Asad WarindSUMMER 2027 CO-OP

Mechanical engineering / Mechatronics

Design.
Test.
Integrate.

I’m Asad, a Waterloo mechanical engineering student focused on designing, testing, and integrating electromechanical systems.

Explore selected workView resume · PDF
Asad Warind hiking near the Hollywood sign
Asad WarindUsually curious. Occasionally outdoors.
CURRENT INTERNSHIPBattery Test · Harbinger Motors
TEAM LEADERSHIPBattery Mechanical · UW Formula Electric
EDUCATIONWaterloo Mechanical Engineering · 3.9/4.0
01 / Selected work

Engineering in practice.

Mechanical design, electromechanical integration, test automation, and characterization.

01 / MECHANICALDesign in progress

Waterloo Formula Electric · 2027 accumulator

A battery enclosure designed for assembly.

Owning the accumulator-container redesign: sheet-metal packaging, weld analysis, high-voltage isolation, and serviceability for a Formula SAE electric race car.

40 glongitudinal & lateral design loads
Perspective CAD view of the accumulator enclosure with internal dividers and electronics shelf
Container layout · perspective view
Front CAD view showing tab-and-slot features in the accumulator container walls
Front view · tab-and-slot assembly
SolidWorksSheet metalWeld analysisDFM / DFA
Explore the engineering

The problem

The previous container had many small parts, welding distortion, and tight segment installation. The redesign must satisfy structural and high-voltage requirements while improving assembly and access.

My contribution

Selected 5052-H32 aluminum for weldability and formability. Designed self-locating tab-and-slot features, increased segment clearances, and coordinated insulation, wiring paths, and the electronics shelf. Lead and review supporting work from 5–6 members.

Engineering approach

Hand calculations address wall bending, weld shear, torsional secondary shear, and combined stress under 40 g longitudinal, 40 g lateral, and 20 g vertical load cases. Weld layout balances strength with distortion concerns.

Current stage

Design and hand analysis are active. ANSYS correlation, final mount checks, fabrication, and sealing validation remain to be completed. No final mass reduction or FEA-validated result is claimed.

02 / VALIDATIONAutomation built · test ongoing

Harbinger Motors · Battery test engineering

Automating enclosure durability testing.

Automated a battery-enclosure torsion fixture, integrated and debugged its instrumentation, and characterized displacement and pressure behavior during long-duration durability testing.

157,861cycles in the prescribed profile
Pneumatic controlDisplacement sensingInstrumentationPython / Pandas
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The problem

Reproduce torsional bending associated with enclosure-mount failures observed in field testing. The mechanical fixture and pneumatic concept already existed; my work focused on making the test automated, measurable, and repeatable.

Test automation

Implemented stepped pressure control with a rolling-average displacement signal and direction switching across six displacement targets. Integrated regulator control and solenoid valves to execute the prescribed durability profile and log measurements at 10 Hz.

Instrumentation & debugging

Integrated pressure sensors and a time-of-flight displacement sensor. Traced a false pressure reading to a loose crimp, diagnosed switching-related communication freezes as inductive kickback and added flyback suppression, then isolated frozen analog readings to damaged controller input pins.

Characterization & analysis

Analyzed displacement accuracy, cycle timing, and pressure–displacement behavior across the durability profile to evaluate repeatability, temperature-dependent behavior, and changes in the pressure required to achieve equivalent enclosure twist. Examined displacement versus time, cycle-time changes over the long-duration test, and pressure versus displacement to investigate whether equivalent twist required different pressure as testing progressed and whether temperature could influence test behavior.

Result & current stage

Built the automation and analyzed approximately 25 hours of unattended test data using Pandas and Matplotlib. The analysis assessed test repeatability and evolving behavior; possible temperature effects were investigated rather than established as a confirmed cause. Testing remains ongoing: 157,861 cycles and about 19 days are prescribed targets, not a claim of final completion.

03 / INTEGRATIONImplemented on vehicle

Waterloo Formula Electric · Tractive system

Making high-voltage hardware fit.

Redesigned high-voltage cable routing in CAD and supported real vehicle integration through harnesses, cooling-fan mounts, and installation tooling.

~20%improvement in HV-to-LV clearance
Original high-voltage DC cable route before redesign
Before · original cable route
Revised high-voltage cable route alongside the inverter
After · revised cable route
Cable routing within the chassis showing clearance above the low-voltage enclosure
Integration · chassis and HV–LV clearance
SolidWorksHV packagingHarness integration3D printing
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The constraint

Route HV DC cables from the accumulator toward the inverter while respecting available space, bend feasibility, connector locations, access, and separation from low-voltage hardware.

My contribution

Evaluated three routes in SolidWorks using 3D sketches, comparing chassis integration, wiring congestion, motor interference, cable length, and HV–LV clearance. Checked bend radius against the cable datasheet. The selected route was implemented on the car and used during competition.

