Bartek Stawiszynski

MECHANICAL ENGINEER

Skills Overview

Bartek is an experienced engineering leader with a strong background in manufacturing, process improvement, industrialisation, and project management. He has worked across production engineering, advanced manufacturing technologies, and operational excellence, helping organisations improve performance, implement new technologies, and successfully transfer products into production. He enjoys working closely with teams on the shop floor, leading complex projects, solving technical challenges, and delivering practical solutions that create lasting value through improved quality, productivity, and operational performance.

MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING – Bartek has extensive experience in manufacturing engineering within the cemented carbide and cutting tool industries. Throughout his career, he has worked closely with production teams to improve manufacturing performance, implement new technologies, and optimise production systems. His experience ranges from process development and technology implementation to production ramp up and operational improvement. By combining technical expertise with strong stakeholder engagement, he helps organisations improve quality, productivity, and process reliability.
PROJECT ENGINEERING & CAPITAL PROJECTS – Bartek has led and supported a wide range of technology, investment, and industrialisation projects, from initial concept through to commissioning and operational handover. His experience includes managing multidisciplinary teams, coordinating suppliers and contractors, planning project execution, and ensuring alignment between engineering, operations, and business objectives. In his last job, he successfully delivered more than 70 technology and investment projects with a combined value exceeding €10 million.
PROCESS IMPROVEMENT & OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE – Continuous improvement has been a central theme throughout Bartek’s career. He has successfully reduced defect rates, improved productivity, shortened cycle times, and lowered operational costs through structured problem solving and data driven decision making. Using Lean Six Sigma principles and close collaboration with production teams, he focuses on identifying root causes, eliminating waste, and creating sustainable improvements that deliver measurable business results.
PRODUCT INDUSTRIALISATION – Bartek has extensive experience transferring new products and technologies from development into stable and scalable manufacturing environments. He has supported the industrialisation of cutting tools, carbide products, and advanced manufacturing technologies, ensuring successful production readiness through process development, equipment implementation, validation, and cross functional collaboration.
ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS & PROBLEM SOLVING – Bartek enjoys solving complex manufacturing challenges and has built a reputation for identifying the underlying causes of quality, productivity, and reliability issues. By combining shop floor engagement, technical analysis, and data driven decision making, he has successfully delivered significant improvements in manufacturing performance and process stability.
CUTTING TOOL & ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES – Bartek’s background includes extensive experience in cutting tool technologies, cemented carbide manufacturing, coating technologies, machining processes, and advanced materials. His work spans research, product development, industrialisation, and large scale manufacturing, giving him a unique ability to connect product performance with manufacturing capability and customer requirements.

Caliber has experience in the Aerospace industry

Caliber Design has experience in the Biofuel industry

PERSONAL STATEMENT

I was born and raised in Germany, where my interest in mathematics and physics led me to study Mechanical Engineering. While studying, I worked in manufacturing engineering and quickly developed a passion for advanced manufacturing and machining technologies. I still remember the first time I saw titanium being machined. The heat, the sound, and the glowing chips flying from the workpiece sparked a fascination that would shape my career. Since then, I have worked across manufacturing engineering, process improvement, project management, and industrialisation, helping organisations improve performance and implement new technologies.

What I enjoy most is working closely with people on the shop floor, solving complex problems, and continuously improving processes and systems.

My family and I recently moved to New Zealand to start a new chapter. Outside of work, football has been a major part of my life for more than 30 years and has taught me valuable lessons about teamwork, resilience, and leadership.

Project Experience

EXTRUSION DIES FOR HIGH-PRECISION ROD SERIES

Led the introduction of a new series of high-precision tungsten carbide rods manufactured through continuous extrusion. Responsible for the design, development, and implementation of the required extrusion die and manufacturing technology to achieve dimensional tolerances of ±0.02 mm over a 500 mm extrusion length. Successfully integrated the new production process into the operations of a German manufacturer without production interruptions, while providing regular project reporting and stakeholder updates. The NZ$800K project was completed successfully and transferred into serial production.

