Case 1 · Interference
306 PPMCase bumps and overmold
Professional case study · Mechanical engineering internship
Connector product development at TE Connectivity.
Selected work across high-speed connector product development, statistical tolerance analysis, precision fixtures, and manufacturing requirements at TE Connectivity.
- Role
- Mechanical Engineering Intern
- Primary tools
- Creo · GD&T · tolerance analysis
- Work areas
- Design · release · fixtures · RFQ
- Highest maturity
- Preliminary engineering release
01 · Product development
OSFP 224G test-module design and release.
OSFP 224G test module
The project began as a concept that needed a complete mechanical definition before manufacturing could proceed. I developed the Creo assembly and exploded view, prepared a 2D drawing with GD&T, and worked through the documentation and compliance workflow required for preliminary release.
The work connected geometry, assembly intent, drawing control, part/document relationships, and manufacturing handoff rather than stopping at a CAD model.
Preliminary release completedThe release package provided manufacturing with the controlled information needed to begin assembly.
02 · Statistical tolerancing
Quantifying three interference and clearance risks.
The analysis compared statistical and worst-case interpretations, then checked the numerical setup through hand calculations before the results were used in DFM/NPI discussions.
Case 2 · Interference
22 PPMOrganizer bump and overmold
Case 3 · Clearance
4,678 PPMOrganizer and overmold
Interpretation
Case 1 and Case 2 produced low statistical failure estimates. Case 3 showed a higher probability of clearance between the organizer and overmold at the lower end of the distribution.
Independent verificationI checked the statistical stack-up with hand calculations before using the results in DFM/NPI discussions.
03 · Additional work
Design, validation, and manufacturing requirements.
The internship also included connector design, fixture validation, automation requirements, and fixture redesign.
Connector design
QSFP 224G organizer
Designed an organizer in Creo by adapting selected legacy components for a new connector direction. Planned follow-on work included casing changes, DFM, and signal-integrity simulation.
Intermediate design stagePhysical validation
Contact-normal-force fixture
Used microscope-assisted assembly and inspection to verify very small detent components, enabling continued assembly of the larger measurement fixture.
Subassembly verifiedRequirements engineering
Packaging automation RFQ
Observed the manual process, spoke with operators, researched automation approaches, and translated the findings into mechanical, sensing, and HMI requirements for vendor quotation.
RFQ / vendor quotation stageFixture redesign
Insertion-force test fixture
Defined modifications to the host-PCB models and base plate and planned clamp integration using Creo, 3D printing, and manufacturing methods.
Work in progress at presentation04 · Methods used
Mechanical product development.
The internship work covered CAD, tolerances, drawings, release systems, manufacturing preparation, physical assembly, and vendor communication.
- Used GD&T and statistical analysis to evaluate assembly risk.
- Checked tolerance-analysis results with hand calculations.
- Carried design requirements into controlled drawings and documentation.
- Separated completed work from designs that were still under development.