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New York, NY, USA

Michael M.

Experienced Hardware Executive: Product Development & Manufacturing

An accomplished engineering executive with over 20 years of experience, Michael excels at driving complex hardware programs from concept to high-volume production. During his leadership at additive pioneers UltiMaker and MakerBot, he led global, cross-functional engineering teams in the U.S. and Europe, successfully launching multiple innovative connected hardware platforms. These initiatives fueled multimillion-dollar revenue growth and expanded reach in professional, educational, and industrial markets. Michael's expertise encompasses product development, lifecycle management, and translating strategic vision into executable plans under real-world constraints. He holds engineering degrees from Georgia Tech and UT Austin.

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Michael M.

Work

UltiMaker S8 - UltiMaker

ultimaker.com
UltiMaker S8 - UltiMaker

UltiMaker S8 – High-Speed Dual Extrusion 3D Printer

As VP of Engineering, I led the development of the UltiMaker S8, designed to set a new benchmark for professional 3D printing performance. The S8 delivers up to 4× faster print speeds with no compromise in quality, reliability, or security—making it the fastest dual-extrusion system manufactured in Europe.

This platform effort spanned firmware, mechanical, and cloud software teams across the U.S. and Europe, aligning aggressive performance goals with industrial-grade stability, security, and compliance.

Key innovations included:

Next-Gen Motion Control: Introduced Cheetah, UltiMaker’s first in-house motion planner. Featuring jerk-limited and input-shaped control, it dramatically increased acceleration and speed while enhancing print quality and motion stability.

Precision Hardware Upgrades: Redesigned feeders and print cores to sustain high-throughput operation with professional-grade accuracy and consistency.

Modernized Electronics: Upgraded and unified the S-series electronics by adapting the Factor4 platform—streamlining the product line onto a scalable, modern architecture.

Seamless Cloud Integration: Fully embedded with Cloud Cura and UltiMaker Digital Factory for secure, cloud-native slicing, fleet management, and workflow automation.

High-Speed Print Profiles: Engineered and validated new material profiles tailored for speed, reliability, and industrial use cases.

Experience

Aug 2022 — Feb 2025
UltiMaker

UltiMaker

VP, Global Hardware Engineering

UltiMaker is a global leader in 3D printing, offering innovative solutions across professional and educational markets with a focus on reliability, precision, and innovation.

  • Led 50+ engineers across mechanical, electrical, firmware, test, and PM; owned departmental P&L, managed a $6–8M annual budget, and reported to the CEO; served on the executive team.
  • Directed global integration post-merger, stabilizing org structure, processes, and delivery timelines with zero disruption.
  • Delivered 3 new platforms (Method XL, S7, Sketch Large) in <9 months post-merger, generating $24M+ revenue and over 15% YoY growth.
  • Directed global compliance operations within engineering, embedding certification readiness—including UL and CE—into every stage of the product lifecycle across development and sustainment.
  • Directed cross-functional execution for UltiMaker’s first industrial-grade platform (Factor 4), leading supplier coordination, program delivery, and production ramp across global sites.
Dec 2020 — Sep 2022
MakerBot®

MakerBot®

VP of Engineering

MakerBot offers a complete 3D printing education ecosystem, specializing in providing educators and students with the necessary tools and resources for successful 3D printing in the classroom.

  • Led 25+ engineers across mechanical, firmware, test, materials, compliance and slicer, reporting to CEO; drove integrated innovation across hardware, materials, and slicing tools in a fast-moving product portfolio.
  • Launched RapidRinse water-soluble support, generating $20M+ revenue and expanding addressable market by eliminating post-processing barriers for ABS; unlocked adoption across education and regulated sectors.
  • Delivered Method CleanAir, the first UL Greenguard-certified accessory; elevated safety standards and enabled adoption in education and institutional settings.
  • Drove 90% reliability improvement through process enhancements and materials reformulation; embedded continuous improvement into planning to boost quality across releases.
  • Guided platform roadmap with Product Management, aligning slicing, print process, and hardware development; ensured consistent technical evolution across multi-generational platforms.
Jan 2017 — Jan 2021
MakerBot®

MakerBot®

Senior Director Manufacturing and Quality

  • Led global manufacturing and quality teams (~14 people) across manufacturing, repair, test, and sourcing; drove operational improvements and NPI readiness across multiple hardware programs.
  • Launched Method and Sketch printers, delivering $65M+ in revenue and over 20,000 units sold.
  • Raised yields from 75% to 95% and cut scrap costs by 75%, saving $200K+ annually through targeted manufacturing and quality improvements.
  • Achieved $450K in annual BOM savings through value engineering and cross-functional cost-down initiatives; reduced COGS without compromising product quality or performance.
  • Implemented automated test systems as part of NPI strategy, accelerating validation timelines and improving production quality and yield across multiple product lines.
  • Led supplier evaluation and qualification for white-labeled Sketch platform; customized hardware/software integration and aligned launch with education buying cycles.
Dec 2014 — Feb 2017
MakerBot®

MakerBot®

Director of Mechanical Engineering

  • Stabilized reliability of 5th-gen products post-Stratasys acquisition through targeted engineering improvements; re-established product trust and enabled market recovery.
  • Released Smart Extruder+, increasing product lifespan and reducing support cases by 75%; addressed core reliability issues and restored customer confidence.
  • Developed mechanical architecture for the Method platform, defining subsystem interfaces and mechanical requirements; led cross-functional design reviews and secured executive approval from Stratasys to greenlight development.
  • Engineering Lead for a rapid contract manufacturing transition to China, relocating two active products and supporting launch of three new ones in under three months; upheld design fidelity, quality standards, and delivery timelines during production ramp
  • Directed design of 40+ tooled parts across platforms, improving mechanical robustness and manufacturability; reduced shipping damage by 95% and enhanced in-field durability.
Mar 2004 — Jan 2015
National Instruments

National Instruments

Principal Engineer

NI (formerly National Instruments) provides test and measurement solutions to help engineers validate, verify, and test electronic systems. Its mission is to accelerate productivity and innovation in automated test and measurement through modular hardware and software platforms—primarily used in industries like aerospace, automotive, semiconductors, and electronics manufacturing.

  • As an expat, co-established the Malaysia R&D center from the ground up; scaled the mechanical engineering team from one to ten and qualified key regional suppliers for injection molding, sheet metal, and complex machining.
  • Led Core Instruments mechanical team, delivering PXI and FlexRIO platforms with thermal solutions for FPGA-based, high-performance I/O systems; bridged hardware design with thermal validation.
  • Architected Wireless Sensor Node platform, managing full product lifecycle from design through manufacturing; enabled standalone sensing capability outside PXI chassis.
  • Owned thermal and injection molding commodity strategy, managing vendor relationships and driving cost, lead time, and quality improvements through targeted QBRs, process reviews, and technical alignment.