Computer build
Chose parts within a fixed budget, checking compatibility, power draw and cooling, then assembled, configured and tested the machine.
Regan Daniel
UBC Mechanical Engineering Student
Aerodynamics on UBC Formula Electric. CFD, composites, mechatronics and design.
Projects
Select a project for the full write-up.
Floor Design
Carbon fibre floor for Formula Electric. Cutting the diffuser saves about 20% in cost while still improving downforce.
Read the full project
5-DOF Robot Arm
Robot arm designed in SolidWorks and Ansys, 3D printed and prototyped with Arduino and servo motors.
Read the full project
Half-Car CFD simulation
Half-car STAR-CCM+ simulation: 188 N downforce, 75 N drag, 15 million cells.
Read the full project
Dynamic CAD Model
Adjustable car model with yaw, roll, steer and camber controls, built for cornering simulation.
Read the full project
Magnetic Levitator
Course project: soldered control board, wound coil, and parts made on the mill, lathe and press brake.
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Small Engine Rebuild
Full teardown, measurement and rebuild of a Briggs and Stratton XR 550.
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Front Wing Manufacturing
Waterjet-cut endplates, CNC-machined molds and vacuum-infused composites.
Read the full project
Front Wing Design
Three-element front wing using S1223 and E423 airfoils, modelled in SolidWorks.
Read the full projectSmaller builds
Hangman game
A Python game with a Tkinter window. It picks random dictionary words, tracks guesses and draws the hangman in stages.
Expertise
Design and analysis
- SolidWorks
- Fusion 360
- STAR-CCM+ (CFD)
- Ansys (FEA)
Fabrication
- Carbon fibre layup and vacuum infusion
- CNC machining
- Waterjet
- Manual mill and lathe
- Press brake
- FDM 3D printing
- Metalworking, power and shop tools
Programming and electronics
- Python
- C
- MATLAB
- Arduino
- Soldering and circuit assembly
- PC building
Certifications: Scissor lift 3a, Boom lift 3b, Fall Protection, WHIMS, DELF B1, BC Class 7N driver's licence.
History
Expected July 2029
Bachelor of Applied Science, Mechanical Engineering
University of British Columbia
CGPA 83.6%. Available for 4 to 8 month co-op terms.
January 2026 to present
Mechanical Design Engineer | Aerodynamics
UBC Formula Electric
Part of a 100+ member team building a Formula Electric car for FSAE Michigan. I design wings and aerodynamic surfaces in SolidWorks, analyze them with STAR-CCM+, and manufacture composite parts from CNC-machined molds.
May to August 2026
Labourer
School District #91, Vanderhoof, BC
Installed siding and acoustic panels from scissor and boom lifts, and did demolition, renovation and maintenance with power and shop tools across 19 school sites.
August 2023 to August 2026
Cashier
Four Rivers Co-op, Vanderhoof, BC
Helped 50+ customers per shift with hardware needs, from cutting rope and chain to duplicating keys, and built working knowledge of lumber, plumbing, heating and other building materials.
2023 to 2025
Additional
- BC Achievement Scholarship, 2025
- Youth soccer coach, Vanderhoof Youth Soccer Association
- Tech and social media executive, NVSS Student Council
Contact
Interested in aerodynamics, mechatronics, motorsport, and design and manufacturing. Based in Vancouver, BC.
regandaniel89@gmail.com
Back to projects
Centreplane streamlines. Cooler colours are slower flow, like the wake behind the rear wing.
Mesh refinement around the wings, wheels and suspension.
Meshing operations and the simulation domain.
Half-Car CFD simulation
Half-car aero simulation of the Formula Electric car in STAR-CCM+.
Results
- 188 N downforce and 75 N drag, about 2.5 to 1
- Residuals below 10-4
- Run on the standard fixed-attitude CAD
Setup
- SolidWorks car geometry imported into STAR-CCM+
- Half of the car modelled, using symmetry
- Rectangular domain above a ground plane
- Trimmed cell mesh with refinement around the wings, wheels and suspension
- Prism layers at the walls
Next
- Cornering runs with the dynamic CAD model
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Waterjet with an endplate toolpath loaded.
Machining an MDF mold.
Feeding resin into the bagged layup.
Resin entering through the feed lines.
Front Wing Manufacturing
Front wing for UBC Formula Electric. Not my design. I handled manufacturing.
Waterjet cutting
- Cut the endplates on the waterjet
- Endplate toolpath shown on screen
Molds
- Wrote CNC toolpaths in Fusion 360
- Machined the molds from MDF
Vacuum infusion
- Fibreglass and carbon fibre layup under a vacuum bag
- Resin drawn through the laminate by vacuum
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The car with its coordinate systems and a rotation axis.
Dynamic CAD Model
Adjustable car model in STAR-CCM+, built for cornering simulation.
Why
- Cornering means yaw, roll, steer and camber
- A fixed model can only test one attitude
What I built
- Controls for yaw, pitch, roll and ride height
- A coordinate system at each wheel, so steer and camber are independent
- SolidWorks to STAR-CCM+ integration, so it follows the team's CAD
Status
- Model is built
- Not yet used in a CFD run
- Cornering simulation is being set up
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Multi-element wing concept.
Venturi tunnel concept.
Floor and bodywork on the chassis.
Floor Design
Carbon fibre floor for UBC Formula Electric. In progress.
What I'm doing
- Designing the carbon fibre floor in SolidWorks
- ANSYS for structure and mounting analysis
- STAR-CCM+ for aerodynamic performance
Results so far
- Cut the diffuser to save about 20% in cost
- Downforce still improves
Concepts under review
- Venturi tunnel with flaps
- Multi-element wing
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Arm model in SolidWorks.
V2 printed prototype.
Prototype wired to an Arduino.
5-DOF Robot Arm
Robot arm designed for a lightweight, streamlined structure. In progress.
Design
- Designing the 5-DOF arm in SolidWorks
- Ansys FEA to analyze structural loading
- Goal: a lightweight, streamlined structure
Prototype
- FDM 3D printed components for rapid design iteration
- Arduino and servo motors for initial prototyping, as a proof of concept
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The finished levitator.
Soldering with the schematic open.
The finished board.
The manual lathe.
Part in the vise on the mill.
Magnetic Levitator
Course project: a circuit, coil and machined parts that hold an object in mid-air.
How it works
- Hall effect sensor reads the magnetic field
- LM324 op-amps and a transistor adjust the coil current
- The object stays suspended below the coil
Circuit
- Hand-soldered the control board from the lab schematic
- Offset and gain trimmers for tuning
Metal parts
- Made parts on the manual lathe and mill
- Bent sheet metal on the press brake
- Worked from the course drawings
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Profile sketch with lengths, angles and offsets dimensioned.
Profile sketched on a plane and extruded across the span.
Finished wing model with endplates.
Front Wing Design
Three-element front wing designed in SolidWorks for a design competition.
Profile
- S1223 airfoil for the main element, E423 for the flaps
- Elements 360, 135 and 90 mm long
- Angles of 6°, 15° and 32°
- Fits a 620 by 250 mm envelope
- Fully dimensioned sketch, so one edit updates the whole wing
Model
- Profile extruded across the span
- Endplates added
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The engine on the workshop bench.
Small Engine Rebuild
Teardown and rebuild of a 158 cc Briggs and Stratton XR 550 Professional.
What I did
- Fully disassembled the engine and inspected each component
- Measured the cylinder bore and other critical parts with calipers and micrometers
- Checked every measurement against manufacturer specs
- Cleaned, lubricated and reassembled with new gaskets
- Finished in good running condition
- Later repaired similar engines in quads and dirt bikes