Engineering Projects

During my senior year, I wanted to help Peking University return to the China Undergraduate Aircraft Design Innovation Competition after a six-year hiatus. Focusing on the timed cargo transport category, I independently authored the comprehensive technical design report and engineered the conceptual 3D aircraft model using SolidWorks. While we ultimately had to withdraw from the competition due to severe manpower constraints, I successfully completed the entire theoretical and conceptual design phases. As a graduating senior, I have archived my research, CAD models, and aerodynamic calculations to serve as a foundational blueprint, to inspire and guide next year's team to the finish line.

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For this project, I developed a Python-based numerical program utilizing the panel method to calculate the aerodynamic coefficients of an airfoil. I designed and implemented computational procedures to discretize the airfoil geometry into distinct panels, allowing the program to estimate flow characteristics and evaluate critical parameters like the lift coefficient and pressure distribution. Building this tool from scratch bridged theoretical concepts with practical application, significantly strengthening my proficiency in aerodynamic theory, numerical methods, and Python engineering computation.

As a core member of a four-person team developing this project, I led both the embedded systems programming and structural hardware design. I engineered a complete environmental monitoring module using an ESP32 microcontroller programmed with MicroPython, which collected data from multiple sensors (temperature, humidity, flame, human presence, light, and air quality) and transmitted it to a custom, real-time web dashboard via Wi-Fi. Simultaneously, I designed the leader drone's fuselage in SolidWorks and validated its structural integrity through ANSYS finite element analysis. After physical assembly and initial flight testing revealed stability issues due to structural asymmetry, I successfully redesigned the fuselage into a fully symmetrical model and optimized the overall system payload distribution by relocating the ESP32 module to the main drone.

In a four-person team, I helped design and prototype a scaled ground-based clamping structure inspired by the "chopstick" mechanisms used in reusable rocket recovery systems. Using a 500 ml water bottle to simulate the dynamic rocket load, we successfully built and evaluated a functional physical prototype. I took ownership of the mechanical design phase, developing the complete 3D CAD model in SolidWorks and conducting extensive stress-strain analyses using Ansys Workbench. Simulating these forces allowed us to mathematically validate the structure's load-bearing capabilities and optimize the geometry before committing to 3D printing and physical testing.

For this project, I conceptualized and engineered a fully featured smart bicycle model using FreeCAD. I designed the complete mechanical assembly from scratch, including the frame, wheels, brake discs, pedals, and a complex shaft-drive transmission system. Beyond the mechanical design, I proposed and integrated next-generation smart features, such as a "BikePlay" entertainment system, kinetic energy recovery braking, Type-C charging, and real-time riding data visualization. Bringing this concept to life required extensive use of advanced FreeCAD modeling tools—including Additive Loft, Polar Pattern, and Slice Apart—which ultimately strengthened my proficiency in mechanical design, CAD modeling, and product visualization.

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