Supporting hardware

Designed mounts for five accumulator cooling fans using PETG V-0 and a drilling/marking jig for repeatable installation. Also designed electronics adapter mounts under packaging and access constraints.

Result

Approximately 20% greater HV-to-LV clearance in the implemented route. This work connects CAD decisions to assembly, electrical interfaces, and vehicle serviceability.

04 / ROBOTICSBuilt and tested

Course project · Electromechanical actuation

Smoother motion from an RC-controlled rig.

Built and tested a three-servo pan-tilt system, integrated RC receiver signals and power delivery, and improved motion through signal smoothing and travel limits.

~90%reduction in servo jitter
ArduinoPWMServo actuationPower sizing
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The build

Integrated three MG995 servos with an Arduino and RC joystick control, achieving approximately 120° horizontal and 30° vertical motion.

Controls and integration

Decoded receiver PWM signals, smoothed noisy inputs, and prevented over-rotation. Iterated through physical integration and electromechanical debugging.

Power engineering

Sized the servo power system with hand calculations. Used two 6 V NiMH packs in parallel to meet the servo voltage requirements, with a calculated 48-minute worst-case runtime.

Outcome

Approximately 90% less servo jitter. The runtime is a sizing calculation rather than a measured endurance-test result.

05 / VALIDATIONCompleted

Waterloo Formula Electric · Cell characterization

Characterizing cells for pack assembly.

Performed cell-level resistance testing to support grouping decisions and investigated abnormal cell indications with additional measurements.

300+cells personally DCIR-tested
Keithley 2380DCIR / ACIRExcelBattery testing
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My contribution

Personally tested more than 300 cells using a Tektronix/Keithley 2380 DC electronic load and recorded measurements in Excel for cell grouping. The broader team tested approximately 600 cells.

Failure investigation

Used ACIR measurements to investigate cells or groups flagged as abnormal by the accumulator monitoring system. Measurements did not indicate unusually high internal resistance, helping rule out one suspected damage mechanism.

System context

The Formula Electric accumulator architecture uses 420 cylindrical cells in a 140s3p configuration, split into five segments. Cell testing and integration support this high-voltage system.

02 / Experience

Across disciplines.
Through experience.

Harbinger Motors

Battery Test Engineering Intern · Garden Grove, CA

Battery durability automation, high-voltage isolation diagnostics, instrumentation, and preliminary data analysis. Ongoing work includes coolant-system pressure validation.

Waterloo Formula Electric

Battery Mechanical Lead / Tractive System

Progressed from general member to responsible engineer for the accumulator container and mechanical lead of the battery system. Own container design and review work across a team of 5–6 members.

03 / Tools

Tools I’m familiar with.

For mechanical design, instrumentation, hardware control, and test analysis.

CAD & engineering analysis

  • SolidWorks
  • AutoCAD
  • ANSYS
  • MATLAB

Mechanical design, drawings, calculations, and analysis.

Instrumentation & acquisition

  • LabVIEW
  • Logger Pro
  • Altium Designer

Test integration and data acquisition. Altium experience focuses on schematic reading and pin tracing.

Test data & characterization

  • Python
  • Pandas
  • Matplotlib
  • Excel

Processing test logs, plotting measurements, and analyzing repeatability and system behavior.

Hardware control & automation

  • Arduino IDE
  • C++
  • Git

Programming for sensor integration, actuator control, and automated tests, with version control for engineering code.

04 / About

Curious about
the whole system.

I’m studying Honours Mechanical Engineering at the University of Waterloo, focused on designing, testing, and integrating electromechanical hardware. I’m interested in how mechanical design, electrical interfaces, and controls come together in a physical system.

My work spans Formula Electric battery design, enclosure durability testing, and servo actuation. I enjoy working through the details: checking a fit, tracing a signal, debugging instrumentation, and analyzing test data. I use programming as a tool for hardware control, test automation, and engineering analysis.

Outside engineering, I’m into running, soccer, cooking, automotive reviews, and finding a good place to hike.

University of WaterlooB.A.Sc. Honours Mechanical Engineering, Co-op
3.9 / 4.0
View resume · PDF
05 / What I’m looking for · Four-month co-op

Summer 2027. Let’s build something.

I’m looking for an internship where I can help design, build, and test a physical product or system that brings together mechanical design and electrical systems. I want to work across those disciplines and see how my decisions translate into something tangible.

I’m especially interested in mechatronics, robotics, batteries, energy storage systems, power electronics, embedded systems, and automation, with hands-on work that connects design, integration, and testing.

Get in touchLinkedIn

awarind@uwaterloo.ca

06 / Resume & portfolio

A closer look.

My resume and project portfolio, ready to view or download.