Levi Pietila’s heat treat experience has grown leaps and bounds from his time as a heat treat engineer at Dexter Fastener Technology to his last four years as a mechanical project engineer at AFC-Holcroft. Levi’s diligent and methodical approach has proven valuable with successfully designing heat treat equipment. His attention to detail and knowledge of heat treat sets a good example for others to follow, making Levi a true mentor to the younger engineers and new hires.

Because Levi is a team player, he can often be found collaborating with Manufacturing, Project Management, and Field Service to verify continuity, consistency, and clarity on projects. This initiative, which identifies potential issues and proactively seeks out resolution prior to them impacting his or others’ work, helps with vetting concerns in design prior to shipping equipment to clients. In the field, Levi supervises equipment installations, troubleshoots field issues, and assists with refractory guidance on client equipment.

In addition to capital project work, Levi has completed training courses on process heating and metallurgy, along with teaching furnace classes on furnace applications, furnace sizing, and furnace design internally at AFC-Holcroft. Levi has taken on some very large rebuild and retrofit projects as well. One in particular is a 50-year-old piece of equipment with a total of three automated lines. Despite all the rebuild challenges — as most of these components are obsolete — Levi has made it look easy, creating details and keeping up with refractory and mechanical installation crews so there are no delays. Every day there seems to be a new hurdle, but with consistency and clarity Levi strategizes a plan of attack.

The combination of technical, organizational, and leadership skills displayed by Levi are key indicators of the current and future value this “furnace engineer” brings to his company and his industry.