Alex Coffina

Counterweight Stinger

TK Elevator · Intern · Jun 2026 to Aug 2026

ASME A17.1 Elevator code requires a 6” distance between the bottom of the counterweight and its buffer when the cab is at its highest point. A removable “stinger” placed at the bottom of the counterweight allows this requirement to be easily met during installation. When belts stretch post installation, the stinger is removed, keeping the system in compliance.

I designed a universal stinger for X-Power modernizations. The widened scope of the service will add $1M+ annually.

Other work

• Led concept evaluation and prototyping for EOX mid-rise solution components, and developed installation methods to support field implementation.
• Designed an adapter plate to support cost reduction initiatives and global TK Elevator product integration.
• Applied FMEA, DFM, DFA, and safety reviews throughout the design process.

Wheel Hub

GT Solar Racing · Suspension · Sep 2025 to Apr 2026

I designed and evaluated the hub and spindle subsystem for GT Solar Racing’s fifth generation vehicle Halo. Static and Bearing life calcs were done in MATLAB. Additionally, I used Ansys Static Structural to reduce the initial hub design’s mass by +50%. The result was a lightweight, manufacturable, and easy to assemble subsystem.

Design

• Bearing slot, wheel clamp holes, dowel pins, and brake disc buttons.
• Pockets cut into the web to reduce mass.

Analysis

• ANSYS 2025 R1 static structural with a meshed model and stress results.

Build

• Machined hub fitted in the wheel with studs, bolts, and dowel pins.

Robotics Competition Entry

Georgia Tech ME · ME 2110 · Aug 2025 to Dec 2025

Our team, Too(th) Choppedd, designed and built a wooden, multi-subsystem autonomous robot for the ME 2110 competition, using linear rails, telescoping linkages, pneumatics, and spring-loaded mechanisms. Team: Alex Coffina, Stephen Hyche, Abdullah Mahmood, Sayantan Das.

Targets and results

• Optimized reach, displacement, and actuation performance to meet targets of 42 in vertical reach, 24 in displacement, and under $120 system cost.
• Performed FMEA, sprint-based testing, and mechanical redesigns that increased scoring performance by over 250%.

Subsystems

• Linear rail with a pneumatic actuator and latch arm.
• Four-stage extension column that reaches 49 inches, pulled by strings from one motor.
• Fish and eel sorting arm with two guide heights.
• Spring-loaded torch mechanism.

Drivetrain

• Two motors with one-way ratchet gears that keep the system in position.

Data Center Robot

Comcast · Robotics Intern · Jun 2025 to Aug 2025

During my third summer internship with Comcast, I led the mechanical design of an autonomous system that took in heat and airflow data in both DOCSIS 3.1 and 4.0 systems. The work done by the system will save time in identifying failure points within data centers, allowing Comcast’s 30 million customers to maintain reliable, high-speed connectivity.

Upper Wishbone

GT Solar Racing · Suspension · Sep 2024 to Apr 2025

An adjustable upper wishbone for the solar race car: two threaded rod-end links joined at a clevis. I modeled it, checked it with finite element analysis, and built it.

Analysis

• ANSYS 2025 R1 static structural, equivalent (von Mises) stress and total deformation.
• Peak stress of 366 MPa and peak deformation of 1.39 mm in the simulated load case.

Hardware

• Rod ends, threaded adjusters, lock nuts, and a clevis joint.
• Machined with Fusion 360 CAM toolpaths on a mill and lathe.

Halloween Sorcerer

Georgia Tech ME · ME 1670 · Oct 2024 to Nov 2024

A sorcerer holding a staff and a skull, designed for an introductory CAD course. The jack-o-lantern head and the skull snap onto ball joints so they can rotate.

What I made

• A three-part SolidWorks assembly: body, jack-o-lantern, and skull.
• Ball joint snap fits so the head and skull can turn.
• A dimensioned part drawing of the jack-o-lantern and an assembly drawing with a bill of materials.

Process

• Started with a hand sketch of the parts and how they join.
• Modeled the parts, documented them in drawings, and 3D printed the finished figure.

Sound Detecting Glasses

Project Lead the Way · Cherokee High School · Sep 2023 to Jun 2024

Microphones on both sides of the frame drive small LEDs: green for low volume, red for high. Built for people with hearing loss who struggle to notice sounds around them.

Problem

• Hearing aids cost about $2,000, and many users still struggle to notice sounds around them.

Design and testing

• Frame with side housings for mics, controller board, LEDs, and a rechargeable LiPo battery.
• Mic sensitivity tests and tuning so the LEDs respond correctly to volume.
• Gathered customer insight from 10+ test trials and created multiple iterations to refine the product.

Result

• Working, rechargeable prototype in the $60 to $70 price range.
• Improved spatial awareness by 50% for individuals who are hard of hearing.