Designing Automotive Components
Born, Krusevac, Serbia, 1941, Jim Bekcic graduated, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 1966. His dedication to Mechanical Engineering began with a stint in the Military where he published several books in Statics, Kinematics, and Material Tensile Properties. Professionally, his career started with industrial cable car design for various lead/zinc ore refineries. Immigrating to Canada, 1973, with his family, Jim worked on specialty equipment including a unique Sugar Cane Separation System for Barbados. In 1978 he founded Beckar Engineering Ltd., a consulting firm in Windsor for the automotive sector. Beckar Engineering designs machines for deburring, transferring and defining automotive components, as well as assembly lines for truck frames. Beckar Engineering made it possible for Jim to participate in the 1986 Canadian Trade Mission to Africa and network there with officials from Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. In 1988, Jim founded Arbec Tool & Machine Ltd., to manufacture all of the machines and systems that Beckar Engineering designs. Jim has successfully presented products of Arbec-Beckar Group to the Canadian, American, and Mexican markets, allowing Arbec-Beckar Group to participate in very challenging and successful projects throughout North America. Arbec-Beckar Group has received several awards for excellence from Ford Motor Company, in particular for pioneering work in core definning and head deflashing systems. [Photo, courtesy Jim Bekcic]