[ ]Nathan Nguyen

Portfolio

Projects

A collection of robotics, tooling, CAD, and manufacturing projects. Filter by category or status, then open any card to read the full case study.

Highlights

Featured Projects

A few projects worth starting with.

/projects/senior-design/senior-design-loading-tower-belt-frame.webp

Personal ProjectsApr 2026 - Present

Flat Belt Tire Tester · Senior Design

I am the designer for a flat-belt machine that isolates a GEM e2 tire from the vehicle and tests it under controlled belt speeds, vertical loads, and braking conditions. I completed the mechanical calculations and CAD for the test stand, including its belt drive, support deck, four-bar loading mechanism, wheel hub interface, welded frame, and controls integration points.

Onshape Technical Documentation Mechanism Design Project Management

Luigi & Guido · Worlds Robot Photo

RoboticsJul 2025 - Apr 2026

Luigi & Guido · Push Back Competition Robots

I led the design and season-long development of Luigi and Guido, KUdos VEX-U's 24" and 15" Push Back robots. Built for Skills qualification and later upgraded to Beta+ for VEX Worlds, the pair combined high-capacity Block scoring, deployable wings, and a custom Pinpoint and Limelight localization stack.

Onshape Robot Design & Fabrication Mechanism Design Rapid Prototyping

/projects/rafiki-and-simba/rafiki-and-simba-gamma-competition-worlds-day3-6.webp

RoboticsJul 2024 - Jun 2025

Rafiki & Simba · High Stakes Competition Robots

I led the design and build of Rafiki and Simba, KUdos VEX-U's docked 24" and 15" High Stakes robots. The pair became the first across middle school, high school, and college competition to score the High Stake and complete a Tier 3 Climb, earning four Innovate Awards and the VEX AI Excellence and Energy Awards.

Onshape Robot Design & Fabrication Mechanism Design Pneumatics

/projects/chip-and-dale/chip-and-dale-worlds-match-action-closeup.webp

RoboticsFeb 2024 - May 2024

Chip & Dale · Beta Competition Robots

I led the development of Chip and Dale, KUdos VEX-U's 24" and 15" Worlds robots for Over Under. The near-identical robots used pneumatic non-parallel 4-bar intakes, PTO-driven 4-stage linear-slide climbers, and over-center claws tested to hold 90 lbs.

Onshape Robot Design & Fabrication Mechanism Design Pneumatics

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All Projects

Filter by category or status.

Category

Status

18 projects

/projects/senior-design/senior-design-loading-tower-belt-frame.webp

Personal ProjectsApr 2026 - Present

Flat Belt Tire Tester · Senior Design

I am the designer for a flat-belt machine that isolates a GEM e2 tire from the vehicle and tests it under controlled belt speeds, vertical loads, and braking conditions. I completed the mechanical calculations and CAD for the test stand, including its belt drive, support deck, four-bar loading mechanism, wheel hub interface, welded frame, and controls integration points.

Onshape Technical Documentation Mechanism Design Project Management

Sally & Cruz · Robot Render

RoboticsFeb 2026 - Apr 2026

Sally & Cruz · Push Back Gamma Robots

I led the design and build of Sally and Cruz, KUdos VEX-U's 24" and 15" Gamma robots for Push Back. The redesign introduced a higher-ceiling holonomic architecture, but a four-week fabrication-through-tuning schedule did not leave enough time to fully develop the completed robots before Worlds.

Onshape Robot Design & Fabrication Mechanism Design Rapid Prototyping

Luigi & Guido · Worlds Robot Photo

RoboticsJul 2025 - Apr 2026

Luigi & Guido · Push Back Competition Robots

I led the design and season-long development of Luigi and Guido, KUdos VEX-U's 24" and 15" Push Back robots. Built for Skills qualification and later upgraded to Beta+ for VEX Worlds, the pair combined high-capacity Block scoring, deployable wings, and a custom Pinpoint and Limelight localization stack.

Onshape Robot Design & Fabrication Mechanism Design Rapid Prototyping

/projects/rafiki-and-simba/rafiki-and-simba-gamma-competition-worlds-day3-6.webp

RoboticsJul 2024 - Jun 2025

Rafiki & Simba · High Stakes Competition Robots

I led the design and build of Rafiki and Simba, KUdos VEX-U's docked 24" and 15" High Stakes robots. The pair became the first across middle school, high school, and college competition to score the High Stake and complete a Tier 3 Climb, earning four Innovate Awards and the VEX AI Excellence and Energy Awards.

Onshape Robot Design & Fabrication Mechanism Design Pneumatics

/projects/chip-and-dale/chip-and-dale-worlds-match-action-closeup.webp

RoboticsFeb 2024 - May 2024

Chip & Dale · Beta Competition Robots

I led the development of Chip and Dale, KUdos VEX-U's 24" and 15" Worlds robots for Over Under. The near-identical robots used pneumatic non-parallel 4-bar intakes, PTO-driven 4-stage linear-slide climbers, and over-center claws tested to hold 90 lbs.

Onshape Robot Design & Fabrication Mechanism Design Pneumatics

/projects/big-blue/big-blue-competition-front-view-extended.webp

RoboticsJul 2023 - Feb 2024

Big Blue · Alpha Competition Robot

I led the development of Big Blue, KUdos VEX-U's 24" alpha robot for Over Under. My third robot used an over-the-frame non-parallel 4-bar intake, slip-gear catapult, pneumatic pushing wings, and a six-motor drivetrain.

