# Mechanical Engineering at Oxide [chapter images]

- Show: [Oxide and Friends](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends)
- Published: 2026-05-07
- Length: 1h 24m
- Episode: 9
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-07-mechanical-engineering-at-oxide-chapter-images
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/fd105aef

## Summary

Oxide mechanical engineers Doug Wibben, Brooks Willis, Elliott Donlon, and Ben Williams discuss scaling manufacturing for the Cosmo rack, focusing on simplifying sheet metal assembly by replacing PEM fasteners with extrude-and-tap features and redesigning cable management after a field failure. The team details how they transitioned 3D printed components, such as SSD blanks and air shrouds, into injection molded and thermoformed parts to manage costs at volume, while maintaining aesthetic and thermal performance. They also explain how adding rivets to weld interfaces streamlined the fabrication process without compromising structural integrity, enabling faster production rates for hundreds of racks.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-07-mechanical-engineering-at-oxide-chapter-images#t=0) Introduction: Oxide Mechanical Engineering Team
- [3:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-07-mechanical-engineering-at-oxide-chapter-images#t=224) Team History and Scaling Challenges
- [9:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-07-mechanical-engineering-at-oxide-chapter-images#t=542) Shark Fin Tolerance Analysis and PCIe Errors
- [18:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-07-mechanical-engineering-at-oxide-chapter-images#t=1090) Replacing PEMs with Extrude-and-Tap Features
- [34:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-07-mechanical-engineering-at-oxide-chapter-images#t=2069) Cable Insulation Failure and Safety Redesign
- [53:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-07-mechanical-engineering-at-oxide-chapter-images#t=3231) Transitioning 3D Prints to Injection Molding
- [1:07:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-07-mechanical-engineering-at-oxide-chapter-images#t=4050) Clear Airflow Shrouds and Thermoforming
- [1:15:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-07-mechanical-engineering-at-oxide-chapter-images#t=4535) Rivet-Assisted Welding for Rack Assembly

## Topics

- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Quality & yield](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/quality-and-yield)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Oxide Computer Company (company)
- Cosmo (product)
- SolidWorks (tool)
- PEM (other)
- Formlabs (company)

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## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2026-05-07-mechanical-engineering-at-oxide-chapter-images. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Oxide and Friends.