Engineering Notes
Short write-ups on mechanical design, simulation, and things I've learned building real parts.
Finite Element Analysis: When to Trust Your Mesh
A practical look at mesh convergence, common FEA pitfalls, and how to know when your simulation results are actually reliable.
Topology Optimization: Cutting Weight Without Cutting Corners
How structural optimization actually works in practice, what it gets wrong if you trust it blindly, and a real weight-reduction result from a robot arm bracket.
PID Tuning for Mobile Robots: A Field Guide
A practical, non-academic approach to tuning velocity and position control loops on small mobile robots, with a real overshoot-to-settled comparison.
Design for Manufacturing: Lessons From the Shop Floor
Three recurring mistakes I've seen (and made) when a CAD model looks perfect on screen but turns into a headache on the machine.
Vibration Analysis 101: Reading a Frequency Spectrum Without Panicking
A practical introduction to interpreting an FFT spectrum from an accelerometer, and how a bearing fault actually shows up in the data.
3D Printing vs. CNC Machining: Choosing the Right Process for a Prototype
The decision isn't about which process is better — it's about matching quantity, material requirements, and what you're actually validating.
Battery Sizing for Small Mobile Robots: A Back-of-the-Envelope Method
A practical way to size a battery pack for a mobile robot or drone from a duty cycle, without over- or under-building the pack.