Engineering Spotlight: Marty Ohnemus
Martin Ohnemus is the Engineering Systems Administrator at Knapheide. He has multiple years of experience working with the entire SOLIDWORKS suite of tools – CATIA, ENOVIA, DraftSight, SOLIDWORKS Simulation and more. He develops and maintains engineering processes, workflows, and training programs, including SOLIDWORKS certifications, while administering multiple business-critical systems like SOLIDWORKS and PDM CAD Vault.
He’s also an instructor at John Wood Community College, teaching students SOLIDWORKS 101. He holds multiple SOLIDWORKS certifications. When he has down time, he and his wife work on restoring a historic farmhouse from the 1800s!
Why Engineering? When did you know you wanted to pursue engineering and design?
From a young age, I was always building or tinkering with something. Growing up, we were encouraged to spend time outdoors, and I naturally gravitated toward tools — often borrowing my dad’s (and occasionally forgetting to return them). Like many kids, I enjoyed fixing my bike and repairing things around the house. One of my proudest early accomplishments was taking apart and repairing a dryer, even restoring a light that hadn’t worked in over five years.
My true passion, however, was woodworking. I started by refinishing household furniture in the garage. To this day, I still have a bookcase and a table I restored — tangible reminders of where it all began.
As a teenager, I always held a job, though none were in the trades I loved. It was during those years—working as a custodian, in security, and other roles — that I realized my heart was in building and design. I took two years of drafting in high school and eventually learned CAD. After graduation, I began working as a carpenter earning the title of Master Carpenter.
Following the 2008 housing market crash, I transitioned into a supervisory role at a vending company. It wasn’t fulfilling — I missed working with my hands and creating. Then, a serious car accident during an ice storm left me with significant spinal injuries, ending my career in carpentry.
After 2.5 years of recovery, I returned to school to refresh my CAD skills. Before I even finished retraining, I was hired by Knapheide as a drafter. Within six months, I became a custom product designer, and shortly after, a standard product designer. Today, I serve as the Engineering Systems Administrator.
I’m incredibly fortunate to have found a career that aligns with my passion. Every challenge reminds me why I love engineering.
Why Hawk Ridge Systems?
Knapheide was seeking a partner to help us stay at the forefront of design innovation. Hawk Ridge Systems stood out because their commitment to excellence mirrors our own philosophy of “Never Settle.”
Advice to people considering engineering as a career?
Engineering is a vast and diverse field with limitless opportunities. Whether you’re drawn to architecture, mechanical design, forensic engineering, or mining, there’s a place for you. Follow your curiosity and never stop learning.
What’s the most fun or quirky project you’ve ever worked on?
One of the most unique projects I led was developing a custom SOLIDWORKS add-in for shipping diagrams. There wasn’t a tool on the market that could automatically place unique designs on trailers for shipping. Partnering with Hawk Ridge Systems, we created a solution that reduced shipping times, minimized damage, and improved communication at loading docks.
Favorite side or pet project?
My wife and I are restoring an 1883 farmhouse on five acres of land. It’s a labor of love, and we’re slowly bringing it back to its original charm.
Favorite client engagement? Why? What problem did you get to help solve?
In 2017, I collaborated with Knapheide’s IT team to develop a company-wide ECO (Engineering Change Order) process. We built a PHP application that integrates with our PDM system, allowing data transfer without requiring individual user licenses. It was a rewarding challenge that solved a major operational hurdle.
Recent work or side project that shows why you love engineering?
I’ve been a SOLIDWORKS User Group Leader for 10 years. Alongside my co-leaders, I help organize the annual Data Management Summit. This year’s event will be held on November 6, 2025, at Dassault Systèmes HQ in Waltham, MA. It’s a full day of content focused on SOLIDWORKS PDM and ENOVIA — an event that truly showcases the collaborative spirit of engineering.
What are you reading/watching/learning/playing currently?
I’ve always been drawn to documentaries. Right now, I’m watching Titan on Netflix. On the creative side, I’m working on a custom “Field of Dreams” wooden sign for a neighbor who built a baseball field near our home.
What do you want to learn next?
I’m planning to dive into computer programming. As the world moves toward autonomous production, refreshing my understanding of programming languages feels like a smart next step.
Favorite engineering or dad joke or meme?
What’s a recent engineering trend or innovation you’re excited about?
As AI continues to advance within the software industry, its potential to enhance design processes and eliminate repetitive tasks is both exciting and full of promise. AURA, being released by Dassault Systèmes, looks useful and may very well have a big impact on design going forward.
Where can people follow you online or see more of your work?
You can connect with me on LinkedIn you can read more about my work at Knapheide on Engineering.com or Forbes. I also co-lead two user groups you’re welcome to join:
- PDM SOLIDWORKS User Group (https://community.swugn.org/pdm-solidworks-user-group/)
- DraftSight User Group (https://community.swugn.org/draftsight-solidworks-user-group)
