Lee Chen
Polymer Process Scale‑Up & Commercialization Consultant
David Constant - Compounding of Engineering Polymers
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Recognized expert on polymer process with expertise in technical problem solving with challenging issues, particularly in scale up and commercialization of lab technologies with proven successes. Known for hands-on style and consultative approaches in technical support. Demonstrated skills in collaboration and teamwork with material experts, proving to be key in driving success.
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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
February 2025 - Present
Senior Process Engineer - Cove PBC
Santa Ana, CA
Cove is a material innovation company focused on developing packaging and biomaterial solutions to replace the world’s most polluting products and materials. Lead process R&D as well as scale up process in preparation of mass production of bottles with paper fiber and biomaterials.
2017 - February 2025
Self Employed - Technical Consultant
Irvine, CA
2009 - 2017
Senior Process Engineer - General Cable
Boston, MA
Supported extrusion and compounding process technology for global manufacturing and materials research and development (R&D). Evaluated screw and tooling designs and made recommendations for improvement. Training junior process engineers. Worked closely with materials experts to troubleshoot difficult process issues with rapid changing materials in today's wire and cable industry.
2002 - 2009
Self Employed - Technical Consultant
Boston, MA
Provided technical consulting service mostly in extrusion and compounding process to companies in various sectors of plastic industry, such as wire & cable, compounding and building products. Filled "missing links" for numerous projects in which materials people needed strong support from polymer process for both R&D and manufacturing excellence.
1997 - 2002
Research Director - Trexel, Inc.
Woburn, MA
Lead efforts in scale up and commercialization of microcellular foam technology which was developed in MIT, using supercritical fluids such as N2 or CO2 as blowing agent. Developed microcellular extrusion process for a few materials. Conducted intensive fundamental studies in searching for directions of commercialization of the technology in broader areas.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
East China University of Technology - Shanghai, China
Assistant Professor, Director of Polymer Process Research
EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Chemical Engineering
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Master of Science (MS), Mechanical Engineering
Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
Bachelor of Science (BS), Mechanical Engineering
Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
February 2025 - Present
Senior Process Engineer - Cove PBC
Santa Ana, CA
Cove is a material innovation company focused on developing packaging and biomaterial solutions to replace the world’s most polluting products and materials. Lead process R&D as well as scale up process in preparation of mass production of bottles with paper fiber and biomaterials.
2017 - February 2025
Self Employed - Technical Consultant
Irvine, CA
2009 - 2017
Senior Process Engineer - General Cable
Boston, MA
Supported extrusion and compounding process technology for global manufacturing and materials research and development (R&D). Evaluated screw and tooling designs and made recommendations for improvement. Training junior process engineers. Worked closely with materials experts to troubleshoot difficult process issues with rapid changing materials in today's wire and cable industry.
- Help stay ahead in technology by resolving process issues with challenging materials or processes.
- Completed evaluations on screw and tooling designs and process controls for extrusion lines of cable manufacturing on all major plants in the company. New designs were provided where necessary. Significant improvement in both productivity and quality in many plants.
- Assisted introducing a new process technology, 1 step moisture cure (monosil). An innovation in screw design was successfully to scale up the technology to large scale production.
- Resolved process issues with challenging new materials, such as low smoke zero halogen (LSZH) and nuclear cable materials, mostly by proper screw and cross head designs. Helped launch new products faster.
- Developed cable cure computer simulation program and related materials property characterization, predicting cure process with new materials.
2002 - 2009
Self Employed - Technical Consultant
Boston, MA
Provided technical consulting service mostly in extrusion and compounding process to companies in various sectors of plastic industry, such as wire & cable, compounding and building products. Filled "missing links" for numerous projects in which materials people needed strong support from polymer process for both R&D and manufacturing excellence.
- Improved chemical reactive process by developing single screw design for grafting extrusion.
- Wood fiber composite sheet extrusion process improvement
- Provided feasibility study and process evaluations for potential major R&D projects, including technical uncertainty, cost analysis and market competitions, facilitating decision making.
- Optimized screw designs for extrusion lines with frequent materials change, reducing number of required screws, decreasing changeover time.
- Provided various screw designs, improving mixing, melt temperature control and productivity.
- Developed computer modeling for stress analysis when cable under significant mechanical load, helping understand conditions under which cable would fall.
1997 - 2002
Research Director - Trexel, Inc.
Woburn, MA
Lead efforts in scale up and commercialization of microcellular foam technology which was developed in MIT, using supercritical fluids such as N2 or CO2 as blowing agent. Developed microcellular extrusion process for a few materials. Conducted intensive fundamental studies in searching for directions of commercialization of the technology in broader areas.
- Developed screw (single and twin) and tooling designs for extrusion foaming process with gas injection under supercritical condition. One of the major applications was for PVC profiles with mostly Milacron conic twins.
- Helped the company come close to breaking even through commercialization successes.
- Achieved patents and research articles published on extrusion and injection molding, as well as batch processes for microcellular foam.
- Pioneered a new direction: injection molding foaming with supercritical fluid.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
East China University of Technology - Shanghai, China
Assistant Professor, Director of Polymer Process Research
EDUCATION
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Chemical Engineering
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Master of Science (MS), Mechanical Engineering
Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
Bachelor of Science (BS), Mechanical Engineering
Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- Semi-finalist, Tire Recycle Technology, MIT 50K business plan competition (2003)
- Lean Manufacturing training, General Cable
- Innovation (2014) and Proficiency (2013) Awards, General Cable
- 15+ Publications in key journals for chemical engineering and polymers
- 5 Patents in gas injection foaming process