As a Mechanical Engineer at Caliber Design, I worked directly with our clients, from their premises, and remote, to boost capacity in their engineering team, this helped them to fill a skill or resource gap and get their projects across the line.

Biomass gasification/CO2 production system:Upgrading and developing a full-scale demonstration plant to improve reliability, output and user experience before its commercial installation. Developing a productionised version of the same plant.

Hydrogen Liquification, Storage and Dispensing:This was a fast-paced project working with Fabrum’s cutting-edge cryogenics technology. We designed and built hydrogen liquefaction, storage, transfer and vehicle-based systems for use in heavy vehicles. This was a greenfield site with lots of unique challenges and many stakeholders. I was responsible for late-stage design and manufacturing support on cryogenic pressure vessels as well as site pipework and electrical cable management and support structures.

In this project I designed bespoke equipment for a semi-automated production line to assist high volume production of space flight components. Working closely with the product development team and automation engineers, I designed equipment from scratch. This involved iterating concepts and building prototypes to prove concepts before finalising the designs. Equipment I developed, included an automated test station with product gripper, torque and vibration measurement, acoustically isolated cells, and HEPA filtered air. I also carried out development and prototyping of a fully automated machine to precisely insert magnets into a rotor, complete with self-checking.

Automated Whiteware Manufacturing LineIn this project, I modified and developed an automated punching station to meet new product requirements as part of a washing machine bowl production line for a prominent whiteware supplier. Working in a multidisciplinary team, this involved producing 3D models and engineering drawings to suit both internal and end user requirements.

Chain Conveyor Bypass SystemThis was a fast-paced project which involved the extension and modification of an existing chain conveyor system to be installed into an operational meatworks. Our system allowed new automated equipment to be installed and tested with minimal disruption to the end-users production outputs. My role involved producing 3D models, manufacturing drawings and fatigue calculations.

Control Case Rebuild:Rebuilding legacy control case assembly in new CAD software and making improvements for manufacture and revision management in the future.

As an Industrial Sales Engineer, I consulted on industrial system performance issues. I sized, specified, and designed industrial systems and equipment (including air pollution control (APC), pneumatic conveying, heat recovery, and fan systems) for both new and existing processes. I also developed and maintained relationships with customers, reviewed and responded to tender and contract documents, and wrote and priced project proposals (working closely with our costing team). As part of this role, I regularly visited customers on their sites throughout New Zealand and in Fiji, to gather technical and site information and to understand their process-specific requirements in order to develop custom solutions to meet customers’ specific needs.

In my Project and Sales Engineer role, in addition to the industrial sales work described above, I ran small industrial and commercial projects involving manufacture, supply, install and modification of APC and industrial equipment such as dust collectors, acoustic attenuators, heat exchangers and ducting. These projects required communication and coordination with our customers and contractors as well with our internal departments (engineering, design, costing, procurement and the factory). This project engineering role also involved technical assessment, understanding of mechanical systems, cost and time management, warranty management, and routine internal progress reporting.

At Fraser Fire & Rescue I worked as lead designer and in design support roles across many fire appliances. I completed the full detailed design on these projects (which started from a bare chassis cab), producing a complete 3D model and a full set of 2D manufacturing drawings while working closely with staff in our fabrication and assembly shops to develop efficient, cost-effective designs and communicating with the customer to make sure their expectations were understood, managed, and met.

While at Invert Robotics, I worked in a team of 4, designing a commercial version of the patented wall climbing inspection robot that my team developed during our University honours project. I was one of two mechanical designers and worked on the traction/drive system, adhesion system and chassis. Other duties included build, test, and review of the robot as well as liaising with manufacturers and suppliers.

This role included communication with project overseers, managers and suppliers, to design and cost a “frameless” glass fridge door. A side project involved the redesign and build of a sheet metal louvre to improve appearance and ease of assembly.