Experience

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  Strait Access Technologies

  • South Africa
  • Medical Device
  • 1 - 100 Employee

  • Lead Engineer

    • May 2024 - Present

  • Senior Design Engineer

    • Jan 2023 - May 2024

    I moved from the Aortic Valve team (AV) to the Delivery Device team to work on the first generation device as well as on the development of the new generation device.My responsibilities include:- Serve as second to the Lead Engineer in Managing the team when the Lead is unavailable.- Guide Junior Engieers in the team with design problems and decisions.- Research, concept development, product design and development.- Leading aspects of product development process.- Design and manufacturing of device process equipment.- Liaising with suppliers for manufacturing of components and equipment (custom mechanical parts, tooling, stock parts, etc.)- Testing and verifying of device manufacturing equipment and tools.- Setup of test protocols and orderly documenting of all developments/ experiment runs.- Overall production support of any unexplained problems encountered during manufacturing.- Collaborating with Test Engineering team in setting up a device verification plan.- Managing and execution of verification plan in guiding production team in the manufacturing of passed delivery devices to hand over to the testing team for verification testing.- Collaborating in important design and testing decisions.- Managing, maintaining and writing of technical files related to the design and development plan as per ISO 13485. - Collaborate in design review meetings across teams.- Collaborate in the review of risk management matrix.- Maintaining and optimisation of production processes in collaboration with the production team.

  • Design Engineer

    • Dec 2021 - Dec 2022

    I moved from the Simulations team to the Aortic Valve team (AV) to work on the bioprosthetic aortic valve. My responsibilities include:- Research, concept development, product design and development.- Leading aspects of product development process.- Design and manufacturing of device process equipment.- Liaising with suppliers for manufacturing of components and equipment (custom mechanical parts, tooling, stock parts, etc.)- Testing and verifying of device manufacturing equipment and tools.- Setup of test protocols and orderly documenting of all developments/ experiment runs.- Overall production support of any unexplained problems encountered during manufacturing.- Collaborating with Test Engineering team in setting up a device verification plan.- Managing and execution of verification plan in guiding production team in the manufacturing of passed valves to hand over to the testing team for verification testing.- Collaborating in important design and testing decisions.- Managing, maintaining and writing of technical files related to the design and development plan as per ISO 13485. - Collaborate in design review meetings across teams.- Collaborate in the review of risk management matrix.- Maintaining and optimisation of production processes in collaboration with the production team.

  • Simulation Engineer

    • Mar 2020 - Dec 2021

    My main responsibility within this role consisted of the design, optimisation and simulation of helical balloon frames. Collaborated in the final optimised designs of 9 different helical balloon frames (transapical and transcatheter) for verification testing. Secondary responsibilities included providing overall production support in designing quality assurance tools and equipment. I completed the small scale project of providing our suture team for the bioprosthetic aortic valve, with suturing mandrels to assist them in suturing the perfect bioprosthetic valve and hence improving the pass rate. I was also trained on the Philips EPIQ CVx in order to size the animal's aortic heart valve during animal trials using 3D echocardiography images obtained by the anesthesiologist.Other responsibilities included conducting image analysis using Python; material property tensile tests of MP35N and Nitinol; laser cutting of RnD stents and later training of technicians on the laser cutter. Research and report writing on various topics needed to further the development of projects. Maintaining proper and routine design documentation including design drawings, tests results and rationale for design decisions. Collaborating with other teams in smaller design projects to optimise production processes.

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  DB Industries

  • Part time Consultant

    • Feb 2020 - Mar 2020

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  Vrede en Lust

  • Franschhoek

  • Tasting Room Casual

    • Feb 2019 - Jan 2020
    • Franschhoek

    Vrede en Lust is one of the oldest and heritage rich Wine Estates in South Africa. Being one of the famous Red Ladies in the Tasting Room, the job entails presenting the tastings with enthusiasm, a touch of personal flair and ensuring exceptional customer service. Some administrative duties entailed dealing with local and international wine sales and stock take at the beginning and end of a shift.

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  Stellenbosch University

  • South Africa
  • Higher Education
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Course Demi (Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering)

    • Feb 2018 - Nov 2019

    February-June 2018/2019: Thermodynamics course demiJuly-November 2018/2019: Material Science course demi

  • Head of Social Committee (Biomedical Engineering Research Group)

    • Nov 2018 - Sep 2019

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  Muratie Wine Estate

  • Stellenbosch

  • Tasting Room Casual

    • Jul 2018 - Jan 2019
    • Stellenbosch

    Muratie is one of the oldest wine farms in South Africa and produces world class vintage wines. Working as one of the casuals in the tasting room, the job entails presenting the tastings with the rich heritage of the estate. Some of the administrative duties during a shift includes the responsibility of dealing with local and international wine sales, keeping the tasting room clean and presentable and dealing with cash up at the end of the day.

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  DB Industries

  • Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng

  • Vacation Student

    • Jun 2017 - Jan 2018
    • Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng

    DB Industries is a door manufacturing company that specializes in making a variety of wooden door ranges. After purchasing a new woodworking CNC (HOLZ-HER) I was assigned the task of drawing the parts using CAD software before uploading them to the CNC. Additionally, I was assigned the operator for the initial time period among other trainees. I am occasionally requested to update the designs on the machine to date.

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  Adcock Ingram

  • Wadeville, Germiston

  • Vacation Student

    • Dec 2016 - Jan 2017
    • Wadeville, Germiston

    Adcock Ingram’s Wadeville facility in Germiston were in the process of redesigning and rebuilding their Micro lab and Liquids facility. The assigned task included performing plant utility capacity calculations on the chilled water system of their HVAC system to determine if it can feasibly support the new and expanded facilities. With the upgrading of the facilities, new process lines were needed which required an update of the P&ID sketches and schematic drawings. Verification of both preceding tasks were assigned to me.

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  Quantum Automotive

  • Rosslyn, Gauteng

  • Vacation Student

    • Dec 2015 - Jan 2016
    • Rosslyn, Gauteng

    Quantum Automotive is one of the only companies in South Africa which produces Polly-V pulleys for automotive engines. I shadowed the maintenance team of the manufacturing plant by being actively involved in the repairs and the maintenance procedures of the different Polly-V, CNC and press machinery in the factory. Furthermore I was in charge of helping design a new wash bay facility by making both the manufacturing drawings and prototype components together with their boiler maker.