GE Aerospace: Product Definition Engineering Intern
During the summer of 2023, I had the opportunity to intern at GE Aerospace in Lynn, Massachusetts, where I worked as a Product Definition Engineer. My role focused on engineering drawing modifications, CAD modeling, and digitizing legacy components for the F414 engine. Throughout the internship, I collaborated closely with mechanical design engineers and manufacturing teams to ensure precise and standardized documentation.
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One of my primary projects involved updating 2D engineering drawings for the F414 afterburner module. I implemented over 80 modifications to enhance clarity, including creating new cross-sections using Siemens NX and updating existing views to align with current manufacturing standards. I carefully reviewed GE’s procedural standards and applied GD&T principles to improve labeling and annotation accuracy. Additionally, I took the initiative to develop a reference table that mapped out the locations of various drawings, cross-sections, and components, making it significantly easier for manufacturing engineers and other departments to find critical information.
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Beyond these modifications, I contributed to GE Aerospace’s broader digital transformation initiative by converting legacy engineering drawings into modern CAD models. I worked extensively with multiple legacy clevis and dovetail designs for the F414 engine, carefully analyzing existing 2D legacy drawings and transforming them into detailed 3D CAD models using Siemens NX. This process not only modernized critical components but also ensured they could be efficiently stored, managed, and accessed in Teamcenter, GE’s PLM system. By digitizing and standardizing these designs, I helped streamline documentation processes, improve accessibility for engineers, and facilitate future design iterations.
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This internship provided me with invaluable experience in engineering documentation, CAD modeling, and cross-functional collaboration, while also allowing me to make meaningful contributions toward improving clarity and efficiency within GE Aerospace’s design and manufacturing processes.
Black Hawk Helicopter
Example Dovetail
Siemens NX
F414 Engine
Example Clevis
Teamcenter
UMass Lowell: Undergraduate Research Assistant
During my senior year, I had the opportunity to work under Dr. Murat Inalpolat at the University of Massachusetts Lowell as an Undergraduate Research Assistant. My role involved leading a project focused on analyzing drone flight paths through urban environments, supporting military research in understanding how drones behave in turbulent wind conditions.
To start, I had to familiarize myself with existing research and testing methods related to both drone flight dynamics and airflow through urban environments. From there, I worked on developing a structured plan for testing and data collection. The ultimate goal was to conduct full-scale drone testing in the large open-air wind tunnel at the Kostas Research Institute (KRI) in Burlington, MA, but before that, we needed to gather large amounts of wind data and establish a method to validate simulated wind data against real-world measurements.
One of my key tasks was researching and proposing sensor-based wind measurement techniques to the project's sponsors. To support the project, I began by developing a detailed CAD model of the closed-air wind tunnel at UMass Lowell, which I then implemented into ANSYS Fluent to simulate airflow in urban canyon environments. I ran extensive Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to analyze wind patterns and turbulence.
To validate the simulated data, I needed to replicate urban wind conditions in the closed-air wind tunnel. This involved constructing scaled building structures, designing a support system to hold them, and ensuring they could withstand wind speeds of up to 120 mph. Additionally, I successfully secured funding from project sponsors to purchase Vectoflow multi-hole probes, which allowed us to collect high-resolution wind data for validation purposes. Working alongside PhD colleagues, I helped set up LabVIEW-based experiments for initial wind tunnel tests.
Unfortunately, due to my graduation, I wasn’t able to see the project through to completion, but the experience gave me valuable hands-on exposure to CFD analysis, experimental wind tunnel testing, sensor integration, and real-world research applications.
Hover Testing at KRI
Closed Air Wind Tunnel at UML
Vectoflow Multi-Hole Probe
Open Air Wind Tunnel at KRI
Scaled Building Structure
ANSYS Fluent CFD SImulation
Alef Aeronautics: Mechanical Engineering Intern
During the summer of 2024, I had the opportunity to work as a Mechanical Engineering Intern at Alef Aeronautics, a startup based in San Mateo, CA, developing the first eVTOL flying car. This experience gave me first hand exposure to the fast-paced, hands-on environment of a startup, where I worked on composite manufacturing, rapid prototyping, and structural design challenges.
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One of my primary roles was working on the vehicle’s cabin, specifically developing the 3D CAD molds used for the carbon fiber layup process. I generated G-code to CNC machine multiple layers of MDF, creating the physical mold for the carbon fiber components. After machining, I was involved in preparing the molds by sanding and polishing them to ensure a high-quality surface finish. I also took part in laying up the carbon fiber prepreg and later took on a leadership role, teaching other interns how to properly prepare molds and execute the layup process.
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In addition to composites, I worked extensively with rapid prototyping using 3D printers, designing and manufacturing components critical to the development of the vehicle. I worked with various materials, selecting them based on specific structural and functional requirements. For structural components, such as clamps and brackets, I used PETG reinforced with carbon fiber, ensuring strength and durability under load. For softer, flexible applications, I utilized TPU to prototype window seals, allowing for proper fitment and testing before finalizing the design. This hands-on experience with material selection and additive manufacturing gave me a deeper understanding of how different materials behave under stress and real-world conditions.
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Another major project I worked on was improving the cabin rotation mechanism, a system designed to rotate 90 degrees in the x-y plane. During initial testing, we applied a 200-pound load to the rotation pad and encountered two major structural issues. The 3D-printed PETG carbon fiber clamps began cracking at sharp corners and between print layers under load, and the support structure deflected nearly 3 inches, causing interference between the rotation pad and its supports. To resolve these issues, I redesigned the clamps in SolidWorks, implementing fillets to reduce stress concentrations at corners and reorienting the print layers to align with the direction of tensile loading, improving overall strength. To minimize deflection, I designed a truss system by introducing a third carbon fiber support tube and optimized its angle using statics calculations. The results were significant: the clamp failures were eliminated, and deflection was reduced to less than 1 inch, meeting our design criteria.
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The fast-paced nature of Alef meant solving unexpected problems on tight deadlines. The day before a major investor demonstration, the motor driving the cabin rotation mechanism failed. While the electrical team worked on troubleshooting, I focused on quickly adapting a replacement motor. Since the new motor had different dimensions, I had to design and 3D-print a new motor mount in SolidWorks using carbon fiber-infused PETG. Within a few hours, I had the new mount installed, and the system was fully operational in time for the demo, allowing for a successful investor presentation.
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Beyond these projects, I was also responsible for the full development cycle of the car door mechanism, from CAD modeling to prototyping and testing (see Projects tab for more details). This internship gave me valuable hands-on experience in manufacturing, structural problem solving, and working under real-world engineering constraints, all while contributing to a groundbreaking project in urban air mobility.
Prototypes of the Alef Flying Cars
Cabin Support System
Cabin Support Clamps
Carbon Fiber Cabin
Car Door Mechanism
CNC Process for Carbon Fiber Mold