Professional Projects
Garnet Cavity Tuner LDRD
Physicists at Fermilab were able to secure Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) funding to improve booster radio frequency (RF) cavity performance through the use of new materials. In collaboration with physicists on the project I developed and delivered a device that will allow RF losses due to garnet components to be tested as a function of bias field.
Mu2e Septum Electrostatic Simulations
As a newly designed device, the Mu2e septum had some initial difficulty reaching its operational voltage of -100kV. I performed electrostatic simulations and provided design guidance to reduce unwanted peak field intensities within the device by over 40%.
MI-52 Electrostatic Septum Repair
The MI-52 septa use a conductive plane formed by over 1,400 tungsten-rhenium wires to steer protons. Over time the wires break due to interaction with the particle beam. I was able to successfully reverse-engineer the decades old wire replacement process and remanufacture a damaged septum with the help of Fermilab machinists.
LBNF Neutrino Horn Power Supply Stripline
Neutrino focusing horns require an incredible 5,000V, 300,000A pulse of electricity for 800µs to effectively steer particles. The conductors that carry this power experience immense electromagnetic force during a pulse. I engineered components to withstand these forces in extreme environments, and developed prototypes to efficiently test my designs.
Mu2e Septum Transport Cart
Installing delicate beamline devices is often a challenge. To allow easy installation of the Mu2e Septa, I designed and built a pneumatic system that allows leveling and lowering of the septum using an onboard compressed nitrogen tank.
LBNF LCW System Design
Magnets, power supplies, and even the power distribution conductors themselves at Fermilab are often cooled with low-conductivity water (LCW). I completed the preliminary design of a 4,000 gallon LCW system for the upcoming Long Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF). When completed the system will provide roughly one mega-watt of cooling for over 60 devices under full load.
MAGIS-100 Supports, Structures, and Installation
MAGIS-100 is an upcoming quantum project at Fermilab that will be installed in the 100m long vertical MINOS access shaft. For the project I design mechanical support structures, adjusters, assembly fixtures, and installation fixtures to ensure the project meets its physics goals.
ROS Robotic Arm
This 3D printed robot arm was intended to be a proof of concept to see if a useful camera positioning robot for remote tunnel inspections could be created with open source ROS packages and hobby components. Working in my spare time I was able to successfully control the arm end effector with a 3DConnexion Spacemouse.
Personal Projects
DINGLABS Brass Nameplate
A housewarming gift for a friend, a THORLABS spoof, and a great excuse to buy a powder coating setup. This simple project was a great way to try out some fun Fusion 360 CAM toolpath tricks and learn the basics of powder coating.
Taig Mill Tachometer Circuit
After years of struggling with a handheld tachometer to get spindle RPM it was time for something that integrated with the CNC mill control software. As an introduction to making circuits at home, I modified some existing plans and made up a simple tachometer circuit for my CNC Taig mill.
DIY Welded Battery Pack
Carrying and maintaining a large inventory of flight packs for drone racing can be expensive and exhausting. Recharging flight packs from a larger battery in- between races provides a cheaper alternative. To meet storage constraints and learn more about lithium batteries, I decided to build my own high capacity battery.
Billet Aluminum Collet Wrenches
A project to test the limits of the Taig mill and a good excuse to design some unique fixtures. Aluminum wrenches will not mar collet nuts like steel wrenches, and are less likely to damage carbide endmills if the wrench bumps the tool.
3D Printed Projects
Too many projects and not enough time is a problem that anyone who likes to tinker at home runs into. After purchasing a Prusa i3 MK3S 3D printer to help reduce the machining time for a few projects, I found my project list growing even larger as a 3D printer expanded the possibilities of what I could make at home.
Taig Mill Enclosure
College graduation meant no more access to a well outfitted college machine shop, so it was time to start modifying my little Taig mill to be a more capable workhorse. It’s tough to get your deposit back with metal chips wedged between every floorboard, so a quality enclosure was first on the list!
2019 NASA Robotic Mining Competition
During my final year as a team member of the NDSU NASA Robotics Mining Competition team I was only able to participate for one of the two design semesters since I had to graduate and get a real job! I handed off project management roles to other team members and focused on helping manufacture components and train incoming team members.
Kurt KTR-35 Fixture Plate
In 2017 the NDSU machine shop purchased a Fryer CM-15 machining center that was incompatible with all vises currently in the shop. I selected an appropriate vise to purchase, then designed and built a fixture plate to mount it onto the machine table.
2018 NASA Robotic Mining Competition
The NASA Robotic Mining Competition tasks fifty universities to autonomously mine and deposit at least one kilogram of simulated martian ice in a ten minute time period. For the 2018 competition year I was the project and mechanical lead.
2017 NASA Robotic Mining Competition
Not having a robotics team in high school, the 2017 NASA Robotic Mining Competition was my first foray into any organized robotics team. During the competition season I designed and built drive systems and regolith deposition mechanisms while learning a lot about the competition itself.
Brass Bolt Puzzle
A fun project taken on at the behest of the machine shop manager at NDSU to prove my lathe abilities, and to allow me to puzzle fellow engineers for years to come.
4-Axis Taig CNC Mill Retrofit and Repair
I purchased a 4 axis Taig milling machine from my high school for what seemed like a fair price. The journey that followed entailed a complete replacement of all electronics, and a huge amount of mechanical service to the mill itself.
Pneumatic Auto-Loader
I set out to produce a prototype set of air gun internals that would both load and fire a projectile using a single solenoid based loosely on an existing design. My design was aimed at improving the efficiency of the system and increasing the speed with which the mechanical system cycled.
