MS Mechatronics & Robotics · NYU Tandon 2025

Nikhil
Khandelwal

Mechatronics engineer taking systems from concept through validated prototype — integrating SolidWorks CAD, ANSYS FEA, PLC controls, and Python data pipelines across medical devices, robotics, microfluidics, and industrial automation.

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Nikhil Khandelwal
Nikhil Khandelwal
Brooklyn, NY
Engineering Profile
22k+
Droplets / cycle
60%
Analysis time saved
40%
Positional accuracy ↑
8th
SAE BAJA design rank
CAD / FEA Microfluidics PLC / HMI Robotics Thermal Systems DFM / Prototyping Medical Devices Automation
40.6782° N · 73.9442° W NYU Tandon · May 2025
01 Featured Work

Engineering Projects

End-to-end work spanning design, fabrication, integration, troubleshooting, and hardware validation.

P.01 · FeaturedMedical Device
Microfluidics · Thermal Systems · Instrumentation
Ultrarapid ddPCR
Thermal Cycling Platform

Integrated droplet digital PCR platform combining microfluidics, precision thermal cycling, fluid control, and fluorescence imaging — deployed in active IRB-approved clinical studies at NYU Langone for translational cancer research.

SolidWorksArduinoThermal DesignMicrofluidicsFIJI/ImageJPythonVacuum SystemsPinch Valves
  • Custom 25 × 25 mm dual-channel microfluidic chip — 22,000+ uniform droplets per assay at ±2% uniformity
  • Dual-zone thermal system with hot/cold water circulation near 95 °C and 62 °C for rapid PCR cycling
  • Cut prototype failure rate ~35% through sealing strategy, material selection, and I/O validation under thermal and fluidic loads before system-level testing
  • Reduced manual analysis time 60% via automated Python fluorescence quantification pipeline (FIJI + NumPy/Matplotlib)
  • Zero unplanned downtime across 200+ validation cycles in critical-care setting — zero structural failures on load-path evaluated architecture
  • Sensor calibration achieved <1% signal drift over full thermal cycles after resolving noise and grounding issues
Open Report →
P.02ISMIT 2025 Selected
Mechanical Design · Robotics · Medical Devices
Miniaturized Endoscopic
Continuum Robot

Compact robotic endoscopy platform with precision mechanical actuation for constrained clinical environments — presented at ISMIT 2025, Washington DC.

  • SolidWorks assembly within <12mm envelope, reducing device footprint 30% vs. prior iteration
  • ANSYS FEA eliminated 2 failure modes prior to physical prototype build
  • Improved positional accuracy 40% through backlash optimization across 500-cycle endurance testing
SolidWorksANSYS FEA3D PrintingBrushless MotorsGD&TTolerance Analysis
Open Report →
P.03Consumer Hardware
Fluid Systems · Product Design · DFM
Paint & Go — Automated
Paint Brush Cleaner

Manufacturable batch-based automated paint brush cleaning appliance — high throughput, gentle fluid-driven cleaning, and long-term bristle protection.

  • 15–25 brushes per cycle targeting >300 brushes/hr throughput under constrained BOM budget
  • Baffled cylindrical flow tank with pitched-blade turbine impeller for uniform low-shear axial circulation
  • Modular wet/dry subsystem separation with custom mechanical coupling isolating motors from fluid environment
  • Detachable TPU fixturing supporting multiple brush geometries; O-ring and silicone gasket sealing strategy
SolidWorksFluid SystemsDFMSealing Design3D Printing
Open Report →
P.04NMIMS · BTech Project
Robotics · Embedded Systems · Environmental Engineering
Water Monitoring
Robotic Boat (WMR)

Designed, fabricated, and tested a fully 3D-printed autonomous robotic boat capable of multi-parameter water quality sampling — pH, turbidity, temperature, and TDS — validated over 4 hours of pool testing at NMIMS, Mumbai.

  • 3D-printed 4-section PLA hull (60cm × 12cm, 1.2kg) with water-jet propulsion reaching 15 knots max speed
  • Brushless DC motor + 80A ESC jet drive with 4-blade propeller selected for 3.5kg peak thrust
  • Arduino UNO integrating pH, turbidity, TDS, and waterproof temperature sensors with live web telemetry
  • Peristaltic pump water sampling to 3m depth with surface-sterile and at-depth sample modes
SolidWorksArduino3D Printing (PLA)Brushless MotorsWater SamplingRC SystemsSensor Integration
Open Report →
P.05Ranked 8th · SAE India
Vehicle Design · Structural Analysis · Motorsport
SAE BAJA 2022 —
All-Terrain Vehicle

Full vehicle design and fabrication for SAE BAJA India 2022 — ranked 8th in Design Event and 31st Overall from a national field of teams.

