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Mr. Parker is an experienced mechanical and automotive design engineer who specializes in vehicle body performance analysis and the evaluation of vehicle structures in all types of crashes, including side impacts and roof strength/roof crush in rollovers, as well as in accident reconstruction, vehicle crashworthiness, and performance of components and systems. His experience in industry and consulting includes the design, performance, testing, and manufacturing of most body structural systems, including roofs, doors, and energy-absorbing frame elements, as well as accident reconstruction, safety of lithium-ion batteries in vehicle applications, and assessing the use of alternate materials such as composites and structural foams in vehicle structures. Mr. Parker has over 35 years of industry and consulting experience in the design, development, testing, and analysis of domestic and foreign automotive products and components. Over the course of his career, Mr. Parker has conducted and/or witnessed and analyzed the results from more than 200 full-scale vehicle crash tests in new product development, FMVSS and foreign certification, accident reconstruction validation, and research. He has also conducted numerous developmental and FMVSS certification tests on component-level items such as roofs, door beams and structures, door latches, door hinges, seat belt anchorages, and bumper systems. He has provided consulting services in many diverse areas, including product design, design defect claims, rollover/roof crush, accident investigation and reconstruction, insurance fraud, appropriate repair of damaged automobile bodies, product components such as gas springs, organizational management, and intellectual property validity/infringement issues. Mr. Parker’s research further extends to assessing the use of alternate materials such as high strength steels, aluminum, composites and structural foams in vehicle structures, practical applications of glazing materials, integration of lithium-ion batteries in vehicle crash architecture, safety and handling of lithium-ion batteries in vehicle development facilities, and analyzing the engineering design of various other consumer products.
Parker D. David versus Goliath revisited. What happens when small cars meet big cars on the road? Claims Journal 2012; 1(1). Download the full article. Parker D, Mikolajczak C, Lange R. Considerations regarding hybrid and electric vehicle safety. ESV Technical Paper Series, paper 11-0117, June 2011. Parker D, Mikolajczak C. Lithium ion batteries—More different than they seem. Michigan Defense Trial Counsel (MDTC) e-letter, Issue No. 6, May 2011. Pearce H, Parker D. Lug nut trace analysis to determine velocity ratio in sideswipe collisions. SAE Technical Paper Series, 2011-01-0282. Croteau J, Zolock J, Larson R, Bare C, Peterson D, Parker D. Dynamic response of vehicle roof structure and ATD neck loading in dolly rollover tests. SAE Technical Paper Series, 2010-01-0515. Parker DD, Ray RM, Moore TLA, Keefer RE. Rollover severity and occupant protection—A review of NASS/CDS data. SAE Technical Paper Series, 2007-01-0676.
- Director of Design and Development; CTS CarTopSystems of North America, 2000
- Chief Engineer, Pininfarina of North America, 1990–1994
- Director of Structural Engineering, Ital Design of North America, 1985–1989
- Engineering Group Manager, General Motors Corporation, 1970–1984
- Oldsmobile Motor Division (Body Development Group)
- GM Central Engineering Staff (Structural Calculations Group)
- Fisher Body Division (Product Performance Group, Advanced Product Design Group)
- Buick-Olds-Cadillac (Advanced Product Design and Process)
Assembled, organized, and led an engineering and design team in the development of a folding hardtop system, including mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic mechanisms, rollover protection, and weather sealing for a production automobile. Safe storage and handling of large-format lithium-ion batteries in vehicle assembly and test facilities. Accident reconstruction. Investigated and reconstructed numerous accidents involving pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, automobiles, light trucks and SUVs, buses, heavy trucks, and more. Road vehicle crashworthiness and structural design, including roof strength, door design, liftgate design, interior trim design, and more. Function, application, and performance of gas-charged support springs in various automotive and non-automotive product designs. Automotive body design, manufacturing, and the suitability of repair processes and the parts used. Intellectual property validity and infringement issues, including the design of automotive convertible folding tops. Automotive door lock design. Automotive door performance in side impacts. Field failures of powered automotive window regulators. Off-road tracked vehicle stability and rollovers. Engine lubrication failure modes. Reinforced fabric liquid storage tank failures and repairs.
- Society of Automotive Engineers, 1975 (member)
- SAE Membership Grading Committee (past)
- SAE Body Engineering/Occupant Protection Committee
- Rollover and Rear Impact Session Organizer and peer reviewer (current)
- Structural Crashworthiness Session Organizer and peer reviewer (past)
- Design Optimization, Methods, and Applications Session Organizer and peer reviewer (past)
- Certified SCUBA Advanced Open Water Diver
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- M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Oakland University, 1980
- B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Automotive, General Motors Institute, 1975
- Accident Reconstruction, Northwestern University Traffic Institute (NWTI), 1995
- Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honorary Society
- Recipient of 2008 Kettering/GMI Alumni Association Award for Engineering Achievement
- Recipient of 2012 SAE Arch T. Colwell Award for outstanding paper (2010-01-0505) presented at SAE
- Certified SCUBA Advanced Open Water Diver
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