Coroflot

Resume

Ajay D.S. Dhankar

Summary:
An industrial product designer, with five years of experience in conceptualizing and developing new products from Ideation stage to manufacture, including engineered products for new and emerging markets. I am a creative thinker and apt at proposing innovative ideas through sketches, explorations and converting them into workable 3D solutions.

Having worked in a fast-paced environment, I am a quick learner and have keen interest in learning new industrial design practices.

Education:
• MA, Automotive Design from Coventry University (Sept ’10 to Nov ’11)
• Certification in Patent Law, ILI, India - 2009
• Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from M.D. University, India – 2005

Skills:
• Problem solving, Idea Generation and ability to Sketch quickly and confidently.
• Concept Renderings, 3-D visualization and illustrations.
• Concept CAD modelling as well as detailed CAD development ability.
• Clay modelling, model making and prototype development skills.
• Usability study, Ergonomic study, designing for Brand.
• Design Selection, Engineering Support and Design Management.
• Good understanding of manufacturing processes and post production issues.

Softwares:
Alias Automotive 2012, Rhinoceros 4.0, Pro-Engineer-WILDFIRE 4, Autodesk Showcase, Adobe Photoshop CS5, Illustrator CS5 and Auto Cad.

Sponsored Design Project:
RICARDO, UK: Role – Team leader, Coventry University. (Jan. ‘11 to May ’11)

A university based project for design of an evolutionary architecture for electric cars in 2025. Exploring new possibilities and freedom offered by future electric vehicles and their packaging. This design also explores the rear seat driving possibility in future.

Professional Experience:
MINDA INDUSTRIES LTD., India. Role - Deputy Manager in R&D Studio. (Feb. ‘06 to Aug ’10)

Minda is a producer of a range of automotive products for major OEM’s worldwide. Worked as a Team Leader, (8 members) for Industrial Design & Innovation, with an experience of designing more than 30 new concepts from scratch, with various Patents and Design registrations, of which many are into production. My work began with capturing the customer’s design brief and ended by realizing it as a functional product, which gave me an opportunity to get involved in every phase of design process.

Roles and Responsibilities:
• Product Innovation and new product development based on User Study and input from marketing team.
• Presenting sketched ideas and renders of selected concepts to global customers.
• Benchmarking the design with best in class, creating Conceptual Mock-ups and Prototypes.
• Developing high quality surface CAD in Alias Studio Tools or Rhinoceros with a strong focus on manufacturability of injection moulded parts.
• Material selection, resolving ‘Ergonomics’ and ‘Tooling’ constraints with Engineering teams during Design reviews.
• Delivering a detailed and packaged Pro-E CAD model within allowed tolerances to Product Engineering team, along with design inputs from concept to completion stage.
• Complete project management responsibility from concept design till handover to Engineering team.

Major projects at Minda:
• Adjustable Handlebar system for 2-wheelers: Concept design, Styling and CAD.
• Sweat-free Handlebar grips for 2-wheelers: Design Research, Concept design, Styling, Ergonomics and CAD.
• Adjustable clutch lever for 2-wheelers: Usability study, Styling and Concept design.
• Digital control interface for future 2-wheelers: Usability Study, User interface design, Styling, Ergonomics.
• Concept to production of: Various new styles for illuminated handlebar switches, headlamps and tail lamps, based on customer’s designs brief and automotive styling trends.

Freelance Experience:
Role: Concept Designer. (Aug 2005 to Jan 2006 and Aug 2010 to present)
• JCB, India. (automotive design, photorealistic renderings)
• De Silver Designer, New Delhi. (product design, concept renderings, Outline drawings)
• Virtue Paintball, USA. (product design, concept sketches, renders)
• Transnational, USA. (graphic design, user interface design)

Internship:
Motherson Sumi Infotech and Design, India. Dept: Industrial design. (June ’04 to Aug ’04)
Key responsiblities:
• Concept generation for Exterior styling of a small cargo truck.
• Design ideas for exterior styling of a full size passenger bus.
• Bicycle design for 9th IBDC design competition.

Awards and Achievements:
Individual Awards:
• Winner of prestigious ‘Best in Show’ and ‘Most Innovative design’ awards in Coventry MA Degree show 2011.
• Outstanding Performance award for the year 2007-08
• Outstanding Performance award for the year 2006-07,
• KIAZEN Award: 1st position for Cost saving ideas, MIL 2006.

Team awards at National level:
• Runner-up in sponsored Group project for car design by Ricardo, UK. 2011
• R&D award for manufacturing excellence by Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. 2007 - 1st Prize
• ACMA award for excellence in technology. 2008 - 1st Prize

Other achievements:
• Top Gear small car design contest, 2008: Short listed for final round.
• Overdrive-Delphi motorcycle design contest, 2006: recognition for good design.
• HINDUSTAN MOTORS: Design acknowledgement for proposing a new design for iconic ‘AMBASSADOR’ in 2002
• TATA MOTORS: Appreciations for a design proposal for a Car and SUV body design in 2001.


Patents as an Inventor : 3
Design Registrations as an Inventor : 20+
References: Available upon request.