Hello, I'm Matt
I am a hardware design engineer with a passion for robotics and mechatronics. I'm an expert in digital tools like mechanical CAD, I have a lot of experience designing precise engineering tests, and I'm comfortable building up and tweaking my own unique toolset, equipment, and processes.
While I'm not always the fastest to an answer, I'm the guy you can hand a problem to and expect it to be figured out. My approach to engineering involves being detail oriented about problem definitions, deeply questioning assumptions, and building up ideas from fundamentals. I'm constantly interested in learning new skills and different ways to do things.
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Check out my background and reach out, I'd love to hear about your current project!
PROJECTS
Here is some of the technical work that I'm most proud of
AUTONOMOUS NAVIGATION ALGORITHMS
In this project, I developed my own approaches to several scenarios of autonomous navigation of a mobile robot. For setting up this project I used ROS (Robotic Operating System) and I created my navigation algorithms in Python. The target robot was the TurtleBot3 Waffle and I used Gazebo to simulate a real-world environment with accurate physics. In the future, I want to work on deploying algorithms like this to actual robots, but simulation is great for learning ROS more quickly with fewer resources.
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Scenario 1: Mapping of Unknown Environments
This algorithm uses a lidar scanner to get distance measurements in every direction from the robot to inform the driving algorithm. The robot will follow the walls on its right side with a tuned proportional control for angles of approach and departure. The robot will create a best-fit 2D map of the environment that can be used later for more complex navigation.
Scenario 2: Optimal Path Planning in Mapped Environments
Using the map created via autonomous mapping, I use an image processing approach to segment the map into a graph of traversable nodes. With this graph of nodes, I am able to program a path solver based on A*, a variation of Dijkstra's algorithm, that will rapidly find the shortest distance path between the current position and a goal. I then use a navigation node that will identify the next point on the path and follow the solved path to any valid goal that is given.
Scenario 3: Path Planning in Mapped Environments with Dynamic Obstacles
Introducing moving objects into my simulation, I was able to learn about planning for potential collisions. My approach is to segment a desired path into several smaller segments which can have interference checks before proceeding. This allows the robot to predict if it will collide with an obstacle and wait until it has a clear path. While I would like to develop more adaptable obstacle avoidance algorithms in the future, this "look both ways before crossing the street" approach would be very useful in any environment that you have forward knowledge of.
DELIVERY ROBOT
For the final project in a graduate mechatronics class, we were tasked with designing an autonomous "food delivery" robot. To simulate the robot picking up and delivering food, the robot was given 3 locations that were unknown before the beginning of the run, 2 pickup locations and the customer location.
The robot was required to sense and store the color of dots on the field at the pickup spots before eventually dropping the colors off at the customer's location without running into the pyramid representing the customer. The robot also had to display its current location on the field at all times with two 7-segment displays.
My robot used a mecanum drivetrain, 4 ultrasonic distance sensors, and a gyroscope to accurately localize its position and move between locations. The navigation, color scanning, displays, and driving were all controlled using a single Arduino Mega with code functions and subsystems developed modularly.
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The robot scored very well in the final presentation and was commended by the teaching staff to be one of the most robust overall designs developed.
ASSEMBLY LINE DESIGN OPTIMIZATION
This graduate Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) course introduced me to over 20 specific algorithms for optimizing engineering designs. Generally, these designs can incorporate multiple variables, different numbers of objective functions, and constraints that can be linear, nonlinear, or even discontinuous in nature. The final project gave prompts we could work on but also left the option up to us to design a new problem that would be best solved by knowledge from the class.
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I decided to use some of my background in business analysis and operations management to formulate my own project centered around the design of a manufacturing plant using production cost and market demand as constraints. This problem was unique because it applied concepts from the class to topics outside the scope of the aerospace and mechanical design focus of the content.
