Puneeth Aalla
About Puneeth Aalla
Puneeth Aalla is a Sr. Mechanical Design Engineer at Nikola Motor Company with extensive experience in mechanical design and manufacturing, particularly in the automotive and truck industry.
Current Role at Nikola Motor Company
Puneeth Aalla serves as a Sr. Mechanical Design Engineer-Cab at Nikola Motor Company, a position he has held since 2020. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Puneeth specializes in designing and developing components for the cab section of vehicles. His responsibilities include optimizing design for manufacturing and assembly, and contributing to various continuous improvement projects.
Previous Experience at Nikola Motor Company
Before rising to a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer at Nikola Motor Company, Puneeth Aalla worked as a Mechanical Design Engineer-Cab from 2019 to 2020. In this role, also based in Phoenix, Arizona, Puneeth focused on the design and development of cab interior components and systems, enhancing his skills in product lifecycle management using various software tools.
Professional Background and Experience
Puneeth Aalla has extensive experience in mechanical engineering, particularly in the automotive and manufacturing industries. Prior to Nikola Motor Company, he worked at Volvo Trucks North America as a Mechanical Engineer for Cab Living from 2017 to 2019 in Greensboro, North Carolina. He also has experience from a brief tenure at Merit-one Engineering in Michigan, and in manufacturing design and engineering roles at companies in India including Maruti Suzuki India Limited and Suresh Steel Tubes Pvt Ltd.
Education and Academic Qualifications
Puneeth Aalla holds a Master’s degree in Industrial Technology from California State University, Fresno, where he achieved a 3.40 GPA. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from New Horizon College of Engineering in Bangalore. His academic background provided a strong foundation in industrial technologies and mechanical engineering principles.
Skills and Expertise in Mechanical Design
Puneeth Aalla has significant expertise in designing interior trims and parts for trucks, including components like headliners, walls, and sleeper boxes. He is skilled in failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), and design for manufacturability (DFM and DFMA). Puneeth is proficient in using mechanical design software such as CATIA V5 and SOLIDWORKS, with four years of experience. His skills extend to lean manufacturing, continuous improvement projects, and tools and molds in the manufacturing process.