Adhesives and Tapes – 3D printing materials development, automation, and tape application processes
• Electronic Displays – optical display films, outdoor digital displays, backlights, LED color mixing, e-Paper
• Electronic Materials – epoxy thermoset adhesives & application process (elastomeric epoxy), high speed electronic connectors
• Signage – retroreflective signage, license plate recognition, ADAS, Human Invisible, Machine-Readable Coding System
• IoT and IIoT – Automatic and predictive selection and replacement of controllers; novel low-cost oil-detection sensor
• Microreplication – microfluidics, textured adhesives and processes

View Dr. Rolf Biernath's Expert Witness Profile.

Peter Crosby has over 45 years experience in the medical device industry. He has served as CEO of six medical device companies in four countries (public and private), and brought many products to the world market through clinical trials and regulatory approval.

Through Biomedical Business Resources LLC, he provides many services including:

• Advisory - helping clients with strategy, operations, execution, and business building\
• Mentoring, especially first time CEOs
• Expert Witness - assisting attorneys with multiple expert reports, depositions, and testimony at trial and arbitration. Cases include disputes about intellectual property , product liability, and commercial contracts
• Board Services - offering Independent Board Member services for companies, public or private, with experience in building companies, and helping management teams in times of high growth and rapid change

Mr. Crosby's product experience includes implantable devices (cochlear implants, cardiac pacemakers, implantable defibrillators, artificial heart, neurostimulation), in vitro diagnostics, imaging (ultrasound and X-ray), software, AEDs, and patient monitoring. His clinical domain experience includes ophthalmology, otolaryngology, cardiac surgery, cardiology, orthopedics, pain management, anesthesia and intensive care.

View Peter Crosby's Expert Witness Profile.

Bonneau Dickson, PE, is a Sanitary Engineer with over 35 years of experience in all aspects of studying, designing, and constructing water, wastewater, and stormwater facilities, both in the United States and abroad.

Mr. Dickson provides consulting services in the following areas::

Sewage Overflows Wastewater Facilities Design Wastewater Facilities Planning Septic Systems Water Facilities Design

Water Facilities Planning Standard of Care Stormwater Facilities Design Stormwater Facilities Planning PCE Contamination

Design Experience - Mr. Dickson has participated in the design of approximately 300 water, wastewater and stormwater projects, ranging in size from a single septic tank or well to a 120 MGD pure oxygen wastewater treatment plant. He was the project manager on many of these projects.

Construction Management Experience - Mr. Dickson has been resident engineer or otherwise participated in the construction phase of approximately 20 water and wastewater projects.

Management Experience - Bonneau Dickson has both project management and general management experience. Has been project manager on approximately 175 projects. He was operations manager for a 150 person engineering firm, and has frequently managed design teams and design departments. He has served as staff to technical agencies assisting them select, hire, and manage other consultants.

View Bonneau Dickson's Expert Witness Profile.

Burtness Engineering Services, is a multi-disciplined consulting engineering firm serving municipal, institutional, industrial, and commercial end user clients, civil engineering firms, and landscape architectural firms with MEP services for the construction industry. They specialize in Street and Area Lighting Design, Electrical Engineering, and Forensic Engineering services.

Consulting Services Include:

• Illumination Engineering for Roadway, Street, and Area Lighting
• Electrical Engineering (Through 15kv)
• Monitoring and Control Systems for Street and Area Lighting
• Full Range of MEP Services
• Industrial Instrumentation and Control Systems
• Stakeholder Based Collaborative Design Philosophy
• Focusing on the Marriage of the Art of Aesthetic Design and the Science of Technical Engineering
• Serving as a Prime or a Sub Consultant
• Forensic Consulting and Expert Witness Services

Principal, Thomas H. Burtness, PE, is an Electrical Engineer specializing in both Electrical and Building Construction - equipment selection, specification, and installation (actually “working with the tools”), as well as cost control techniques.

Background - Mr. Burtness has 40+ years of experience in the design, specification, construction contract administration, installation, startup, and troubleshooting of electrical power, on-site generation, distribution, control, and instrumentation systems and equipment for residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal occupancies. His experience also includes water, wastewater, and stormwater treatment plants, and military facilities.

Additional expertise includes Illumination Engineering for street, roadway, and area lighting including photometric footcandle requirements, calculations, field verification, equipment specifications, installation, and analysis of failure, glare, overlighting and underlighting.

Thomas Burtness has written numerous in-depth reports, including municipal master planning documents, as well as operation, maintenance, and testing manuals. He also has extensive experience in public speaking and teaching.

View Thomas Burtness' Expert Witness Profile.

Areas of Expertise: Chet  Sandberg, P.E. received a BS in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and a MS in Electrical Engineering from Stanford. He is a professional engineer in the state of California and an IEEE Fellow.

Background Experience - Litigation Support - Mr. Sandberg is an Expert Lithium Ion Battery  and Heat Transfer Expert with successful litigation in Lithium Ion Battery Failure.  He has court room experience, including testifying before the ITC in Washington DC. Mr. Sandberg is available to attorneys for both plaintiff and defendant. Mr. Sandberg joined the Chemelex Division of Raychem Corporation where he managed technology projects for 30 years. He held various positions at Raychem culminating as Chief Engineer.

For the next 6 years, Mr. Sandberg managed the development of a downhole, self-regulating electrical heater technology for Shell Oil. In 2009, he founded C L Sandberg & Associates, a consultancy specializing in Energy Projects, including managing customer engineering for Altairnano, a lithium ion battery manufacturer.

Mr. Sandberg has been associated with Electrical Energy Storage at EPRI, ESA, Sandia, and PNNL, as well as providing due diligence expertise for venture capital and private equity companies on their technical prospective investments. He has been granted 30 United States Patents and has authored over 70 technical papers on energy usage, electric heat tracing, ground fault technology, fiber optics, sensor technology, and personal computers as design tools. 

Novel Battery Technology Energy Storage Electrical Ground Fault Protection Powerline Carrier Technology Heat Transfer Backup Power Supply Oil Field Heating and Instrumentation Engineering Safety Requirements in Nuclear Power Generation

Hazardous Safety of Explosive Gases Process Control Software Instrumentation Hardware Fiber Optic Data Transmission Fiber Optic Sensors Nitinol Heat Tracing Economic Analysis of Energy Usage