Onshape Robot Design & Fabrication Mechanism Design Project Management

/projects/overhang/hero.webp

CAD Practice / RoboticsFeb 2023 - Mar 2023

Overhang · FRC Charged Up Robot CAD

Modeled Overhang, a second COTS-heavy FRC Charged Up robot concept designed after Backlash. The robot used a parallel virtual 4-bar arm, a non-parallel 4-bar ground intake, and the same polybelt manipulator concept to create a simpler and more manufacturable scoring system.

SolidWorks Mechanism Design Design for Manufacturing & Assembly

/projects/backlash/backlash.webp

CAD Practice / RoboticsJan 2023 - Feb 2023

Backlash · FRC Charged Up Robot CAD

Modeled a full COTS-heavy FRC Charged Up robot with a 2 DoF chain-driven arm and wrist, plus a polybelt manipulator, designed as an independent CAD project that could be manufactured and competed with if needed.

SolidWorks Mechanism Design Design for Manufacturing & Assembly

/projects/encore-v2/encore-v2-hero.webp

CAD Practice / RoboticsNov 2022 - Dec 2022

Encore v2 · Project X004

Started modeling X004, a version 2 redesign of Encore, to improve the original t-shirt cannon robot's barrel pivot stability, packaging, articulation mechanism, and Geneva drive alignment.

SolidWorks Mechanism Design Design for Manufacturing & Assembly

/projects/robot-cart-v2/hero.webp

CAD Practice / RoboticsOct 2022 - Nov 2022

Robot Cart v2 · Project X002

Modeled Robot Cart v2, a smaller and lighter revision of the original robot cart that reduced cost, part count, and size while keeping the most useful competition logistics features.

SolidWorks Design for Manufacturing & Assembly

/projects/ascent-upgrade/ascent-upgrade.webp

CAD Practice / RoboticsAug 2022 - Sep 2022

Ascent Upgrade · 2022 Competition Upgrade Concept

Revisited the CAD for Ascent, FRC Team 4079's 2022 Rapid React competition robot, with a redesigned variable-angle hooded shooter, improved slapdown intake, stronger climber tube supports, cleaner part organization, and a basic master sketch workflow.

SolidWorks Mechanism Design Design for Manufacturing & Assembly

/projects/driver-station/x003-driver-station-render-transparent.webp

CAD Practice / RoboticsApr 2022 - May 2022

Driver Station · Project X003

Modeled X003, a dedicated driver station for FRC Team 4079 designed to organize the driver laptop, controllers, chargers, adapters, and field connection hardware into one competition-ready unit.

SolidWorks Design for Manufacturing & Assembly

/projects/robot-cart/x002-robot-cart-render-transparent.webp

CAD Practice / RoboticsApr 2022 - May 2022

Robot Cart · Project X002

Modeled X002, a custom robot cart for FRC Team 4079 designed to improve competition logistics by carrying the robot, batteries, bumpers, tools, and driver station equipment between the pit and field.

SolidWorks Design for Manufacturing & Assembly

/projects/frc4079-cots-library/cots-library-browser.webp

CAD Practice / RoboticsApr 2022 - May 2022

Team 4079 SolidWorks Parts Library

Created a centralized SolidWorks parts library and CAD organization system for FRC Team 4079 to make robot design faster, more consistent, and easier for the team to maintain.

SolidWorks Technical Documentation

/projects/upgraded-kop-drivetrain/x001-kitbot-render-transparent.webp

CAD Practice / RoboticsApr 2022 - May 2022

Upgraded Kit of Parts Drivetrain · Project X001

Modeled X001, an upgraded 8-wheel version of the FRC Kit of Parts drivetrain designed to improve stability, serviceability, bumper mounting, and internal packaging space.

SolidWorks Design for Manufacturing & Assembly Mechanism Design

/projects/ascent/ascent-hero1.webp

RoboticsJan 2022 - Apr 2022

Ascent · 2022 Competition Robot

Led Ascent, FRC Team 4079's 2022 Rapid React competition robot, as Project Lead and FRC Captain. Ascent was my second major robot project and my first full-season FRC competition robot, built around Upper Hub shooting, Cargo collection, and a continuously improved climb system that evolved into a powered Traversal Rung climb.

SolidWorks Robot Design & Fabrication Mechanism Design Electrical & Wiring

/projects/encore/hero.webp

RoboticsJan 2021 - Jan 2022

Encore · Publicity T-Shirt Cannon Robot

Led and designed Encore, FRC Team 4079's off-season publicity robot built around a 10-barrel pneumatic t-shirt launcher, 6-wheel pneumatic drivetrain, Geneva-indexed articulating barrel assembly, airhorns, and lights for school and district events.

SolidWorks Robot Design & Fabrication Mechanism Design Electrical & Wiring

CAD Practice / RoboticsJan 2021 - Mar 2021

Fortune's Feud · Game Design Challenge

Led FRC Team 4079's 2021 FIRST Game Design Challenge submission, developing an original pirate-themed FRC game with a complete field concept, scoring system, rules package, CAD model, presentation, and judge interview materials.

SolidWorks Graphic Design Photoshop Canva