Undergraduate Research Assistant
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Biomedical Manufacturing and Design Lab, Wu Manufacturing Research Center
G.G. Brown Building, 2350 Hayward St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Research Focus: Mechanical Design, 3D Printing
James Lorenz is an undergraduate student in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration at the University of Michigan (UM), Ann Arbor, USA. He currently works in Biomedical Manufacturing and Design Lab at UM guided by Prof Albert Shih and Matthew Hildner. He will receive his BSE in Mechanical Engineering and BBA in the spring of 2022.
Research Interests and Highlights:
Advanced Manufacturing – Additive manufacturing, Precision manufacturing, Manufacturing processes, System integration, Data analysis and visualization
Conducting research on transient and steady state flow control in deposition modelling of high viscosity two-part silicone liquids for commercial, medical, and industrial applications
Designed, machined, & assembled dual extrusion 3D printer for experimental plastic/silicone printing of structural components and orthotic inserts, developing abstraction code for generation of G-code with custom high viscosity liquid retraction parameters
Developed image processing methods for non-contact measurement of silicone deposition samples for rheological analysis of transient effects during additive manufacturing processes
Other Areas of Work:
Mobility System Lead – Michigan Mars Rover Student Project Team
Lead mobility subsystem team to design and manufacture a direct drivetrain, biaseddirectionality suspension system, & custom competition wheels in 2020 URC
Met high-level requirements and develops low-level requirements within the system to create a desert terrain off-road robotics mobility system
Communicated with vendors and sponsors on business team, acquires funding and hardware to custom build new solutions such as compliant 3D printed flexible wheels
Merged theoretical motion ratio compliant suspension analysis with empirical stress and abrasion testing to determine loads imposed on 2019 URC rover
Met with system lead in weekly meetings and left to independently design 4-bar linkage suspension system, machine various parts, and assemble mobility for 2019 URC rover
Chief Engineer – Broadband Zero Startup Group
Assisted in structure of business plan, primary contact for engineering vendors to design end-to-end internet service in developing areas
Competed for Hult Prize foundation award and entrepreneurship acceleration program with plan to improve quality of life to five million people within a 4 year time span
Health and Safety Administrator – Jointek Group Inc.
Created all company policy, plans, and documentation pertaining to worker health and safety and insurance claims
Conducted safety audits to negotiate with partner companies for dual-employment policies, developed company safety policy.
Awards:
Recipient of the University of Michigan Presidential Scholarship
