Amy Lewis, MDX Product Manager, most recently for the new MDX-850 pump assembly, is a key member of KSB’s manufacturing facility in Grovetown, Georgia, USA. For Women’s History Month, we’re proud to highlight the work she’s doing to grow her own career while helping drive innovation at KSB.
What is your education and professional background?
I have a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, and I am working on a master’s degree in Quality Assurance. I have held various engineering positions, including working for a natural gas utility and a corrosion protection company.
How did you get your start in the slurry pump industry?
I initially served in a position that included maintaining an Access database. Due to my engineering background, I was given the opportunity to move to a position in the Project Management department.
How do you make an impact in the industry and at KSB?
I provide support to internal and external customers in order to improve GIW® pumps, and satisfaction with the pumps, to better position KSB in the marketplace.
How long have you been with KSB?
Seventeen years.
What is your role at KSB?
I am one of the four Product Managers at Grovetown for KSB’s line of GIW® slurry pumps.
Can you give us a high-level view of the product management process at KSB?
Product Managers work on standardizing their product line platforms, the list price of pumps and parts in their platforms, assist with cost-reduction measures, and supply information about product lines for use by KSB Companies. A Product Manager approves any request for a customer-specific product line variant before engineering work starts. A Product Manager can also be a firefighter assisting with internal and external issues related to pumps in their product lines.
What are some of the products you’ve managed prior to the MDX-850?
I am the Product Manager for the following GIW® pumps product lines: MDX, LSA, LHD, MHD, and FGD.
What is your proudest moment or biggest accomplishment at KSB?
In the Project Manager position, it was always satisfying when a customer’s order was successfully completed and shipped. It was most satisfying working in Design Engineering and seeing the successful production and operation of the parts and assemblies you worked on.
When and how did the MDX-850 project begin?
KSB customers with the MDX-750 were planning to increase their throughput and needed a larger pump to achieve that.
What made the development of the MDX-850 an important project for KSB?
It is important as it provides another GIW® MDX option for current and future customers where the MDX-750 is not the correct fit for their application.
What were some of the challenges you experienced during development of the MDX-850?
A significant amount of time and attention was devoted to the impeller hydraulics to ensure they would offer the best performance. Due to the size of the MDX-850 casing, Design Engineering worked closely with Manufacturing Engineering to develop a design that took full advantage of KSB’s recently expanded foundry capacity.
What was the highlight of the product development process for you?
A highlight was the teamwork between Application Engineering, Design Engineering, Product Management, and Manufacturing Engineering, along with being part of the process from both the design and product management sides. It was fantastic to see the first pump assembly drawing where all of the plans and designs were brought together.
Are there plans to further expand the MDX line?
We look forward to sharing more news about the GIW® MDX product line soon!
Is there anything else you’d like to share about the MDX-850, KSB, or women in the mining industry?
Mining is an interesting industry to work in and offers several opportunities for growth. There are many challenges, and you are able to interact with colleagues and customers around the world. You can work on projects for precious metal mines, copper, and phosphate that are critical to daily life, sand and gravel, which are required for building and infrastructure projects, dredging, and lithium required for electric vehicle batteries. One has an opportunity to contribute to change and growth that benefits the world.
Ms Lewis is one of many women making their mark and leading the way for KSB, both at Grovetown and around the world. She exemplifies our core value of collaborating with our customers to provide the most efficient solutions to their most complex applications.