Available for Projects

Mechanical
Design
Engineer

I engineer precision hardware systems to be lighter, more efficient, and more capable — every iteration better than the last.

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Daniel Tombleson
Daniel Tombleson
Mechanical Design Engineer
Specialisation Precision Systems
CAD Platform SolidWorks · ANSYS · COMSOL
Availability Open to Work
Location Isle of Wight, UK
Response Time < 24 hours

About

Engineering outcomes driven by iteration

I'm a Mechanical Design Engineer with a focus on precision, robustness, and refinement — MEng trained at the University of Southampton. I believe the best engineering outcomes come from iteration: each cycle more accurate, more efficient, and more considered than the last.

That philosophy drives my design work and my approach to performance engineering, whether I'm optimising a mechanical system for weight and efficiency, or helping a driver find the incremental gains that add up to a faster lap.

Alongside my technical engineering background, I bring a solid grounding in engineering management — spanning finance, supply chain, people leadership, and project delivery. I understand the commercial realities of engineering, not just the technical ones.

6+
Years of experience
5+
Projects delivered
3
Clients worldwide
MEng
Mechanical Engineering
University of Southampton

Expertise

Technical skills

A broad, applied skillset built across six years of academic and professional engineering — from precision CAD to simulation, analysis, and modern AI tooling.

⚙️
CAD & 3D Modelling
SolidWorksFusion 360CATIA V5AutoCADFreeCADOnshapeGD&T
📐
Structural Analysis
FEA / FEMANSYSStress AnalysisFatigueModal AnalysisSimScale
💧
Fluid Dynamics & Modelling
COMSOL MultiphysicsOpenFOAMSimScaleCFDThermal Analysis
🔫
Manufacturing & DFM
CNC MachiningSheet MetalInjection MouldingDFM / DFATolerancing
🧪
Prototyping & Testing
Rapid Prototyping3D PrintingTest PlanningFMEADVP&R
🤖
AI & Modern Tools
Prompt EngineeringAI-assisted DesignWorkflow AutomationPythonMATLAB

Tools & Platforms

Adobe Suite
ANSYS
AutoCAD
COMSOL
C++
Python
SolidWorks
Onshape
OpenFOAM
FreeCAD
Fusion 360
LaTeX
Microsoft Office
SimScale
MATLAB
Adobe Suite
ANSYS
AutoCAD
COMSOL
C++
Python
SolidWorks
Onshape
OpenFOAM
FreeCAD
Fusion 360
LaTeX
Microsoft Office
SimScale
MATLAB

Work

Selected projects

A selection of engineering challenges solved — spanning simulation, hardware design, and full concept-to-prototype development.

Autonomous Specimen Collection Rover
HardwarePrototypingAutonomous Systems
Autonomous Specimen Collection Rover

A fully autonomous prototype rover designed to locate, collect, and deposit simulated specimens across a defined zone. Combines proximity sensing, Arduino control, and precision navigation to achieve positional accuracy under 5mm. The chassis was laser-cut from plywood for structural precision, with 3D-printed internals for ball channelling, hinge mechanisms, and sensor mounts.

View Case Study →
Racing Boat Keel FEA
SimulationFEAANSYS
Racing Boat Keel — Structural FEA

Full structural simulation of a marine racing keel using ANSYS, covering von Mises stress distribution, maximum bending conditions, and multi-directional impact loading. Conducted to assess structural performance, validate user safety margins, and demonstrate regulatory compliance under competitive racing conditions.

View Case Study →
Underwater CTD Sensor
DesignCADSimulation
Underwater CTD Sensor — Construction Surveying

Concept design and CAD development of a pressure-rated underwater CTD sensor for construction location surveying at depths up to 300m (30 bar). Designed for use with a surface buoy and tether, incorporating local and wireless data transfer, a 6+ month maintenance interval, and a cost-conscious approach to manufacture and serviceability.

View Case Study →
Thermal Simulation — Radial Fin Array
SimulationCOMSOLThermal Analysis
Thermal Simulation — CPU Heat Sink & Radial Fin Array

COMSOL multiphysics modelling of a CPU heat sink — with and without a spreader plate — to assess and optimise heat dissipation performance. Fin geometry was systematically varied across thickness, radius, depth, and length parameters. A companion radial fin array study optimised external pipe cooling geometry through both stationary and transient thermal analysis.

View Case Study →

Services

How I can help

Three focused service offerings — built around precision engineering, rigorous analysis, and performance-led thinking.

Core Service
🔧
Engineering Design & Consultancy

End-to-end mechanical design support — from initial concept and feasibility through to detailed CAD, DFM, and production-ready documentation. I also bring engineering management experience to help navigate the commercial and supply chain realities of delivering hardware on time and on budget.

  • Mechanical design & detailed CAD
  • Concept development & feasibility
  • DFM review & supplier liaison
  • Technical documentation & reporting
  • Project & supply chain oversight
Start a Project
📊
Simulation & Analysis

Standalone simulation and analysis services to validate designs, de-risk decisions, and extract insight before committing to hardware. Results communicated clearly — not buried in technical jargon.

I work across both industry-standard and open-source simulation platforms — keeping costs lean without compromising on output quality.
  • Structural FEA (ANSYS / SimScale)
  • CFD & fluid modelling (COMSOL / OpenFOAM)
  • Thermal & multiphysics analysis
  • Design validation & test correlation
Get In Touch
🏁
Performance Engineering

Applying rigorous engineering methodology to high-performance contexts — with a particular focus on motorsport. From kart setup and driver performance analysis to performance-critical hardware, I bring the same disciplined, iterative engineering mindset to every performance challenge.

  • Kart setup & data analysis
  • Driver performance optimisation
  • Performance-critical hardware design
  • Incremental systems improvement
Get In Touch

Testimonials

What clients say

Feedback from clients, collaborators, and academic supervisors.

★★★★★

"Daniel got what we were trying to do from the start. The designs he came back with were creative but practical — which is a hard balance to strike in this industry. Safety was never an afterthought, and the ergonomic improvements made a real difference to the final product. Would work with him again without hesitation."

JM
James M.
Founder, USA
★★★★★

"What stood out wasn't just the technical output — it was how the project was managed throughout. Design decisions were well reasoned and clearly communicated, and the critical requirements were always kept in focus without losing sight of the bigger picture. A genuinely considered piece of engineering work."

AT
A. Thornton
Design Lead
★★★★★

"A well-structured and clearly presented piece of analysis. The simulation results were communicated with appropriate technical rigour, and the written interpretation showed a solid understanding of the underlying mechanics. Suggestions for improvement and future work were thoughtful and grounded in the findings — not simply appended as an afterthought. A strong submission."

RC
Prof. R. Calloway
Project Supervisor, University of Southampton
★★★★★

"Good build quality and the core functionality was clearly demonstrated. There's room to develop this further — the navigation precision in particular has potential that the timeframe didn't fully allow for. That said, the integration of the mechanical and electronic systems showed solid engineering judgement, and the project achieved what was expected given the constraints."

MC
Prof. M. Clarke
Electronics & Control Engineering

Contact

Let's build something together

Have a project in mind, a role to discuss, or just want to explore what's possible? Fill in the form and I'll get back to you within 24 hours.

✉️
Email
daniel@danieltombleson.com
📍
Location
Isle of Wight, United Kingdom
🕐
Response time
Within 24 hours
💼
Availability
Open to new projects