About Me

Welcome! I’m Alex Fuge, a mechanical engineer and roboticist passionate about pushing the boundaries of robotics and additive manufacturing. With a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech, my work revolves around developing humanoid and quadruped robotic systems, optimizing structures to be lightweight and functional prototypes, diagnosing and remediating design failures, and integrating additive manufacturing techniques into the design process. My goal is to apply additive manufacturing to both functional prototypes and final products, reducing assembly time and costs. I thrive in multidisciplinary environments, where collaboration, problem-solving, and technical creativity drive the innovation of new products. 

Expertise in Robotics & Advanced Manufacturing

With a background in developing humanoid robots, quadrupeds, and bio-inspired mechanisms, I have led the design and optimization of a lightweight humanoid robot PANDORA at the Terrestrial Robotics and Engineering Controls (TREC) Lab at Virginia Tech. 

My expertise spans:

• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) & Topology Optimization – Enhancing structural strength and performance for additive manufactured parts.

• Advanced CAD Modeling (Siemens NX, nTop, SolidWorks) – Creating simulations and accurate models of a moveable system to test feasibility of multiple parts before manufacturing.

• Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) – Creating a series of standards for 3D printed parts that others can follow to create structural parts utilizing additive manufacturing.

• Design for Assembly - Applications of principles and CAD modeling to ensure the ease of assembly of final designs with a goal to reduce assembly time and hardware.

My focus is on integrating design, prototyping, and manufacturability, ensuring that complex robotic systems transition seamlessly from concept to scalable production.

Engineering & Research Focus

I specialize in robotic design, prototyping, and structural optimization, with extensive experience in topology optimization, compliant mechanisms, and scalable manufacturing techniques. At the Terrestrial Robotics and Engineering Controls (TREC) Lab, I have led thr teams for mechanical design and system integration for multiple robotic platforms, including:

• PANDORA – A cost-efficient humanoid robot utilizing additive and subtractive manufacturing to reduce production costs by over 80% while maintaining similar performance to current TREC Lab robots THOR and ESCHER.

• Bio-Inspired Robotic Arm – Designed a lightweight, 8-degree-of-freedom robotic arm with 65% of human arm mobility at a fraction of the industry cost, enabling more accessible robotic manipulation.

• Squeaky Quadruped – Developed a low-cost quadruped platform, reducing assembly time by 40%, making it more accessible for researchers, educators, and robotics enthusiasts.

Beyond hardware, my work also focuses on design heuristics for additive manufacturing, ensuring robust, optimized, and production-ready robotic components that seamlessly transition from prototype to scalable models.

Innovating with Additive Manufacturing

3D printing is central to my engineering approach. I specialize in designing customizable, structurally optimized components that streamline production and enhance mechanical performance. My expertise in design heuristics for additive manufacturing enables me to develop lightweight robotic limbs, intricate electronic enclosures, and energy-absorbing structures. From material selection to rapid iterations, I use additive manufacturing to transform ideas into functional, real-world applications.

Beyond Engineering

Outside the lab, I continuously explore new engineering challenges, from designing custom-built 3D printers to optimizing robotic mechanisms and investigating emerging technologies. Some of these items can be seen in my personal projects page.

When I’m not engineering, I spend my time in photography. Astrophotography and landscape photography allow me to view the world from a different perspective—capturing the vastness of the night sky and the intricate details of nature. This creative outlet complements my technical mindset, into new ways to further develop products that apply bio-inspired ideas.