Back to freelancer search

Mandana Z.

Materials & Process Engineer | Investment Casting & Gas Turbine Components

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Global rank:

19,416 / 143,853

Skill pts: 5

Casting COMSOL Multiphysics Gas Turbine Components Programming Python Script

Get a quote

About

Materials Engineer with 15+ years of experience across energy, oil & gas, petrochemical, and gas-turbine hot-section manufacturing. I specialize in reverse engineering and technical know-how development for turbine blades, nozzles, and combustion components; investment casting process design and ProCAST simulation; and quality/technical acceptance based on NACE, API, ASME, and ISO standards. My background also covers corrosion and surface engineering (HVOF/APS coatings, EIS, hot-corrosion testing), additive manufacturing (SLM, FDM, DLP), and advanced engineering simulation using ANSYS, ABAQUS, FLUENT, and COMSOL Multiphysics.

I have delivered reverse-engineering, design, and casting-simulation work on 80+ components across 20+ gas-turbine models, and optimized manufacturing routes for 300+ investment-cast parts. Alongside my engineering background, I have strong programming skills (C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Python, SQL, PHP, MATLAB), which I apply to engineering automation, data analysis, and custom simulation/analysis tools.

I bring a rigorous, standards-based approach to industrial engineering projects, from technical documentation and First Article qualification to failure analysis and process optimization.

Experience

Visiting Researcher The Biomatter Lab, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) · Full-time Jan 2025 – Present 1 yrs 7 mos Brussels, Brussels, Belgium • Developed dual-layer Janus architectures combining wettability contrast and structural gradients to achieve unidirectional fluid transport; investigated the coupled effects of surface chemistry and scaffold architecture on capillary-driven suction and directional liquid transfer.
• Designed and fabricated electrospun and melt-electrowritten layers, optimizing processing parameters to control fiber morphology, porosity, thickness, and transport behavior.
• Synthesized morphology-controlled bimetallic AuPt nanoparticles and investigated relationships between particle size/shape, active surface area, surface reactivity, and catalytic performance for integration into multilayer systems.
• Developed AuPt nanozyme-integrated Janus wound-dressing systems and evaluated particle distribution, scaffold structure, and nanoparticle–polymer interactions using SEM/EDS, TEM, XRD, FTIR, TGA, Micro-CT, and wettability measurements.
• Evaluated catalytic and antioxidant performance through POD, CAT, GOx cascade, ABTS, and DPPH assays, analyzing the influence of nanozyme loading and surface characteristics on functional response.
• Modeled fluid transport through multilayer porous structures using COMSOL Multiphysics, assessing the effects of layer thickness, fiber diameter, contact angle, structural gradients, and capillary properties on pressure distribution, flux, and breakthrough time.
• Integrated experimental and computational data to support the design of multifunctional multilayer systems combining directional liquid management with catalytic activity.
QC Project Lead Jahanpars Company · Full-time May 2021 – Nov 2024 3 yrs 6 mos Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran - Led technical quality acceptance of industrial equipment/materials based on inspection/test results and NACE, API, ASME, and ISO standards.
- Reviewed ITPs, vendor technical documentation, test/inspection reports, FAT/SAT records, and NCRs across multidisciplinary oil, gas, and petrochemical projects.
- Interpreted NDT results (RT, UT, MT, PT) and destructive test results (tensile, creep, fatigue, hardness, metallography, phase analysis).
- Contributed to the Darreh-Zar Copper Concentration, Amirkabir Kashan Steel Pickling & Cold Rolling, Azar Oil Field Development, and Ilam Gas Refinery projects.
Senior Technical Specialist Badr Engineering System · Full-time Mar 2018 – Jun 2020 2 yrs 3 mos Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran - Managed technical development of metal components manufactured by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) for aerospace and power-generation applications.
- Supported development and evaluation of Zorya gas-turbine first-stage nozzles in Inconel 939, Hitachi H25 swirler tips in 316 stainless steel, and first-stage nozzles for the APS 3200 Auxiliary Power Unit (APU).
- Evaluated manufacturing routes and component quality against test results, technical specifications, dimensional requirements, and acceptance criteria.
- Applied reverse engineering, 3D design, and manufacturability analysis to complex components to reduce production risk.
Technical Manager Ghateh Karan Energy · Full-time Jul 2014 – Jan 2017 2 yrs 6 mos Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran • Managed technical aspects of manufacturing and final acceptance of produced components, supervising implementation of engineering and quality requirements.
• Designed and optimized manufacturing routes for more than 300 investment-cast components serving power-generation, automotive, medical, oil & gas, petrochemical, and other industrial sectors, including gating design and technical planning for injection, ceramic-shell, and melting operations.
• Established low-volume and no-hard-tooling production routes using 3D printing combined with investment casting, and implemented silicone molding for complex components.
• Designed machining and assembly jigs/fixtures and provided technical support to production and manufacturing lines.
Materials Engineering Intern Badr Engineering System · Internship Feb 2008 – May 2008 3 mos Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran • Evaluated hot-corrosion behavior of thermal barrier coatings on first-stage gas-turbine blades under cyclic high-temperature exposure with salt deposits simulating Type I/Type II hot-corrosion conditions.
• Conducted post-test cross-sectional SEM/EDS and XRD characterization to identify corrosion products, assess coating degradation, and measure thermally grown oxide (TGO) thickness.

