During college, Jake Fragnoli, 28, got an internship with Hayward Tyler working to convert legacy bills of material to digital format to facilitate aftermarket orders. He learned the ins and outs of sealless, wet-wound motor pump assemblies, and the rigorous engineering work that went into custom pump and motor design for critical applications piqued his interest.
After graduation, Fragnoli applied for a full-time position with Hayward Tyler and has been there ever since. He started out as an aftermarket engineer and after gaining familiarity with the installed base, decided he wanted to pursue new equipment design. He got involved in a contract for replacement high-pressure service water pumps for a nuclear plant and completed a majority of the mechanical design work and analysis. Nominator Camden DiMicco said, “Not only did he lead drawing creation and approvals for the project, he was also the main contributor in performing the seismic and structural analysis. Not a small feat for someone with just two years of aftermarket experience under his belt.”
Fragnoli was recently promoted to lead unit design engineer, leading engineering work for new canned motor pumps. He has also gotten involved in the advanced nuclear side of the business, working to support advanced reactor development projects. When asked why he chose to focus on this industry and area of expertise, Fragnoli said, “The appeal is a combination of the challenging engineering work and the fact that our equipment plays a critical role in our energy infrastructure. The work we do helps keep the lights on and will help secure reliable and sustainable solutions for future energy demands.”
Looking toward the future of the industry, Fragnoli is most excited about pumping applications supporting advanced reactor development. “This work is progressing the nuclear industry toward a safer, more efficient and more sustainable future. It’s also exciting and challenging work from an engineering standpoint. Pumping molten salt at 600 C? That’s an interesting problem to solve,” he said.
Outside of work, Fragnoli spends as much time as he can outdoors. He enjoys mountain biking, snowboarding and splitboarding. He and his partner Grace also enjoy traveling and taking time to enjoy good food and drinks with friends.
What do you find most challenging?
I find it challenging to accurately estimate engineering hours and project timelines up front for longer term, custom design contracts. For new applications there are often unknowns that are hard to predict before getting into the meat of the
engineering work.
What do you like best about working in this industry?
I enjoy the variety of work. On a single project, you get exposure to a wide range of engineering disciplines including mechanical design, hydraulics, material selection, electrical design, thermal analysis, vibration, design for manufacturing, etc. Each new contract is unique with distinct requirements and challenges.
What is one thing you wish you’d known before getting into the industry?
I wish I understood how broad the pump industry is. There are a ton of different pumping applications and sub-sectors you can get into with a basis of knowledge in pumps.
What advice would you give to a student considering this industry, or a newcomer?
If you don’t know exactly what you want to do with your career (I know I didn’t when I was a student… maybe I still don’t?) the pump industry offers a wide range of opportunity and fulfilling roles ranging anywhere from sales to highly technical R&D positions. Picking an industry with ample opportunity for movement and growth is more important than trying to find the “perfect” role right out of college.
What do you do to make sure you’re continuing your education/training?
The nature of my day to day work drives constant learning and growth, but I also make an effort to get involved in external training courses through organizations like ASME and working conferences such as Hydraulic Institute. Outside of work I’m also pursuing my PE license, with exam scheduled for December 2023.
What's one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
When I started college I had no intentions of becoming an engineer. I was a math major and seriously considered switching to psychology. On top of that, once I did switch to engineering, my least favorite class was materials science. Here we are… now I’m a design engineer who gets excited about metallurgy and corrosion.