David Scharf is the senior heat treat engineer at Schaeffler Group in North America and has become a recognized leader in the heat treating technology network of Schaeffler. He began his Schaeffler career by completing two years of rotational development assignments, including holding international positions at Schaeffler Mexico (one year) and Schaeffler Germany (six months). David quickly became recognized as a person who could handle impactful and time critical projects, even ones outside of his program. His reliability and performance, along with his ability to learn quickly and his passion for his work, led him to become a regional heat treat engineer, a position to which he quickly added the title of senior. He is currently responsible for heat treating equipment and processes throughout the Schaeffler Group’s plants in North America, making him a key person in one of the larger captive heat treaters in North America.In his 10 years at Schaeffler, David has acquired heat treating experience and knowledge that spans applications in automotive, aerospace, and industrial manufacturing. He has a sound foundation to become a true heat treating expert. He has also made a name for himself solving production needs, developing and ramping new products, insourcing and improving margins, and rehabbing controls and safety systems of antiquated equipment.

He serves the company as an internal consultant, expert, and resource for all factories in the Americas with a primary directive of achieving reliable cost, quality, and delivery for Schaeffler’s precision products across several industries. With his excellent working knowledge of heat treat standards, David guides and supports compliance with industry standards like AMS2750F, Nadcap, AIAG CQI-9, AS9100, IATF 16949, NFPA 86, as well as other customer specific requirements. His expertise also includes neutral hardening, carburizing, carbonitriding, austempering, plasma nitriding, vacuum hardening, ferritic nitrocarburizing, induction hardening, annealing, fixture quenching, and cryogenic treatment.

In terms of his day-to-day work, David is responsible for deploying capital to ensure his internal customers meet market demands and capacity needs. He also develops and implements robust processes throughout the company’s 10+ locations in the Americas. Most recently, David ramped up a brand new, fully automated AFC-Holcroft furnace line featuring eight universal batch quench furnaces complimented by high efficiency cleaning and tempering systems, for an extremely demanding product at the Joplin, MO facility. Additionally, he currently is developing vacuum carburizing for the region.

Moreover, colleagues outside of Schaeffler say that interacting with David is always a pleasure as he is a true professional. He is direct in his communication and always looking for a fair, common sense solution to any issue faced in his day-to-day responsibilities.

David is excited for the future of the industry and, because of his passion for all things outdoors — especially his best outdoorsmen, a highly titled Vizsla — David is especially excited about the company’s direction towards a carbon neutral future.