BMGet in touch
00Building Tomorrow

BRIAN
MACHARIA

Mechatronic engineer designing robotic, additive-manufacturing and propulsion systems — turning research-grade ideas into repeatable, operator-ready hardware.

See selected work
Nairobi, Kenya
Brian Macharia Wambui
Focus
  • Robotics●
  • WAAM●
  • Propulsion●
  • VR●
  • Controls●
  • Embedded Systems●
KUKA KR6DOOSAN A0912ROS 2SOLIDWORKSUNITYMATLABGAZEBOKUKA KR6DOOSAN A0912ROS 2SOLIDWORKSUNITYMATLABGAZEBOKUKA KR6DOOSAN A0912ROS 2SOLIDWORKSUNITYMATLABGAZEBO
01Beyond the Bench

ENGINEERING
THINGS THAT
MOVE.

Years building
5+
Robots driven
KUKA · DOOSAN
Top finishes
3×
02Selected Work

PROJECTS

06 ENTRIES
01/ 06

VR INDUSTRIAL TRAINING MODELS

Lead Modeler & Integration Engineer
Afribot Robotics
Aug 2025 — Jan 2026

Led the modelling team and acted as the bridge between the design and development teams — taking SOLIDWORKS models from designers and wiring them up as interactive objects in Unity for the VR dev team.

  • Led the modelling team, owning geometry accuracy and scale fidelity across the SOLIDWORKS library.
  • Bridged the design and development teams: prepared and imported SOLIDWORKS models into Unity and authored the C# interaction scripts the VR devs built on.
  • Defined the asset hand-off pipeline (naming, pivots, scale, LODs) so modellers and devs could ship in parallel without rework.
LeadershipSOLIDWORKSUnityC#VRPipeline
Trainee using a VR headset with the industrial training scene mirrored on screen
FIG. 01 — VR HEADSET DEMO SESSION01 / 02
In-headset view of a wiring and connector training task on a workbench
FIG. 02 — IN-HEADSET WIRING TASK02 / 02
01 / 02
02/ 06

WAAM OPERATOR UI

WAAM Researcher
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
Apr 2025 — Present

Designed and developed the operator interface for a Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing system integrating a MIG welding machine with a KUKA KR6 robotic arm.

  • G-code translation to KUKA Robot Language (KRL).
  • Real-time data logging and sensor interfacing.
  • Workflow built to streamline operator interaction and experimental repeatability.
KUKAKRLWAAMMIGPythonUI
KUKA KR6 WAAM cell architecture with KR C4 controller and MIG welding machine
FIG. 01 — KUKA KR6 / KR C4 / MIG CELL01 / 03
FIG. 02 — OPERATOR UI + WAAM PROCESS02 / 03
Deposited multi-layer steel part from KUKA WAAM run at JKUAT
FIG. 03 — DEPOSITED PART (JKUAT)03 / 03
01 / 03
03/ 06

G-CODE → DOOSAN DRL PIPELINE

Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing Intern
TU Bergakademie Freiberg
Jun 2025 — Aug 2025

Built a G-code to DOOSAN Robot Language (.drl) conversion pipeline enabling WAAM on a DOOSAN A0912 robot with a Fronius welding system.

  • Replaced manual robot programming with automated toolpath execution.
  • Enabled deposition of complex geometries beyond basic lines and circles.
DOOSANDRLFroniusWAAMToolpath
FIG. 01 — DOOSAN A0912 WAAM RUN01 / 03
Multi-layer deposited wall produced on DOOSAN WAAM cell
FIG. 02 — DEPOSITED WALL02 / 03
Close-up of MIG torch over deposited DOOSAN WAAM layers
FIG. 03 — TORCH + LAYER DETAIL03 / 03
01 / 03
04/ 06

ROS WAAM TOOLPATH PLANNING

Robotics Researcher
JKUAT — KUKA WAAM Lab
2024 — 2025

Brought WAAM toolpaths into a ROS / MoveIt workflow — slicing G-code from PrusaSlicer and executing the resulting joint trajectories on a simulated KUKA arm.

