Intern Spotlight: Streamlining Design and Documentation
MIT graduate intern, Richard Moyer designed and built packaging automation machines on the shop floor.
This summer, we had the opportunity to host Richard Moyer, a graduate student at MIT in the Leaders for Global Operations program — a dual-degree track in engineering and business. This internship was made possible through our parent company, LFM Capital and their partnership with MIT, connecting top graduate students with companies with engineering opportunities. Through that relationship, we were matched with Richard, bringing a unique blend of technical and real-world perspective to some of our unique projects.
And he didn’t waste any time making an impact.
Standardizing Egg Fillers — A Big Efficiency Win
Early in his internship, Richard joined the Volumetric Technologies team to streamline the design process for a custom egg-filling machine. These machines had historically been designed as one-offs, with limited reusability between models. While many of the same engineering principles applied from one machine to the next, each project required weeks of repetitive CAD work and manual documentation.
Richard worked with a team and re-engineered the approach. “I built a parameter-driven model that allows you to input a customer’s requirements — like the number of lanes or fill volume — and automatically generate the machine design and full engineering drawings,” he explained. “What used to take about three months of engineering time can now be completed in a few days.”
The design-time reduction not only improves speed to market, but it also increases consistency, accuracy, and standardization across the entire product line.
In parallel, he supported a custom donut-shaped patty depositor that required precise deposition of a thick filling — bacon, egg, and cheese — around an empty center.
“The challenge was getting a consistent ring-shaped deposit using ingredients with large particulates,” Richard said. “We collaborated closely with manufacturing and came up with a specific nozzle solution that applied product from both sides. It was exciting to go from problem to prototype in just weeks.”
Supporting the New Labeling Systems Transition
In the second half of the summer, Richard worked on a totally different type of project. He collaborated with a team to transfer AB Technology’s production to Minnesota. AB Technology is a leader in automated labeling systems for the food, product, and beverage industries — and an important part of the Excelis Automation portfolio.
Richard helped document and rebuilt the labeling equipment designs in CAD and supported the physical manufacturing process on the new shop floor.
“Transferring a whole product line across the country is no small feat,” Richard said. “There’s a ton of tribal knowledge to capture and new workflows to establish — but it’s also a great opportunity to learn the product deeply and improve how it's built.”
From the Shop Floor to the Screen — and Back
Beyond CAD design to building and seeing it work. At Volumetric Technologies.
One of Richard’s strengths was his ability to bridge the gap between engineering design and manufacturing execution. He collaborated with other engineers, machinists, and assembly techs to refine part geometry, reduce fabrication complexity, and align drawings with real-world constraints.
“You can make a beautiful 3D model,” he said, “but it has to actually work on the shop floor. That’s where Excelis stands out — people are open to improving how things are done. It’s not a ‘we’ve always done it this way’ kind of place.”
What’s Next?
Richard now returns to MIT for his final year of graduate study. We’re grateful to LFM Capital and Richard’s work this summer — and we’ll be building on the improvements even after he’s back in Cambridge.
