KPKasturie Pillay
@kasturiepillay
Senior Mechanical Design Engineer with 20+ years delivering integrated, manufacturable industrial and rail solutions.
South AfricaWhat I'm looking for
I am a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer with over 21 years of experience delivering complex, multi‑domain engineering solutions across mechanical, electrical and structural disciplines. I lead end‑to‑end product lifecycles from conceptual structural analysis through integrated systems and industrial‑scale manufacture.
My career highlights include senior rolling stock systems design for major rail programs, leadership of design release activities in heavy industry, and founding a precision fabrication start‑up that integrates advanced Trumpf laser systems for ultra‑precision manufacturing.
I focus on harmonizing competing technical requirements into high‑performance, manufacturable designs, mentoring junior engineers, ensuring compliance with international and South African standards, and driving on‑time delivery and high fleet or product availability.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Strategic Mechanical Design Engineer
Tertium Quid Engineering
Jul 2019 - Present (6 years 6 months)
Founded and lead a precision design and fabrication start-up delivering complex, high-tolerance metal parts and assemblies for aerospace, medical, and industrial clients; integrated advanced Trumpf laser systems to shorten prototype-to-production cycles and improve manufacturability.
Senior Mechanical Design Engineer
Gibela Rail Consortium
May 2014 - Feb 2019 (4 years 9 months)
Led design and integration of rolling stock mechanical subsystems (car bodies, bogies, HVAC) ensuring compliance with EN/UIC/ISO and South African rail safety standards while managing BOMs and mentoring junior engineers.
Senior Design Drafting Technician
Cummins South Africa
Feb 2012 - Apr 2014 (2 years 2 months)
Produced detailed 2D drawings and 3D models for power generation systems and engine components to Cummins global standards, managed ECNs/ECNs and supported site installations and manufacturability.
Design Release Engineer
Tenova Pyromet
May 2011 - Feb 2012 (9 months)
Owned lifecycle of furnace and material-handling components from concept through release, performing mechanical stress and thermal analyses, DVP&R and DFMEA to ensure manufacturable, safety-compliant designs.
Design Technician
Andrew SatComm
Aug 2007 - Apr 2008 (8 months)
Designed antennas, towers and RF infrastructure components for telecommunications, producing manufacturing-ready drawings and supporting production quality checks.
Design Technician
FLSmidth
Apr 2007 - Jul 2007 (3 months)
Prepared 3D models and 2D drawings for mining and cement plant equipment (crushers, mills, conveyors) and supported fabrication inspections during commissioning.
Design Technician
Reutech Defense Industries
Apr 2006 - Mar 2007 (11 months)
Developed 2D/3D designs for radar, tactical communications and electronic systems, producing manufacturing drawings and supporting prototyping and testing.
Design Drafting Technician
Duys Engineering Group
Apr 2005 - Mar 2006 (11 months)
Created detailed fabrication drawings and models for heavy steel structures and material-handling equipment, ensuring manufacturability and adherence to client specifications.
Design and Maintenance Technician
South African Bulk Terminals
Feb 2004 - Mar 2005 (1 year 1 month)
Supported mechanical design and maintenance activities for bulk handling equipment, producing technical drawings and performing on-site verification to maintain operations.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
Springfield TVET College
NQF Level 3 Certificate, Electrical Engineering
2014 - 2019
Studied Electrical Engineering (NQF 3) with coursework supporting practical electrical systems knowledge for multidisciplinary engineering roles.
Brindhavan Secondary (Matric Consortium)
Matric (National Senior Certificate), Secondary Education
1992 - 1996
Completed secondary schooling (Matric) providing foundational STEM subjects supporting later engineering studies and technical roles.
UUUniversity of South Africa (UNISA)
Advanced Diploma, Mechanical Engineering
Completed an Advanced Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (NQF 7) focused on mechanical systems and integration relevant to rail rolling stock design.
Availability
Location
South AfricaAuthorized to work in
Job categories
Skills
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