Mechanical Engineering Expert Witnesses in Washington

Mechanical Engineering, Intellectual Property - Patents, intellectual property, aerial lift, boom lift, scissor lift, manufacturing equipment, agricultural equipment, oil and gas equipment, refuse equipment, garbage trucks, trailers, conveyors, exercise equipment, safety, consumer products, chairs, seating, Forklift, thrill ride, zip line

Experienced mechanical engineer (MS, PE) and certified safety professional (CSP) with seven issued patents. Award winning inventor. President of Alpine Engineering and Design, Inc., a mechanical engineering consulting company with clients around the United States ranging from individual inventors to Fortune 500 companies. Consulted on multiple products including: forklifts, conveyors, aerial lifts, garbage trucks, trailers, exercise equipment, seating and manufacturing equipment. Graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. Completed a master's of science degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA with an emphasis in product development. Licensed professional engineer (PE) and a certified safety professional in comprehensive practice (CSP). Certified operator and trainer for forklifts, powered industrial trucks, boom lifts, scissor lifts, MEWPS, rough terrain forklifts. Approaching 20 years experience in product development, patents, safe equipment desi...

Mechanical Engineering, HVAC - HVAC Design, Data Centers, Data Center Infrastructure, Data Center Cooling, Commercial HVAC, Ventilation, Chillers, Air Handlers, HVAC Controls, Mechanical Code Compliance, Heating, Cooling Towers, Pumps, Fans, Compressors, Air Distribution, Refrigeration, hydronics, energy efficiency, economization

Three+ Decades of Technical Leadership ● 1992 (age 27) – Solo research project proving proximity transducers detect rolling-element bearing failures far earlier than accelerometers. Published in Orbit magazine; codified in API 670 & ISO 20816 for global diagnostics standards. ● 1993 – Presented Orbit research at Symposium on Industrial Applications of Gas Turbines, Canadian Gas Association, Banff, Alberta. ● 2007–2020 – Designed 100+ energy-efficient U.S. data centers, including state-of-the-art HVAC/power systems exceeding ASHRAE & Title 24. ● 2015 – Lectured/conducted vibrations lab, Cal Poly Mechanical Engineering Dept., San Luis Obispo, CA. ● 2015 – Published plain-English guide to CA Title 24-2013 data center cooling in Data Center Journal, resolving confusion and enabling compliant data center expansions. ● 2021–2025 – Designed large-scale HVAC for commercial/military facilities, exceeding IMC, UFC, & IBC for performance/efficiency. Core Expertise ● HVAC design/construction/f...

Yakima, Washington

Mechanical Engineering, Products Liability - Aerial Lift, Aerial Work Platform, AWP, Boom Lift, Mobil Elevating Work Platform, MEWP, Spider Lift, Nut Harvesting Equipment, Frost Fans, Construction Accident, Manufacturing Equipment, Weld Failure, Weld Design, Bolted Joint, Metal Failure Analysis, Product Design, Agriculture Machinery

I am a mechanical engineer with nearly 20 years of experience in the design, development, testing, and failure analysis of aerial lifts and agricultural machinery. My career includes direct responsibility for engineering, product safety, structural analysis, prototype development, field evaluations, compliance testing, reliability assessments, and root-cause investigations for complex equipment systems. I have extensive, hands-on experience with aerial work platform entrapment cases, including multiple serious-injury and fatal events. My work includes analyzing the interaction between equipment design, operator position, platform motion, safety devices, and environmental/jobsite factors. I bring a unique combination of technical engineering expertise, industry standards knowledge, and practical field experience that is critical for accurately assessing liability, causation, and defect allegations. I support attorneys on both plaintiff and defense matters and understand the urgency...

