Sean Manning — Engineer & Builder
SEAN T. MANNING
Mechanical Engineer & Tool Builder
Location
San Marcos, CA
Discipline
Mech · CAD · AI
Mechanical Design · Automation · Applied AI

I design production hardware —
and build the AI tools that check it.

Eighteen years designing complex mechanical systems, industrial enclosures, and process equipment — now pairing that with self-built software that automates the tedious, error-prone parts of engineering: drawing QA, BOM verification, and tolerance analysis.

18+ YRS MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Sean T. Manning, mechanical engineer
01

Selected Work

PryvitLedger

Personal Product Full-Stack + AI pryvitledger.com ↗

A personal-finance application I designed and built end-to-end — a single, fully offline HTML/JavaScript app that runs in the browser with no server and no data ever leaving the device.

It forecasts cash flow day by day, models credit-card payoff strategies (avalanche and balanced), flags overdraft and buffer risk before it happens, and tracks net worth, 401(k), and savings goals. A built-in AI coach — powered by the Claude API — answers questions about the user's own numbers.

Stack
HTML · CSS · JavaScript
Data
100% local / offline
AI
Claude API coach
Role
Sole designer & developer

AI Drawing-Standards & Redline Assistant

Applied AI Engineering Tool

Built in my current engineering role to cut manual drawing-review time.

An AI-driven assistant that checks engineering drawings against both industry drafting standards and in-house conventions, automatically redlines details that don't conform, and runs tolerance-stack analysis on mating parts to catch fit problems before release.

Function
Standards check + redline
Analysis
Tolerance stack-up
Outcome
Faster, cleaner releases

Internal tool — described at a high level; no proprietary content shown.

BOM-to-Drawing Verification Tool

Automation Offline App

A local HTML application — no external APIs, runs entirely on the PC.

It cross-checks bill-of-material quantities against the balloon callouts on a drawing and flags any mismatch, catching counting errors before a drawing goes out the door — a check that's slow and easy to get wrong by hand.

Type
Local HTML app
Network
None — fully offline
Catches
BOM vs. balloon errors
02

Selected Design Work

Current Program · Leidos

VACIS® MLX — Mobile X-ray Inspection System

As part of the engineering team, I contribute mechanical design of components and assemblies for this vehicle-mounted cargo and vehicle screening platform. Program hardware is confidential — the link below shows the publicly released product line.

View on Leidos.com ↗ No proprietary imagery shown
Pure-O-Tech Mini Nano reverse-osmosis system, SolidWorks render and dimensional drawings
SolidWorks · Process EquipmentMini Nano RO System — Gen 2 R&D (7–14 GPM), configurable up to 4 membrane housings
Pure-O-Tech inline bio-film water system render and drawings
SolidWorks · Process EquipmentInline Bio-Film System — Gen 1, full enclosure design with dimensional spec
Pure-O-Tech customer site layout drawing, Rancho La Jolla project
System Layout · Customer ProjectCustomer Site Layout — Rancho La Jolla (prefiltration, nano system, UV, blend & storage tanks)
Rugged display and kiosk products from Touch Controls era
Legacy · Ruggedized HardwareRugged display & kiosk systems — Touch Controls (later Dolch, now Kontron)

Renderings are the author's own design work. Current defense-program hardware is omitted for confidentiality.

03

Engineering Track Record

2022 — Now

Mechanical Engineer

Leidos — Security Enterprise Solutions

Designing mechanical components and assemblies for the VACIS® MLX mobile X-ray inspection system, a vehicle-mounted cargo and vehicle screening platform. SolidWorks modeling with revision control through PTC Windchill PDM.

2009 — 2021

Engineering Project Manager

Spitzlift Portable Cranes

Led the full line of standard and custom portable cranes from rough concept to working prototype to production — managing schedule, cost, and direct customer relationships end to end.

2010 — 2011

Chief Mechanical Designer

Pure-O-Tech

Designed reverse-osmosis and nano-filtration water-purification systems for agricultural, potable, and emergency-relief use — from P&IDs through installation drawings — and mentored other designers.

1996 — 2004

Director of Engineering / Project Management

Dolch Touch Controls

Rose from CAD designer to director, leading a team of 7 designers and 3 engineers across all standard and custom product development, including complex programs such as one delivered for Johns Hopkins University.

04

Capabilities

CAD & Design
  • SolidWorks
  • AutoCAD · Revit
  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • Visio · MS Project
Engineering
  • Precision sheet metal
  • CNC machining
  • Investment & sand casting
  • Industrial enclosures (NEMA)
Data & Compliance
  • PTC Windchill PDM
  • Revision / change control
  • CE · UL1950 · ISO · FCC
  • Hazardous-area (Div 1 / Div 2)
AI & Automation
  • HTML / CSS / JavaScript
  • Claude API integration
  • Offline single-file apps
  • Tolerance / GD&T analysis
05

References & Recognition

SpitzLift battery-handling crane designed for Hillyard Industries — production units and SolidWorks renders with human scale
Client Project · Hillyard Industries

Hillyard's maintenance technicians were hand-trucking ~125 lb batteries into facilities on a dolly, and it took a two-person crew to install and remove them from the floor-cleaning machines by hand — well over OSHA's 50 lb lifting limit and a serious injury risk. At SpitzLift, I engineered an integrated cart-and-portable-crane system that removes the manual lift end to end: the cart is loaded with batteries at the factory, the crane lifts the loaded cart into the service vehicle, and on site the same crane lowers the cart to the ground, then re-mounts to the cart to swap batteries in and out of the machines — so a technician never lifts a battery by hand, and what had been a two-person job now takes just one.

"Sean was instrumental in bringing a concept from the drawing board to fruition… I recommend Sean Manning without reservations — he'd be a stellar addition to any company."

Terry HallVP Regulatory, Hillyard Industries · 2020

"Sean has distinguished himself as the team member that could really get the job done… I would be ready to hire Sean back if I had to fill a position that requires his skills."

Roberto E. FrullaVP & General Manager, Touch Controls (Dolch)

"He displayed a working attitude of teamwork and a loyalty to the company as if he was an owner… taking on the role of training and mentoring other employees."

Can M. SirinChief Executive Officer, Pure-O-Tech

"Given the rigor of our program, you can be quite proud of this accomplishment." — named to the Dean's List for a 3.5+ GPA.

Dr. Dennis GusemanDean, College of Business, CSU San Marcos · 2010

— Full signed letters (click to enlarge) —

Recommendation letter from Terry Hall, Hillyard Industries
Hillyard Industries — T. Hall
Recommendation letter from Touch Controls, page 1
Touch Controls — R. Frulla (1/2)
Recommendation letter from Touch Controls, page 2
Touch Controls — R. Frulla (2/2)
Recommendation letter from Pure-O-Tech
Pure-O-Tech — C. Sirin
CSU San Marcos Dean's List letter
CSU San Marcos — Dean's List
Open to new opportunities

Let's build something precise.

Mechanical engineering roles that value someone who also automates the work. Reach out — I'm happy to share a live demo or walk through any project.

Download Résumé (PDF) ↓ stm.mdeng@gmail.com 760-497-1110 LinkedIn ↗