Whatever your project, I've got the experience


employment history:

2005 - Present Owner of Howell Engineering

2000 - 2005 General Manager of Innovative Panel Solutions, Cedar Rapids IA - Large Build to Print Electrical Panel Shop (UL508A, ISO9001)

1997 - 2000 Director of Engineering for ABB Robotics Consumer Goods Division, New Berlin, WI - Robot Integration - Pick & Place, Packing & Palletizing

1994 - 1997 Controls Group Manager for Klockner-Bartelt, Sarasota, FL. High speed packaging machinery (up to 1000/min) and packaging line integration.
(Developed & Installed World's Largest Packaging System for Nabisco which wrapped and packaged 1,000,000 Oreos/Hr into single serve packaging.)

1984 - 1994 Controls Group Manager for Cherry-Burrell/Evergreen Packaging Cedar Rapids, IA.  (Fluid milk & juice packaging into paper cartons. Dairy & Food processing systems)

1979 - 1985 Project Engineer for Lydall Superior Ball, Washington, IN. (Ball Bearing Manufacturing Plant)

1978 - 1979 Project Engineer for Southern Indiana Gas & Electric, Evansville IN (Electric Utility - High Voltage Substation Department)

1974 - 1978 Student at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, IN (earned BSME degree 1978)

Howell Engineering projects:


  • 26 High Speed DNA Synthesizers for Integrated DNA, Coralville Iowa (Beckhoff TwinCAT)
  • DNA Synthesis Support Equipment for Integrated DNA, Coralville Iowa (Beckhoff TwinCAT)
  • Electrical Power Distribution Systems for new Bridgestone/Bandag plant in Thailand.
  • New Concept Tire Tread Pilot Line for Bridgestone/Bandag, Muscatine Iowa. (Rockwell/AB PLCs, 50+ Rockwell Servo drives and servos)
  • Tread Mold Extraction Systems for Bridgestone/Bandag.(Rockwell/AB PLCs, 18+ Rockwell Servo drives and servos)
  • Tread Press, Mixer, Finishing Line upgrade projects for for Bridgestone/Bandag. (Rockwell PLCs, HMIs & drives)
  • New Control / Electrical systems for Bridgestone/Bandag Dealer Equipment
  • (5 models of tread buffers, 2 models of builders, 1 chamber. Rockwell, Omron & Mitsubishi)
  • First 5 Wheelift Heavy Transporters for Doerffer Engineering, Waverley Iowa
  • (Beckhoff TwinCAT systems with EtherCAT drives. 2010 Control Design Magazine Innovation of the Year Winner)
  • Carbon Fiber Precursor Line SCADA system for Wright Engineering, Nashville TN (Rockwell HMI & visual Studio)
  • Carbon Fiber Precursor Line 6 head upgrade for Wright Engineering, Nashville TN (Rockwell PLC, HMI and VFD drives)
  • Three Rubber Mat unwind systems for TDS Automation, Waverly IA (Modicon PLCs, Telemecanique IO, & Rockwell Drives)
  • Many other smaller projects.