surface modeling
fusion 360
consumer products
At a glance: As a modeling exercise, I was tasked with reverse engineering an OXO Magnetic Mini Clip. This project opened my eyes to the âeveryday engineeringâ behind some of the products that I use on a daily basis. While it may seem like an unassuming product, there are plenty of aspects that require a diligent hand to craft an intuitive, friendly product that fits OXOâs brand image.
fusion360
dfa
user experience
At a glance: During the Summer of 2020 I decided to take a second look at a project that has been on the backburner for a while, a body for a Raspberry Pi RetroPie system. RetroPie is an open source operating system for the Pi that allows for the emulation of old, open source, arcade games. I wanted to design a stand alone âplug and playâ system that could easily be 3D printed by a hobbyist. The final design tried to deliver on a more ergonomic, low cost, and aesthetically pleasing form when compared to some existing RetroPie systems.
front-end
creative
process
At a glance: The process of making and designing invigorates me. Getting a glimpse at the processes and finished work of industry professionals and other engineering students has given endless inspiration to my designs, and has prompted me to showcase my work. Beyond displaying the work itself, this portfolio is an opportunity to convey my design sense and tie all of my projects together. Further, the creation of a personal portfolio site presented the opportunity to dip my toes into front-end web development and learn about whatâs going on behind the scenes of something I use every day: the internet. To develop this site, I made preliminary mock-ups using Figma, and learned HTML, CSS, and JavaScript through online resources like LinkedIn Learning, Youtube, and the MDN Web Docs to give life to the wireframe. In total, this site took me nearly two months to code, test, and troubleshoot. Iâm proud of the final result.
co-op
consumer product
product rendering
keyshot 7
At a glance: While working at Coravin, the company was preparing for a new product colorway in preparation for their annual Coravin Limited Edition release. Due to my interest in product rendering, I was tasked with rendering potential color schemes determined by the marketing team and design consultants. The renders were used for the 2019, 2020, and 2021 Coravin Limited Edition.
generate
consulting
fusion 360
At a glance: During my second semester as a build studio engineer for Generate, I worked on a massage device for ART physical therapy. Frequent meetings with the client were important steps during the development of the product, and the constant feedback allowed us to deliver on a successful device. Developing the product helped to solidify and hone some personal CAD techniques, including top-down design, use of parameters, design for manufacturing, and simulation.
blender
rendering
photorealism
At a glance: I think that product visualization will play an integral part of the consumer product development process throughout my career. This is already somewhat proven with the existence of software like Keyshot, and most product advertisements already being high fidelity renders. To learn a little more about product vis for objects with complex topology, I decided to blend my interest in sculpture with Blender's high quality ray-tracing engine; cycles. The model, from âScan the World,â is âFragmentary colossal head of a youthâ which is on display at The Met. The project gave me insight into applying textures, lighting scenes, and composition.
co-op
consulting
consumer products
At a glance: As part of my engineering program, I completed two co-ops, which were six month, full time work experiences in engineering and design. My second co-op was for a product development consulting firm called Eleven, based in Boston, MA. Eleven elevated my skills in the field of product development, giving me a strong background in surface modeling, preserving design intent, and working with industrial designers.
generate
consulting
teaching
At a glance: During the 2019-2020 academic year, I served as the chief mechanical engineer for Generate, Northeaternâs student led product development studio. In this role I helped to institute design standards, consult with potential ventures, and assist Build Studio Engineers and Project Leads.
coravin
co-op
consumer products
At a glance: As part of my engineering program, I completed two co-ops, which were six month, full time work experiences in engineering and design. My first co-op was at Coravin, a company that makes wine preservation devices. While I was there I gained first hand experience with rapid design cycles, DFM, and user centered design.
generate
consulting
consumer products
At a glance: My first exposure into the world of product development was with Generate, Norhteaternâs student led product development studio. I served as a Build Studio Engineer for three semesters, where I worked with real clients on real problems.
Hi there!
Iâm Michael. Iâm based in Boston, where Iâm a fifth-year mechanical engineering student at Northeastern University, though I grew up not too far away in Vermont. Hopefully itâs evident by the work showcased here, but I have a deep interest in product design, product development, and user experience. Through Northeasternâs co-op program, a six-month full time internship,
Iâve gained firsthand industry experience in the fields of consumer products and product development consulting. To learn more about my co-ops, check out the links for Coravin, and Eleven.
In addition to industry experience, Iâve been a member of Northeasternâs student-led product development studio, Generate, for the majority of my college career. Through Generate I gained experience interfacing with clients and working with a
diverse engineering team as a Build Studio Engineer, and helped to guide future teams and serve as an internal consultant during my time as Chief Mechanical Engineer. To learn more about those experiences take a look at the following links: Build Studio Engineer and Chief Mechanical Engineer.
Outside of engineering, Iâm sort of a caricature of a Vermonter. Most of the year I find myself outdoors hiking, an interest that led me to graduate high school a semester early and travel to Australia and New Zealand for two months for an
outdoor leadership and responsibility program. Or, in the colder months, snowboarding. A passion that led me to train with the Mount Snow competition team. After my time as a team rider, I became a snowboard instructor
for the Mountain Riders program (children aged 7-14) to share my love of the sport with others. Iâm also a certified open water diver (SSI), and avid cyclist (hoping to complete my first century sometime this year!).
Someday I hope to marry my passion for product development and love for the outdoors in a professional environment. My information can be found below along with an overview of what Iâve learned so far. Iâm always happy to discuss my interests
so if youâd like to talk, please reach out!
I have a deep interest in product design and development, which has led to a focus on 3D modeling. For CAD software, Iâm proficient in Solidworks, Fusion 360, and Creo parametric with a focus on organic and solid body modeling and
validation such as surface modeling, and direct editing. In tandem with modeling, I have a strong interest in product validation and visualization, and have a working understanding of 3D rendering, and simulation tools. With experience in
consumer products, Iâm also familiar with manufacturing methods and material properties. Specifically related to polymers and metals with design for manufacturing experience for injection molding, CNC milling and turning, rapid
prototyping techniques (FDM, SLA, SLS, DMLS 3D printing), and thermoforming.
Iâm constantly striving to learn more, especially if itâs outside of my field, and hope that the projects above show the breadth of my experience. Of course, there are a few projects currently in development where Iâm exploring new skills
or techniques, so if youâd like to hear about them or are interested in working together in a professional context please take a look at my resumĂ©, add me on LinkedIn, or drop me an email so we can chat!