Mechanical engineering / Mechatronics

Design.
Test.
Integrate.

I’m Asad, a Waterloo mechanical engineering student focused on designing, testing, and integrating electromechanical systems.

Explore selected work View resume · PDF

Asad Warind hiking near the Hollywood sign — Asad WarindUsually curious. Occasionally outdoors.

CURRENT INTERNSHIPBattery Test · Harbinger Motors

TEAM LEADERSHIPBattery Mechanical · UW Formula Electric

EDUCATIONWaterloo Mechanical Engineering · 3.9/4.0

01 / Selected work

Engineering in practice.

Mechanical design, electromechanical integration, test automation, and characterization.

01 / MECHANICALDesign in progress

Waterloo Formula Electric · 2027 accumulator

A battery enclosure designed for assembly.

Owning the accumulator-container redesign: sheet-metal packaging, weld analysis, high-voltage isolation, and serviceability for a Formula SAE electric race car.

40 glongitudinal & lateral design loads

Perspective CAD view of the accumulator enclosure with internal dividers and electronics shelf — Container layout · perspective view

Front CAD view showing tab-and-slot features in the accumulator container walls — Front view · tab-and-slot assembly

SolidWorksSheet metalWeld analysisDFM / DFA

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The problem

The previous container had many small parts, welding distortion, and tight segment installation. The redesign must satisfy structural and high-voltage requirements while improving assembly and access.

My contribution

Selected 5052-H32 aluminum for weldability and formability. Designed self-locating tab-and-slot features, increased segment clearances, and coordinated insulation, wiring paths, and the electronics shelf. Lead and review supporting work from 5–6 members.

Engineering approach

Hand calculations address wall bending, weld shear, torsional secondary shear, and combined stress under 40 g longitudinal, 40 g lateral, and 20 g vertical load cases. Weld layout balances strength with distortion concerns.

Current stage

Design and hand analysis are active. ANSYS correlation, final mount checks, fabrication, and sealing validation remain to be completed. No final mass reduction or FEA-validated result is claimed.

02 / VALIDATIONAutomation implemented

Harbinger Motors · Battery test engineering

Automating enclosure durability testing.

Developed automation, integrated instrumentation, and analyzed test data for an enclosure durability test.

2.4 millionrows of CSV test data analyzed

Test automationInstrumentationData acquisitionPython / Pandas

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The engineering task

Support enclosure durability testing by making an existing test setup automated, measurable, and repeatable.

Test automation

Developed control and data-logging routines to automate test execution and capture measurements consistently.

Instrumentation & debugging

Integrated instrumentation and investigated electrical connections, signal quality, and communication issues to support reliable data acquisition.

Characterization & analysis

Analyzed 2.4 million rows of CSV test data using Pandas and Matplotlib to assess measurement consistency, repeatability, and data quality. Organized and visualized the data to support engineering review.

My contribution

Brought together test automation, instrumentation, troubleshooting, and data analysis to support enclosure durability evaluation.

03 / INTEGRATIONImplemented on vehicle

Waterloo Formula Electric · Tractive system

Making high-voltage hardware fit.

Redesigned high-voltage cable routing in CAD and supported real vehicle integration through harnesses, cooling-fan mounts, and installation tooling.

~20%improvement in HV-to-LV clearance

Original high-voltage DC cable route before redesign — Before · original cable route

Revised high-voltage cable route alongside the inverter — After · revised cable route

Cable routing within the chassis showing clearance above the low-voltage enclosure — Integration · chassis and HV–LV clearance

SolidWorksHV packagingHarness integration3D printing

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The constraint

Route HV DC cables from the accumulator toward the inverter while respecting available space, bend feasibility, connector locations, access, and separation from low-voltage hardware.

My contribution

Evaluated three routes in SolidWorks using 3D sketches, comparing chassis integration, wiring congestion, motor interference, cable length, and HV–LV clearance. Checked bend radius against the cable datasheet. The selected route was implemented on the car and used during competition.

Supporting hardware

Designed mounts for five accumulator cooling fans using PETG V-0 and a drilling/marking jig for repeatable installation. Also designed electronics adapter mounts under packaging and access constraints.

Result

Approximately 20% greater HV-to-LV clearance in the implemented route. This work connects CAD decisions to assembly, electrical interfaces, and vehicle serviceability.

04 / ROBOTICSBuilt and tested

Course project · Electromechanical actuation

Smoother motion from an RC-controlled rig.

Built and tested a three-servo pan-tilt system, integrated RC receiver signals and power delivery, and improved motion through signal smoothing and travel limits.

~90%reduction in servo jitter

ArduinoPWMServo actuationPower sizing

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The build

Integrated three MG995 servos with an Arduino and RC joystick control, achieving approximately 120° horizontal and 30° vertical motion.

Controls and integration

Decoded receiver PWM signals, smoothed noisy inputs, and prevented over-rotation. Iterated through physical integration and electromechanical debugging.

Power engineering

Sized the servo power system with hand calculations. Used two 6 V NiMH packs in parallel to meet the servo voltage requirements, with a calculated 48-minute worst-case runtime.

Outcome

Approximately 90% less servo jitter. The runtime is a sizing calculation rather than a measured endurance-test result.

05 / VALIDATIONCompleted

Waterloo Formula Electric · Cell characterization

Characterizing cells for pack assembly.

Performed cell-level resistance testing to support grouping decisions and investigated abnormal cell indications with additional measurements.

300+cells personally DCIR-tested

Keithley 2380DCIR / ACIRExcelBattery testing

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My contribution

Personally tested more than 300 cells using a Tektronix/Keithley 2380 DC electronic load and recorded measurements in Excel for cell grouping. The broader team tested approximately 600 cells.

Failure investigation

Used ACIR measurements to investigate cells or groups flagged as abnormal by the accumulator monitoring system. Measurements did not indicate unusually high internal resistance, helping rule out one suspected damage mechanism.

System context

The Formula Electric accumulator architecture uses 420 cylindrical cells in a 140s3p configuration, split into five segments. Cell testing and integration support this high-voltage system.

02 / Experience

Across disciplines.
Through experience.

SEP — DEC 2026

Harbinger Motors

Battery Test Engineering Intern · Garden Grove, CA

Enclosure durability test automation, instrumentation, troubleshooting, and engineering data analysis.

SEP 2025 — PRESENT

Waterloo Formula Electric

Battery Mechanical Lead / Tractive System

Progressed from general member to responsible engineer for the accumulator container and mechanical lead of the battery system. Own container design and review work across a team of 5–6 members.

Design.
Test.
Integrate.

Engineering in practice.