TELSA EQUIPMENT ENGINEERING
I interned at the Tesla factory in Fremont, CA in summer 2022, working for stamping equipment engineering. There, I completed projects spanning mechanical design of component storage, automated part tracking, and general maintenance and process improvement.
Skills:
SHEET METAL MANUFACTURING
Compliant Material Machining
SQL
SOlidworks/Catia/Autodesk
Rack Redesign
A limit of storage space for stamped parts can cause machine downtime. By redesigning all the racks in the factory (initially designed in 2011 for a 100 car/week factory, not 10,000), I improved storage capacity for all parts by 30-70%. This led to a 8% decrease in machine downtime. To complete this, I had to learn CATIA software, compliant material machining, and how to conduct human-factors investigations for loading/unloading without damaging parts.
Rack Tracking
The factory had failed to implement a method for tracking parts, causing six line managers to take 30 minutes every morning and manually count the number of available parts in the entire factory. Previously attempted solutions did not work either because of a technical blocker or extreme cost.
I built a prototype system using a combination of GPS and LTE-enabled trackers and QR codes. The GPS/LTE allowed for tracking where the racks were located in the factory at all times, and QR codes could be scanned on loading and unloading to mark whether the rack was full or empty. To complete, this I set up an MSSQL server, wrote custom vision software to track QR codes, designed bots to import locations and notifications from the trackers, and set up a custom frontend.
(Representative image only)
FAult ANalysis
I was responsible for generating weekly reports to send to upper management, identifying downtime trends, and diagnosing the root causes of issues. Some points of improvement included sensor and "tooth" replacement on the palletizer, and adding a cyclone filter to the reoiler exhaust to reduce drips.
New ProductS
A part of the job included assisting with first-round testing for robots to pick up Cybertruck stainless and calibrating double-blank detection sensors for the novel material.
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Also, I consulted on the die purchases for the Model 3 Highland and was responsible for checking robot travel and pull clearances in CAD.
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