Test rigs and data acquisition
Sensor selection, signal conditioning, encoder capture, ADC sampling, DAQ architecture, and repeatable measurement workflows.
Graduate engineering portfolio
Johan van Tonder
Mechatronics Engineering graduate from the University of Queensland, based in Brisbane, Australia and open to relocation, with interests across robotics, control systems, automation, and practical mechanical/electrical engineering.
- Nov 2025
- UQ Mechatronics Engineering graduate
- 6.1/7
- GPA
- BNE
- Brisbane, Australia, open to relocation
Featured project Spintron / Camshaft Dyno
System PC + Nucleo
Control VFD + encoder
Measurement Keyence laser
"I am most interested in practical mechatronics projects where mechanical design, electronics, control logic, and measured data all have to work together. My portfolio is built around systems that go beyond CAD or simulation and consider how the design will be built, tested, controlled, maintained, and validated in the real world."
Industry experience
Industry experience across manufacturing, test systems, and plant engineering.
Practical industry experience showing manufacturing problem-solving, plant constraints, test-rig development, CAD design, contractor-ready documentation, and engineering data tools.
Camshaft manufacturing and test-system development
Waggot Cams
Work experience involving camshaft-related engineering tools, root-cause investigation support, and development of a Spintron/camshaft dyno concept using encoder feedback, laser displacement sensing, VFD control, and data acquisition.
View experience ->
Food manufacturing and plant engineering
Marquis Macadamias
Engineering intern placement supporting plant engineering and maintenance in a food manufacturing environment, including equipment layout measurements, CAD design, fabrication drawings, BOM preparation, chute/conveyor interface work, and production-floor improvement support.
View experience ->
Featured work
Practical projects with robotics, controls, embedded, CAD, and DAQ depth.
Each project is written around the real engineering problem: what was being measured or controlled, what hardware or software was involved, and which design trade-offs mattered.
Waggot Cams View ->
Spintron / Camshaft Dyno
Waggot Cams test-rig project combining a custom computer program, Nucleo-based machine interface, VFD/encoder/Keyence laser feedback, and CAD mounting work.
Structured around remote control, synchronized lift/angle capture, physical mounting, and post-run analysis
Personal project View ->
6DOF Robot Arm
Design and simulation of a six-axis robotic arm using CAD, MATLAB/Simulink, Simscape Multibody, inverse kinematics, trajectory planning, and workspace analysis.
Tested a smooth 5 second Cartesian trajectory in simulation
University team project View ->
METR4810 Automated Garbage Collection Robot
University team robotics project for an autonomous miniature waste-collection robot, with my contribution focused on drive sizing, full CAD integration, mecanum-drive packaging, storage/deposit design, and sensor-mount prototyping.
Built around autonomous navigation, practical CAD packaging, and iterative mechanical subsystem design
Actuator design View ->
Ultra-Flat Micro Servo Actuator
Thesis project combining compact CAD packaging, spur/worm gearing, PCB design, magnetic position feedback, and MATLAB/Simulink control modelling for an ultra-flat servo actuator.
Met simulated torque target, with speed improvement remaining a future optimisation pathCapabilities
Engineering range built around working electromechanical systems.
Robotics and control systems
Kinematics, trajectory planning, Simulink models, motor control concepts, feedback loops, and workspace analysis.
Embedded electronics
STM32 development, PCB design constraints, motor-driver integration, communication buses, firmware structure, and hardware bring-up planning.
CAD and manufacturing tools
Mechanical design, assembly thinking, machine-data interpretation, visual inspection tools, BOM awareness, and clear engineering documentation.
Tool stack
Tools selected for modelling, building, measuring, and communicating.
I am especially comfortable with MATLAB, Simulink, and Autodesk Inventor. The broader stack reflects my project direction: CAD for mechanism design, modelling and controls, STM32 for embedded control, and Python or browser tooling for analysis and visualisation.
MATLABSimulinkAutodesk InventorPythonAstroHTML/CSS/JSSTM32Embedded CPCB CADRS-485RS-422ModbusVFDsEncodersLaser displacementData logging
About
Practical mechatronics with a design-build-test mindset.
I am drawn to engineering work where the model, the hardware, and the measured data all have to agree. I like taking a practical problem from rough concept through CAD, simulation, electronics, software, testing, and documentation, especially when the final system needs to be buildable, maintainable, and useful to someone working with real equipment.
Contact
Graduate engineering opportunities, project discussions, and practical systems work.
Available for graduate roles in robotics, control systems, automation, and general mechanical/electrical engineering. Email is the best direct contact point, and LinkedIn is available for profile, network, and recruiter follow-up.