PNNL

Tim Skszek joined PNNL in May 2022. He is an advisor to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's (PNNL's) Solid Phase Processing program and the co-director of the Lightweight Materials (LightMAT) Consortium. Skszek contributes to PNNL's vision and strategic direction relative to commercialization of solid phase processes, as well as advanced manufacturing.

Prior to joining PNNL, Skszek spent nearly 40 years in the automotive industry developing manufacturing processes and products to enable vehicle mass reduction that addressed fuel usage and environmental legislation. He is widely recognized as a leader in fields of advanced manufacturing, life cycle assessment, and vehicle lightweighting, as well as a subject matter expert in extrusion, sheet forming, casting, materials joining, corrosion, and assembly processes. Skszek has collaborated extensively with the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO), multiple DOE national laboratories, universities, automotive suppliers, and vehicle manufacturers. Projects of significance in which Skszek participated include wound field synchronous electric vehicle drive motor, shear extrusion of aluminum profiles, warm forming of magnesium, magnesium front end design, multimaterial lightweight vehicle, graphene-based lubrication, and the Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion technology.

Developing advanced materials and manufacturing processes to realize cost and environmental benefit.

• Manufacturing engineering
• Materials engineering
• Materials testing 
• Life cycle assessment

MS in metallurgical engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1980

BS in metallurgical engineering, Western Michigan University, 1975 

• Team Award, Ultralight Door Project, VTO, 2019
• Team Award, VTO, 2017
• Distinguished Project Award, MultiMaterial Lightweight Vehicle Project, VTO, 2015
• PACE Award, Automotive News, 3D Printed Tools and Dies, 2001
• Lead Award, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Cleanroom Robotic Assembly, 1989
• Professional Engineer, State of Wisconsin, 1981

• Kotagiri, S., S. , T. W. Skszek, F. A. Horton, and G. P. Kiselis. Controlled Pressure Casting. U.S.9522424, filed October 20, 2014, and issued December 20, 2016. https://patents.justia.com/patent/7806162
• Werner, M. F., T. W. Skszek, F. A. Horton, W. Young, S. S. Kotagiri, G. P. Kiselis, D. D. Egle, G. Gabbianelli, J. J. Mellis, E. L. Ashmore, D. Sulisz, P. P. Charest, E. deNijs, Y. Zhang, R. R. Warpup, and D. K. Matharoo. Hybrid Component. U.S.9073403, filed July 7, 2015, and issued July 7, 2015. https://patents.justia.com/patent/9073403
• Kiselis, G. P., D. K. Matharoo, and T. W. Skszek. Control Arm and Knuckle Assembly. U.S. 7703782, filed July 17, 2006, and issued April 27, 2010. https://patents.justia.com/patent/7703782 
• Skszek, T. W. Fabrication of Laminate Structures Using Direct Metal Deposition. U.S.6472029, filed September 27, 2000, and issued October 29, 2002. https://patents.justia.com/patent/6472029
• Skszek, T. W., M. T. J. Lowney, and D. Morgan. Fabrication of Alloy Variant Structures Using Direct Metal Deposition. U.S.20020110649, filed May 9, 2001, and issued August 15, 2002. https://patents.justia.com/patent/20020110649
• Ruhlandt, G. K., and T. W. Skszek. Die Casting Process and Apparatus Comprising in-Die Plunger Densification. U.S.4779666, filed Jun 23, 1982, and issued Oct 25, 1988. https://patents.justia.com/patent/4779666

• Whalen S., B.S. Taysom, N. Overman, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, Y. Qiao, T. Richter, T. Skszek, M. DiCiano, “Porthole Die Extrusion of Aluminum 6063 Industrial Scrap by Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion,” Manuf. Lett., Under Review.
• Whalen S., N. Overman, B.S. Taysom, Md. Reza-E-Rabby, T. Skszek, M. DiCiano, “Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion of Unhomogenized Aluminum Alloy 6063 Castings with High Iron Content,” TMS 2023 Light Metals. (Accepted).
• Taysom, B. S., Md. Reza-E-Rabby, S. Whalen, M. DiCiano, T. Skszek, and other co-authors, “Fabrication of aluminum alloy 6063 tubing from secondary scrap with shear-assisted processing and extrusion,” TMS 2022 Light Metals, Feb 2022, pp 294-300
• Bushi, L., T. Skszek, and T. Reabum, 2019, “New ultralight automotive door life cycle assessment,” Int. J. Life Cycle Assess.,” Vol. 24, pp. 310–323.
• Leonard D.N., Powell A., Upadhyay P, Skszek T. “EDS (Elemental) and TKD (Crystallographic) Confirmation of Nanoscale Mg/Al Intermetallic Layers Formed During Linear Friction Stir Welding” Microscopy and Microanalysis, Aug 2022, pp.580-581.
• Omer K., Butcher C., Worswick M., Skszek T., “Warm Forming Simulation of a ZEK100 Magnesium Door Panel”, Nov 2019, IOP Conference Series Materials Science and Engineering.
• Bushi L, Skszek T., Reaburn T., “New ultralight automotive door life cycle assessment”, Feb 2019, The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, pp 3111-323
• Bushi L, Skszek T., Reaburn T., “North American Vehicle Lightweighting Crusade – New Ultralight Automotive Door LCA”, Aug 2018, Conference LCIC 2018.
• Bushi L, Skszek T., Reaburn T., “Magna’s New Ultralight Door - A Comparative LCA Study of the Lightweight Design as per ISO 14040/44 LCA Standards and CSA Group LCA Guidance Document for Auto Parts”, Apr 2018, Conference: WCX World Congress Experience.
• Reaburn T., Skszek T., “Ultra-Light Weight Automotive Door: Design and Validation”, Apr 2018, Conference: WCX World Congress Experience.

• Emami, A.R., S. Begum, D.L. Chen, T. W. Skszek. 2009. “Cyclic deformation behavior of a cast aluminum alloy.” Inside MS A., 516. pp. 31-41.