Graduating from my MSc in May 2027

I'm Max, a mechanical engineer.

Also a

MS Mechanical Engineering at Boston University.
Previously F1, technology, defence and heritage projects at Ridge & Partners.

See my projects → Download resume

About me

Engineer by training, athlete by habit,
passionate all round.

What I love

  • Tangible engineering: things people pick up, wear, use or fly, from consumer tech and aerospace to high-performance hardware, prototyping and manufacturing
  • Being part of the full journey from idea to object: CAD, analysis, prototyping and testing
  • Work that makes a real difference to people, where I can see the benefit first-hand

Culture matters to me

  • A decade in high-performing teams has shown me the best results come from people who trust each other, set high standards and back each other up
  • I'm looking for a team that will help me grow, as an engineer and as a person
Max Pianta

Selected projects

Undergraduate thesisRowBot sensor and communication modules

RowBot: low-cost rowing power meter

My BEng dissertation: a clip-on sensor that streams stroke power, rate and blade angles to a phone. Designed in Siemens NX and validated by FEA against a 2,000 N peak load, for ~£224 in parts versus £1,800–£12,000 for commercial systems. Won 3rd Prize of 500 STEM projects at the Oxford Brookes Enterprise Tech Show.

Siemens NXFEAMATLABProduct designSensors & BLE
View project →
Vibration & NVHVan frame mode shape in Siemens NX

Van frame vibration analysis in Siemens NX

Modal and harmonic FEA of a steel van frame, validated against experimental modal testing to within 5%. Of three stiffening designs, corner struts raised the key resonance from 78.9 Hz to 94.3 Hz for only 32% extra mass.

Siemens NXModal analysisHarmonic analysisTest validationDesign optimisation
View project →
To be completed03

Master's project Upcoming

My project at Boston University. Details coming soon.

Boston University
To be decided04

Project 4

Saving this space for something special.

Track record

Capabilities

Design & CAD

  • Idea to finished CADSolidWorks, Siemens NX, Onshape
  • Drawings you can build fromGD&T, tolerances and BOMs
  • Designed for the workshopDFM for CNC and 3D printing
  • Sealed against the elementsRowBot's IP67 sensor housing
  • Suspension geometryFormula Student kinematics

Analysis & simulation

  • Strength & fatigueFEA on a 2,000 N rowing load
  • Vibration & NVHVan frame modes, matched to tests
  • Airflow & heatCFD for data-centre cooling
  • Models I can trustMesh studies and test validation
  • Data into insightMATLAB and Python

Making & prototyping

  • CNC & CAM toolpathingFrom CAD straight to the machine
  • 3D-printed prototypesFast, low-cost iterations
  • Sensors set up rightStrain gauge fitting and calibration
  • Electronics on the benchArduino and Bluetooth builds
  • Test, learn, repeatBench testing every version

People & leadership

  • Juggling big programmesFour at once at Ridge & Partners
  • Teaching what I learnAI workflow sessions for colleagues
  • Opening doors to engineeringSTEM Ambassador in schools
  • Leading a crewCaptain of Boats
  • Performing under loadElite sport alongside a 1st Class degree

Blog

Coming soon · Intro

Why I built this site

A quick intro: who I am, what I'll write about each week, and how this site was put together.

Coming soon
Coming soon · Engineering

From F1 to aerospace

What a year at Ridge & Partners taught me, and what I'm learning now at BU.

Coming soon
Coming soon · Rowing

Engineering a faster boat

Data, technique and marginal gains from a D1 rowing season.

Coming soon
A new post every week on what I'm building, learning and racing.

Get in touch.

I'm looking for my next passion in engineering: somewhere I can bring the dedication I've built over the last decade to work that matters to me, in a team whose culture I believe in.

[email protected]
LinkedIn ↗ Download resume