Zipline Internship
During the summer of 2023, I worked as a Mechanical Engineering Intern at Zipline in South San Francisco, CA. I contributed to the Structures, Mechanisms, and Hardware Integration (SMI) team that is focused on designing the aircraft for Zipline’s Platform 2 drone delivery system.
Over the course of 12 weeks I owned the design and assembly of an end-of-line tester for the primary structure in the P2 drone.
Context
The primary structure is the main structural body of the P2 drone
Large carbon fiber piece
Includes fuselage, inboard wings, and booms for hover motors as well as numerous mounting points for modules
(Images of primary structure not included in personal portfolio)
The end-of-line tester verifies the structural integrity of each primary structure before it continues onto production assembly
Lives at the manufacturing facility of our international manufacturer
Applies the maximum expected loads
My Contributions
Was responsible for creating overall architecture of tester
Selected orientation and order of operations for fixturing and load application that optimized for:
Technician safety and ergonomics
Accurate representation of stress distribution in test articles from maximum expected loads
Measurement of loads and displacements
Resulted in a tester that can apply 8 unique end-of-line load cases to the primary structure
Utilized NX to design 8020 frame assembly and 8 custom machined and laser-cut aluminum parts for interfacing with and fixturing the primary structure
Collaborated with cross-functional teams to realize tester in 12 weeks
Worked in parallel to the development of the end-of-line loads determined by the structural analysis team
Worked with test technicians and programmers to design pneumatic schematic and test program
Assembled entire tester for Zipline’s in-house testing
Managed project schedule and large CAD assemblies
Drafted in-depth design overview and standard operating procedure documentation for second tester to be assembled at manufacturer oversees
