Experience Matters - Grand Valley State University

It's Hard to Stop A Trane

David
Major: Mechanical Engineering I was involved in the Creative Solutions engineering department at Trane, comprised of teams specializing in different modifications. My team in particular dealt largely with the Controls aspect of the job, while others dealt with Refrigeration, for example. Unlike the previous semester of Co-op, I was the only intern on the Controls team, with three other interns located in other departments. This semester, I broadened my knowledge through involvement with different modifications that I had not previously worked with, including Hot Gas Bypass and Hot Gas Reheat modifications. I was also responsible for many projects, including advancements to the templates that the jobs are based on (saving the engineers valuable time on each), the testing of a prototype design for a unit, as well as numerous quality updates. I compiled a list of all the parts that go into a typical job and had the opportunity to craft each component, to scale, in AutoCAD as well.

Hands Dirty Round 2

Evan
Major: Mechanical Engineering Ran production, design, and major engineering changes.

Autocam co/op experience

Brandi
Major: Mechanical Engineering For my first month at Autocam, I was trained on a 6 spindle screw machine that produces bushings. This consisted of measuring parts, changing tools, making manual offsets, presetting drills, loading bar stock, and other general machine maintenance. I then did an auditing project that involved going through a checklist for about a dozen machines and ensuring that they were up to date on maintenance, were running properly, and were consistent with the systems on the computer. I also worked with the engineers on occasion making the necessary changes found in the audit. Another project I had was a tool loop assessment, in which I cross checked the tool lives in the system with the actual tool lives at the machines, and assured that tool loop sizes were adequate to meet the demand. Towards the end of my co/op, I trained a new operator on the machine I ran earlier in the summer.

Design your Dreams. Build your Future.

Jonathan
Major: Mechanical Engineering JR Automation allowed me the unique experience to explore multiple roles and disciplines of engineering. First I spent time as a Design Engineer where I created, checked, and released detailed prints for mechanical assemblies. I also was given the opportunity to design some mechanical components for machines. This was a great introduction into the design process. Second I spent time as a Concept & Cost Development Engineer where I developed concepts and processes to achieve customer requirements/goals. Here I worked directly with customers and sales engineers to develop a solution and provide a detailed quotation of proposed work. This allowed me more insight into the business management side of the company. Lastly, I spent time as a Controls Engineer, which is not typical of a mechanical engineering rotation. Here I was able to get an introduction into what role an electrical engineer plays in the automated manufacturing world. Here I was tasked with assisting in the design and programming of a machines control system. This included an introduction to robotics, vision systems, and ladder logic machine programming. This cross-discipline training will provide me with knowledge and experience that is invaluable.

L3 Avionics Mechanical Engineering Co-op

Kevin
Major: Mechanical Engineering I mainly helped design tooling for the testing equipment. I used both SolidWorks and AutoCAD to create 3-D models and engineering drawings for the parts we need to make. I also created and modified assembly drawings and schematics for cables that we would use for testing.

Summer 2014 Co-op

Alec
Major: Mechanical Engineering I have worked on a several projects throughout the semester, all of which varied in both size and subject matter. My first project consisted of a total redesign of the mechanical systems (HVAC, mechanical equipment, and domestic plumbing) of an elementary school in the KPS school system. I also did several HVAC energy models for a medical care facility as well as cooling design project for Western University's Read Arena.

Summer Co-Op for GVSU School of Engineering

Robert
Major: Mechanical Engineering As an intern my primary purpose was to handle sub-projects to keep the launch moving along. Due to my previous experience with the company and the division I was able to go into the co-op handling larger projects. Primarily I was assisting an engineer who was handling the launch of two toolsets that would run production in another plant.

Summer co-op

Husam
Major: Mechanical Engineering I worked on incoming inspection for prototypes and engineering changes. I also did corrective actions submissions for repeated quality issues, and worked on an 8D project.

Manufacturing Engineer

Michael
Major: Mechanical Engineering As a manufacturing engineer, I was responsible for designing, maintaining, and improving our facilities secondary operations equipment. Basically any operations that had to be done to parts after injection molding falls under a manufacturing engineers responsibility. I designed prototype equipment to cut blow molded tubes. I implemented a sensor to determine thickness of parts. I coordinated an engineering change to add labels to parts. And I learned the ins and outs of working with other vendors that design machines to perform operations that our parts required.

Brian's Haworth Internship

Brian
Major: Mechanical Engineering While I worked in the wood plant with manufacturing engineers, I learned how to make organizational decisions related to a manufacturing plant. In seating product engineering, I participated in cost reduction projects and quality improvements.

AUTODIE Internship

Luke
Major: Mechanical Engineering I helped to make the company more efficient and productive by trying to eliminate wasteful activities. I standardized the concentration of coolant in the large Okuma CNC machines and in the cutoff saws and grinders. I compared the white light scans of the castings to the designs sent to the pattern shop to determine if we were adding to much casting to the parts that needed to be machined which would eliminate the amount and save money. I analyzed the data from the machines of all the times they weren't working on a job in order to find the most wasteful activities and tried to reduce the amount of time not cutting a job.

Engineering Co-op

Jack
Major: Mechanical Engineering I was in the cost and concept development department. This is also called quoting or applications engineering. I quoted various machines for companies were looking for a machine or system to fit their needs. This meant if a company need a part assembled, test, or moved that they would tell JR the specifications and request a quote. I created the concepts and the basic layout of the machine they required and would put a price to it. This involved working with teams of design, build, and controls engineers.

