Industrial designer

An idea is only as good as your ability to get it made

I'm an industrial designer working on the engineering side of the discipline. I have always believed that innovative design is only as good as what can be made. I strive to put myself in a place where I am always learning not only how to design new things, but the best way to make them.

Photo: headshot

Design

I have extensive experience CAD modelling complex products and the tooling that makes them. I work from concept through to final prototype and mass production.

Build

I have designed and fabricated machines for advanced processes. Composites, welding, machining, hydraulics and electrics.

Deliver

What the client requires is what I deliver. Testing, design iterations, installation and training. I provide products and advanced training on the processes.

My lead case studies

LPM Projectinternal Venture

One venture, three chapters - The LPM Project (Local Plastic Microfactory)

01 / Design

WasticFibre part made from mixed plastic waste

WasticFibreRead more

Co-invented composite technology that turns mixed plastic waste into structural parts. A printable surface gives full control over aesthetics while fibre reinforcement carries the load. Named inventor on the patent application.

02 / Build

LPM compression barrel heater, third generation

Compression Barrel HeaterRead more

A machine built to process 'unrecyclable' mixed plastic waste. Three generations took it from a hand-cranked prototype to a hydraulically driven machine now running production. Structure, hydraulic and electrical systems were all built by me.

03 / Deliver

Photo: Fiji install

Fiji installationRead more

Putting the LPM equipment and technology into practice in a real pilot facility. I was responsible for every stage: packing, shipping, installation and training operators to produce market-ready parts.

Carbon fibre pressure dome and its aluminium tooling

Sunburnt Space Co Aerospace

Carbon fibre dome for a pressurised rocket fuel tank

Prototype to final product

Twelve pressure vessel domes for a space start-up, delivered on spec, on time and on budget. Two tight tolerances, internal and external, meant designing a three-part tool that held both across all twelve parts.

±0.1 mm external mating diameter / ±0.5 mm internal mating diameter
12 of 12 parts on spec

More client work

Talon Technology / Carbon HingeProduct

Photo: hinge range

Carbon Hinge - A Talon company

Talon Technology

Program manager for an all-composite hinge business selling internationally: production tooling, manufacturing process, the website and marketing, and growing the client base.

Finishing labour cut by 75% / 7 variants in production

Schmitt Marine / steering wheelMarine

Carbon fibre steering wheel

Schmitt Marine

The client's first carbon fibre product, taken from prototype to certification to full production. Certification came down to impact performance, so I built the test rig in-house to prove it before submission.

NMMA and CE certified / in production, on the market

RK Collective / self contained toolTooling

Photo: heated tool

Internally heated tool for seating

Crafted Liberation

A self-heating, stand-alone tool for stadium seating made from mixed plastic waste. Heating built into the tool itself removed the need for an oven, so it stays portable. 25+ chairs made and counting.

Self-heating 3-part tool / 25+ chairs made, still in service

About me

I am an industrial designer with hands-on experience in manufacturing engineering. When asked what I do, I normally explain it by saying I solve problems with a designer’s eye but the practical skills of an engineer. I take an idea and find a way to make it happen. From idea to production, I visualise solutions through drawing and modelling, develop manufacturing processes, and, if required, build the machinery to make the product. I understand processes, materials and how things are made. As a designer, I have the skills and experience to turn a concept into something buildable rather than something that stays a drawing.

Starting my career in a company of four has meant learning things well beyond a typical industrial design role. If I wanted to see something progress, it was usually on me to learn how, and to make it happen. My role has developed significantly, and the mechanical engineering skills and processes I have learned greatly complement my design background.

In saying this, I also understand my limits. I know my skills and where I am most valuable. I believe recognising what those things are is as useful as any technical skill. I thrive in hands-on environments where I can use my experience to help tackle complex problems through collaboration.