Problems worth understanding.
Solutions worth testing.

Problem

Processing stations had assigned recycled-powder barrels, but operators sometimes bypassed them when replenishing station tanks. Recycled-powder barrels filled while powder was pulled from the auto-unpacker instead. Recovery and unpacking could then stall, leaving completed builds queued and build units occupied. Operators sometimes discarded recoverable powder to make room.

Approach

A four-barrel circulation and rotation method gave recovered powder a defined route and made the intended sequence easier to follow. The procedure addressed recycled-powder flow and replenishment across stations.

My contribution

I identified the material-flow bottleneck, co-developed the routing method with another engineer, tested the process and wrote the SOP. Maintenance and production personnel implemented the operating steps; I checked adoption and compliance.

Outcome and limits

The workflow was trialed in early 2026 and documented in April. As of October 2026 no further powder-management deadlocks had been reported. Avoided powder waste was not formally quantified.

Problem

Manual operations were difficult to train and scale, particularly where advanced CAD knowledge and application switching were required.

Approach

Automated repeatable geometry operations: coping-height determination from mesh intersections, cutback preparation using macros, and zirconia or PMMA workflow selection while keeping unusual cases under experienced review.

My contribution

I devised and coded the Python coping-height method using a geometric probe to locate suitable extrusion height, recorded the original cutback macro, adapted selection and offset for PMMA, and helped test integration. A collaborator built additional automation and SQL-driven workflow selection. I primarily tested, rather than developed, the separate scan-alignment automation.

Outcome and limits

Five production-oriented cases with different implant positions and geometries were tested, with downstream ceramist feedback. The process remained in production at my departure in January 2025. This was not a clinical outcome study.

Observation and measurement

The original evaluation used visual inspection, Imetric4D Li2 scans and Geomagic Wrap comparisons against the nominal CAD model. Distinct spatial deviations were observed for each material and process. The investigation was exploratory and did not include documented independent replication or measurement-uncertainty estimates.

Experimental intervention

I modified the SLA arch to include an integral crossbar connecting both distal ends. While attached, the crossbar restrained the arch during post-curing and eliminated the observed flare. Once removed, a subsequent scan showed approximately 50% less distal flare than the unbraced case. This comparison alone does not identify the cause of deformation.

Working hypothesis

Unequal effective strain between inner and outer regions of a curved thin-walled part may contribute to bending and distal displacement. The outer curved surface has more area than the inner surface, but area difference has not been shown to drive the observed deformation. Cure or thermal history, material behavior, orientation and constraints remain competing explanations.

Current research direction

I am developing simplified U-shaped and other non-dental curved specimens, with controlled wall thickness and repeatable scan positioning, to compare as-printed and post-processed deviations across polymer AM technologies. Fixture and specimen preparation are ongoing; this is not a completed validation.

Intended engineering outcome

The objective is to investigate whether a repeatable process- and geometry-dependent effective shrinkage or distortion coefficient can be estimated, and whether that model could inform deliberate CAD pre-distortion to counter expected distal flare. No transferable coefficient or validated compensation algorithm has been established.

Approach

Introduced inspection and cleaning expectations for the chamber supplying lamp cooling fans, reviewed lamp replacement histories and operating hours, and assessed preventive-replacement intervals against the observed service-life distribution.

My contribution

I investigated the powder-intrusion path, established monthly maintenance expectations, analyzed MaintainX records and proposed consideration of preventive lamp replacement around 800 to 1,000 operating hours. Technicians performed and recorded maintenance. I later flagged weakening compliance.

Outcome and limits

A May 2026 analysis showed the difference in recorded average service life. Utilization, maintenance compliance and preventive replacement may influence the comparison. The policy recommendation was a modeled risk-management decision. Dollar savings were excluded pending reconciliation of warranty claims, replacement classifications and utilization.

Purpose

The project began as an investigation into why automotive uprights are designed differently. A 1968-era single-seater became a way to study vehicle architecture, technical terminology and unfamiliar disciplines through design.

Approach

I use research and technical documentation, seek input from relevant specialists and examine CAD geometry with calculations and simulations. Engineering decisions are revisited when a constraint or result warrants it.

Engineering decisions

Front upright FEA showed stress concentration at a lower control-arm pickup. Two redesigns led to a tab-and-slot feature intended to route bump loads into the upright body. At vehicle level, I changed from an all-aluminum monocoque concept to a dual-sponson layout with machined bulkheads after evaluating fabrication, cost and access. I examined the revised concept against a stiffness target using closed-section torsion calculations.

Current stage and limits

The project includes CAD assembly work, suspension geometry, calculations and structural iterations. Combined-load and durability studies remain open. October 2026 airflow simulation indicated positive lift, which informs further design work. Fabrication and testing are not yet complete.

Problem

The part needed to raise the factory cupholder, retain drinks on demanding roads, avoid damage and match the existing interior design.

Solution

I developed a PETG extender with controlled interference, material compliance and locating tabs, plus an optional discreet zip-tie slot.

My contribution

I translated the request into requirements, iterated two prototypes and arranged testing in the customer vehicle. After over ten months of direct sales I forecast retail potential for Flyin’ Miata. Their test print informed another revision to fit their machine and material tolerances and increase the inner radius.

Outcome and limits

Testing on the Tail of the Dragon produced no reported spills. Direct sales informed an approximately $5,000 annual gross-retail-sales forecast for Flyin’ Miata, not actual royalty receipts. The company approved the revised design for production, with approximately 10% less material consumption.

Problem

Occasional surface-quality complaints and four-hour printing time per two-badge set constrained the production process.

Solution

I separated the foreground and backing into independent components, printed display faces against the build plate, and introduced cyanoacrylate bonding.

My contribution

I designed the split-part architecture, adjusted print orientation and production setup, and introduced bonding. After a customer noticed backing flex without separation, I added a second rear adhesive application.

Outcome

Surface-finish complaints stopped following the redesign, and no further bonding complaints were reported after the corrective step. Reduced print time made holding finished inventory practical rather than relying only on print-on-demand.