Precision Engineering Built On Decades of Experience
Senior mechanical design engineer available for contract engagements. SolidWorks expert bringing 30 years of industrial design expertise and manufacturing-floor perspective to your most demanding projects.
Engineering That Ships
With 30 years of mechanical design and engineering experience as a contractor across diverse industries, I bring a rare combination of deep design knowledge and hands-on manufacturing reality to every engagement.
My background spans the full product lifecycle — from napkin sketch to production drawing to the shop floor. I don't just design for looks; I design for manufacturability, reliability, and cost.
As both a mechanical designer and a practicing machinist and welder through Southern Machine Services, I understand what it takes to actually build what I draw. That perspective is rare, and it shows in the quality of my deliverables.
Whether you need help with a single complex assembly or an entire machine design program, I deliver clean, complete, production-ready SolidWorks packages on time.
30 Years. One Focus.
I'm Richard Turner — mechanical design engineer, machinist, welder, and the person who will be doing your engineering work. Not a team of rotating contractors. Me, directly, on every project.
My career has been built entirely on contract engineering — working directly with manufacturers, defense contractors, and industrial companies to solve problems that require both deep design knowledge and an understanding of how things actually get built. I've spent 30 years doing this work across industries that demand precision, reliability, and accountability.
What sets my background apart is that I don't just design from behind a desk. Through Southern Machine Services, I operate CNC machining and welding equipment daily. When I specify a tolerance on a drawing, I know what it costs to hold it. When I design a weld joint, I've run those beads myself. That shop-floor perspective is embedded in every design decision I make.
I've designed equipment that operates in some of the most demanding environments imaginable — nuclear processing facilities, military vehicle platforms, high-speed automated production lines, and precision test equipment that has to perform to published IEEE and IEC standards. Each of those environments taught me something the next project benefited from.
"I started Turner Automation because I believe clients deserve a senior engineer who is personally invested in every project — not a staffing solution. When you work with me, you get my full attention, my full experience, and work I'm proud to put my name on."
What I Do
Full-scope mechanical design and engineering services delivered as contract engagements — remote, on-site, or hybrid. Complete SolidWorks design packages ready for your engineering review and release process.
Complete SolidWorks 3D modeling including parts, assemblies, motion studies, and interference analysis. Parametric design built for change-friendly engineering programs.
GD&T-annotated production drawings per ASME Y14.5 standards. Detail drawings, assembly drawings, BOMs, and complete drawing packages ready for manufacturing release.
Fully automated manufacturing system design including material handling, tooling, guarding, and integration. Experience with high-speed lines across multiple industries.
Machining fixtures, assembly fixtures, weld fixtures, and production tooling. Designs optimized for setup time, repeatability, and ease of manufacture.
DFM reviews and redesigns to reduce cost and improve producibility. I bring the machinist's eye to every design — catching problems before they hit the shop floor.
End-to-end product development from concept sketches through production-ready documentation. Prototype support, design iteration, and manufacturing liaison.
Work That Speaks
A selection of engineering programs completed across industries — from single-machine design to full turnkey systems. Each project delivered as a complete design and engineering package, ready for fabrication and installation.
Fiber Optic IEEE Sheave Testing Machine
Designed and engineered a complete turnkey Sheave Testing Machine for a fiber optic cable manufacturer, built to meet IEC and IEEE testing standards for OPGW, ADSS, and OPAC fiber optic cables. The machine evaluates bending performance, structural integrity, and signal attenuation of cables under simulated field installation loads — running test samples over configurable sheave arrangements at controlled tension and speed.
Key engineering challenges included designing a fully adjustable sheave mounting system capable of accommodating multiple sheave diameters and geometry configurations, and engineering a structure robust enough to handle the significant dynamic forces generated during high-speed, high-tension testing cycles. The sheave trolley alone weighs over 9,000 lbs.
Machine has been in continuous production operation since 2018 — with zero warranty or service calls. Delivered complete from design through installation within a customer ROI window of less than two months.
Sectors Served
Three decades of contract work across demanding industries means I've seen the full range of mechanical design challenges — from extreme environments to tight tolerances to complex multi-system integrations.
Each industry brought unique constraints that sharpened my engineering judgment. That cross-industry experience is an asset I bring to every new engagement.
Technical Skills
SolidWorks
- Parametric part and assembly modeling
- Drawing and documentation packages
- Weldment and structural design
- Sheet metal design and flat patterns
- Routing — electrical, pipe, and tubing
- Motion Analysis and simulation
- SolidWorks Costing and design optimization
- Large assembly management and performance
Engineering Standards
- GD&T per ASME Y14.5
- Military drawing standards (MIL-SPEC)
- Weld symbols per AWS standards
- ANSI/ASME hardware and fastener standards
- BOM structure and revision control
- Drawing release and change order workflow
- Material specifications and selection
Design Disciplines
- Machine and mechanism design
- Pneumatic and hydraulic system layouts
- Structural weldment design
- Guarding and safety system design
- Ergonomic and human-factors design
- Lifting and material handling equipment
- Custom automation equipment
Manufacturing Knowledge
- CNC milling and turning — Okuma, Matsuura
- Welding — MIG, TIG, and structural
- Tolerance stack-up analysis
- Process FMEA and design review
- Prototype fabrication and fit-up
- Supplier and vendor drawing review
- Production launch and manufacturing support
The Difference
30 years isn't a resume line — it's the accumulated judgment to know what works, what fails, and why. I've seen most problems before, and I know how to solve them efficiently.
As an operating machinist and welder, I design with the shop floor in mind. Tolerances are realistic. Setups are considered. Materials are specified correctly.
Military, nuclear, automotive, automation — each demanded different engineering disciplines. That breadth means I bring fresh solutions to domain-specific problems others miss.
Senior experience without the overhead of a full-time hire. No ramp-up time, no benefits burden, no long-term commitment required. Engage for a project, extend if it makes sense.
Production-ready SolidWorks packages with complete drawing sets, organized file structures, and thorough documentation. Your team picks up where I leave off without cleanup work.
My reputation is built project by project. I bring the same care to a small fixture job as to a full automation line program — because both matter, and so does your trust.
Let's Work Together
Available for contract mechanical design and engineering engagements — remote, on-site, or hybrid. Tell me about your project and I'll be in touch promptly to discuss how I can help.