Experience · DarkVision Technologies
Mechanical Engineering Intern
I really enjoyed my six-month internship with DarkVision. I felt challenged to keep up with the expertise of the Skunkworks team, and I really enjoyed building a custom “micro-CNC” for them.
- Dates
- Jan 2026 – Jun 2026
- Duration
- 6 months
- Location
- Vancouver, BC
- Machining time
- 40 h → 8 h
About this reflection
My work at DarkVision Technologies is covered by a non-disclosure agreement, so this page has no designs, drawings or data. It describes the work at a high level and what I took away from it.
Micro-CNC
At DarkVision I designed a micro-CNC for microfabricating custom, extremely high-cost parts. Previously these were machined on a full-sized CNC mill, which took over 40 hours per part with a yield rate of about 50%.
The design used three linear stages, with provision for a fourth in the future. It has a fully custom mechanical assembly and a custom electrical assembly that uses a ClearCore to control the micro-stages. A fully integrated coolant assembly filters and recirculates coolant throughout machining. The machine fits on a 4 ft × 4 ft footprint and runs on 120 V power and shop air, so it's mobile, and more units can be ordered to increase machining capacity.
The three-axis machine completes parts in 8 hours and pays back its design cost after manufacturing just 8 parts. It has already passed that point and remains the main manufacturing method for these parts.
Team & reflection
Something notable about the team at DarkVision is that everyone was willing to lend you an ear if they thought you might be approaching a solution in a way the team hadn't considered. Even as an intern, I found the team receptive to my ideas. They gave each one proper consideration, whether or not it ended up being pursued further.