Colin Bailey
Huntsville
Summary
Versatile composites design engineer with extensive expertise in composite bonded assemblies, bolted joints, and advanced manufacturing processes for aerospace and defense applications.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Composite Case Design Engineer
Aerojet Rocketdyne
02.2022 - Current
- Specialized in the design and product lifecycle management of filament wound composite motor cases and insulation assemblies.
- Actively participated in MRB and CCB meetings to assess nonconformances, propose design changes, and ensure compliance with product requirements and specifications.
- Authored detailed technical memos, including root cause investigations, design updates, and analysis reports, providing clear communication to stakeholders and ensuring traceability.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure designs met all technical and performance requirements, adhering to aerospace industry standards.
- Performed hand calculations for load-bearing, stress analysis, and classical lamination theory to validate composite designs and material selections.
- Developed accurate and detailed layup schematics, wind patterns, and manufacturing drawings using Creo and NX, enabling seamless fabrication and assembly.
- Partnered with analysts to refine and validate designs, addressing technical challenges and enhancing product reliability.
- Directed prototype fabrication and testing procedures for insulation and composite filament-wound pressure vessels, ensuring alignment with performance goals and design intent.
- Worked closely with suppliers to resolve material and process issues, ensuring successful procurement and integration of composite materials.
Mechanical Engineer
Department Of Defense - Aeroballistics
11.2019 - 02.2022
- Conducted detailed root cause investigations into performance anomalies of projectiles by analyzing reverse flow interactions, manufacturing defects, and spin resonance conditions using advanced numerical simulation software.
- Applied trajectory and aerodynamic models to replicate failure modes and quantify the effects of proposed design changes, delivering actionable insights to customers prior to production.
- Performed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis on supersonic projectiles, generating lift curves, stability margins, and comprehensive aerodynamic coefficient tables to inform design optimization.
- Reviewed contractor progress during the developmental phase, collaborating with the Integrated Product Team (IPT) to evaluate whether performance targets were met and providing ratings for the down-select process.
- Automated and streamlined simulation workflows by developing custom MATLAB functions, significantly reducing turnaround time for generating input files and delivering CFD results.
- Authored concise, accessible technical memos summarizing findings and recommendations for both internal teams and external customers, ensuring alignment and understanding across stakeholders.
Operations Coordinator
Terrapin Rockets (Student Team)
01.2018 - 07.2019
- Led the construction and successful deployment of a 10,000-ft competition rocket for the 2019 competition entry, utilizing a commercial solid rocket motor and ensuring adherence to performance and safety standards.
- Initiated the development of a 30,000-ft hybrid rocket project, completing a comprehensive conceptual design blueprint and establishing achievable performance targets to guide the propulsion team's future efforts.
- Optimized the aerodynamic performance of the conceptual rocket design by employing semi-empirical projectile simulation tools, balancing physical hardware constraints with aerodynamic efficiency.
- Directed safety planning for small-scale hybrid rocket hot-fire testing, ensuring compliance with safety protocols and mitigating potential hazards during test operations.
Research Intern
Composites Research Laboratory
05.2018 - 05.2019
- Developed manufacturing protocols for ferromagnetic particle infused thermoplastic polyurethane filament to be used in fused deposition modeling printers.
- Gathered, arranged and corrected research data to create representative graphs and charts highlighting results for presentations.
- Analyzed X-ray images of MRE samples to examine distribution of ferrous particles.
- Prepared amorphous glass foam samples for energy absorption testing.
- Arranged supplies for composite manufacturing demonstrations to teach students resin infusion techniques.
Composites Team Member
Terps Racing (Student Formula SAE Team)
01.2016 - 05.2018
- Designed a driver cell geometry with complex surface modeling in SolidWorks, ensuring seamless integration into an existing vehicle platform while adhering to ergonomic and safety constraints.
- Fabricated a carbon-fiber monocoque structure using pre-impregnated composites with an aluminum honeycomb core, achieving high strength-to-weight efficiency critical for performance applications.
- Applied classical lamination theory (CLT) to evaluate and optimize layup schedules, predicting structural performance and tailoring designs to meet load requirements.
- Conducted material testing in compliance with ASTM D790 and ASTM D2719 standards, validating impact zone performance to meet SAE structural equivalency requirements, ensuring equivalent energy absorption to three 1-inch diameter steel pipes.
- Selected composite materials based on manufacturer datasheets to ensure compatibility with autoclave curing processes in cored layups, programming precise cure cycles to meet material specifications and achieve desired mechanical properties.
Intern
Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Center
06.2017 - 09.2017
- Conducted aerodynamic testing of thin-plate airfoils in low-Reynolds number environments (
- Designed and executed leading-edge weight placement calculations for rotor blades using MATLAB, achieving precise center of gravity (COG) alignment at the aerodynamic quarter-chord for optimized performance.
- Fabricated high-performance rotor blades for testing using prepreg carbon fiber layup techniques, ensuring structural integrity and lightweight properties critical for experimental validation.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Aerospace Engineering
University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD08.2019
Skills
- Composites Processing and Handling
- Technical Communication
- Process Optimization
- Tooling Design
- CAD Modeling & Drafting with GD&T
- Supplier Engagement
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration
- Matlab, Excel, Ansys Proficient
Timeline
Composite Case Design Engineer
Aerojet Rocketdyne
02.2022 - Current
Mechanical Engineer
Department Of Defense - Aeroballistics
11.2019 - 02.2022
Research Intern
Composites Research Laboratory
05.2018 - 05.2019
Operations Coordinator
Terrapin Rockets (Student Team)
01.2018 - 07.2019
Intern
Alfred Gessow Rotorcraft Center
06.2017 - 09.2017
Composites Team Member
Terps Racing (Student Formula SAE Team)
01.2016 - 05.2018
Bachelor of Science - Aerospace Engineering
University of Maryland - College Park
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