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I described a business scenario where a manufacturer of coffee machines is facing a decision of automation to their assembly process. I used sequential quadratic programming and a genetic algorithm approach to explore the solution space and optimize the operations of the assembly line. This project solidified my knowledge of optimization programming and the best practices of its general application to engineering and business problems.
COASTAL CURRENT - SENIOR DESIGN TEAM
For my senior design project, I worked on a team of 6 to develop an advancement in ocean wave power generation. Our design focuses on using constructive interference to increase the efficiency of overtopping wave energy converters.
The test rig that we designed is capable of precisely creating wall geometries and acquiring data in a wave pool to determine the most effective shape for creating useful constructive interference for more efficient power generation. The potential of our design for upscaling is backed up by detailed computational fluid dynamics simulations and extensive research.
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While the Pandemic stopped us from being able to put our design to work in the real world, I was able to hone my design skills by focusing on CAD development, electrical design, component selection, and technical documentation.
PURDUE CLOCK - TECHNICAL SERVICE PROJECT
Through the mechanical engineering summer projects, I was able to join the technical service project working on making additions to the historical clock sitting in the mechanical engineering building. With my past design experience and seniority, I quickly took on a leadership role for the team while focusing on the development of the motor and winding mechanism personally. I am proud that we were able to reach a viable and developed solution despite limitations due to the pandemic.
WELDING ROBOT PROGRAMMING at HONDA
At my internship with Honda Engineering, my main project was developing simulations and final robot path code that could be implemented on the production line for the 2021 Acura MDX. This required me to get hands-on with robots to see how they operate, learn the types of programming calls necessary to precisely articulate them, and eventually use Siemens Tecnomatix to create paths for over 180 frame weld locations. Developing these paths within cycle time constraints was a challenge, but while doing so I was able to document new strategies for Honda to speed up future path development and eliminate overtime requirements during implementation.
REMOTE-CONTROLLED CAR
This project for my Computer Aided Design and Prototyping course focused on the design of a toy race car. This project assigned the same electronics, a single gearhead DC motor, and a single servo motor to each team and required that they build the fastest RC car design possible in 2 weeks.
I was responsible for designing the rack and pinion steering component and coding the Arduino system such that it could respond to WIFI driving commands sent from a nearby smartphone. My team's design placed 2nd out of 12 in the speed test and was scored the most robust design.
SNES CONTROLLER CAD
The final project of my Graphical Communication and Spatial Analysis class tasked each student to fully model a real-world product as precisely as possible. I decided to model the plastic assembly pieces of a Super Nintendo controller and the button assemblies. This project was very interesting to me because it allowed me to set an advanced goal in a CAD package that was new to me at the time (CATIA V5). I used the assembly models from this assignment to continue self-learning in the areas of CAD animation and high-quality rendering. Developing computer drafting and visualization skills is still a passion of mine.
HAIR DRYER THERMAL ANALYSIS
In my heat and mass transfer class, I worked with my lab partners to optimize fin geometry for a hairdryer heating element. This project greatly increased my intuition of fluid flow and was fantastic practice for setting up steady-state thermal simulations in ANSYS and quickly iterating on geometry for a specific goal.
ASTROMECHS 3409 - FIRST ROBOTICS TEAM
Before I ever pursued an engineering degree, my 9 years of FIRST Robotics pushed me to dive into programming, CAD, electronics, and the machine shop in order to develop highly capable robots. The technical judging at tournaments also developed my comfort in explaining complex designs to strangers.
I took on many different roles on the team, learning how to effectively develop and test new ideas. I eventually became the team captain, managing development cycles and providing direction to the design, build, programming, and community outreach efforts of the team. The Astromechs advanced to the world championships twice during my time as team captain, exposing me to competition and networking with international roboticists that inspired me to pursue engineering and design as a career.
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The relationships I formed through FIRST were invaluable to my personal growth and I still enjoy providing technical guidance and mentoring to my high school robotics team as a way of helping to afford others the learning opportunities that I received.
