QUALIFICATIONS

BE Mech (Hons) – 2012

SOFTWARE

Mechanical CAD Software

Creo (PTC)
Fusion (Autodesk)
Inventor (Autodesk)
SolidWorks (Dassault)
Spaceclaim (Ansys)

PDM/PLM Software

Inventor Vault (Autodesk)
SolidWorks PDM (Dassault)
Windchill (PTC)

Analysis Tools

ANSYS Mechanical
Excel (for numerical method analysis)
Inventor Nastran (Autodesk)
SolidWorks Simulation (Dassault)

Paul Hazelwood

REGIONAL LEAD – WELLINGTON

Skills Overview

Paul is a hard-working, focused engineer with significant experience in mechanical design and innovation. He brings a unique blend of expertise across product, machinery, and equipment design, built from working with companies of all sizes in a wide range of roles. This breadth enables him to draw on knowledge, experience, and inspiration from many situations. Paul shares knowledge and support readily, and he’s particularly interested in automating repetitive design tasks and improving processes to save time and increase efficiency. He’s motivated by opportunities to contribute to engineering excellence.

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT DESIGN – Paul has experience designing a wide range of automated machinery, including systems integrating 6-axis robots, bespoke robot grippers, material handling solutions, robot de-palletising, and customised/modular appliance tooling and processing equipment. He has also designed machinery components for an industrial binder-jetting 3D printer, as well as assembly and system components for microwave power beaming equipment. He is confident leading machinery risk assessments and applying relevant standards.
CAD DESIGN – Paul is a Certified SolidWorks Expert and a skilled user of Creo, Inventor, and Fusion 360. He has deployed and administered PDM systems for CAD file version control and has a strong understanding of best practice, enabling him to create robust CAD models and assemblies. He is experienced in producing final part and assembly drawings and regularly contributes through peer review of drawings and designs.
DESIGN PROCESS – Paul is passionate about automating repetitive tasks to improve team productivity—for example, automating drawing package export. He actively refines and documents workflows within teams to drive consistency, and has implemented automated tools to ensure the team operates efficiently. While at Foundry Lab, he deployed an initial version of an automated drawing export tool (in a CAD package he was less familiar with) within his first week on the job.
DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURE – Paul has a strong understanding of diverse manufacturing processes including machining, fabrication, extrusion, sheet metal, and plastics. He has designed and implemented production fixtures and created work instructions to support product quality assurance. His approach includes careful consideration of design factors to ensure quality and reduce cost, backed by several overseas assignments working onsite at factories in China and Thailand to support successful pre-production builds.
MECHANICAL ANALYSIS – Paul has strong skills in engineering fundamentals, including material selection, hand calculations, and statistical analysis. He has a comprehensive understanding of fatigue design methods and their application to complex assemblies and load cases. A skilled FEA user, he conducts stress and deflection analysis in ANSYS and SolidWorks Simulation, and has also performed thermal analysis on electronic modules and enclosures to ensure effective heat dissipation.
METAL FABRICATION, ARCHITECTURAL METALWORK – Paul has contributed to several structural and architectural metalwork projects, including the design of large and prominent metalwork features installed as part of the Auckland Museum renovation. His work includes site measurement, design, and detailed drawings for a balustrade feature through a seven-level apartment stairwell, as well as design-for-manufacture adjustments and finalised manufacturing files for a 2-metre diameter steel duct for a dairy factory.

Caliber has experience in the Aerospace industry

Caliber has experience in the Agriculture industry

Caliber Design has experience in the Biofuel industry

PERSONAL STATEMENT

I’m a mechanical engineer who is always excited to find opportunities to innovate. I’m passionate about discovering elegant solutions to design challenges.

I’ve been interested in mechanical engineering since a young age. Growing up, I had several opportunities to witness the impressive manufacturing lines my father worked on—he’s also a mechanical engineer. Fun fact: although it took nearly a decade, I eventually had the chance to work alongside my father—thanks to a Caliber secondment.

Outside of work, I enjoy running and playing Dungeons & Dragons. I’ve previously run a long-term campaign that spanned several years, and I’ve also run a few one-off games as team-building exercises.

Project Experience

Front Loader Washing Machine Implementation

Participation in several on-site assignments overseas in China, totaling 2 months overseas. Consideration of machinery issues affecting product quality. Implementation of inspection processes to ensure quality. Strong collaboration between Chinese Factory/Product design stakeholders, external Machine design stakeholders, and internal product design stakeholders to progress issue resolution. Successful resolution of issues enabling product launch to market.

High Capacity Destructive Test Facility

Identified limitation due to lack of safe testing space for destructive product testing, impacting delivery of upcoming project. Coordinated delivery of testing facility to budget of <10k NZD, supporting 8-10 products tested concurrently. Delivery to schedule allowing project progression without delay.

