Design portfolio
Adwait Mahajan
About me
I am an Engineering Design graduate student looking for a full-time role as a Product Design Engineer.
I believe a great design is one that delivers form and function at the same time. Aesthetics of a product are as important as the function of the product. Additionally, the greatest products are formed when all the stakeholders such as customers, designers, engineers, manufacturers and corporations contribute together.
Education
Experience
Skills
Certifications
The Pennsylvania State University, USA
Masters in Engineering Design
(2023 - 2024)
Savitribai Phule Pune University, India
Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering
(2019 - 2023)
Monogram Technologies, Austin, TX
Product Design and Development Engineering Intern
Knorr-Bremse Technology Centre India, Pune
Design Engineering Intern
Test Engineering Intern
Srivin Engineers, Pune
Mechanical Systems Intern
SolidWorks
Creo Parametric
AutoCAD
Catia
LabVIEW
Siemens PLM
Human-centred Design
Design Thinking
Product Lifecycle Management
Human Factors and Ergonomics
Additive Manufacturing
Prototype Development
Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA) Mechanical Design
Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP) Mechanical Design
CSWA - Additive Manufacturing
CSWA - Sustainable Design
Global Design Thinking Workshop (GDTW) Strategic Futures
Product Design and Manufacturing
Design Thinking - A Primer
Quality Control in Manufacturing
Design, Technology and Innovation
Got lost reading the information?
01
Global Design Thinking Workshop
I participated in the The Global Design Thinking Workshop (GDTW) organized by the HPI d-school at Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam, Germany during March 7th to 13th 2024. It brought together 28 participants and 12 design coaches representing 18 diverse nationalities all united by a passion for innovation.
Sponsored by Cradle to Cradle NGO (C2C NGO), this year's theme was Strategic Futures - designing sustainable supermarkets of tomorrow. The five days of the workshop were of full of fun and learning and delved deep into problem scoping, observation, synthesis and ideation, prototyping and testing, and presentations.
Design Thinking
Our team, 4-ward conceptualized and developed an interactive screen attached to shopping carts that displays individual sustainability scores for products, as well as a mobile application providing detailed information on CO2 emissions, water consumption, and packaging requirements. This system aims to empower consumers to make informed and sustainable choices while shopping.
Mechanical Design
02
DPM Master Block
As an mechanical design engineering intern and project lead at Knorr-Bremse, I was tasked with designing a solution to calibrate the hand brake valve test bench at one of their testing labs.
I executed the crucial steps involved in the Product Design process for angular calibration of Hand Brake Valve performance test bench while collaborating with multiple stakeholders like Design Engineers, Product Managers, Manufacturing Suppliers and Testing Engineer at Knorr-Bremse Technology Centre India Pvt Ltd.
The Problem
Multiple samples of hand brake valve are tested on the "Hand Brake Valve Performance Test Rig". However, test rig components such as the motor and angle encoder need to be calibrated twice a year for errorless testing.
Currently, master samples of the product are used to calibrate the test rig. But, the master samples are sent annually to its Hungarian facility for re-calibration which involves huge shipping and logistic costs, manpower costs and most importantly time.
The non-linear stages of design and development
Sketching
Multiple sketches were drawn on paper and the best one was selected after consulting all stakeholders.
Prototyping
Low fidelity prototype was created using cardboard to better visualize the ideas.
Manufacturing
The ideas were brought to life using conventional VMC manufacturing and lab testing.
After deeply understanding the problem, we started with design thinking and brainstormed a lot of ideas. The selected ones were modeled on SolidWorks.
After multiple iterations, individual components were designed and assembled. Engineering drawings were created and sent to a machined parts supplier for manufacturing.
Front Section View
Side Section
View
Manufactured
Parts & Assembly
Lever
Bushings
M6 Allen Bolts
with washer
Magnet
Master Block
CAD visualization on
test bench
03
SAE BAJA 2021
As a chassis design and ergonomics lead of Resonance Racing India, I carried out design, ergonomic assessment, prototyping and manufacturing of an all-wheel drive all-terrain vehicle.
