Samantha Montalbine

My name is Samantha Montalbine. I am an Aerospace Design Engineer at Valcor Engineering, and a former Albert Dorman Honors Scholar at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. During my time in university, my passion for learning has only grown as I had completed my major courses, expanded into my minor and graduate courses, and explored new and intriguing topics in both my 3 summer internships and free time.

Internship #1 - Mechanical Engineering Intern at Thorlabs

During my first internship at Thorlabs, being a freshman at the time, I was provided the opportunity to learn about the various types of engineering so I could determine what was the best fit for me. My initial tasks consisted of performing incoming inspections, utilizing equipment such as a Deltronic Video Inspection System, micrometers, a height gauge, calipers, and precision pin gauges. After inspecting over 100 components, I had moved onto the production floor where I had assembled 50+ manual mold bodies. Going through the process of preparing the parts and surfaces, to completing the assembly, I had left the floor with a newfound appreciation and understanding for the work that goes into assembling these products. With this interest, I had moved into the R&D department where I had spent the rest of my summer. Under the guidance of my mentor, each day I would come in and assemble a new subassembly with the ultimate goal of developing 4 builds of a prototype in its pre-production stage. Through this, I was able to learn about pneumatics, more complex assembly processes such as soldering and manual machining processes, as well as how to problem solve. For instance, I was able to use my experience in inspections to diagnose a manufacturing defect in one of the product's critical components. With the encouragement of my mentor, I was also given the opportunity to teach myself SolidWorks and to model components for customer assembly models. With everything I had learned, I was presented with an independent project to design, machine, and assemble a jig capable of rotating a motor to the angle required for its assembly. Utilizing my developed skills in design, SolidWorks, resin printing, soldering, and manual CNC machining, I was able to develop the product that is utilized today beyond this product, to validate the life of these motors without the need to solder them. In the end, I discovered my passion for design and especially R&D.

Internship #2 - Design Engineering Intern at Valcor

During my two summers at Valcor Engineering Corporation, I have been able to learn not just about the aerospace industry, but about being a Design Engineer as a whole. Always taking initiative to learn and try new tasks, I was fortunate enough to be provided with tasks not typically assigned to interns. With this, in my first summer I was able to learn a lot about designing parts. While initially using my past experience to physically build and optimize the assembly of a fixture aimed at testing one of the high risk components, I was also provided the opportunity to redesign several valve components. After modeling screws as per NASM2469 and O-rings per the Parker O-Ring Handbook, I was encouraged to remodel a cover plate. With this task, I preformed stress analysis calculations based on Roark's Formulas for Stress and Strain to ensure the part's success. Following this, I was entrusted in modeling a new size of the valve for the customer. Noticing model inconsistencies between the various sizes, I was also able to improve the existing valves whilst developing the new size. And, I was able to draft drawings for the new parts as well. In addition to this, I also developed compatibility matrices for a valve undergoing cryogenic temperatures and electromagnetic bistable brakes.

Internship #3 - Design Engineering Intern at Valcor

During my second summer at Valcor, I was provided the opportunity to see the other sides of Design Engineering: drafting drawings and working with other departments to test the designed parts. Throughout the summer, I had assisted my mentor with working on Acceptance Test Procedures, optimizing a test fixture for qualification testing of the previous summer's valve family, communicating with the test and manufacturing engineers assigned to the program, and creating drawings for each new part of the complex fixture. Through this time, I was able to become familiar with GD&T as per ASME Y14.5-2009, as well as the process of making engineering drawings that are both easy to quote and be understood by the machinist. Once the assembly model was updated to ensure it could be machined, assembled, and was not complex enough to affect ability to quote, all 13 drawings had undergone a design review and were released to be manufactured. I was also fortunate enough to learn more about electromechanical actuators this summer, attending trainings for Maxwell's RandSim software, learning from my manager about electromagnetic brakes and DC Brushless Motors, and creating 25 drawings for an electromagnetic clutch and push solenoid to support a proposal for the company's nuclear department.

ME Courses

Mechanical Systems Design I & II

Heat Transfer

Stress Analysis

Machine Design

Fluid Mechanics

System Dynamics

Thermodynamics I & II

Kinematics of Machinery

Honors Dynamics

Strength of Materials

Intro to Comp. Aided Design

Mechanical Laboratory I, II, & III

Engineering Materials & Processes

Electrical Engineering Principles

Computer Programming (MATLAB & C++)

More About Me

I am very happy to say that design is my hobby. Even outside of the workplace, I am consistently trying to learn as much as I can about the processes and methods of designing parts. Having first learned how to 3D model in TinkerCAD at the age of 11, I have been continuing my CAD journey ever since. Through learning Inventor AutoCAD, PTC Creo, SolidWorks, and then Fusion 360, I have continuously tried to challenge myself and my capabilities through tackling more complex mechanisms that also serve as gifts for friends and family, such as print in place or wind up rolling figurines, and delving into Arduino such that I can make my projects electromechanical. I am fortunate to say that during my time in R&D and as a Design Engineering Intern, I looked forward to going into work each and every day as I was continuously excited to learn something new or continue my work on the models or drawings. And, after the work day was complete, I would hop on my home copy of SolidWorks and start working on my next project. I am extremely passionate about designing and learning new things. With working in the aerospace industry, I was able to fuel this curiosity and learn more than I ever thought possible in such a short amount of time. I am excited for everything I am able to learn and do in my future as a Design Engineer, and I truly hope that I can utilize all my skills to become the best engineer I can be.

Internship #1 - Mechanical Engineering Intern at Thorlabs

Internship #2 - Design Engineering Intern at Valcor

Internship #3 - Design Engineering Intern at Valcor

ME Courses

Minor Courses

Graduate Courses

With a 4.0 GPA and minor in Drones and Robotics, I have been able to expand my strong foundation in CAD, heat transfer, machine design, stress analysis, and kinematics of machinery, into my prototyping and design processes.

More About Me