  • Full vehicle architecture in SolidWorks — chassis, suspension, and drivetrain with motion simulation validating steering and suspension kinematics across off-road load cases
  • Optimized strength-to-weight via ANSYS Workbench FEA and Lotus Suspension Analysis multi-body dynamics
  • Integrated real-time sensor DAQ (speed, vibration, load) with post-test iterative design improvements
  • Fabricated, assembled, and track-tested to race-ready condition; diagnosed mechanical failures under live race conditions
SolidWorksANSYS WorkbenchLotus MBDSensor DAQFabricationSuspension Design
P.06Industrial Automation
PLC · HMI · Motion Control
Vertical Balancing Machine
Automation

Automated balancing machine workflow by integrating sensors, motion control, correction logic, and operator-facing HMI for improved throughput and diagnostic visibility.

  • Allen-Bradley PLC sequencing, interlocks, and structured fault handling
  • HMI interfaces built around part density and machine operating states
  • Integrated sensor data, motion control, and correction logic into a unified machine workflow with diagnostic screens
Studio 5000FactoryTalk ViewLadder LogicMotion ControlHMI
P.07Research · AI4CE Lab
Robotics · Perception · Autonomous Systems
Autonomous Robotics /
AI4CE Research Projects

Robotics research at NYU's AI4CE lab involving perception, localization, mapping, and autonomous-system design for real-world robotic platforms.

  • LiDAR and camera-based perception with robot localization fundamentals
  • Autonomous navigation pipelines covering sensing, planning, and control layers
  • Connected mechanical design constraints with robotic system behavior and field deployment needs
ROS ConceptsLiDARPerceptionPythonSystems Engineering
02 Work History

Experience

Research, mechanical design, CAD/CAM, prototyping, controls, commissioning, validation, and field-level troubleshooting.

35%
Prototype failure
rate reduction
60%
Manual analysis
time saved
25%
Assembly efficiency
improvement
20%
Throughput increase
automation internship
Feb 2025 – Present
Mechatronics Engineer
(R&D Systems)
New York University
& NYU Langone
New York, NY
22k+
Uniform droplets
per cycle
±2%
Droplet uniformity
achieved
200+
Validation cycles,
zero failures
<1%
Signal drift over
thermal cycles

Leading mechanical and electromechanical system development for experimental medical-device platforms — deployed in active IRB-approved neurosurgery and pathology studies at NYU Langone for translational cancer research applications.

  • Architected full electromechanical platform in SolidWorks — load-path evaluation achieved zero structural failures across 200+ validation cycles in a critical-care setting
  • Designed and fabricated microfluidic chip and fixture systems, optimizing channel geometry and sealing interfaces to hit ±2% droplet uniformity required for translational cancer research
  • Cut prototype failure rate ~35% — led material selection, sealing strategy, and tolerance definition; applied I/O validation under thermal and fluidic loads before system-level testing
  • Built and validated multi-domain platform integrating thermal, fluidic, vacuum, sensor, and motion subsystems — sustained high-temperature operation over 8-hour experimental windows
  • Reduced manual analysis time 60% — developed automated Python fluorescence quantification pipeline (FIJI + NumPy/Matplotlib), replacing manual ImageJ workflows
  • Improved assembly efficiency 25% — applied DFM through iterative 3D-printed prototyping, reducing part count and eliminating 3 assembly steps across two design revisions
  • Validated sensor systems end-to-end using oscilloscopes and DMMs; resolved noise and grounding issues to achieve <1% signal drift over thermal cycles
  • Zero unplanned downtime during critical trials — independently diagnosed hardware failures, performed RCA, and implemented corrective design changes under 48-hour deadlines
  • Collaborated with neurosurgery, pathology, and research staff to deploy and optimize experimental systems for active IRB-approved studies
SolidWorksMicrofluidicsThermal SystemsDFM3D PrintingArduinoPythonFIJI/ImageJOscilloscopeVacuum Systems
May 2024 – Jan 2025
Mechatronics &
Mechanical Engineer
Flexible AI-enabled
Mechatronic Systems Lab
New York, NY (Contract)
<12mm
Device envelope
30%
Footprint reduction
40%
Positional accuracy ↑

Developed compact robotic and electromechanical systems for medical-device applications — precision mechanical design, actuation integration, structural validation, and miniaturized hardware packaging.

  • Miniaturized endoscopic platform — compact SolidWorks assembly with precision motion within a <12mm envelope, reducing device footprint 30% vs. prior iteration
  • Validated structural integrity via ANSYS FEA — stress and alignment analysis eliminated 2 failure modes prior to physical prototype build
  • Improved positional accuracy 40% — iteratively optimized actuation assemblies to reduce backlash and increase repeatability across 500-cycle endurance testing
  • Applied tolerance analysis, manufacturability considerations, and iterative prototyping to improve assembly repeatability and simplify fabrication
  • Selected for ISMIT 2025 Conference, Washington DC — recognized for innovation in miniaturized electromechanical medical-device design
SolidWorksANSYSBrushless MotorsGD&TTolerance Analysis3D Printing
May 2023 – Jul 2023
Automation Engineer
Intern
Mitigation Robotics
and Automation
Gujarat, India
20%
Throughput increase
15%
Downtime reduction
via VFD tuning
2
Machine control
programs delivered

Delivered industrial automation and machine-control solutions involving PLC programming, HMI development, commissioning, and controls integration — full design-through-commissioning on custom machinery.

