Martin Tanaka

Dr. Martin Tanaka is the director of the Master of Science in Technology program and an Associate Professor in the School of Engineering and Technology.  He earned a BS in mechanical engineering and a MS in engineering mechanics and a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering. He has 11 years of experience working in industry designing commercial products for the HVAC, automotive, chemical, and national defense industries.  He has experience working as a junior engineer, senior engineer, project manager, mechanical engineering supervisor, engineering manager, and quality manager.  Throughout his industrial career, he has worked at the intersection of product design, manufacturing process capability, and quality systems. Courses he teaches include “Innovation in Engineering Design”, “Design for Manufacturing”, and “Lean Six Sigma for Manufacturing and Design”, and “Senior Capstone Projects”.  

Innovation of new products and processes is a crucial for a healthy sustainable business.  Over time, what was once an innovative new product can become a commodity product that can compete only on price. Innovation not only reduces the risk of company failure, but it also provides opportunities for growth. However, investing in full time advanced development personnel can be expensive (salaries, equipment, facilities, resources, etc.).  Dr. Tanaka provides consulting services to help guide companies to develop new products, manufacturing processes, or quality systems on an as-needed basis.  He can help companies to develop strategies including use their existing personnel to achieve their innovation goals.