Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego, 2004
  • M.S., Materials Science and Engineering, Oregon State University, 1996
  • B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Oregon State University, 1995
Licenses & Certifications
  • Professional Engineer Metallurgical, California, #1938
  • Certified ISO 9001:2000 Lead Auditor
Professional Affiliations
  • Materials Research Society
  • The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society
  • ASM International
Languages
  • Mandarin Chinese

Dr. Hayes has extensive experience solving complex technical problems in a variety of industries including consumer electronics, consumer products, medical devices, vehicles, industrial equipment, and technology product development. He has conducted technology due diligence reviews of emerging technologies and intellectual property (IP) for clients such as investment firms, IP owners, and companies interested in purchasing IP or the associated products.

Dr. Hayes routinely performs failure analysis investigations on a variety of consumer electronics as well as commercial and industrial products. He specializes in the mechanical behavior, degradation and failure of materials including metal, polymer, ceramic and glasses. He has expertise in the areas of materials characterization, fatigue, fracture, and creep. He often works with companies addressing the technical aspects of consumer product recalls.

Dr. Hayes works extensively on projects involving battery design, manufacturing, and failure analysis. In addition to performing root cause analyses of products involving battery failures, he has conducted more than 80 on-site technical manufacturing line evaluations of battery cell and battery pack manufacturers. He assists clients by conducting design reviews of batteries and battery packs to evaluate the potential for safety issues or field failures. Dr. Hayes also helps many clients evaluate and choose vendors that have the capability to produce batteries with the quality and safety the client requires.

In addition to battery factory evaluations, Dr. Hayes conducts technical manufacturing line evaluations for processes such as consumer electronics assembly, printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), chemical etching, injection molding, and metal casting and forming. The focus of such site assessments is to improve the quality, reliability, and safety of the products and minimize reject rates through a detailed evaluation of the equipment, processes, and quality control in the factory.