Mechanical engineer: design, test, and product
I take systems from concept through analysis, fabrication, and validated test data. Most recently, I designed and built a 3,000 N tensile and compressive test machine that produces stress–strain curves at 97% accuracy.
Built on a student budget, designed to industrial expectations.
I designed and built a materials test machine rated to 3,000 N in both tension and compression. Dual linear actuators apply the load while an optical encoder and IMU feed an Arduino Nano on a custom PCB I designed.
I wrote the data acquisition and processing firmware that turns raw sensor readings into engineering stress–strain curves, and designed the safety systems, including a shrapnel shield and emergency stops, to contain specimen failure.
| Rated load | 3,000 N tension and compression |
|---|---|
| Curve accuracy | 97% |
| Actuation and sensing | Dual linear actuators, optical encoder, IMU |
| Electronics | Arduino Nano on a custom PCB (KiCad) |
| Safety | Shrapnel shield, emergency stops |
Embedded systems, controls, and automotive work, mostly built on my own time.
A battery-powered gauge cluster that mounts inside a dashboard vent. An ESP32 talks over Bluetooth to an ELM327 module, polling live CAN bus and OBD-II data for RPM, coolant temperature, and speed. I wrote the display and menu firmware and designed the enclosure in SolidWorks.
A small autonomous vehicle that follows lanes using computer vision and detects obstacles, deciding whether to stop or steer around them.
A servo gimbal driven by an ESP32-C3 and MPU6050 IMU. I implemented PID control with step response logging, then tuned the gains using root locus analysis in MATLAB.
Paid work where I owned the job from start to finish.
PEMB Construction Inc., remote
Self-employed, Lakeland, FL
Also: property maintenance and operations assistant for a contractor services company, self-employed landscaper, and member of the Florida Polytechnic University volleyball team.
SolidWorks user for more than eight years, with simulation training in CFD and FEA.
Computational fluid dynamics (ANSYS Fluent), finite element analysis (COMSOL Multiphysics), stress–strain analysis, vibrations and controls, PID tuning, root locus analysis
Tensile and compressive materials testing, data acquisition, optical encoders, IMU integration, machine safety systems
3D parametric modeling (SolidWorks, Fusion 360), design for manufacturing, tolerance analysis, custom PCB design (KiCad), FDM 3D printing, CAM
C, C++, Python, MATLAB, Arduino and ESP32 firmware, linear actuator and servo control, computer vision, ROS 2, CAN bus and OBD-II, Wi-Fi and IoT
I'm looking for a full-time mechanical design, test, or product engineering role starting after I graduate in December 2026.
combstethan@gmail.com