Nathaniel Thomas, Caliber Design
QUALIFICATIONS
  • Diploma in Mech Eng – 2019

  • L2 National Certificate in Engineering – 2007

  • L4 National Certificate in Machining & Toolmaking- 2007
DESIGN SOFTWARE
  • Extract from Skills Matrix > Engineer Profile > Design Software
  • List in order Advanced > Intermediate only
ANALYSIS SOFTWARE
  • Extract from Skills Matrix > Engineer Profile > Design Software
  • List in order Advanced > Intermediate only

Nathaniel Thomas

MECHANICAL ENGINEER

Skills Overview

Nathaniel Thomas is an mechanical engineer with a great deal of design experience. In addition, he has over a decade learning and applying practical skills such as machining and toolmaking, assembly, and a seven year stint as a factory engineer on a deep sea trawler. This combination of skills and experience makes Nathaniel an effective and versatile engineer who quickly adapts to new team environments.

    • MACHINE DESIGN – Nathaniel has designed a range of different equipment, varying from conveyors to test equipment, his practical experience is an invaluable aid to help think outside the box, an example of this is a pie conveyor utilising an unique method to spread the pies apart, and a conveyor capable of separating rocks and produce.
    • SHEET METAL DESIGN – Nathaniel has extensive experience in the design of sheet metal parts that can be efficiently assembled and/or fabricated, resulting in a labour efficient, cost effective product.
    • DESIGN FOR FABRICATION – Nathaniel has worked on a number of structures, platforms, stairs and walkways for Wyma Solutions. Nathaniel ensures his designs are optimized ease of manufacture and ensuring that manufacturing drawings are detailed enough for welders and assemblers to easily understand.
    • DESIGN FOR TESTING – Nathaniel has designed a number of items of test equipment, trying to use off the shelf components as much as possible, both for Crocker research (Oil & Gas Tools) and for Wyma Solutions, some examples are a hydraulic test rig for testing roller longetivity, and a simple rig for checking the force required to engage multiple pinned conductors, to allow mechanical blind mating.
    • WATER PROCESS SPECIFICATIONS, CALCULATIONS AND DIAGRAMS – Nathaniel has spent considerable time at Wyma Solutions on water management, this includes specifying of pipework, process routings, pump specifications and calculations on drainage, trench flows, and many other areas.
    Caliber has experience in the Agriculture industry
    Caliber has experience in the Aerospace industry
    Caliber has experience in the Aerospace industry
    Caliber Design has experience in the Biofuel industry
    Caliber has experience in the Agriculture industry
    PERSONAL STATEMENT

    I enjoy working in engineering as it is such a broad field with new and interesting problems and solutions cropping up all the time. I like being part of the solution.

    I enjoy the whole process of engineering, from trouble shooting, design through to repairs and improvements. I’ve been working as a design engineer on a variety of projects for a number of years now, I’ve worked as a designer and field technician in oil & gas. (Also dealing with explosives & radioactive sources). I am qualified as a machinist toolmaker, have worked as a factory engineer on a full factory deep sea trawler, where keeping production going is vital, all you have to solve an issue is your head (an assortment of machine tools, a welder and spare parts don’t hurt though).

    I enjoy working and building things in the shed (I’ve got plenty of tools and three 3D printers), building with Duplo and LEGO with my children, and spending time with my family and friends.

    Project Experience

    WYMA logo
    Rock Trap

    The purpose of this design was to separate out 20-30 tonnes of potatoes from 50 tonnes per hour of a stone/potato mix. I worked from a concept, calculated the requirements and designed the final product. CASE STUDY

     

    Various Projects
    Worked on a variety of projects, designing walkways and platforms; platform, flume and conveyor supports and improving and modifying existing products including bin fillers, filters and various conveyors.
    Page Macrae Engineering Nyrstar Dust Controlled Hopper

    PAGE MACRAE

    Bespoke Dust Controlled Bulk Hopper

    Designed rail bogies and retractable wheel system including detailed design on the bogies and wheels. This project involved detailed calculations and the use of multiple standards. CASE STUDY

    Newsmith Pacific Systems logo
    Flour Recovery & Pie Conveyor

    This project involved designing a new conveyor designed to widen the distance between pies coming out of the conveyor, and recover excess flour. It involved finding new ways to use old materials to achieve the desired outcome. I designed the conveyor, supports and process piping to connect a cyclone, supplied by another company.

    ELMG
    Ongoing Research

    Crocker Research in Western Australia gave me my start in design. Crocker were the original developer of a Formation Evaluation Tool (FET). This tool is deployed down-hole (At 110 MPa external pressure) and uses various sensors (Density, Resitivity /Conductivity, several pressure gauges) and takes multiple samples to characterize the oil formation in a well (How much is there, how fast can it be produced and what is the composition of the formation)

    Using Solid Edge and working under an R&D manager, I was responsible for ongoing development of the existing tool (FET V3), drafting, as well as documentation such as manuals, assembly diagrams. I restructured the drawing office procedures, brought in and maintained a QA process for the company, and simplified various parts to cut costs.

    Enphase
    Product Testing

    This project involved testing products through a wide variety of carefully controlled and monitored Underwriters Laboratory tests. Comprehensive reports were written for each test and results thoroughly analyzed.

    ENI Engineering Ltd
    Various Projects

    Worked on a variety of smaller projects here, including items to be built into a container, such as a internally mounted gantry.

    ELMG
    FET V4

    During the last year of my work at Crocker development of this new tool system was begun concurrent with my other work for the company.

    This tool was to operate under higher pressures (135 MPa external pressure), have a smaller maximum tool diameter (4.5″ rather than 6.5″) and incorporate improved features such as a superior tool coupling system, self sealing hydraulic lines, while still maintaining the existing features of the V3.

    The project was fairly well advanced before I moved back to New Zealand. I used AS 1210 3.9.4 for the design of the external pressure vessels (containing electronics under atmospheric pressure), implemented the tool coupling and electrical connector blind mating system, redesigned the sensor assembly, including the density sensor. Unfortunately, in part due to sustained low oil prices and stiff competition this project has been shelved.

    What makes Nathaniel a Caliber Engineer
    ELMG

    ARA INSTITUTE OF CANTERBURY

    Gordon Fairweather Award

    Nathaniel received the 2019 Gordon Fairweather Award for a Diploma of Mechanical Engineering student for his “exceptional marks, thorough application and outstanding references“.