Front Loader Drum Assembly Fatigue Analysis

Fatigue assessment of drum assembly exposed to varied loading conditions. Finite element analysis to predict critically loaded areas. FE validation applying strain gauging to validate FE model. Application of fatigue design curves developed from parent metal and welded specimens tested externally. Coordination of physical product testing to validate fatigue failure models. Regular review with internal experts to maintain project momentum. Completion of all work to schedule.

SGS Mill Design

Worked alongside another Caliber engineer to ensure release to the project deadline, contributing to the design and release of several machined parts and weldments. Responsible for component selection and schematic development for a water cooling circuit, including coordination with suppliers to ensure suitable lead times aligned with the project schedule. Supported strain gauging activities through coordination with contractor resources and data processing to assist with analysis validation.

IMAGR

Smart Shopping Basket

Led product design for a smart shopping basket, working closely with electronics hardware stakeholders to develop a frictionless charging solution. Involved in prototyping both the complete product and its discrete subsystems, coordinating with external suppliers throughout. Also responsible for the design and assembly of test jigs to support validation and development.

Digital Metal Casting

Designed systems within a binder-jetting 3D printer used for producing high-temperature casting moulds. This involved machine design incorporating linear motion systems, powder handling components, and integration of various mechanical and sensor equipment. Worked collaboratively with the wider team and facilitated internal design review and release processes to support effective product development.

AEROSPACE INDUSTRY

Satellite Component Manufacturing

Assigned on a three-month contract during a new product introduction phase, leading DFMEA and PFMEA activities to align design and manufacturing stakeholders. Developed production workflow maps and designed production workstations and dedicated tooling—enabling the assembly of satellite components at a world-leading production rate.

Metal Fabrication & Architectural Metalwork

This work included supporting PS1 updates, manufacturing release, and site coordination for the installation of an office façade system. It also involved producing fabrication drawings for a range of metalwork items used in Auckland Commercial Bay restaurants, as well as detailed drawings for the fabrication of architectural features within the Auckland Museum renovation.

Drafting, Drawing & Site Measurement

Provided draughting support for a metal fabrication workshop, including the creation of fabrication drawings for a continuous eight-floor architectural feature within a stairwell, now successfully installed. Produced detailed drawings for handrails, balustrades, and other general sheetmetal components, ensuring alignment with structural and architectural intent. Supported PS1 signoff by preparing compliant balustrade drawings, and coordinated site measurement activities to inform accurate fabrication.

GILTRAP

Fertiliser Spreader

Developed rotationally moulded polyethylene panels with a strong focus on design for manufacture and assembly. Worked closely with manufacturing stakeholders to adjust design features to suit the requirements of the rotational moulding process. Designed attachment features to integrate the moulded panels with a fabricated steel chassis.

Wireless Power Transfer

Worked as the sole mechanical engineer, responsible for defining all internal mechanical engineering processes. Led the design of mechanical elements for a wireless power transfer system, coordinating closely with RF engineers and applying design-for-manufacture principles across intricate machined geometries. Managed engagement with outsourced manufacturers to incorporate DFM feedback, and addressed challenges associated with a large 4×4 metre structure composed of smaller, highly modular elements.

Dust-Controlled Hopper

This project involved the design and development of a dust-controlled hopper truck bin seal system—a new-to-market concept that required an innovative approach. Work included designing the fabricated framework and panelling, and calculating stresses and deflections under self-weight. The system was engineered to tolerate expected positional and angular deviations of the truck bin, with careful design of clearances to ensure reliability in operation. A winching system was developed to AS1418.1, including sizing of the wire rope and winch drums, and the design of safe, certified lifting points. The project also required analysis of driveshaft deflections and stresses, motor sizing, and integration of features for dust return and fill level sensing.

HALL SPARS

Marine Component Modeling

Designed machined components for mast construction and rigging attachments, including spreader bar interfaces where 3D modelling approaches enabled design checks that significantly reduced turnaround time compared to client expectations. Developed mast base regions for the attachment of rigging blocks, coordinating with details supplied by the boat builder and adjusting the design to achieve the required winch incidence angles. Performed FEA on rigging components subjected to rigging loads, optimising material use to ensure parts remained lightweight while meeting performance requirements.

CALIBER CHALLENGE

2025

Winners of the 2025 Caliber Challenge showed outstanding engineering skill, commercial acumen, and teamwork under pressure. In just 4.5 hours, their team tackled a mystery brief, developed a concept, built a business case, and pitched to a panel of “investors.”

GOOD BUGGER AWARD

September 2020

Dave was acknowledged for the mentoring and support that he’s offering our younger engineers and the great work he’s doing at Wyma Solutions. Meanwhile, up in Auckland Paul has been going above and beyond, supporting a client to update their practices and save a heap of time and money in the process. Paul’s also doing a great job behind the scenes on Caliber’s sustainability project.