David Van Dyke

dhvd@stanford.edu

Hello there

I am a mechanical engineer with a passion for solving problems and designing consumer products. I love using mechatronics to make the everyday lives of people easier. Check out my portfolio for a list of all my projects and work.


Highlights

  • Waymo mechanical engineering intern
  • Co-founder and designer of a camera invention and kickstarter
  • Division lead on a student FSAE team
  • Winner of three UMich Makeathon competitions
  • Model train designer

Stanford University

September 2019 - June 2021
Masters in Mechanical Engineering
Focus Area in Design and Mechatronics
GPA: 4.0/4.0

Classes

ME310 - Design and Innovation
ME218 - Smart Product Design

CS110 - Principles of Computer Systems
CS230 - Deep Learning
CS238 - Decision Making Under Uncertainty

University of Michigan

September 2015 - May 2019
Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering
Minor in Electrical Engineering
GPA: 3.9/4.0

Classes

ME452 - Design for Manufacturability
EECS461 - Embedded Control Systems

Awards

  • Robert M. Caddel Memorial Scholarship
  • Tau Beta Pi MI-G First Year Student Award
  • Outstanding Peer Mentor, ENGR 100 Section 600

Organizations

  • Michigan Hybrid/Electric Racing
  • Tau Beta Pi
  • Phi Kappa Phi
  • Mdraw

Skills


Leadership

  • On the Michigan Hybrid Racing team, I was a division lead for one year. I led mechanical design and manufacturing of our projects and helped new members learn how to become engineers. My division tripled in size over the year thanks to my leadership.
  • At the University of Michigan, I started and ran a certification program that allowed students to take a test to receive a SolidWorks certification. Over 100 people to date have received certifications thanks to my efforts.

Mechanical Design

Solidworks

Certified professional and model train designer at Tangent Scale Models.

Siemens NX

Designed a spaceframe chassis for the Michigan Electric Racecar team.

Catia

Designed parts at Waymo and used the 3DExperience PLM to access parts.

Fusion 360

Designed the 3D printed frame for the Alulu Camera.


Analysis

Ansys

Used mechanical FEA to analyze the suspension components on the Michigan Hybrid Racecar.

Siemens NX

Conducted 1-Dimensional beam analysis on the Michigan Electric Racecar chassis to optimize the stiffness and weight.


Electrical Design

KiCad

Designed a 4-layer PCB with 250+ components for the Alulu Camera using KiCad.


Programming

C

Programmed autonomous robots for my smart product design classes and thermal print drivers for my Alulu Camera project.

C++

Used in the CS110, Principles of Computer Systems class at Stanford.

Python

Used in the CS230, Deep Learning class at Stanford.

Kotlin

Built an android app capable of creating hints for spymasters in a game of Codenames.

Simulink

Simulated a basic autonomous car for an embedded controls system class.

Matlab

Used during my rat brain research at the University of Michigan to parse through and analyze data.


Manufacturing

TIG Welding

Lead TIG welder on the Michigan Hybrid Racing team.

Milling

Manufactured many welding jigs for Michigan Hybrid Racing on a bridgeport mill.

3D Printing

3D printed many of my own designs, including the Alulu Camera, on my Monoprice Mini 3D printer.

Sewing

Designed and sewed many stuffed animals, including ones modeled after Totoro.

Portfolio

Programming
Codenames AI

Codenames AI

This codenames app is an Android app able to play the role of spymaster in a game of codenames autonomously....

Mechanical   Electrical   Programming   Entrepreneurship   Design
ME310

ME310

ME310 is a Stanford class focused on design and innovation. Students work on teams with a corporate partner to solve...

Mechanical   Electrical   Programming   Design
ME218C

ME218C

ME218C is a Stanford class where you learn about communication protocols and how to implement them on a microcontroller. This...

Mechanical   Electrical   Programming   Design
ME218B

ME218B

ME218A is a Stanford class where you learn and apply complicated mechatronics. We learn about practical circuit design including motor...

Mechanical   Electrical   Programming   Design
ME218A

ME218A

ME218A is a Stanford class that serves as an introduction to mechatronics. We learn about practical circuit design including transistors,...

Mechanical   Electrical   Programming   Entrepreneurship   Design
Alulu Camera

Alulu Camera

The Alulu Camera is a camera that takes a picture and instantly prints it out, just like a Polaroid camera....

Mechanical
Assistant Researcher in Biomedical Manufacturing

Assistant Researcher in Biomedical Manufacturing

Shih Lab, University of Michigan, As a part of the SURE undergraduate summer research program, I worked in the University...

Mechanical   Electrical   Entrepreneurship   Design
Thettle

Thettle

Thettle is a startup I created along with two other people. Our goal was to make a product that combines...

Entrepreneurship   Design
Limbo

Limbo

When wear a pair of jeans or a sweater once, it is now too dirty to put back in your...

Mechanical   Leadership
Michigan Hybrid/Electric Racing

Michigan Hybrid/Electric Racing

Hybrid racing is a team that builds a formula one style hybrid race car that competes against other student teams...

Mechanical   Electrical   Design
All-terrain Wheelchair

All-terrain Wheelchair

For my mechanical engineering senior design project, I worked on a team of 7 people to build an all-terrain wheelchair....

Entrepreneurship
Etsy Store Owner

Etsy Store Owner

The summer after my freshman year of college, I started an Etsy store. I make stuffed animals modeled after “Totoro”,...

Mechanical   Electrical   Design
Stroboscope

Stroboscope

As a personal project, I made a stroboscope. It features 24 images on a spinning disc with strobe lights that...

Design
SolidWorks CAD Designer

SolidWorks CAD Designer

Tangent Scale Models Tangent is a hobby company that makes 1:87.1 model train cars for hobbyists and train enthusiasts. The...

Entrepreneurship
Booze Bag

Booze Bag

Classic Drinking Re-imagined Introducing Booze Bag Everyone knows that drinking wine out of a soda can is the ideal way...

Mechanical   Electrical   Entrepreneurship   Design
Iron Man

Iron Man

Iron Man is an innovation on the design of the average clothes iron. It can be folded, making it more...

Mechanical   Design
ME350

ME350

ME 350 is a mechatronics class every mechanical engineering student takes at the University of Michigan. In this class, students...

Mechanical   Design
ME250

ME250

ME 250 is a mechanical design and manufacturing course every mechanical engineering student takes at the University of Michigan. Students...

Mechanical
Nerf Gun Modifications

Nerf Gun Modifications

My primary hobby during high school was to modify Nerf guns to improve the firing range and even made many...

Mechanical   Design
ENGR100

ENGR100

ENGR 100 is a technical communication class all freshman engineering students take at UMich. In this class, students work in...