  • Sliced part geometries with PrusaSlicer and parsed the resulting G-code into Cartesian waypoints.
  • Planned and executed collision-aware trajectories with MoveIt in RViz.
  • Validated the planning pipeline before deploying on the physical KUKA KR6 cell.
ROSMoveItRVizKUKAPrusaSlicerWAAM
ROS MoveIt planning a WAAM toolpath alongside the sliced G-code preview
FIG. 01 — MOVEIT TRAJECTORY + G-CODE SLICE01 / 02
FIG. 02 — PLANNING RUN (RVIZ)02 / 02
01 / 02
05/ 06

ROS2 DIFFERENTIAL ROBOT COURSE

Robotics Instructor
JKUAT — Robotics Dojo 2024
Aug 2024 — Oct 2024

Trained competition participants to build a ROS2 differential-drive robot capable of mapping and autonomous navigation.

  • Modules on robotic design principles, Gazebo simulation, and laser cutting.
  • 1st place Knowledge Sharing award at Robotics Dojo 2024.
ROS2GazeboSLAMTeaching
GITHUB / DOJO2024 ↗
Gazebo simulation environment built for the Robotics Dojo 2024 training
FIG. 01 — GAZEBO TRAINING WORLD01 / 02
RViz visualisation of a SLAM-generated occupancy map with robot pose
FIG. 02 — SLAM MAP IN RVIZ02 / 02
01 / 02
06/ 06

LIQUID ROCKET ENGINE TEST STAND

Liquid Propulsion Team Lead
Nakuja Project, JKUAT
May 2024

Led the development of a liquid rocket engine ground test system from P&ID design through control system architecture.

  • Test stand fabrication and instrumentation integration.
  • Control logic for safe, structured propulsion testing under resource constraints.
  • Coordinated team activities and enforced documentation standards.
PropulsionP&IDControlsInstrumentation
Piping and instrumentation diagram for the liquid rocket engine test stand
FIG. 01 — P&ID / N2 + GOx FEED SYSTEM01 / 03
Liquid rocket engine test stand showing combustion chamber and instrumentation enclosure
FIG. 02 — TEST STAND (SIDE)02 / 03
Perspective view of the rocket engine test stand and valve manifold
FIG. 03 — TEST STAND (PERSPECTIVE)03 / 03
01 / 03
03Toolbox

SKILLS

Programming
  • C++▪
  • Python▪
  • MATLAB▪
  • JavaScript▪
  • C#▪
Robotics & Automation
  • KUKA▪
  • DOOSAN▪
  • WAAM Systems▪
  • ROS 2▪
  • Robot Kinematics▪
CAD & Design
  • SOLIDWORKS▪
  • Mechanical Modeling▪
  • VR Assets▪
Software & Simulation
  • Unity▪
  • Gazebo▪
Embedded & Control
  • Sensors▪
  • System Integration▪
  • PLC Logic▪
Web Development
  • React▪
  • TypeScript▪
  • Node▪
04Publications
Path Planning and Bimetal Deposition in Robotic Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM)
B. M. Wambui, R. Bosibori, A. Shah, N. K. Gupta, J. W. Mwangi, J. G. Njiri, S. Aoki, H. Zeidler
Sustainable Research and Innovation Conference, JKUAT · Nov 2025
Accepted for publication; publication expected 2026.
05Achievements
  • 1st place — Knowledge Sharing, Robotics Dojo 2024
  • 1st place — JKUAT Tech Week 2023 (Maze-solving robot)
  • 1st place — Robotics Dojo 2023
06Get in touch

LET'S
BUILD
SOMETHING.

Email
brian.macharia.wambui@gmail.com
Phone
+254 746 052 320
LinkedIn
brian-macharia-624709216