Candice Ziqi Xia

夏子淇

About Me

I am a mechanical engineer focused on product design, prototyping, and turning early technical ideas into working systems. My work spans robotic manipulation, consumer air-quality products, embedded sensing, and manufacturing tooling.

Across research, product development, and manufacturing environments, I have worked with CAD, 3D printing, silicone molding, PCB development, CFD, FEA, and embedded hardware. I contributed to related to gear manufacturing and tooling design.

I am currently seeking opportunities where I can contribute mechanical design, prototyping, and systems-thinking skills to an engineering or design team.

Education

Select Projects

Redesigned a research-grade smart suction cup into a lower-cost, compact, modular robotic gripper for trash sorting and industrial manipulation. The system uses multi-chamber pressure sensing to provide tactile feedback and help robotic arms detect and correct grasping errors.

My Role

  • Mechanical and electronics redesign: casing integration, tubing cover, and pressure-sensor packaging.
  • Transitioned prototype into a compact custom PCB and module.
  • Selected components and microcontroller architecture.
  • Supported prototype assembly, testing, and technical communication (presentations and reports).

Impact: This project supports more reliable robotic recycling and makes tactile robotic grippers more accessible for research labs and industrial automation.

Tools: KiCAD, JLCPCB manufacturing, microcontroller development, CircuitPython, OnShape, Bambu 3D printing/slicing, silicone molding.

Designed a compact air purifier and active fragrance dispenser that combines a HEPA filter, DC fan, and motorized zeolite-pearl mixing chamber in one portable unit. A slow-speed gearbox rotates the fragrance-loaded pearls so scent is released evenly into the airflow while the filter path cleans the air.

My Role

  • Led product development from problem definition through final design review: FMEA, tradeoff analysis, manufacturability evaluation, CAD, simulation, PCB design, and CFD.
  • Aligned mechanical design decisions with user needs: air quality, filter serviceability, fragrance distribution, and ease of assembly/disassembly.

Impact: The project explored a consumer-facing air-quality product that could improve indoor comfort while encouraging more structured, serviceable product design.

Tools: SOLIDWORKS, ANSYS Fluent, KiCAD.

Supported manufacturing-focused mechanical design work for internal gear production, including tooling, fixtures, inspection aids, and production troubleshooting. Contributed to related to gear manufacturing and tooling design.

My Role

  • Designed and refined tooling, cutting tools, and inspection fixtures to improve setup repeatability, part stability, and machining accuracy.
  • Diagnosed production issues and reviewed CAD/tooling changes with senior engineers.
  • Connected design decisions to shop-floor outcomes: setup time, accuracy, and process consistency.

Impact: Improved practical manufacturing efficiency and reliability, helping engineering designs become more repeatable in production.

Tools: SOLIDWORKS, Siemens NX, machining process.

Designed a hands-free mobility aid for patients recovering from knee or upper-leg injuries. The device redirects load away from the injured knee through an external support structure, helping users maintain mobility while reducing reliance on traditional crutches.

My Role

  • Refined the prototype’s mechanical architecture, including the support frame, custom hinge, spring-assisted linkage, telescoping structure, and user attachment interfaces.
  • Converted CAD concepts into 3D-printed parts, assembled the device, and tested fit, strength, manufacturability, and usability.

Impact: This project explored a safer and more independent mobility solution for knee rehabilitation by addressing the limitations of standard crutches, including hand use, discomfort, and risk of unsafe weight-bearing.

Tools: SolidWorks, 3D Printing, FEA/Structural Analysis.

Tools and Skills

OnShape Siemens NX SOLIDWORKS Fusion 360 PTC Creo KiCAD ABAQUS FEA 3D Printing Mandarin Chinese

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