Rajat Nidoni
Graduate Mechanical Engineering Student
Hi There!
Welcome to my portfolio!
I am Rajat a graduate mechanical engineering student at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
Please have a look around, it is pretty concise and eye-catching!
EXPERIENCE
June 2023 - December 2023
Mechanical Engineering Intern
Redwod Materials, Carson City
• Led the design and fabrication of an innovative material re-processing machinery for a Hydrometallurgical plant, optimized design using Ansys; efforts led to a 15% increase in production capacity and faster reprocessing.
• As a vital member of the core design team, I played a key role in commissioning a $350 million plant specializing in Li-Battery Cathode infeed and processing. Our efforts resulted in a remarkable 20% increase in material processing capacity.
• Designed the company's first electrolysis cell, leading to the development of a $125M plant for improved production of high-purity battery materials in line with sustainable energy goals.
• Troubleshoot field issues in the machines and identified corrective measures for them to ensure smooth operation. o Collaborated with cross-functional teams including suppliers and oversaw entire engineering processes from design, procurement, and fabrication to installation.
Jan 2023 - May 2023
Project Trainee
Cache Energy, Champaign
• Undertaking the development of a testing setup for the charging and discharging processes of energy storage systems. This will facilitate the efficient evaluation of batteries and contribute to an improvement in long-term performance.
July 2021 - September 2021
Mechathon Engineering Pvt. Ltd.
Design Intern
• Successfully designed a Water-based Plunger Pump system for use in the manufacturing sector's Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) using Solidworks software.
• Produced comprehensive engineering drawings for manufacture, along with a detailed specifications sheet. Undertook optimizations of the pump design, flow rate, and dimensions to enhance performance.
• Conducted rigorous finite element analysis to verify the optimal design and steady flow rate of the system
June 2020 - July 2020
Summer Intern
ASI Industries, Jaipur.
• Analyzed and documented the production techniques, types of machinery, and customer list for quartz-based slab products.
• Worked with the maintenance team to understand and perform predictive and preventive maintenance techniques.
• Assisted the junior engineers in installing various machines across the factory.
• Studied & documented the raw material composition. Studied the plant layout and looked for improvements using AutoCAD.
EDUCATION
August 2022 - December 2023 (Expected)
Master's in Mechanical Engineering
GPA: 3.91/4
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Track Study: Design and Manufacturing
Related Coursework:
• Additive manufacturing and Product design
• Design for Six Sigma
• Electronics Cooling
July 2018 - July 2022
Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal
Minor Specialization: Machine Design
Related Coursework:
• Computer-Aided Design
• Intro to Solid Mechanics
• Machine Design 1&2
• Design of Mechanical Systems
Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering
GPA: 3.65/4
PROJECTS
Mechanical Exoskeleton
Manipal Institute of Technology
What is this?
A mechanical Exoskeleton used to relieve industry workers of back and muscle fatigue and pain.
How was it made?
• Used CAD (Solidworks) to design the model for the exoskeleton
• Performed static, fatigue, and topology optimization to get the optimum design
Conducted ergonomic RULA analysis to figure out target areas and muscles to relieve pain.
What did we achieve?
• 3 mechanical exoskeleton designs with their own unique design traits.
• Highly optimized designs which are easy to manufacture for developing nations.
Invasive Mechanical Ventilator
The University of Queensland, Australia
What is this?
A mechanical ventilator system that runs on a battery-powered motor to deliver the air.
How was it made?
• Researched mechanical ventilators in the market, and came up with a piston and cylinder-based design.
• Used CAD (Solidworks) to design the model for the ventilator.
• Performed static, fatigue, and CFD analysis to get the optimum design
What did we achieve?
• Compact ventilator design with an efficient one-way valve to prevent backflow of air into the lungs.
• Cost efficiency of the design.
Hexaplex Water Pump
Mechathon Engineering Pvt. Ltd.
What is this?
A water pump for industrial water treatment plant.
How was it made?
• Studied old water pump designs, and calculated the pump dimensions using the required flow rate and power supply.
• Drafted drawings of the pump to send them to clients for manufactruing.
What did we achieve?
• Efficient pump design with good flow rate.
Team Manipal Racing Electric (EV1 & EV2)
Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal
What is this?
An Electric All Terrain Vehicle which is compact and fast in design and nature.
How was it made?
• Researched winning teams across India in ATV championships.
• Started with chassis and system integration to understand layout.
• Modelled all models on CAD (Solidworks).
• Performed static, dynamic crash test, ergonomic RULA test and fatigue test on the components (mainly chassis).
What did we achieve?
• First compact electric vehicle in our district.
• Lightest electric ATV in Baja SAE India competition.
• Overall 5th in first attempt all over India.
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
What is this?
SAE Supermileage car is a fuel efficient car. The vehicles will run a specified course to obtain the highest combined kilometers per liter (miles per gallon) rating.
We have the opportunity to set a world fuel economy record and increase public awareness of fuel economy.
I have recently joined this team and started working on the steering system of the car in a team of 4. Below is a brief about my plans ahead.
What is the plan?
• Integrate Ergonomic approach to design steering system.
• Design a custom hub to reduce the unsprung weight with better strength to weight ratio.
• Enhance my skills in the field of automobiles and carry forward the momentum of my passion for designing and automobiles.
Lumbar Support Pads
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
What is this?
A support for your back in the shape of your spine. This allows you to maintain that natural curvature of your spine and reduce the pain people experience due to long hours of sitting
How was it made?
• A customer's back is 3D scanned.
• Supported would be designed by an engineer using the 3D scan.
• The model of the support is then printed using FDM printer using TPU material.
What did we achieve?
• Customized back support for individual customers.
• Long-lasting lumbar support which maintains its structure for a long time.
SKILLS
Microsoft Office
Minitab
Autocad
Teamwork
Time Management
Solidworks
Ansys
Hyper works
Problem Solving
Communication
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Member of Indian Graduate Student Association
Yocket student mentor
Being a part of IGSA is really amazing, we organize festivals and gatherings for Indian community at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. I have made some incredible friends and learnt a lot of event management and people management through this club.
Before joining UIUC, I had some free time in my hand. So, I joined yocket (Oversea education consultancy agency) to help students prepare their master's application and visa interviews. It was really amazing period and I enjoyed the role of a consultant.
Mock Interview Coach
Career Center Illinois
• Working to help students in preparing for their job interviews, by conducting mock interviews.
• Helping students in preparation for their elevator speech and personal statement reviewing for job/internship applications.
• Aided the university in conducting the career fair for all majors across the campus.