# S1E32 Questioning Boundaries, Contact Lens MFG, & UV Disinfection | Ed Kernick

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2020-08-21
- Length: 51m
- Episode: 32
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-08-21-s1e32-questioning-boundaries-contact-lens-mfg-uv-disinfection-ed-kernick

## Summary

Ed Kernick, a mechanical engineer at Johnson & Johnson's Vision Division, discusses his transition from air conditioning technician to defense contractor and finally to medical device manufacturing. He details the engineering challenges of high-speed contact lens production, including tight tolerances, validation, and the development of UV disinfection cases where he invented a food coloring-based screening method to accelerate testing. Kernick also reflects on his career advice, emphasizing the importance of documentation, data-driven decision-making via Six Sigma, and questioning established boundaries.

## Chapters

- [0:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-08-21-s1e32-questioning-boundaries-contact-lens-mfg-uv-disinfection-ed-kernick#t=13) Introduction: Ed Kernick and Career Path
- [8:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-08-21-s1e32-questioning-boundaries-contact-lens-mfg-uv-disinfection-ed-kernick#t=507) Defense Contracting and FEA Lessons
- [15:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-08-21-s1e32-questioning-boundaries-contact-lens-mfg-uv-disinfection-ed-kernick#t=952) High-Speed Contact Lens Manufacturing
- [23:11](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-08-21-s1e32-questioning-boundaries-contact-lens-mfg-uv-disinfection-ed-kernick#t=1391) Customer Experience and Inventory Vending
- [30:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-08-21-s1e32-questioning-boundaries-contact-lens-mfg-uv-disinfection-ed-kernick#t=1810) UV Disinfection Case Development
- [36:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2020-08-21-s1e32-questioning-boundaries-contact-lens-mfg-uv-disinfection-ed-kernick#t=2202) Electroactive Contact Lens and Career Advice

## Topics

- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- Johnson & Johnson (company)
- Pro/ENGINEER Mechanica (tool)
- ANSYS (tool)
- Six Sigma (other)
- Red X (other)

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- [113: I Wasn’t Expecting Therapy Today](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2024-06-27-113-i-wasnt-expecting-therapy-today) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [46: The Only Way Out Is Through](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2018-12-21-46-the-only-way-out-is-through) (Thoroughly Considered)
- [Meet a Guru: Laura Court](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/global-medical-device-podcast/2021-05-19-meet-a-guru-laura-court) (Global Medical Device Podcast)
- [An Interview with Scott Driscoll - Impacable Interdisciplinary Inventor](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2014-02-05-an-interview-with-scott-driscoll-impacable-interdisciplinary-inventor) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

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