Max Santo

High-Power Drill Platform (Front End Innovation Team)

• Led electrical design for a next-generation, high-power drill platform capable of delivering 350A peak, 150A continuously by integrating experimental motor control and power stage technologies.
• Co-developed a unique copper busbar–on–dual-cool MOSFET inverter topology, reducing PCB conduction losses by 30W at 150A, enabling significantly higher current density.
• Completed full inverter board bring-up, validating gate-driver timing, switching behavior, and EMI performance.
• Created and tuned a new motor-control timing algorithm, increasing speed and power output by 10–15% under load.
• Implemented combined voltage + current control loops to stabilize pack/tool interaction and maintain performance across various batteries.
• Developed torque-boost strategy in which high switching frequency and additional capacitance generate additional torque without increasing battery load.
• Collaborated cross-functionally with control systems engineers to implement and characterize voltage and current controllers.
• Diagnosed and resolved high-current switching issues using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and thermal measurements to improve reliability and efficiency.
• Executed dynamometer-based validation for torque, speed, efficiency, and thermal performance.
• Owned MCU bring-up: ADC calibration, peripheral mapping, gate driver sequencing, and fault/protection logic.