QUALIFICATIONS
- BE Mech (Hons) – 2015
SOFTWARE
Mechanical CAD Software
- SolidWorks (Dassault)
Arcitectural / Structural CAD Software
- Navisworks
PDM/PLM Software
- SolidWorks PDM (Dassault)
Analysis Tools
- Excel (for numerical method analysis)
- SolidWorks Simulation
Daniel du Plessis
REGIONAL MANAGER – AUCKLAND
Skills Overview
Daniel is a versatile mechanical engineer with a passion for pushing the boundaries of innovation in industry. He has made valuable contributions to a range of engineering sectors, forming a steady professional foundation. Daniel’s experience spans both design and project management roles in materials science, heavy industry, bio-medical, structural composites, and marine engineering. He’s a keen problem solver; a practical person with a strong visual orientation, strong planning skills, and a tenacious dedication to getting the job done.
- MACHINE DESIGN – Daniel gained experience in the field of machine design when contracted to a company specialising in the design and fabrication of advanced automated production line equipment. His responsibilities included conceptualization, detailed design, and the creation of production drawings for various subsystems and tooling utilized in the manufacturing of refrigerator doors and case liners. Notably, he designed an in-press conveying and datuming system, a blanking and shear punch tool assembly, and contributed to the development of intricate flange forming tools. Throughout these projects, Daniel collaborated closely with fellow design engineers, a dedicated control and electrical team, and seasoned machinists to deliver precise, impactful, and innovative design solutions.
- PROJECT ENGINEERING – Daniel has worked as a project engineer in the heavy steel fabrication industry where he was responsible for managing multiple concurrent projects across their full life cycle. His scope included full project quotations, material and equipment procurement, fabrication design & drawings, real-time management of workshop & site teams, and quality control. Regular client feedback meetings enabled effective contract & resource management, ultimately leading to the on-time and in-budget delivery of some complex fabrication projects.
- PROFESSIONAL REPORT WRITING – Daniel’s role at a material testing consultancy required him to write professional reports detailing the investigations of in-service mechanical failures. The reports presented the applied methodology, analysis of physical evidence, test regime results, discussion and conclusion on the root cause of failure. Leveraging his clear writing style and good grasp of technical language, Daniel was able to generate concise and accurate documents that were often presented as legal evidence.
- RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT & PROTOTYPING – Daniel has experience in developing new designs to solve novel problems. He proved his competency in the biomedical sector by carrying out a rigorous review of academic literature, existing designs and patents, followed by the development and screening of several conceptual designs. He oversaw the fabrication of prototypes which leveraged rapid and cost-effective techniques. These were then performance tested in specially designed and custom-built test rigs.
- DESIGN FOR FABRICATION – By applying his sound engineering foundation with his extensive skills in Solidworks, Daniel has proven his ability to produce fully detailed, for-production designs. He is well versed in creating a full set of deliverables including part & assembly drawings, BoMs and procurement data, cutting lists, CNC inputs, weld design and fabrication sequencing, and quality control plans.
- COMMUNICATION & TEAMWORK – Daniel has worked in a variety of teams and prides himself with his clear and effective communication practices. He can correspond and collaborate with multiple stakeholders both internal and external to ensure that all objectives of a project are well defined and met with the greatest possible efficiency.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
I’ve always loved bringing designs to life. From Lego cities and treehouses to ultrasound devices and subsea mining machines.
Innovative thinking, organisation, and attention-to-detail are prominent qualities that I bring to engineering projects. My approach is characterised by a keen practicality and a strong visual orientation, attributes that have proven invaluable in projects demanding precision and novelty. I pride myself in my ability to communicate effectively, enabling collaboration within cross-functional teams.
I have been exposed to a diverse range of industries including heavy steel fabrication, composite structures, marine engineering, medical device R&D, material engineering and root cause failure investigation. As a result, I am confident in both design for manufacture and project engineering roles, having proven my ability to deliver a quality product, on time and within budget.
A healthy work-life balance is essential to my capacity to perform as an engineer. I love exploring the outdoors, surfing, kiteboarding, cycling, hiking, practicing yoga, and spending time with friends and family.
