Capabilities
Problems I work on
Each area starts with the engineering problem, then how I approach it and where the experience comes from. Employer work is described only in general terms.
01
Mechanical design and product development
- Problem
- A part has to meet customer requirements, fit its neighbors, survive its loads, and be made at volume, usually all at once and on a schedule.
- How I work
- I start from the interfaces and the manufacturing route, and I keep the supplier involved from concept through prototype builds and PPAP.
- Evidence
- Automotive programs from concept to PPAP at Continental, Harman, XDIN, and Marquardt (2011–2022). Elevator components and assemblies (2005–2008, 2023–present). Mechanism design with kinematic simulation in CATIA.
02
Injection-molded plastic parts
- Problem
- Molded parts fail in ways a drawing doesn't show: sink, warp, short shots, weak knit lines, cracked bosses, and tolerances the tool can't hold.
- How I work
- I review supplier DFM and Moldflow reports, change the geometry before the tool is cut, and negotiate tolerances and special characteristics against what the process can actually hold.
- Evidence
- Electronic housings (Continental), audio components (Harman), interior trim and complex plastic parts (XDIN), switch enclosures and key fobs (Marquardt). First tooling work on vandal-resistant elevator push buttons with Braille (Ascensores Volta).
03
Brackets, supports, and sheet-metal structures
- Problem
- Brackets are small parts with big consequences. They set the load path, the stiffness, and the fastener loads, and they are often where cost hides.
- How I work
- I trace the load path, check stiffness and stresses, and design to what the stamping or fabrication process can produce, with the supplier aligned on tolerances.
- Evidence
- Stamped brackets and support brackets for OEM audio speakers (Harman). FEA of brackets, sheet-metal assemblies, hydraulic components, and structural supports for elevators (Otis). Steel platforms and equipment structures in my independent HVAC design work.
04
Finite element analysis
- Problem
- A colorful stress plot can hide a wrong boundary condition. The value of FEA is in the setup and the interpretation.
- How I work
- I state the question first, then choose the idealization, materials, contacts, and restraints that answer it, and I report what the model can't tell us. I also support other engineers in setting up and interpreting their simulations.
- Evidence
- ANSYS: structural simulation in my current role, speaker-enclosure simulation for automotive audio at Harman, and early-career work in Buenos Aires. FEA in Siemens NX (Marquardt) and CATIA (XDIN). SolidWorks Simulation for independent work.
05
GD&T and tolerance analysis
- Problem
- Tolerances are design decisions. If they don't reflect function, either the part costs too much or the assembly doesn't work.
- How I work
- I choose datums from how the part is located and assembled, control features according to what they have to do, and run stack-ups on the dimensions that matter. I read dimensional reports to close the loop with manufacturing and inspection.
- Evidence
- GD&T drawings for parts and assemblies (XDIN, Marquardt). Stack-up analysis and dimensional-report reviews (Otis). PCB outlines, keep-outs, and PCB-to-housing clash analysis (Continental, Marquardt). Formal GD&T and tolerance-stack training (2011).
06
HVAC, refrigeration, and controlled environments
- Problem
- Thermal equipment has to hold a condition (temperature, humidity, airflow) inside a real room, with real loads and a real installation.
- How I work
- I calculate thermal loads, size valves, ducts, and piping by load and pressure drop, and integrate the controls and the structure that carries the equipment.
- Evidence
- HVAC design at Frimax (2009–2011): thermal loads, TXV selection, duct and pipe sizing, PLC controls. Independent design work since 2016: stability and process chambers, pre-cooling chambers, and cold rooms, including an airflow study checked against anemometer measurements. See work →
07
Electronics integration
- Problem
- A housing that ignores the board, the connectors, and the assembly sequence will be redesigned late.
- How I work
- I bring the PCB into the CAD early, check clearances and connector access, and design ribs and supports around the board.
- Evidence
- PCB-to-housing integration for body electronics (Continental) and switches and key fobs (Marquardt). Electromechanical technician background and hobby electronics. See lab →