Education

K. N. Toosi University of Technology PhD Candidate, Materials Engineering 2020 – 2026 Research in materials engineering with emphasis on multilayer systems, advanced materials, surface behavior, and modeling of fluid-transport phenomena.
University of Tabriz MSc, Materials Engineering - Ceramics 2013 – 2013 Awarded a full tuition scholarship by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (Iran) through a competitive national entrance examination. Thesis: High-Temperature Corrosion and Oxidation Behavior of Nanostructured WC-Co Coatings Deposited by HVOF Spraying.
Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz BSc, Materials Engineering - Industrial Metallurgy 2008 – 2008 Recognized as an outstanding Materials Engineering student for three academic semesters.

Other experience

Additional Industrial Leadership & Engineering Experience Held engineering roles covering product engineering management, manufacturing-unit management, and senior engineering functions in the design, reverse engineering, casting simulation, production, and quality control of gas-turbine hot-section components. Completed reverse engineering, design, simulation, and production activities for more than 80 blade, nozzle, and combustion-component projects across over 20 gas-turbine models, including development of technical know-how and trial plans for First Article production. Managed and executed industrial projects through organizations including Hamour Faradanesh / Hamour Mahshahr and Ahan Online across the oil & gas, petrochemical, and steel sectors. Performed quality control and technical acceptance of equipment and contributed to establishing and operating the Corrosion and Materials Protection Laboratory at the University of Tabriz, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
Professional Interests Reverse engineering and engineering design; R&D and product development in mechanical/materials engineering environments. Management and supervision of production and assembly lines; quality control and final product acceptance. Mechanical-facility design, materials inspection and quality control, metallography, hardness testing, welding, and visual inspection. Surface engineering, coating technologies, electroplating/electroless plating, corrosion, and materials protection.
Honors & Awards Recognized as an outstanding Materials Engineering student for three academic semesters. Ranked second among the relevant cohort of Metallurgical Engineering graduates. Third place, 2nd National Ceramic Competition (Fabrication of Porous Ceramics), Iran University of Science and Technology, 2010. Best Poster Award, 2nd National Ceramic Competition (Fabrication of Porous Ceramics), Iran University of Science and Technology, 2010.
Publications & Conference Presentations Publications: "Capillary-Driven Exudate Suction via Janus Structures: Coupling Structural-Wettability Gradients with Catalytic AuPt Nanozymes" - In final revision; target journal: Surface Engineering (Taylor & Francis). "Effect of the Dimensions of Titanium Oxide Nanotubes, Synthesized via Anodic Oxidation, on Hydrogen Gas Detection by This Nanostructure" - Iranian Journal of Surface Science and Engineering, Jun 2011.