Project Experience
AIAL West Bag Hall Upgrade & Refurbishment
I supported the Daifuku project team in delivering a major upgrade and refurbishment of the Baggage Handling System (BHS) at Auckland International Airport. My role encompassed designing custom conveyor components and systems, resolving snags, conducting complex site measurements and observations, and coordinating enabling tasks for structural and mechanical installations. I also managed contractor activities, planned outages, supervised refurbishments and new installations (including night shifts) and oversaw service relocations. Given the live operational environment, where multiple stakeholders, including the public, relied on the system, careful risk management and contingency planning were essential. Strict adherence to safety protocols was critical due to numerous on-site hazards. Additionally, operating within the airport’s airside high-security zone required compliance with stringent security measures. Throughout the project, I engaged closely with the core team, client, contractors, and stakeholders to ensure smooth execution of activities.
3C METAL BELMET
Fabrication of x2 Subsea Crawlers
My role as a project engineer at 3C Metal Belmet exposed me to heavy steel fabrication of machines and structures for the marine industry. Management of multiple concurrent projects from the quotation phase to procurement, fabrication design and drawings, real-time management of workshop and site teams, quality control, client feedback, management of contracts and budgets, and delivery to strict project deadlines.
The cap-stone project during my tenure was the fabrication of 2x sub-sea mining tools for major international client. This involved producing highly complex mechanical systems made up of multiple assemblies interfacing at machine tolerances. The total fabricated steel mass of the project was ≈500 ton.
OFF-GRID PROJECTS
Entrepreneurship, Project Management & Skilled Carpentry
I co-ran a small business specialising in designing and building finely finished timber houses/structures and other off-grid related project. Here I gained experience in marketing, sales, architecture, design, project logistics, skilled carpentry, building construction, and installation and maintenance of roof top solar energy systems.
Advanced Manufacturing Machine Subsystem & Tool Design
On this secondment I designed an in-press conveying and datum system for a sheet metal press tool, a blanking and shear punch tool assembly for a refrigerator liner pierce tool machine, and collaborated on seven sheet metal flange forming tools. This process involved iterative concept development and formal design reviews, ensuring that innovative ideas and robust design practices translated into tangible solutions. The detailed design phase encompassed specifying feature-rich machined parts, selecting materials and surface finishes, integrating pneumatic and electric components, and implementing control systems. Upon approval of designs, I generated engineering drawings that included dimensional and geometric tolerancing, welding symbols, machining notes, and assembly instructions. Throughout these projects, I developed calculation spreadsheets to validate design decisions, collaborated with multiple cross functional teams, and utilized advanced features of SolidWorks for part and assembly modeling, drawings, and PDM (Product Data Management).
ONE EIGHTY MATERIAL TESTING
Consulting in Metallurgy & Materials Engineering
My role as an Associate Consultant Engineer and later as a Freelance Consultant at One Eighty included responsibilities in project management, sales and client relations, operation of metallurgical testing equipment according to SANAS accreditations, technical report generation, and timely completion of projects in the field of metallurgy and mechanical engineering.
I gained valuable experience in root cause failure investigation, welding engineering, technical audits of industrial processes, management of onsite mechanical fabrication, production of video media for technical training, and material selection optimisation by mechanical and metallurgical consideration during the many projects completed during my tenure.
CAPERAY MEDICAL
R&D of an Automated Breast Ultrasound Device
My role as an R&D engineer at CapeRay Medical involved bio-medical engineering design, research, scheduling, prototyping, testing and production management of novel ultrasound coupling system for an Automated Breast Ultrasound unit.
The crux of the design challenge was to effectively couple a translating ultrasound probe to the underside of a radiolucent platform which would be deformed by the compression of the subject tissue during a scan sequence.
The project required a focus on material selection optimisation, iterative prototyping, integrated development of coupling and scanning automation systems, carbon fibre enclosure design, and functional testing.
TENTICKLE STRETCH TENTS
Design Engineering
Design for manufacture of all structural components for a range of bespoke luxury tents. My role was to interpret customer specifications, rapidly generate simplified structural models and material quantity data for quotation, engineer novel joining systems for glass fibre composite structural components, and to develop fully detailed CAD models of the structures (tent frames & deck sub-structures).
The deliverables included: cutting lists, sheet metal DXFs and drawings, comprehensive bills of materials, CNC data files for adding features to structural members, part and assembly drawings, and detailed installation manuals. I also helped develop a custom API addin for Solidworks which streamlined the engineering process.
GOOD BUGGER AWARD
August 2024
Daniel has done an incredible job getting projects at IBEX and Daifuku projects on track recently and has been promoted to a Technical Lead position.