College Place, Washington

Mechanical Engineering, Intellectual Property - Automation, Robotics, Machine, Design, Mechatronics, Dynamics, Motion Control, Vibration, Segway, Product Liability, Machine Vision, Sensors, Traction, Tire Mechanics, Cranes, Warnings, ASRS, Aviation, Palletizing, Depalletizing

Twenty years of experience developing and implementing mechatronic, motion control, and automation technologies. Founder of a motion-control technology company where the industry-recognized motion-control technologies were key drivers in the acquisition of his company 5 years after inception by a global leader in automation. Served as CTO at a world-class supplier of large-scale automation, control, advanced manufacturing, and nuclear handling solutions. Responsibilities include providing technical oversight of critical projects; identifying and mitigating areas of high technical risk; leading in the creation of cutting-edge control, automation, and robotic technologies; directing R&D efforts; managing the business’ technology portfolio; and disseminating and facilitating the use of best-practice engineering methodologies. Adjunct Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology where he lectures on various engineering topics. These include: Dynamics, Advanced Controls, Vibration...

Bellingham, Washington

Mechanical Engineering, Fire - Plumbing, Appliances, Automotive, Agricultural Equipment, HVAC, Fire Protection, Natural Gas, Propane, EDR / Event Data Recorder, Forklifts, Scissor Lifts, Hydraulic Systems, Product Liability, Explosions, Sprinkler Systems, Failure Analysis, Forensic Engineering, Evidence Preservation, Pacific Northwest, Guarding

James Laird, PE, is the founder of CAE Forensic (Clear Analysis Engineering, PLLC), a forensic mechanical engineering firm based in Bellingham, Washington. He has conducted over 2,000 forensic investigations across residential, commercial, industrial, and vehicle cases throughout the Pacific Northwest and nationally. Mr. Laird's practice focuses exclusively on mechanical engineering — failure analysis, fire and explosion investigation, and automotive forensics. He investigates failures in plumbing and appliances, HVAC and boiler systems, forklifts, scissor lifts, hydraulic machinery, agricultural equipment, and a broad range of consumer and industrial products. He is EDR-equipped for crash data retrieval and interpretation in automotive cases. All fire and explosion investigations follow NFPA 921 methodology. Mr. Laird holds three fire investigation certifications: IAAI-CFI (International Association of Arson Investigators), CFEI, and CVFI (National Association of Fire Investigato...

Renton, Washington

Mechanical Engineering, Equipment & Machinery - Mechanical engineering, industrial process, industrial design, energy modeling, energy control, steam production, fluid transfer, process analysis, heat exchange, piping, pumps

Alan Werner’s skills and background include forensic analysis in the areas of industrial process systems, industrial process equipment including pumps, fans, heat exchangers, mixers, specialty equipment, piping include safety devices, and pipe support systems. Specific experience has been gained in chemical process plants, pulp and paper mills, wood processing plants, boiler plants, chiller plants, and co-gen systems and food processing plants. Using a proprietary thermodynamic model, he is able to replicate boiler and chiller systems to duplicate normal and off-spec operations. I have designed mechanical parts and machinery, some using unusual materials and/or features. I have experience in worker sound exposure investigation and remediation, as well as "fence line" acoustical research. Trained for patent litigation. My professional licenses are in Washington, California, Florida (Ret), and British Columbia (former).

EDMONDS, Washington

Mechanical Engineering, Investigation - Plumbing, Test Engineering, Product Liability, Failure Analysis, Forensic Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Accident Reconstruction, Water Damage, Feasibility Study, Corrosion, Construction, Airport, Aviation, Standard of Care, Litigation Support, Risk Assessment, Machinery, Insurance, Document Analysis, Design Engineering

Daniel Robles, PE, MBA is a licensed mechanical engineer with over 35 years of diverse experience in aerospace, building sciences, and advanced technology platforms. He has held leadership roles in design and test engineering for high-profile projects including the NASA Space Shuttle, commercial satellite deployment, stealth aircraft, and commercial aircraft commissioning and servicing, working for industry leaders such as Rockwell International, Hughes Aircraft, Northrop Aircraft, and The Boeing Company. Mr. Robles is the founder of Community Engineering Services PLLC, where he leverages his extensive aerospace and engineering expertise to provide expert witness services, condition assessments, inspections, and failure analysis for the legal, insurance, and financial industries, as well as private, municipal, and institutional clients. His specific areas of practice include plumbing systems, drain, waste, vent, and domestic water supply, as well as water system failures, water int...