John Barry Anderson

John Barry Anderson
(1935 - )

John Barry Anderson was born in Sydney on 16 September 1935. In 1958 he completed a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering at the NSW University of Technology, and in 1965 a Bachelor of Engineering at the University of NSW.

In 1970 he obtained from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (UK) the qualification Engineer in Society Part III. In 1971 he became of Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (UK); in 1972 a Member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (USA); in 1989 a Member of the Institution of Engineers Australia.

In that year he became a member of the Engineering Excellence Award Panel (Engineering Products), where he served until 1992, in 1989 and 1990 being the chairman.

In 1989 he completed Quality Assessor Training Course - ETRS Stebbing, and in 1996 a Commercial Mediation Training Course He was a director of. thr Rotary Club of Northbridge; took part in Vocational Service as a community service, and was a keen private pilot.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

1955- 1974 Following an Engineering Cadetship which included twelve months with Austin-Morris in England he was progressively responsible for product testing, prototype manufacture, new product design, product planning and finally the Leyland engineering function in Australia.

Six years of this period were spent in the positions of Test Engineer (supervising 30 engineers and technical staff) and Experimental Engineer (supervising 60 engineers and technical staff).

As Test Engineer he was responsible for:-
Operation of the experimental fleet for over 3 million km
Engine dynamometer installation and operation
Body & chassis laboratory - design & operate fatigue testing rigs
Road proving - both instrumented test and durability
Development of special test rigs:-
Trailer dynamometers for cooling testing
Brake test equipment
Performance & fuel consumption test equipment
Noise testing, including equipment selection
As Experimental Engineer he was responsible for both prototype manufacture and testing.

Senior Mechanical Engineer in the Advanced Model Group which was set up to implement the new model programme which had been defined in 1967. In conjunction with a Senior Body Engineer he managed a small group often engineers and draftsmen and planned the P76 vehicle model.

His responsibility included the mass, performance, mechanical conceptual design for the P76 together with the programme cost and timing targets.

He designed and supervised the construction of the first and second generation prototypes (7 vehicles in all) - the latter generation being representative of the production design in the areas of driveline, suspension, brakes and steering
His programme for the detail design and development of the model, including control of Australian, UK and Italian design effort involved 400 man-years of design effort and was kept on schedule within six weeks for three years while meeting all the mass and investment targets.

1972- 1973 Manager - Product Planning and Advanced Model Group, This position, supervising two engineers and four draftsmen and a clerical staff involved co-ordination between Engineering and Marketing for the specification of the P76 together with planning of two new models - a revised Mini Minor and a facelifted Marina with 6-Cylinder engine.

1973- 1974 Manager, Vehicle Engineering and Deputy Chief Engineer. In this position, he was responsible for the product engineering of all mechanical systems except engines and for the whole product engineering function when the Chief Engineer was absent. At this stage, the Product Engineering Department employed a total of 200 engineers, draftsmen and clerical staff and operated a full scale laboratory for the development of engines, vehicle emission controls, chassis systems and complete vehicles to conform with Australian Design Rules.

1975 This year spent as Senior Design Engineer with Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation conducting design and flight testing for a defence project (Barra)

1976 - 1981 Engineering Manager, Joy Manufacturing Company reporting directly to the managing Director. In this position he was responsible for design, development and testing of their mobile electric and diesel driven underground coal mining equipment, for establishing technical specifications with customers and for technical control of the contract through design and build.

Controlling a team of five professional engineers and a total of 30 staff, he was also responsible for:-

Issuing Product Definition data - including quality acceptance standards -

to production and supply functions,

Product Planning, Costing & Pricing
Compliance with Product Statutory Requirements
Master Production Schedule
Introduction of Computerised MRP 1 System

1982 Established Anenco Pty Ltd to provide engineering and management consulting services to Government departments and to industry.

