April 2018 - Present
About Cal Poly Shop Technicians: 
Mechanical Engineering machine shops at Cal Poly are open to students of all majors who have completed a safety training course and test. Shop Technicians train students, demonstrate how to use machines, and oversee the daily use of the machine shops. 
Skills: Manufacturing, Critical Thinking, Communication, Patience
​Experience: Manual Mill, Manual Lathe, CNC Mill, Laser Cutter, Plasma Cutter, Mig Welder, Tig Welder

Machine Shop Projects

Projects are explained further below. 

Manual Lathe:
Tube Notcher Roller

This part was designed to be a replacement roller for the tube notcher. Because of the bearing fit, the part had a tolerance of .0004". I learned how to true a lathe, maintain tight tolerances, and machine for bearing fits. 

Lessons Learned: 
I learned the importance of completing each operation before removing the part. When holding tight tolerances, it is important to have as consistent of a setup as possible. 

CNC Mill: 
Outer and Inner Bearing Race Holders

I manufactured inner and outer race holders for a bearing for AKELA. Through this project, I had to take into account several aspects including critical dimensions, heat expansion of the bearing and aluminum parts, and press fit tolerances. I used a Haas CNC mill for these parts. 

Lessons Learned: 
Through this project, I learned the importance of assigning proper geometric tolerances to the parts and manufacturing for those tolerances. For example, it was critical that the 

 Manual Mill: 
V-block for Cart Steering System

During my radar cart project at AKELA Inc., I designed and manufactured a v-block for holding the axles. This part was designed to be easily manufactured and maintained. On this project, it was critical that each aspect of the cart could be easily replaced with hand tools if it broke because it is used in remote environments. 

Lessons Learned: 
I learned the importance of tolerancing parts with their application in mind as well as checking the dimensions of each part before moving past that operation. While manufacturing the v-blocks, I used an angled vice. I had difficulty getting the correct angle because my limited measurement tools available to me at the time. If I was to make this part again, I would use a digital angle finder or dial indicator to ensure the accuracy of the angles. 

Tig Welding: 
Small Box for Desk

As a shop tech advancement project, I made a desk organizer box using a Tig welder. It was a simple project that allowed me to practice several aspects of welding. As I worked on the project, my welds improved and I learned how to improve the weld quality by adjusting how much filler rod to use. 

Lessons Learned: 
Throughout the project, my weld quality increased as I learned how much filler rod and heat to use. In the future, I will make more practice welds before working on the final projects so I can adjust settings.