Mechanical Design Engineer

You will be responsible for designing and producing the exoskeleton. This includes mechanical
components, such as the hip, knee, and ankle joints, as well as the frame that connects them. You will also design the outer parts of the exoskeleton, meaning the protective covers that shield the pilot from moving components and define the overall appearance. Using your creative expertise, you will help develop a user-friendly and safe exoskeleton for the pilot and the team.

What you will do as Mechanical Design Engineer

The Mechanical Department designs the components that set the exoskeleton in motion, protect its
users, and define both its appearance and how it is used. As a team, you make design decisions at all
scales. It ranges from selecting the motors, precision parts, and transmissions to defining how the
overall exoskeleton functions, is controlled and looks. You ensure that all mechanical requirements are met, that every component is placed in the right location, and that everything remains easily reachable. You will also design the structure of the exoskeleton, which fulfills three important functions: carrying all forces, connecting all components, and safely securing the pilot to the exoskeleton.

At the same time, it is your job to design the covers and outer elements, ensuring that all components fit well inside them to create a fully integrated product. These covers increase the safety and reliability of the exoskeleton by shielding the electronics, frame, and joints from external influences such as water and external forces. You and your team will thus design the joints, the frame parts, the covers, the input device that allows the pilot to control the exoskeleton and the fixtures that safely connect the pilot to it. In doing so, you will develop many concepts, carry out force analyses, and explore different materials to create an integrated design that is as strong, light, and reliable as possible.

You will use CAD software to create 3D models and carry out FEM analyses to optimize your parts. You also work together with a lot of different team members from multiple departments and translate their requirements into technical designs.

Of course, you won’t be doing all of this alone. You’ll tackle these tasks together with your department, dividing the work so that everyone contributes where they’re strongest. You don’t need to know everything, your skills will complement those of your teammates. You can choose what to work on based on your interests, experience, or the skills you want to develop. If you’re excited about any of the topics mentioned, we’re looking for you to become a key piece of the Mechanical Department and help build the next exoskeleton!

You recognize yourself in

• You have experience and enjoy working in CAD programs (e.g. SolidWorks or CATIA).

• You are flexible and problem-oriented.

• You are enthusiastic about statics, dynamics, mechatronics and/or mechanics of materials.

• You are interested in the human movement.

• You design with consideration for the user.

• You have a creative mindset and a great feeling for what will look nice.

• You are handy and enthusiastic to work practically to make physical prototypes and to produce
  parts.

• You are able to visualize your ideas

• You are a teamplayer and can communicate clearly.

You want to become (even) better at 

• Working together in a large multidisciplinary team

• Designing an integrated product

• Working with a 3D CAD program.

• Combining aesthetics with a practical end goal.

• Working out detailed part specifications for production and assembly

• Choosing the right motors and transmissions for your application.

• Performing FEM analyses (in e.g. Simcenter).

• Drafting up working drawings as clearly as possible.

• Working with milling/turning/CNC machines.

• Designing and testing using prototypes and 3D printing.

• Analyzing problems and setting priorities.

• Working on many smaller projects at the same time, whilst keeping the ultimate end goal in mind.

• Gaining knowledge from different technical disciplines, such as electronics and mechanics

You get in return

• Technical and personal skills.

• Experience in working together in a large multi-disciplinary team.

• You get to see a full design cycle coming to life.

• Meetings with various companies for both consulting and production.

• Having the space to make mistakes and learning from them.

• A year full of unforgettable memories and new friends.