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Hey there! My name is Aaron Brimmer

Hey there! My name is Aaron Brimmer

Hey there! My name is Aaron Brimmer

About Me

With a passion for hands-on engineering and hardware development, I take projects from concept to validated reality—designing, building, integrating, and testing mechanical systems that perform in demanding environments.

With a passion for hands-on engineering and hardware development, I take projects from concept to validated reality—designing, building, integrating, and testing mechanical systems that perform in demanding environments.

Hey there! I’m Aaron, a mechanical engineer and M.S. candidate at The Ohio State University specializing in real-world R&D at the intersection of manufacturing, test engineering, and space hardware. I’ve always been drawn to how things are made—and even more to the challenge of making them work when the conditions get extreme.

Hey there! I’m Aaron, a mechanical engineer and M.S. candidate at The Ohio State University specializing in real-world R&D at the intersection of manufacturing, test engineering, and space hardware. I’ve always been drawn to how things are made—and even more to the challenge of making them work when the conditions get extreme.

Right now, I’m part of OSU’s LUNARWELD (Laser Welding in Space) program, where I design and build vacuum-capable laser processing hardware and experimental setups to study joining and manufacturing in microgravity and cryogenic conditions. That means everything from precision fixturing and thermal mounting solutions to control/DAQ systems, risk documentation, and flight integration for parabolic campaigns. I love owning the full loop: design → build → test → iterate → communicate results to stakeholders like NASA and AFRL.

Right now, I’m part of OSU’s LUNARWELD (Laser Welding in Space) program, where I design and build vacuum-capable laser processing hardware and experimental setups to study joining and manufacturing in microgravity and cryogenic conditions. That means everything from precision fixturing and thermal mounting solutions to control/DAQ systems, risk documentation, and flight integration for parabolic campaigns. I love owning the full loop: design → build → test → iterate → communicate results to stakeholders like NASA and AFRL.

Outside of research, I’m excited by engineering that ships. I’ve worked across aerospace and advanced manufacturing - from developing mechanical testing procedures for additively manufactured materials to building my own high-vacuum thin-film deposition system and CNC router. I’m at my best when I’m solving messy problems with practical hardware, clear data, and a team that cares about doing things right.

Outside of research, I’m excited by engineering that ships. I’ve worked across aerospace and advanced manufacturing - from developing mechanical testing procedures for additively manufactured materials to building my own high-vacuum thin-film deposition system and CNC router. I’m at my best when I’m solving messy problems with practical hardware, clear data, and a team that cares about doing things right.

If you’re building products that demand rigorous mechanical design, thoughtful testing, and fast iteration—especially in robotics, advanced manufacturing, or space/aerospace—I’d love to connect and help bring the next system to life.

If you’re building products that demand rigorous mechanical design, thoughtful testing, and fast iteration—especially in robotics, advanced manufacturing, or space/aerospace—I’d love to connect and help bring the next system to life.

Notable Projects

Notable Projects

Highlighted Projects

My most ambitious projects.

DIY High Vacuum System

Thermal PVD Evaporator

Custom High Vacuum Feedthroughs

Resume

Resume

Download my resume here or read it below

Download

Education

Education

Education

Masters of Science: Welding Engineering

May 2026

The Ohio State University - Columbus, Ohio

Overall GPA (4.0 Scale): 4.0

Bachelors of Science: Mechanical Engineering

December 2023

The Ohio State University - Columbus, Ohio

Overall GPA (4.0 Scale): 3.99

Work Experience

Work Experience

Work Experience

Graduate Research Associate – Columbus, Ohio | Full-time, January 2024 - Present

The Ohio State University Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Welding Engineering

Laser Beam Welding in Space (LUNARWELD) Project, Advisors: Dr. Antonio Ramirez, Dr. Boyd Panton

·     Led experimental R&D evaluating how microgravity, high vacuum, and cryogenic thermal environments affect laser welding joint formation in aerospace alloys.

·     Designed, built, and integrated a vacuum-capable laser processing testbed for parabolic flight, including repeatable fixturing, high-thermal-conductivity mounts, aviation-compliant electrical wiring, and a LabVIEW-based control/DAQ system.

·     Engineered custom cryogenic cooling hardware for controlled sample thermal conditioning inside a vacuum chamber (mechanical + fluid + thermal design).

·     Created unique experimental setups, including sample design, weld parameters, and atmospheric conditions, to study the impact of numerous variables on the resultant welds.

·     Used metallographic techniques to create and prepare physical weld cross sections for further analysis.

·     Analyzed metallic samples with optical and electron microscopy to determine solidification structure, phase balance, overall shape, and solidification rates while analyzing internal and external defects.

·     Planned, created, tested, and used full multi-physics computational fluid dynamics simulations to simulate the complexities of laser welding and elucidate the impact of space conditions on the welding process.

·     Completed full academic literature reviews, wrote proposals, delivered academic presentations, submitted to academic journals, and wrote final reports for stakeholders.

·     Delivered consistent update presentations to and cooperated with multiple funding partners including NASA (Marshall and Langley) and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

·     Managed the process from initial paperwork to flight completion of two parabolic flight campaigns.

·     Delivered full safety and risk analysis documents to parabolic flight integrator to allow parabolic flight research while operating within strict FAA guidelines.

·     Supervised and mentored undergraduate employees, undergraduate capstones, and high school interns so that they could create and deliver complete, functional, and rewarding projects.

Internships and Co-ops

Internships and Co-ops

Internships and Co-ops

NASA Marshall, Intern in EM32 Metals Manufacturing branch – Huntsville, AL | Summer 2025

·     Completed initial prototype of an International Space Station (ISS) bound weld solidification payload, including sample fixturing, parameter development, laser/optics integration, and controls design.

·     Created full computational fluid dynamics simulations of test welds on the welding system prototype

·     Wrote and compiled a full literature review of previous in-space welding experiments to deliver to NASA administrators and engineers.

Boeing, Intern in Boeing Additive Manufacturing - Auburn, WA | Summer 2023

·     Developed a mechanical test procedure for additively manufactured parts emphasizing structure-representative loading and more realistic boundary conditions than coupon-only testing.

·     Executed controlled experiments to evaluate post-processing effects (vapor smoothing) on SLS nylon components under aerospace-quality requirements.

·     Collaborated with interested engineering, manufacturing, and laboratory customers to work on a multi-disciplinary project involving a large variety of differing people.

Naval Nuclear Laboratory, Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory – West Mifflin, PA | Full-time, Summer 2022

Technical Intern in Naval Training and Simulation

·     Performed verification [AB1] testing of nuclear power plant simulators, supporting lifecycle hardware/software updates for U.S. Navy training systems.

·     Utilized multidisciplinary engineering fundamentals to diagnose issues and validate high-fidelity simulator behavior against requirements.

Battelle, Energetics Eng. Co-op, High Energy Research Laboratory – West Jefferson, OH | Fall 2021

·     Developed fixtures and experimental setups for high energy ballistic and explosive research experiments

·     Optimized safe processes for the manufacture of experimental explosives held to strict tolerances

·     Utilized new manufacturing techniques to innovate previous solutions and rapidly develop solutions to emergent and difficult problems

·     Improved the laboratory's 3D printing capabilities through upgrades allowing the use of new materials and CAD techniques

Naval Nuclear Laboratory, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory – Niskayuna, NY | Full-time, Summer 2021
Technical Intern in Mechanical Systems Engineering

·      Applied engineering knowledge to develop plans for the complete upgrade of nitrogen distribution systems on the site.

·      Collaborated with a diverse set of people to devise more efficient procedures for emergent HVAC problems and other procedures.