CONSULTING EXPERIENCE:

A. General

In the first 10 years of consulting, Mr Anderson established a permanent clientele of 15 small manufacturers who specialise in the manufacture and/or modification of motor vehicles. Mr Anderson has guided these companies to achieve "Approval to Fit Compliance Plates" by the Federal Office of Road Safety (F.O.R.S.)

This work occupied about half of Mr Anderson's time and involved guidance in design, manufacturing process, documentation & control as well as testing to ensure conformance with legal and general structural and durability requirements for their products These clients' products range from special taxis, limousines, campervans, wheelchair tricycles and converted imported cars such as Cadillac, Lincoln and Porsche. Achieving acceptance by FORS of their Quality Plans to AS 3901 was a major part of the current workload with these companies.

In addition to routine support for established clients, Mr Anderson has offered his services on a project basis, either directly or through major consulting houses Recently his work has been predominantly of this nature.

B. Most Recent Project.

Mr Anderson has worked virtually full time with AWA DI from October 1993 to June 1996 as a senior mechanical engineer on a defence project (Parakeet), He has been responsible for the coordination of the mechanical engineering systems of a new mobile trunk communications system from contract negotiations through preliminary and critical design reviews to prototype manufacture, this has involved the integration of engineering work both by Australian and overseas contracting companies.

In this position he was the sole mechanical engineer reporting directly to the AWA D I Project Manager.

His other activities during the last three years have been limited to supporting two original automotive clients and to expert witness work.

C. Other Specific Projects.

Significant consulting projects between 1982 and 1993 have been:-

Act as General Manager of Metal Fabrications P/L, a division of Chadwick Industries Group for 3 months following a sudden vacancy. The task was to continue the operation and find a suitable permanent replacement This involved selecting from 53 applicants.
Develop, for Assco P/L, a solution for the Management of Sled Slabs at BHP Port Kembla to enable Assco to bid for this major tender, The solution covered receiving processing, storing, sorting and delivery of 175,000 slabs, each of 20 tonnes mass per annum. It involved twelve 50 tonne cranes all computer controlled in an integrated management system.
For AWADI, develop the design concept for the mechanical and structural aspects of their bid for a mobile telecommunications system for the Australian Army (Parrakeet) and.
For the newly formed Tow Truck Industry Council, research, via interviews and literature search, the need for and correct level of "Maximum Towing Fees" for tow truck operators to charge in NSW. The final fee structure included an escalation formula.
For Memtech, develop engineering data structure aspects of a specification for a new computerised manufacturing system.
Manage, for Taxis Combined Services, the upgrading of the Metrocab (London Cab) in Australia to incorporate Australian mechanical systems, This has involved the development of a new steering system and followed earlier negotiation in UK with the original manufacturer to achieve a suitable specification for Australian conditions,
For the Dept of Defence, investigate problems at a supplier's premises with drying Kevlar cord. Research the mechanism of moisture uptake at high temperatures and define the process changes required to achieve consistently dry Kevlar cord
Following a visit to Japan prepare, for their Australian subsidiary, a development plan to achieve Compliance Plate Approval of their intended imported products
For F O R S., prepare a National Code of Practice for Heavy Vehicle Modifications in line with Interstate Commission policy.
For Fastech, a company in Adelaide, evaluate the feasibility of achieving their planned factory output. Identify necessary plant and scheduling changes.
Maintenance review at BHP Slab & Strip Mill, Port Kembla, Analyse planning and reporting procedures and recommend significant changes.
Review of engineering procedures and document control - State Rail Develop a computerised records system, including a system for rapid retrieval of data from records cards which were up to 100 years old,
Devise and implement a Computerised Quality Control Management System for a major manufacturer of semi-finished metal products Metal Manufacturers.
Preparation of Quality Plan for a defence project - Garden Island Dockyard hydraulic repair facility,
For Stratos Seats, develop streamlined testing and reporting system for routine testing of seats to Australian Design Rules.
Maintenance Planning - Locomotives and Rolling Stock in the Pilhara District of Western Australia, including two follow up visits. Involved development of a partly operating computerised maintenance planning system,
Preparation of tender for supply of diesel cruise engines for proposed ANZAC ships * Garden Island Dockyard. This involved both Engineering and Quality Assurance aspects of the tender.
Feasibility study for Project Waler - another defence project -addressing Australian industry participation to DoD Quality Standards.
For Earshot Productions, provide technical and editorial input into production of Video Promotional programmes for a Coal Mining project in Ireland, a Technical Consultancy Group in Sydney and for the Tourist Board in Newcastle.
Manage the contract for the construction of a prototype of a Surgeon's aid for knee surgery, following earlier design & development of the first phase prototype
Prepare for Monroe Australia a product plan for "Enhanced Performance" suspension kits to meet the requirements of all States and Territories and negotiate with authorities for approval
For Howard F Hudson, review product range and tooling cap-ability and develop programme for greatly increasing the scope of the product range.
For Industrial Microwave Australia, manage the design and manufacture of a special door system for a large, batch type, microwave oven
Evaluate feasibility of satisfactory function and compliance with legal requirements for new product proposals for:-
Anti-Theft System for Vehicles
Advertising System for Public Transport Vehicles
Unique Vehicle Parking System
Review vehicle inspection policy and procedures at Registry Offices of the then NSW Dept of Motor Transport and within industry and prepare options and recommendations for total restructuring,
Review Maintenance Planning for a major food manufacturer Covering 6 months, this assignment quantified the value of major changes to maintenance management.
Preparation of procedures for the auditing of vehicle manufacturer's testing facilities - Federal Office of Road Safety.
Review frequency and causes of specific failures on commercial vehicles and passenger cars for the Federal Office of Road Safety with recommendations for recall campaigns.
Organise manufacture of new device for radioactive treatment of human eye tumours
Design, development, certification and organisation of production of a special purpose taxi (not the London Cab) to transport wheelchair occupants - Taxis Combined Services. Over 100 of these vehicles have been made.
Evaluate feasibility of manufacture of vintage replica vehicles in quantities of 100 p a. - Special Purpose Vehicles
Review operating policies, procedures and layout of warehousing company in book publishing industry. Recommended expansion policy and revised layout - Butterworths.
Evaluate manpower requirements for a metal mining company which was operating an open cut mine and which was considering an extension to underground operation,
Review of pre-production policy and procedures of major refractory manufacturer.

