Lane Kessler

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Distinctly novel designs with a focus on dependability & safety.

Image: www.rigorous.co

Experienced engineer and technical lead.

Thrives in cross-discipline teams with a strong vision.

Skilled at both accelerating teams and spearheading solo projects.

Driven by innovation and problem-solving.

Professional Experience

Advanced Robotics & Automation

The sole mechanical engineer for a small but mighty robotics startup, responsible for designing custom robotic cells from the ground up.

Heavy Industrial Design

Designed and facilitated installations of next generation metal casting machines, with extreme requirements in machining, safety & precision.

Residential & Commercial Marine Construction

Sales, design, project estimation, contracting, bidding, and construction of docks, marinas, boat houses, and more.

Research & Development

Patented construction method utilizing Non-Newtonian materials in watercraft, high capacity cooling systems, End of Arm Tooling, automated marine LARS, and much, much more.

Featured Project

Wave Deck V1.0

A prototype, infinite wave generation system.

Problem

Most wave pools and surf parks require prohibitively large-scale site work and investment.

Solution

A system that may be installed in any large enough existing body of water.

Problem

Waves traveling in a linear direction require a large footprint to allow for reasonable surfing time per wave.

Solution

Create a circular, infinite wave.

Problem

A wave traveling in a circle will generate a current, reducing wave height & quality with every sequential revolution.

Solution

Induce a low velocity, high volume counter-current to maintain wave height & shape.

Prototype

An operational 1:15 (+/-) scale version of a drop-in, circular wave generator was constructed, producing an infinite wave.

Future design improvements will improve wave shape, quality, and scalability.

(See video below)

Full-Scale Concept Sketches

Prototype - As Designed

Professional Projects

Automated Pre-Feeder

aka "Box Hopper"

Complete re-design and improvement of an adaptable materials handling & robotic system for the corrugate & paper industry.

Hazelett

CASTechnology

Co-led the design & development of a groundbreaking continuous aluminum strip casting machine & greenfield production plant.

Non-Newtonian

Watercraft Damping

A patented composite layup technique utilizing Non-Newtonian polymers to dampen surfboard and watercraft vibration.

Automated

Part Tender

6-axis robotic cells for loading and unloading manufactured parts, with custom End of Arm Tools and pre-feed machines.

ROV Launch &

Recovery System

Ground-up design of a ROV LARS (Launch and Recovery System), enabling automated hull cleaning & reducing marine emissions.

Icon A5 Marine

Launch & Lift

Adapted hydralic marine lift, with a rotating platform and bunks to support an Icon A5 aircraft on a private lakefront.

Additional + Fun Projects

References

"Lane is a thoughtful and deliberate engineer with an attention to detail that inspires confidence.

As a software engineer working with mechanical systems that Lane designed, I knew I could count on safe, functional systems that balanced iteration speed with reliability.

He took his responsibility to produce safe and effective systems seriously and it showed not just in the systems he delivered but the documents and other artifacts he produced. His ability to change context and recall details from previous projects made him an invaluable senior engineer on our team.

In a word, Lane is ‘conscientious’, both as an engineer and a coworker. I hope to get the opportunity to work with him again!"

- Matt Parilla, Senior Software Engineer

"As someone who was just beginning my engineering journey, Lane was a great mentor to have. He is a patient, diligent, relatable, and respectful person who helped me become a better engineer while working with him."

- Hayden Bischoff, Engineering Intern

"Lane's background in engineering design and project management has proven very useful on many fronts. From large industrial projects to individual system and component design, his work is thoughtful and complete."

- Charles Dykes, Technical Director - Retired

About

Living in Vermont, surrounded with builders, musicians, engineers, blacksmiths, farmers, and (inland) watermen, one could say my love for creating and the outdoor experience was sparked at a young age.

When not working on new projects, you can find me mountain biking, playing soccer, back country skiing, or occasionally driving to the East Coast to catch a good swell.

For me, engineering is a way to share my creative talents and make a difference, whether it’s enhancing someone's outdoor experience or improving their quality of life or profession.

"To leave the world a little bit better... That is to have succeeded."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson