Mechatronics Engineer

The robot dismantles batteries.

We are building a cognitive robot that automatically diagnoses, discharges, and disassembles EV batteries using robotic manipulation, autonomous controls, and computer vision. The first-generation robotic system will automatically assess the battery’s state of health, remove covers from arbitrary battery packs (500 kg), and perform safe discharging. It then disassembles these batteries from the pack level (500 kg) down to the module level (25 kg). The system can take batteries apart 4x faster and safer than a human at 6x the throughput, leading to 50% lower unit economics.

Job objective

You will architect, design, and build mechanical systems integrating industrial robotic systems and gantry-based motion systems to enable the automated battery disassembly process. It involves concept development, prototyping, integrating robotic systems & industrial CNC systems and building production-ready systems cost-efficiently.

You will drive mechanical design, testing, and building of manipulators & end-effectors to enable all disassembly functions on automated systems, either as one per robot or by combining multiple end-effectors into one.  Furthermore, you design and run manual experiments to decide on the best disassembly methods. It involves cutting welds, laser-cutting aluminum sheets, unscrewing bolts, ungluing with heat guns, and decoupling HV wires & covers with grippers.

How you will contribute

• Design, source, and build mechanical motion systems like gantry-based and robotic systems using motors, linear actuators, mechanical arms, and safety structures.
• Develop and prototype end-effectors and manipulators of robotic systems for cutting, screwing, decoupling, and uncovering using saws, cutters, heat guns, and grippers.
• Derive, analyze, and decide through trade studies on component and material choices per subsystem, including impact on manufacturing and unit cost.
• Analyze mechanical design sizing and modeling at various levels of fidelity from roughly-sized concepts to fully-detailed models analyzed against a suite of load cases.
• Simulate loads, stresses, vibrations, and thermal cycles using hand & static calculations via Matlab/Python and for 3D structures with Ansys or Comsol. Provide hands-on support applied to virtual builds. 
• Source relevant materials and components fast and cheap from local shops to build and test prototypes and industrial partners to prepare for larger volume production.
• Lead physical prototype builds, and small-series production for drivers, grippers, and tooling. Test, inspect, and validate the quality of incoming hardware products. 
• Support in developing test structures to support 2D images and 3D scanned data acquisition of battery packs and modules. Create CAD models of battery packs for data-generation purposes.
• Identify pathways to reduce cost, improve performance, and ease assembly & fabrication. 

The skills & experience that you bring

• At least a B.Sc. in Mechanical-, Aerospace-, Automotive-, Robotics- Controls Engineering, or a similar field.
• Academic knowledge of mechanical systems in statics, mechanics of materials, dynamics, vibrations, material science, thermodynamics and controls engineering.
• 3-5 yrs experience designing and delivering products from concept up to low series (~10) volume in highly-complex integrations like robotics, electric vehicles, or aerospace.
• 3-5 yrs expertise in 3D CAD modeling for mechanical design with complex parts and assemblies: like Catia, Solidworks, or Siemens NX.
• 3+ yrs expertise in multi-physics simulations (FEA) applied to structural designing problems, like Comsol and Ansys, but also being able to do hand calculations when that makes the most sense.
• 3+ yrs of hands-on experience in rapid prototyping, 3D printing, machining, laser-cutting, and CNC milling to make product designs a reality.

How to hit a homerun

• Experience with fabrication methods like welding, sheet forming, and die-casting.
• Designed mechanical end-effectors and worked on integrations for industrial robots.