Conference Publications & Presentations: "Investigating the Effect of Increasing Palladium Catalyst Loading on the Hydrogen Gas Detection Capability of Titanium Oxide Nanotubes Synthesized via Anodic Oxidation" - 13th National Conference on Surface Engineering, May 2012. "Investigation of the Effect of Heat Treatment on High-Temperature Corrosion of 17Co-WC Cermet Coating Produced by HVOF" - First Conference on Advanced Materials in Aviation and Energy Industry, Oct 2012. Abbas Kianvash, Masoumeh Khatamian, Mandana Zamiran, Ehsan Hoseinkhani, "Effect of the Stoichiometric Ratio of Starting Materials on the Formation of Single-Phase Barium Hexaferrite Nanoparticles by Coprecipitation," 8th Iranian Ceramic Congress, Tehran, Iran, May 2011. Mohammad Sadegh Shakeri, Hamid Fazayeli, Cyrus Bibak, Mandana Zamiran, Ehsan Hoseinkhani, Hossein Joghataei, "Modeling the Two-Way Shape Memory Effect in Ni-Ti Alloy Using Genetic Programming," 4th Joint Conference of the Iranian Metallurgical Engineers Society and the Iranian Foundry Society, Iran University of Science and Technology, 2010.
Research & Engineering Projects Produced magnetic nanopowders with enhanced magnetic properties and synthesized magnetic nanoparticles while investigating the effect of mechanical-alloying parameters. Developed sintered ferrite permanent magnets and polymer-bonded magnets and investigated Nd-Fe-B magnet properties. Performed magnetic simulation of gas servo valves and hysteresis-loop simulation for magnetic materials used in aerospace applications. Conducted material analysis and reverse engineering of components used in vacuum-furnace control systems. Simulated investment casting of automotive and power-generation components and developed corresponding manufacturing routes. Conducted a research project on highly sensitive and selective gas sensors based on TiO2 nanostructures.
Selected Industrial Projects & Domain Expertise Gas Turbines & Hot-Section Components: Reverse engineering, design, and manufacturing of blades, nozzles, and combustion components; casting simulation, defect analysis, technical know-how development, and First Article qualification across 80+ projects and 20+ gas-turbine models. Investment Casting & Process Development: Design and optimization of manufacturing routes for 300+ components, including gating-system design, simulation, and technical planning for injection, ceramic-shell, and melting operations. Technical Procurement & Supply: Supplied pipes and fittings up to 72 in. for Persian Gulf oil projects and South Pars phases; supplied API 5L PSL2 and NACE-compliant HIC-resistant pipes for the Azadegan fields and Naein-Kashan-Rey pipelines. Valves, Instrumentation & Special Alloys: Sourced industrial valves, control valves, and instrumentation from manufacturers including Fisher, Masoneilan, Rosemount, Samson, KSB, and Endress+Hauser, as well as stainless steel, duplex, Inconel, Monel, titanium, and Hastelloy piping components. Drilling Equipment & Chemicals: Supplied drill pipe, casing, and drill bits for drilling projects, together with industrial chemicals from BWA, Momentive, NALCO, and ExxonMobil for petrochemical applications. Additive Manufacturing & Prototyping: Developed SLM components for aerospace and power-generation applications and implemented FDM/investment-casting and silicone-molding routes for complex low-volume parts.
Professional Activities, Standards Committees & Teaching • Member of technical committees for development of Iranian national standards at the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran; contributed to ISIRI 17862, 17863, 17864, and 17865. • Taught metallography laboratory sessions at K. N. Toosi University of Technology (May 2022 – Oct 2024), covering specimen preparation, etching, and optical-microscopy-based microstructure analysis. • Instructor of AutoCAD and SolidWorks at Islamic Azad University branches. • Instructor of Engineering Mathematics, Basic Mathematics, and Differential Equations at private educational institutes.

Licenses & Certifications

Calibration and Precision Measurement Methods Professional Training Course Jun 2020 – Present
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) - Level II Novin Parsian Institute Feb 2020 – Present
Coating and Painting Inspection Novin Parsian Institute Sep 2019 – Present
Fundamentals of Corrosion Iranian Corrosion Association Jun 2019 – Present
CATIA Tehran Technical Complex Mar 2018 – Present
GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing) Specialized Course Jun 2017 – Present
Electroplating and Black Oxide Coating Sharif University Academic Center Apr 2016 – Present
Investment Casting of Precious Metals Technical and Vocational Training Organization, Iran Jun 2015 – Present