Nick Ely

Background

About Nick Ely

I design and develop mechanical systems that work in the real world, not just in CAD. My background spans robotics, automation, and product development, with deep expertise in Autodesk Inventor, parametric design, and system-level problem solving. I’ve led the development of large-scale robotic platforms and complex mechanical assemblies operating in real-world environments. In addition to my engineering work, I design and build large-scale performance structures and mobile systems used in live environments. This work requires balancing structural design, transport constraints, rapid deployment, and reliability under real-world conditions. I specialize in moving quickly from concept to functional, testable prototypes, using in-house capabilities and practical engineering approaches to validate designs early and keep projects moving. I’m known for figure-it-out engineering, rapidly diagnosing issues, reverse engineering problems, and delivering working solutions under pressure. Core areas of focus: • Autodesk Inventor (Certified Professional) • Mechanical system design and product development • iLogic automation and Autodesk Vault optimization • Rapid prototyping and iterative design • Reverse engineering and performance improvement I work with teams that need practical, buildable solutions, especially when timelines are tight and the work needs to get done right.