Selected Engineering, Research & Education Projects

Practical engineering. Evidence-led research. Technical education that builds capability.

My project experience spans mechanical design, railway engineering, technical heritage preservation, additive-manufacturing research and STEM education. Although these projects were undertaken in very different environments, they share a common purpose: applying engineering knowledge to practical challenges and making technical information useful to others.

The examples below highlight my contribution to multidisciplinary work, my ability to connect design with real operating requirements, and my experience developing learning opportunities across different age groups and industries.

01 | Hi-Rail Vehicle Concept Development

Puffing Billy Railway × Swinburne University of Technology

Period: 2005–2006
Project focus: Mechanical design, vehicle adaptation, railway maintenance
Design platform: Autodesk Inventor

The Challenge

Puffing Billy Railway operates a historic narrow-gauge railway in Victoria. The project explored how a road vehicle could be adapted for both road travel and rail-line access, supporting inspection and maintenance activities in locations that are not always convenient to reach by conventional vehicles.

The proposed platform was a Nissan Patrol. Developing a road–rail concept required the team to consider how additional rail equipment would fit around an existing vehicle without overlooking its geometry, chassis arrangement or intended operating environment.

My Contribution

I contributed to the mechanical concept and its engineering documentation as part of a collaborative project team. The work drew on three-dimensional scans of the vehicle's front and rear sections and involved Autodesk Inventor models of proposed chassis modifications, rail-wheel assemblies and a hydraulically operated lifting and deployment arrangement.

My contribution included considering how the major mechanical elements could be integrated, with attention to component interfaces, clearances, vehicle stability and the practical demands of railway maintenance.

Project Value

The result was a developed engineering concept—not a claim that a vehicle was manufactured or commissioned. The work demonstrated my ability to contribute to a complex design challenge that combined existing machinery, hydraulic systems, three-dimensional geometry and specialised operational requirements.

02 | Digital Preservation of Historic Locomotive Engineering

Puffing Billy Railway × Swinburne University of Technology

Period: 2006
Project focus: Heritage engineering, drawing reconstruction, technical documentation
Design platform: Autodesk Inventor

The Challenge

Preserving an operational heritage railway requires more than caring for the locomotives themselves. Historical drawings, component dimensions and design information must also remain accessible to the engineers and maintainers responsible for their future.

This collaborative project examined the conversion of ageing paper drawings and blueprints associated with Puffing Billy's NA-class locomotives—including 3A, 6A, 7A, 8A, 12A and 14A—and the G-class Garratt locomotive G42 into usable digital engineering information.

My Contribution

As a project team member, I helped interpret original drawings and translate engineering information into digital two-dimensional documentation and three-dimensional models. The work required careful attention to dimensions, geometry, component relationships and the original engineering intent.

Unlike a conventional redesign exercise, the objective was to represent the historic designs accurately. That meant balancing modern modelling methods with respect for original construction details and the technical requirements of heritage preservation.

Project Value

The work contributed to the development of a more accessible digital engineering resource for future reference, maintenance and restoration. It showed me how modern design tools can preserve established engineering knowledge as well as create new products.

03 | Quantitative Research into 3D-Printed PPE During COVID-19

Deakin University

Period: 2020
Project type: University research thesis
Research focus: Additive manufacturing, production feasibility, comparative analysis

The Research Question

During the COVID-19 pandemic, shortages of personal protective equipment placed pressure on healthcare systems and conventional supply chains. My thesis, Quantitative Analysis of 3D Printing of PPE for COVID-19, investigated whether additive manufacturing could offer a practical approach to producing selected protective-equipment components under emergency conditions.

My Approach

I examined a selection of 3D-printable designs, including face-shield components and other mask- and ventilator-related parts. Using a quantitative approach, I compared factors relevant to production feasibility:

• Component count and design complexity

• Material type and quantity

• Manufacturing time

• Electrical energy consumption

• Estimated production cost

• Comparisons with commercially available alternatives

The analysis also considered resource efficiency and the implications of distributed manufacturing. Its focus was engineering and production feasibility, rather than clinical approval or certification of medical devices.

Research Value

The thesis developed my experience in quantitative research, comparative evaluation and evidence-based engineering decisions. It also gave me a more critical understanding of additive manufacturing: a technology with important possibilities, but also practical constraints involving time, materials, cost and intended use.

This research helped shape my subsequent focus on teaching people how to evaluate and apply additive-manufacturing technologies responsibly.

04 | ORIUS3D: STEM and Advanced Manufacturing Education

ORIUS3D | Mauritius, Seychelles and East Africa

Period: Ongoing
My role: Founder, programme developer and technical trainer
Project focus: Technical education, additive manufacturing, digital design, workforce capability

The Opportunity

Advanced-manufacturing equipment is becoming more accessible, but access to a machine does not automatically provide the knowledge required to use it effectively. Through ORIUS3D, I set out to make practical engineering and additive-manufacturing education more accessible to students, educators, technicians and industry participants.

My Contribution

I develop and deliver practical learning activities that connect engineering ideas with hands-on results. Programmes are adapted for different audiences, from school students taking their first steps in STEM to educators and professionals seeking more applied technical skills.

Sessions may cover design thinking, digital modelling, preparing files for manufacture, material selection, printer configuration, safe equipment operation, troubleshooting and evaluation of finished components. Some programmes also introduce Arduino, electronics and renewable-energy concepts to show how mechanical and digital technologies work together.

A particularly meaningful collaboration has been with the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre in Mauritius, where I developed and delivered workshops that enabled secondary-school students to follow an idea through design and into a physical 3D-printed object.

Demonstrated Reach

100+ technical sessions and workshops delivered

500+ learners engaged

Activities across Mauritius, Seychelles and East Africa

These figures reflect the scale of my training experience. Just as important is the way the programmes encourage participants to experiment, ask questions, solve problems and gain confidence working with unfamiliar technology.

Through ORIUS3D, I also support equipment demonstrations, setup, maintenance guidance and technical troubleshooting. This work combines engineering knowledge with client communication, instructional delivery and the practical realities of running a training and technology initiative.

Project Value

ORIUS3D brings together my engineering and research background with an important personal commitment: helping others gain skills they can apply independently. The initiative illustrates my ability to turn specialist technical knowledge into structured, accessible and engaging learning experiences.

The Common Thread

These four projects represent different dimensions of my experience: developing a specialised mechanical concept, preserving historic engineering information, evaluating emerging manufacturing technology and delivering practical technical education.

Together, they demonstrate a combination of mechanical design, applied research, technical documentation, problem-solving and training delivery. They also reflect how I approach my work: understand the need, respect the constraints, apply appropriate tools and communicate the result clearly.

My aim is to use engineering knowledge not only to develop better technical solutions, but also to help people understand, maintain and build upon them.