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What is your bread and butter?
Generally I will work on larger engineering projects (1-12 months) in concert with the client, consultants and suppliers to produce:
1) Straightforward and effective designs (from concept to CAD)
2) The full set of engineering drawings (supplied as PDFs)
3) All manufacturing files (e.g. files required to CNC machine).Generally I work within common mechanical engineering fields though I have experience in certain niche fields (see Projects & Designs).
Are you a design engineer or a draftsman?
A design engineer. I piece together information from clients, consultants, technical resources and suppliers to produce effective design solutions for your project.
I am similar to a draftsman however as I will also produce drawings to ensure that the solution is correctly fabricated, machined or assembled.
What are your rates?
Get in contact - we'll negotiate a rate that suits us both.
Are you a chartered engineer (i.e. can you sign off critical items)?
Not yet - but I have good working relationships with two great chartered mechanical engineers who can sign-off these items when required.
Where are you based?
Hamilton, New Zealand. I can visit sites around the country with ease or work remotely.
Is it detrimental working remotely?
Note that I am based in Hamilton and can visit clients from Auckland to Tauranga or Taupo with ease.
Working remotely is not detrimental - the vast majority of my design engineering career has been remote work with meetings via the internet. Site-measuring or "boots on the ground" checking is often best done through 3D scans, surveys or by the analysis of an employee who knows the site rather than by the design engineer.
The largest distance i've worked remotely was for an NZ client while I was in South America. Here there is an eight hour time difference!
Are there any downsides to working remotely?
The main downside is not to be able to meet the clients in person. There are a lot of characters in engineering that you can meet via Zoom or Skype but it's not quite the same (I do miss the office banter also).
Can you give a quote for a full job or is it per hour?
I would prefer to charge per hour as it is notoriously difficult to estimate design time for a project as:
1. The complexity of a project is not truly known until it is finished.
2. Sign-off from different parties takes time and often additional scope is added at these reviews.
3. Client may change scope and this would require me to make variation claims (more admin, less design).
4. Facilitates payment (no progress claims, just paid for what work has transpired).
5. Designers can be optimistic people and may assume an unimpeded path thus underestimating the time required for a job.
If we have a deadline looming can you work extra hours?
Yes, I will do my utmost to ensure your deadlines are met.
How do you record your time?
I will provide a full breakdown of how my time is used to the nearest 15 minutes. Project computer files (and history) available on request.
How do I know my server/ files/ IP will be secure?
2FA used with all storage and VPN can be used to access your files. No mechanical keyboards or dodgy peripherals will ever be plugged into my computer.
What software, hardware and peripheral do you use?
Solidworks 2023/ Onshape/ Autodesk Inventor (Can use any CAD as required), Dell Precision Workstation and Logitech MX Master 2S.
Obelisk Design is a bit of a strange name for a mechanical design engineering service. Why Obelisk?
The name Obelisk Design is inspired from growing up next to One Tree Hill in Auckland, New Zealand. The logo is the stylised hill with the hill's obelisk and its shadow.