Mechanical Engineer // Cal Poly SLO

Armando
Ramirez

I design, fabricate, and validate composite structures engineered to endure across aerospace, automotive, and defense.

Focus Composites & Structures
Graduation December 2026
Status Full-time or internship
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01

About

Profile / Bio
Armando Ramirez

I'm a Mechanical Engineering student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, graduating December 2026 and specializing in composite structures and manufacturing. I work at the intersection of hands-on fabrication and structural analysis.

On Cal Poly Racing's Baja SAE team (Composites and Ergonomics, since October 2024), I manufactured composite components including a Carbon-Kevlar skid plate, steering wheel inserts, and safety hardware. The team finished 6th overall at Baja SAE Arizona 2025 and passed technical inspection first with no safety concerns.

Our senior project started as a 3D-printed competition flying wing optimized for high glide ratio, which the team later iterated into an updated competition design. I'm seeking full-time or internship roles in aerospace, automotive, and advanced manufacturing for after I graduate.

DisciplineMechanical Engineering
InstitutionCal Poly, San Luis Obispo
GraduationDecember 2026
FocusComposite Structures & Manufacturing
TeamCal Poly Racing · Baja SAE
CourseworkComposite Materials Analysis · Composites Manufacturing · Fracture Mechanics · System Dynamics
CertificationsSOLIDWORKS CSWA · FAA TRUST
StatusSeeking full-time or internship roles
Analysis & Simulation
ANSYS FEA ANSYS ACP XFLR5 Classical Laminate Theory
CAD & GD&T
SolidWorks Fusion 360 GD&T (ASME Y14.5)
Manufacturing
Vacuum Infusion Wet Layup Pre-preg (Oven & Autoclave) FDM 3D Printing Manual Lathe Manual Milling Waterjet
Testing & Standards
ASTM D3039 / D3518 ASTM D638 Tensile Testing 3-Point Bend
Software & Tools
MATLAB EES Arduino
Cal Poly Racing Baja SAE car after the Arizona competition
Cal Poly Racing · Baja SAE
Composites that survive the desert.
6th overall, Baja SAE Arizona 2025 First through technical inspection 2024-2026 seasons
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Selected Work

05 Projects
01Baja SAE Composite footplate

Composite Footplate

Sandwich-panel footplate, carbon faces over Nomex honeycomb, validated by FEA and 3-point bend testing of four candidate layups.

MaterialCF / Nomex
MethodANSYS ACP · ASTM bend
View Project
02ME412/161 SAMPE composite I-beam

SAMPE Composite I-Beam

Lightest composite I-beam to hit maximum point load in 3-point bending, unidirectional pre-preg with a Nomex sandwich core.

Load9 kN
Mass312 g
View Project
031st Place 3D-printed competition aircraft

3D-Printed Aircraft (3DPAC)

Senior project for the 3D-Printed Aircraft Competition. I led airfoil analysis, ASTM D638 material testing, and spar FEA verified against a wing-loading rig.

Result1st place
L/D (CFD)17.1
View Project
04Baja SAE Composite skid plate vacuum infusion

Composite Skid Plate

Three-piece impact skid plate via vacuum infusion, Carbon-Kevlar over Rohacell core, 43% lighter than the aluminum equivalent.

ProcessVacuum Infusion
Result6th @ AZ 2025
View Project
05ME412 ASTM composite test coupons

ASTM D3039 / D3518 Testing

Fabricated and tested unidirectional composite coupons to ASTM standards; experimental results matched micromechanics within 2%.

StandardsD3039 · D3518
Error< 2%
View Project
More Work / Fabrication Log
Carbon fiber layup
Composite Layups
Two seasons of wet-layup body panels, hood, aero hoop, seat, and drivetrain guards in 2×2 twill carbon over reusable fiberglass tooling.
Steering wheel inserts
Steering Wheel Inserts
Six aluminum inserts turned on a manual lathe to ±0.005″ for the 2025 Baja car.
Headrest and safety hardware
Fire Ext. Tabs & Headrest
Safety hardware waterjet from 4340 chromoly and aluminum, first through tech inspection.
Carbon fiber radio holder
Radio Holder
Carbon fiber radio mount, Fusion 360 CAD, 3D-printed mold, wet layup.
Carbon fiber clipboard
Carbon Fiber Clipboard
Pre-preg carbon clipboard, autoclave cured. ME161.
Precision lathe work
Precision Lathe Work
Manual-lathe part held to drawing tolerances, caliper-verified. IME lab.
1993 Miata, Track Car Build
Roll bar, cooling and airflow upgrades, and powertrain restoration, plus an in-progress carbon-fiber radiator cowl (pre-preg, waterjet cutouts). Ongoing.
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Contact

Get In Touch
Let's build something.

I'm seeking full-time or internship roles in aerospace, automotive, and advanced manufacturing, especially in composites and structural engineering.

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