EDUCATION
Made possible by late nights, great professors, and strong coffee
PURDUE UNIVERSITY | 2021-2023
Master of Science, Engineering Management
Studies focused on:​
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Product and Process Innovation
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Design and Control of Robotic Systems
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Decision-Making Techniques
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Optimization and Operations Research
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Business Analysis and Strategic Management
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Involvement:
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Krannert Experiential Learning Initiative
PURDUE UNIVERSITY | 2016-2021
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering
Specializations:​
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Rapid Design and Prototyping
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Mechatronics and Control Systems
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Finite Element Analysis
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Machine Design
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Engineering Economics
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Involvement:
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American Society of Mechanical Engineers
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Purdue "All-American" Marching Band
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Purdue Alumni Club of Kansas City
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Cool things I've done that also paid the bills
SPRING and SUMMER 2022
Mechanical Design Engineer
HP Inc.
As my first job after grad school, I decided that I could learn a lot by joining a company with a long history and very solidified design processes. While working here, I have learned about developing assets to be used across different product lines, planning for high-volume manufacturing, and how to use formal GD&T to create specific contracts with suppliers for how parts should be qualified.
SPRING and SUMMER 2022
Mechanical Design Engineer
FORMLABS
During my Master's program, I decided to enhance my learning about design methodologies and applications of mechatronics by working for a company focused on realizing high-quality designs. Formlabs is a 3D printing startup out of MIT that has grown to over $2 billion in valuation designing gold standard SLA and SLS 3D printers. As a Mechanical Design Engineer on the SLA team, I learned a lot about designing around material constraints, mass production methods, and engineering performance targets at the same time to create outstanding printers and great user experiences.
SUMMER 2020
Mechanical Engineer
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
During COVID-19 cancellations of traditional internships, I was hired by Purdue Mechanical Engineering to design new systems for a historic tower clock. I learned a lot about timekeeping mechanisms and clock dynamics while using my mechatronics and CAD experience to plan an automatic winding mechanism.
FALL 2019
Mechanical Engineer
HONDA R&D
During my time in the Electrical Framework Test group, I participated in the testing and analysis of subsystems related to battery, keyless entry, liftgate, and cooling within Honda vehicles. My main solo project was designing lab equipment that could drive and benchmark the performance of any Honda alternator at extreme temperatures and without the need for a test vehicle.
SPRING 2019
Robotics Engineer
HONDA ENGINEERING
At Honda EGA, I programmed articulated robots for welding and material handling using motion simulations within Siemens PLM software. I was personally responsible for 15 robot weld paths with safety interlock programming for the mass production of the 2021 Acura MDX. I also contributed to the Robotics team by modeling assembly line geometry in CATIA, researching new simulation techniques, and participating in path deployment.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
I didn't put down Microsoft Office skills but I've got those too
Solid and Surface Modelling
Finite Element Analysis &
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Programming
CAREER INTERESTS
"They're more of what you'd call guidelines"
ENGINEERING DESIGN
When designing products and equipment, I always work from basic principles and assumptions to build concepts into solutions. My process involves empathizing with stakeholders to define objectives and parameters; considering the safety, longevity, economics, and impacts of a given design; and iterating on prototypes to deliver high-quality solutions. Developing great design practices is important to me.
MECHATRONICS and CONTROL
I make myself more valuable as an engineering team member by focusing on understanding electromechanical interfaces that make modern devices possible. By creating mathematical models of mechanical behaviors and understanding what is possible with actuators, sensors, and digital logic, designs can be tuned for specific performance without becoming costly or complicated.
TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP
Since I was team captain of my FIRST Robotics team in high school, I have been learning through experience how to lead effectively and manage development cycles. I understand the value of developing team communication, trusting in delegation rather than micromanagement, and allowing for experimentation during engineering projects. I intend to develop skills throughout my career to become a more effective leader on technical projects.