Recommended plan to render organisation more responsive to the market, Australian Industrial Refractories,

Establish cost penalty to manufacturer associated with failure of builder to complete

factory on time

Establish a top-level project review, authorisation and reporting system for a major cigarette manufacturer to ensure that limited engineering resources are directed at projects of agreed priorities using agreed technical approaches. W.D.& H O Wills.

D. Expert Witness Work

Mr Anderson has provided expert reports and acted as both referee and witness in litigation cases including:-

Analysis of tyre failures - many causes
Defence for manufacturer re "inadequate” brake design
Defence for manufacturer re alleged steering gear jamming
Analysis of vehicle against ADRs at time of accident
Analysis of chassis corrosion and repair - bus fleet
Analysis of road wheel failure - taxi
Analysis of body fatigue failures and repair - bus fleet
Analysis of chassis buckling - concrete mixer installation
Analysis of garbage compactor design * fatal injury
Review of effectiveness of maintenance - bus driver's seats
Defence for supplier of fuel tank & mounts which failed
Dispute between supplier and purchaser of small locomotive
Claim on builder for late completion of manufacturing plant
Defence for Driver re brake failure
Claim against repairer re brake system repair
Defence for driver re "Speed Limiter" performance
Claim against for inadequate repair to car
Both claim and defence - re car fires
Claim against driver by following driver re dangerous load
Defence for supplier of fuel tank & mounts which failed
Defence for distributor re failure of trawler engine

To access an oral history interview with John Barry Anderson please use this link:'

https://heritage.engineersaustralia.org.au/wiki/Oral_Histories_Sydney