Velatron Technologies

I interned at Velatron Technologies as a mechanical engineering intern. Velatron Technologies is a custom power electronics manufacturer, specializing in windings and transformers. My daily tasks included rapid prototyping jigs, fixtures, and components to support operators. These included locating fixtures, measurement jigs, winding arbors and other custom tooling Through this role, I gained extensive hands-on experience with manual maching with the mill and lathe, and 3D printing. I also had the opportunity to take ownership of several independent design and fabrication projects.

sheet steel winding machine

The intent of the design was to support high-volume production of antenna rods while achieving tighter diameter specs than the competition.

constraints & criteria

  • Form factor: Final wound rod diameter must not exceed 1.8 in, with smaller diameters preferred

  • Compatibility: Machine must accommodate three distinct rod lengths without requiring extensive reconfiguration

  • Volume: Must achieve a faster production rate than manual hand winding to support scalable manufacturing

  • Usability: Design must be simple and intuitive for operators, minimizing training time and operational complexity

purpose

results

design & assembly

  • Roller System: Rollers arranged in a triangular configuration to maintain constant 3 point contact, preventing slipping during winding.

  • Support Structure: Rollers are connected to a crankshaft supported by bearing housings. These are mounted within slots on the main frame.

  • Compression Mechanism: Compression springs preload the top roller, applying a consistent normal force to the sheet metal as the rod diameter increases, ensuring tight and uniform winding.

  • End Stopper: A guide rail with locating holes supports and adjustable end stop, allowing quick positioning and axial constraints for rods of 3 lengths.

The final design met all specified requirements, achieving wound rod diameters more than 6.2% tigheter than minimum specification. Additionally, the machine significantly improved production efficiency, allowing operators to wind rods at 10x the speed of previous methods.