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Alex Benton MEng
Mechanical Design Engineer
MEng Manufacturing Engineering
Queens' College, Cambridge
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An experienced design engineer with a proven record in designing, modelling, fabricating, and optimising mechanical systems. Highly adaptable, proactive, and determined, with competencies through design for manufacturing, computational analysis and project management. A fast learner, with an excellent academic record and a broad knowledge base from technology development to management and strategy. Seeking to apply combined engineering and commercial acumen to the development of key sustainable technologies
Core capabilities
Design
CAD (SolidWorks, OnShape,) CAM (Fusion,) BS 8888 drawings, CNC machining, rapid prototyping, design to pressure equipment standards, DfMA.
Analysis
Engineering calculations, strong mathematics, modelling and optimisation of mechanical systems.
Project Management
Planning, work delegation, and budget allocation.
Software Development
Analysis with Python. Web development with React, JS, Django, and Bootstrap.
Commercial
Knowledge of business and project management, IP, technology development, marketing, and strategy.
Communication
Compelling reports, presentations, and project deliverables.
Industrial Experience
R&D Design Engineer
2024-2025
Actuation Lab
  • Designing torque-amplifying, leak-free valves for hydrogen, developing and using a combined skillset of CNC machining, cost modelling, kinematic and static computational analysis, and mechanical system optimisation.
  • Achieving a 55% cost reduction of a core product on a first redesign effort.
  • A further 35% reduction by devising a simplified core mechanism.
  • Contributor to flow control patent, inventor on core mechanism patent.
  • Creation of an automatic cost estimation tool embedded in CAD software.
  • Authorship of core design control SOPs, enabling ISO 9001 accreditation.
Research Assistant
2022-2023
University of Cambridge
  • Advancing the Digital Shoestring project at the Institute for Manufacturing.
  • Design and implementation of a standardised, modular user interface to enhance the project’s low-cost digital manufacturing solutions for SMEs.
  • Data processing with Django, and web development with React
University Projects
2021-2022
Victory Lighting, Babcock International, and Lipco Inc.
  • Redesign of a commercial space heater, cutting assembly time by 50%.
  • Creation of a machine learning-driven tool for predicting potential supply chain delays.
  • Development of a web app for tracking job progress in a machine shop.
Junior Developer
2019 and 2020
Synergist Express
  • Two summers at a local developer of agency management software.
  • Automation of inter-software data transfers using VBScript, SQL, and 4D.
  • Scripts to analyse and make bulk changes to the codebase to enable multithread capability.
Student Engineer
2018-2019
Cambridge Design Partnership
  • A twelve-month pre-university placement at an engineering consultancy.
  • Contribution to 15 projects, including elements of research, procurement, rapid prototyping, patent analysis, reverse engineering, and design.
Education
2018-2022
MEng Manufacturing Engineering
University of Cambridge
Fourth Year
Class I
MET
MEng, Honours with Distinction
Third Year
Class I
MET
Ranked 2nd in the MET Cohort
Second Year
-
General
Unclassed due to Covid-19
First Year
Class I
General
Ranked 1st in Queens' College
2010-2017
GCSEs and A-Levels
Cheadle Hulme School
- Four A*s at A-Level, in Maths, Further Maths, Physics, and Chemistry
- Ten A*s and one A at GCSE, including Maths, English and three sciences.
A note on the Manufacturing Engineering Tripos (MET)
The first half of my degree covered the engineering fundamentals of mechanics, thermofluids, electronics, materials, structures, information, and so on. The final half focussed on a full range of design, manufacturing, management, and industrial activities, as well as undertaking substantial project work. I cannot imagine a better foundation for a career in industry.
Interests and Pursuits
Sports
Captain of Bristol Bombers’ mixed lacrosse team. Keen runner and climber.
Cycle Touring
18'000 km of self-supported cycle touring through 25 countries and 3 continents.
Making
Projects include a full set of bikepacking bags, a CNC router, and a race-winning cardboard boat, all made from scratch to original designs
Photography
Paid and hobbyist travel, event, and architecture photos.
Music
Singer in various choirs, bands, and jam nights. Limited but existent ability in songwriting, keys, bass, flute, and wind synthesiser.
Software and Programming
CAD and CAM
OnShape (CAD)
Solidworks (CAD)
Fusion (CAM)
Python
Django
Django REST
Pandas
Scikit-learn
Web Development
HTML/JS/CSS
Bootstrap
React
jQuery
Microsoft Office Suite
VBScript
Power Query
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