Mechanical Technologist · Thorold, Ontario
Goes by Otto
I build, commission and design precision machinery. I've programmed multi-axis CNC mills and assembled robotic cells, and today I build automated welding systems for aerospace work.
OM-LS-01Featured projectFinal-year design project
My final-year design project at Niagara College. I took a towable hydraulic log splitter from a fixed list of requirements through concept sketches, engineering calculations and a complete Inventor model, then documented every decision in a full technical report.
| Cylinder | Ø5.00 in bore × 24.00 in stroke |
|---|---|
| Mobility | Towable, with a tow tongue and hitch sized by calculation |
| Stability | Tipping angle checked against the requirement |
| CAD | Autodesk Inventor: parts, assembly and drawings |
| Deliverables | 3D model, drawing package, BOM and technical report |
Splitting force is system pressure acting on the bore area. Move the slider to see what the 5 in bore delivers across a range of pump pressures.
Started from a fixed list of requirements covering splitting force, mobility and stability.
Rough layouts to settle the overall form: beam, cylinder position, wedge and running gear.
Sized the hydraulic cylinder from the force needed at the wedge, landing on a 5 in bore and 24 in stroke.
Calculated the loads on the tow tongue and hitch to meet the towing requirement.
Checked height, width and centre of gravity so the tipping angle stays within spec.
Selected the purchased components to suit the calculated loads and duty.
Modelled the parts in Inventor, built the full assembly and produced the drawing package and BOM.
Documented the calculations, design decisions and final design in a full technical report.
Documentation
The report covers the design from the first requirement to the final drawings. I'm happy to share the full document.
LIBURDIAutomated Welding Division2026 – Present
I build, assemble, test and commission precision automated welding systems and tooling for prototype and production work. I work from technical drawings and engineering procedures, and I bring design issues back to the engineers early so they're fixed before they reach the floor.
I'm the lead mechanical technologist on a 7-axis system whose toolhead works inside an argon gas chamber, configured for TIG, laser and plasma welding of aerospace parts. I work alongside the lead electrical technologist and the project manager.
An aerospace client supplied a plasma torch from another manufacturer to run on our largest in-house welding machine. I fitted the torch, routed the lines and integrated the hot block for AC/DC welding of aluminum jet engine compressor components.
I proposed and built a tracking system in Excel and VBA for rework, labour hours and recurring assembly issues, so repeat problems are easy to spot and fix.
OM-02 to 04Personal projects
Design work I do on my own time, mostly for my project car.
A custom bracket to mount the shifter in my project car. I modelled it in SolidWorks, 3D printed it and fitted it to the car.
A turbo system for the car's 3.7 L VQ stroker, designed in SolidWorks around the existing engine bay.
Self-taught. I write scripts that pull large datasets, calculate rolling trends and flag outliers, plus HTML and JavaScript dashboards to visualize the results.
HISTORYExperience and education
Build, assemble and commission precision laser-powered automated welding systems and tooling. Test, troubleshoot and repair production equipment, and work with engineers on design requirements and documentation.
Final-year design project: the towable hydraulic log splitter above, designed in Autodesk Inventor.
Programmed, set up and ran multi-axis CNC mills in Fusion 360 to make precision foundry patterns to customer specifications and deadlines. Managed project timelines and coordinated material preparation with the shop floor.
Assembled full robotic cell systems from engineering drawings, built pneumatic fixturing and tooling for robot arms and worktables, and programmed Fusion 360 toolpaths to machine custom cell parts.
Operated CNC mills and lathes and inspected high-tolerance parts.
TOOLKITSoftware and shop skills
| Tool | Level | Where I've used it |
|---|---|---|
| Autodesk Inventor | Advanced | Log splitter: parts, assembly and drawing package |
| Autodesk Fusion 360 | Advanced | CAD/CAM and multi-axis CNC programming at Dominion Pattern Works; custom robotic cell parts at Ethos |
| G-code | Advanced | Writing and editing at the control on DMG, Mori and Matsuura mills and lathes |
| SolidWorks | Intermediate+ | Turbo system and shifter bracket |
| AutoCAD | Intermediate | 2D drafting and drawing interpretation |
| MasterCAM | Intermediate | CAM programming and toolpaths |
| Excel and VBA | Intermediate | Rework and labour tracking system at Liburdi |
| Python | Intermediate | Data analysis tools and dashboards |
| MathCAD, Automation Studio, RobotStudio | Working | Coursework and robotic cell co-op |
On the floor
CONTACTOpen to new roles
I'm looking for mechanical design, automation design and manufacturing roles across Niagara, Hamilton and the GTA. The full log splitter report is available on request.