AUTOMATED POWDER PRESSING SYSTEM

Led the development and implementation of a modern, high-performance automated powder pressing system in collaboration with an equipment manufacturer and the end user. The NZ$4M project was driven by increasing requirements for dimensional accuracy, throughput, productivity, and reduced emissions in the production of complex cemented carbide components. The system was designed to automatically fill powder, press components, perform in-line measurements, handle part unloading, and stack sintering trays, enabling direct transfer to the sintering process. The project also included the integration of existing press tooling and the development of new tooling concepts for advanced product geometries. All project objectives were successfully achieved, resulting in a highly automated and efficient production solution.

ADVANCED MACHINING STRATEGY

Led the development of an advanced machining strategy for producing high-quality holes in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) components for automotive applications. Due to challenges such as incomplete fiber separation and delamination during machining, innovative hybrid drilling and milling tool concepts were developed and implemented. The solution successfully met the stringent quality requirements of the automotive manufacturer, while increasing productivity by 30% and reducing manufacturing costs by 25% through extended tool life and fewer tool changes. NZ$400K project.

MICRO ROD EXTRUSION SYSTEM

Led the development and implementation of a complete extrusion and handling system for the production of cylindrical micro cemented carbide rods featuring internal helical cooling channels. The NZ$6M project included concept development, component specification and procurement, system assembly, commissioning, and integration into production. The system comprised a billet portioning unit, extrusion press, extrusion head and tooling, measurement system, and automated rod handling and stacking equipment. The solution enabled the customer to achieve the required precision and significantly expand their product portfolio with advanced carbide rod designs.

ZINC RECOVERY RECYCLING PLANT

Led the planning, procurement, installation, and commissioning of a cemented carbide recycling facility based on the zinc recovery process. The NZ$7M project included the international sourcing and integration of furnace technology, graphite trays, logistics systems, milling equipment, screening technology, and automated filling systems. The facility was established as a new strategic infrastructure within the company, enabling the recovery and reuse of valuable cemented carbide materials for reintegration into production. The project was successfully completed, creating a sustainable closed-loop recycling process and reducing dependency on virgin raw materials.

DIAMOND COATINGS FOR ABRASIVE MACHINING APPLICATIONS

Led the development and evaluation of advanced diamond coating systems for the machining of highly abrasive materials. Various combinations of substrate materials and diamond coatings were designed, tested, and analyzed using wear studies and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to identify the most durable and reliable coating-substrate interfaces. The project successfully resulted in the development and qualification of diamond-coated solutions for a wide range of cemented carbide and cutting ceramic applications, significantly improving tool life and wear resistance in demanding machining environments.

MIXING SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION

Led the procurement, installation, and production integration of a new kneading and mixing system for cemented carbide compounds at a German manufacturer. The objective of the NZ$600K project was to modernise the existing equipment fleet and implement a productive, high-performance, and reliable process capable of providing live production data for digital monitoring and software-based process analysis. The system was designed to achieve Six Sigma process capability, ensuring a stable and consistent material supply for downstream extrusion operations. The project was successfully completed, resulting in a 25% reduction in processing time through improved process control and reduced downtime.

CORPORATE QUALITY COST MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

Led the company-wide development and implementation of a structured quality cost management strategy for a German manufacturer of sintered components. Due to the high level of vertical integration, quality issues and associated costs were systematically categorized, prioritized according to problem-solving complexity, and assigned standardized resolution processes. The initiative included the definition of cross-functional teams, methodologies, and supporting tools for root-cause analysis and corrective actions. The structured approach resulted in a 15% reduction in quality-related costs while simultaneously strengthening process documentation and preparing the organization for DIN EN ISO 9001 certification requirements.

CERAMIC END MILLS FOR HIGH-SPEED MACHINING

Led the development and production of advanced silicon-based ceramic milling tools for the machining of fiber-reinforced composite materials. To overcome spindle load limitations associated with the higher density of conventional cemented carbide tools, lightweight silicon-based ceramic materials were selected and optimized for high-speed machining applications. The project enabled significantly higher cutting speeds while maintaining process stability, resulting in improved machining efficiency and productivity in the high-speed processing of advanced composite materials.