  • Programmed Allen-Bradley PLCs from scratch in Studio 5000 / RSLogix 5000 — full design-through-commissioning on 2 machine control programs
  • Tuned PowerFlex VFDs to cut machine downtime 15% — optimized motion profiles for actuator sequences across production floor equipment
  • Increased system throughput 20% — implemented coordinated actuator logic reducing cycle time during FAT/SAT testing phases
  • Built UL 508A-compliant control panels — designed and wired industrial enclosures; led on-site commissioning and customer system handover
  • Resolved real-time PLC and field device faults on the shop floor; collaborated with mechanical and electrical teams to validate integration before handover
Allen-Bradley PLCStudio 5000HMIVFD TuningUL 508ACommissioning
Dec 2021 – Feb 2022
CAD/CAM Trainee
Radhe CAD CAM Services
Rajkot, India

CAD/CAM-driven mechanical design and manufacturing workflows connecting 3D modeling, CNC machining, controls integration, and production optimization.

  • Siemens NX CAD/CAM for complex mechanical component design and CNC toolpath generation for precision-machined parts
  • Developed PLC control logic and PCB layouts supporting machine components including pumps, machine beds, and automated mechanisms
  • Reviewed manufacturability, tolerances, machining constraints, and production-readiness to support fabrication workflows
  • Supported shop-floor troubleshooting and collaborated with manufacturing teams to refine machining and production processes
Siemens NXCAD/CAMCNC MachiningPLC SystemsPCB Design
03 Academic Background

Education

Graduate-level mechatronics and robotics training at NYU Tandon, built on a mechanical engineering foundation from NMIMS Mumbai.

Master of Science
Mechatronics &
Robotics Engineering
New York University — Tandon School of Engineering
New York, NY · May 2025
MS · Graduated May 2025
MechatronicsRoboticsControl SystemsEmbedded SystemsAutonomous SystemsSensors & ActuatorsSignal ProcessingMachine Learning
Bachelor of Technology
Mechatronics
Engineering
Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies
Mumbai, India · May 2023
★ Dean's Meritorious List
MechatronicsMechanical DesignThermodynamicsFluid MechanicsManufacturingMaterials ScienceDynamics & VibrationsFEA FundamentalsSAE BAJA Team
04 Core Skills

What I Bring

Technical fluency across the full hardware development stack — from first sketch to validated prototype.

[01]
Mechanical Design & CAD
SolidWorksFusion 360AutoCADSiemens NXGD&TTolerance Stack-UpDFM/DFAFixture DesignLoad Path EvaluationBOM ManagementSealing InterfacesTechnical Drawings
[02]
FEA, Analysis & Validation
ANSYS FEAStress AnalysisThermal FEAModal AnalysisBearing LifeCOTS Trade StudiesRoot Cause AnalysisFailure AnalysisOscilloscopeDMMSensor CalibrationData Acquisition
[03]
Manufacturing & Fabrication
CNC MachiningCAD/CAMWaterjetLaser CuttingSLA 3D PrintingFDM 3D PrintingManual MillLatheSheet MetalPCB PrototypingMaterial Selection
[04]
Automation & Controls
Allen-Bradley PLCsStudio 5000CompactLogixSiemens TIA PortalS7-1200Ladder LogicStructured TextHMI DevelopmentSCADAVFDsUL 508AI/O Validation
[05]
Robotics, Motion & Embedded
Servo SystemsStepper MotorsBrushless MotorsActuator IntegrationArduinoRaspberry PiRobot KinematicsLiDAR ConceptsMechatronicsPCB Bring-Up24VDC / 120VAC
[06]
Software & Data Analysis
PythonNumPyMatplotlibFIJI/ImageJROI SegmentationAutomated PipelinesMicrofluidicsThermal SystemsVacuum SystemsGLP/GMP AwarenessSOP Development
05 Get In Touch

Contact

Let's build
something real.

Open to mechanical, mechatronics, robotics, automation, and field engineering roles involving hands-on hardware development, system integration, and real-world validation. MS Mechatronics & Robotics, NYU Tandon — May 2025.

Email Me → LinkedIn →
Emailnk3686@nyu.edu
Phone516-523-1822
LocationBrooklyn, NY
LinkedInnikhil-khandelwal-10576318b
StatusAvailable for opportunities
EducationMS Mechatronics & Robotics · NYU Tandon, May 2025