Additionally, I maintained continuous communication with the power-train, suspension, braking, data acquisition, manufacturing and driver teams to understand their needs and requirements.
Mechanical Design
What ingredients
compose its
creation?
Ergonomics & Design
Ergonomic
Assessment
Taking into account the safety and comfort of the driver, Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) was performed on 95th percentile male mannequin.
Chassis sub-systems
Pedals, Seat and Steering wheel were designed considering the ergonomic requirements of the driver.
Ergonomic factors such as driver positioning, driver movements, contact surface interaction, longer term physiological effects, ease of ingress and egress and driver's field of vision were taken into account while designing the chassis frame and sub-systems.
Chassis
Design
After multiple iterations, an optimal yet effective solution was obtained.
The chassis dimensions were taken so as to accommodate the primary as well as the secondary driver.
04
Rocket Design
Under the guidance of our EDSGN 468: Engineering Design and Analysis with CAD Professor, my project partner and I launched our very own fully 3D printed rocket, Red Nova™.
The spring semester of 2024 was a wild ride, from designing and tweaking to finally seeing our rocket soar into the sky. The launch day was pure magic - lots of excitement, great food, and of course, multiple rocket launches! Seeing Red Nova™ take off was a moment I won't forget.
Rocket Design
Red Nova™ Rocket - April 20th 2024 Launch Event at Penn State Ag Progress Days Site
Top
Left
Front
Bottom
Right
05
Fish Farming Made Easy
Hexarech
Hexarech is a fish farming social venture based in Kisumu, Kenya. Our mission is to develop innovative locally manufactured fish cages for fish farmers. Inspired by this initiative, I took on the challenge of designing a logo that captures the essence of Hexarech – a logo that not only reflects the aquaculture industry but also resonates with its core values.
Featuring a sleek fish with the name "HEXARECH" seamlessly integrated, the logo embodies our commitment to sustainable aquaculture. The choice of white and blue hues symbolizes Lake Victoria and our dedication to environmental responsibility.
Logo Design
Style Guide
DM Sans offers readability, versatility, and accessibility, making it an ideal choice for logo design.
DM Sans
Aa
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v x y z
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Nittany Navy
001E44
White Out
FFFFFF
Plum Smoke
928F8F
EDSGN 100 MAKER SPACES
As engineering design graduate student, me and my team were tasked with identifying the current problems faced by undergraduate students at the maker spaces at the Engineering Design & Innovation Building at Penn State and provide viable solutions.
We started with a survey directed towards students, teaching assistants, instructors and cleaning helpers to understand their problems better and empathize with the users.
Our project involved redesigning glue gun and knife holders, work tables and safety glasses holders.
06
Engineering Design
After much brainstorming and sketching, we came up with design ideas and made CAD models in Solidworks. To test our ideas and bring them to life, we 3D printed our designs using Prusa printers and obtained feedback from the users.
The new safety glasses holder has holes underneath to prevent dust buildup and a sliding tray for easy cleaning. Glue gun holders now include knife holders for added safety. Worktables feature cutting and glue mats while side edges, and dust tunnels facilitate debris cleaning. Each table is labeled with a number for student ownership.
“The redesigned work tables and glue gun holders have truly optimized our maker space experience. Everything is now organized and easily accessible, enhancing our project workflow.”
Emily L, EDSGN 100 Undergraduate Student
"The glue gun holder would be a great addition to the shop for cleanliness"
Dr Elizabeth Starkey, Instructor
"The new glue gun and knife holders are a game-changer. They're safer and more convenient, allowing us to focus better on our projects."
Alex K, EDSGN 100 Undergraduate Student
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Testimonials
"Adwait's exceptional CAD skills, problem-solving abilities, and positive energy make him a valuable asset in engineering design.”
“Adwait prepared master block concept of angular measurement for DPM test bench calibration. He prepared mock-up samples by corrugated sheet which is good to visualize the idea.”
“He has an amazing enthusiasm and great energy, hard work and commitment to the team.”
“Adwait has a supportive attitude towards the team and is a great team member.”
Collaborations
I am open to careers in
Industrial Design
Design Thinking
Mechanical Design
UI / UX Design
