Hello
My name is Trevor McDonald and I’m a recent mechanical engineering graduate with a passion for mechanical design, manufacturing, and solving challenging problems. I received both my bachelor’s and master’s in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University.
In my free time, I like to build and repair 3D printers, such as this independent dual extrusion upgrade. I’ve also designed and built a large format CNC mill, which I call the Sandbox CNC. If you’d like to get in touch, you can contact me through LinkedIn.
Research
Over the past three years, I’ve worked as a research assistant at NC State’s Center for Additive Manufacturing and Logistics (CAMAL), a world-leading research lab in additive manufacturing. I’ve had the opportunity to work on projects with industry partners as well as federally funded research with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC).
The majority of my research efforts have been related to backscattered electron (BSE) in-situ process monitoring for electron beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF). I’ve developed tools, both software and hardware, that are integral to the research of multiple PhD students at CAMAL. These tools are also utilized by multiple private sector companies and a national laboratory. My master’s was funded by the DARPA project Electron Interactions with Microstructures and Defects During Additive Manufacturing, with my final deliverable being equipment that will go on the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.