Engineer Intern

Austin
Major: Mechanical Engineering Most of the projects I've taken on this semester have been ones that I can handle rather comfortably. Some have them have been a little more intricate though, like designing parts that will go into a job. I still know I can ask experienced engineers that will gladly help me with whatever I'm working on. The engineers at the place I worked know it will take time to get accustomed to the work that they do. Even when I get urgent jobs, they will still help me like time isn't a concern.

RDI Experience

Eric
Major: Mechanical Engineering There were many projects and responsibilities that I had contributed to during the Engineering Co-op semester. One of the first projects that I worked on was to reverse engineer a simple ninja star gauge that was used to measure the tolerance of castings. Creo Parametric was used for all CAD modeling work. I gained experience placing the casting models on the parting line skins as well as creating the gating, casting vents, super vents, fire sticks, and crash pins. I did not work much with the design of risers, but I did however learn to manipulate existing risers to accommodate different casting models. Sample travelers needed to be checked daily and I was assigned to do so. Each day I was responsible for checking to see if there were any samples that scheduled to run the following day.. The sample traveler indicates what properties need to be examined during a sample run including; shrink analysis, microstructure, magnetic particle inspection, and capability. I also underwent fork-lift training which allowed me to put away high volume patterns once cleaned with an air compressor. I was responsible for checking if there were any breaks or cracks on each tool that was used.

First Co-op

Matthew
Major: Mechanical Engineering Calculate the tools, methods, timing to form the design concept. Researching and contacting other suppliers to gather costs of each part and process, to provide an estimate for the customer.

Project Engineer Co-op

Collin
Major: Mechanical Engineering I was assigned to help with installing a double cone tumbler to mix all the pellets for one order but that came off different extruders so they might be slightly different colors. Tumbling the batched together assures a homogeneous mix. The tasks for installing the tumbler included planning how to load the tumbler and clean it as well as helping with testing and any problems we encountered. It was decided to load the tumbler by using a vacuum to create a low-pressure system inside the tumbler. The cleaning was done by water as well as air to dry it. I was to help with hooking up all these lines and designing the manifold which controls all these lines. I also helped pull wire for the tumbler and created drawings for the electrical schematics. I was also tasked with a project to redesign a Rotex pellet sifter to fit a different machine. This was done by shortening the stand and ordering v-casters to ride on angle iron to prevent the machine from moving while in use. I also had to find a new way to load the Rotex for the new machine. This was done by using a different hookup from Siftex to allow for quick connect and easy cleaning. Another project I had was to create a stand for a vacuum loader to load pellets from one Gaylord to another. I did this by creating a simple stand on four wheels and drawing up a plate for the loader to fit on and then create a swivel chute to easily maneuver between barrels being loaded. With these projects, I was also assigned to help with most 3D drawings for the other projects going on in the process engineering department and parts ordering for these projects. I also helped update electrical, plumbing, and plant layout drawings for the whole plant as things changed. I was also sent to the Mexico plant for a week to update all the electrical and plant layout drawings after a new water system was put in place.

Flexco - 1st Rotation

Daniel
Major: Mechanical Engineering My main project this summer dealt with creating quality control documents that will be used throughout the company to decrease the possibility of non-conforming parts making their way to the customer. I also worked on creating and implementing a capability study on Flexco's plasma cutter. Both of these projects involved working in cross-functional teams with almost every department within Flexco. Additionally I helped resolve day to day quality issues as they arose and created work instruction documents that are used to train employees to do processes they had not previously done.

Quality Engineering in Sheet Metal

Kyle
Major: Mechanical Engineering I worked in the quality department. On a day to day basis I aided in the high-detail inspection of products going through the shop. But all the time I was there I also had a major project going on in the background. I started off working on measuring and quantifying defective rates on DeWys' most difficult products, throughout production. This allowed me to gain in-depth insight into the processes and gain a significant knowledge about working with sheet metal. Then I took on a job researching new ways for our paint-line to mask their products. I was able to work with the upper management and eventually present my findings and recommendations to the leadership. Finally I researched lighting solutions in the shop. I worked with vendors, team leaders, and our management to present a final recommendation on what type of system should be installed.

Personal & Professional Growth

Jonathan
Major: Mechanical Engineering My role in the organization for the last four (4) months can be defined as concept and cost development. I provided customers with solution concepts in the form of a quote. This document provides a system description, concept (3D model), and detailed cost breakdown.

Engineering Co-Op - Innotec Corporation

Matthew
Major: Mechanical Engineering The majority of my tasks focused on production of parts. I spent and average of 35 hours plus per week being responsible for production. This entailed everything from organizing incoming materials, organizing outgoing materials, filling materials needed for production, taking out scrap from production, cleaning up production areas, doing change overs between production models, fixing issues with production, and all other aspects of making products. The remainder of my time was spent in meetings, ordering spare parts for my group, tracking internal scrap and rework parts, and preparing for the monthly divisional competition. The amount of time spent on engineering tasks was negligible.

2nd Co-Op Semester

Robert
Major: Mechanical Engineering I assisted with the launch of a laser cutting machine that was design to cut steel pieces to size. I completed tasks relating to controls, programming, mechanical design and debug, and machine prove out for launch.

Innotec - Visors

Zachary
Major: Mechanical Engineering While working in JVP covers, a cell which made visor covers, I completed projects, both large and small. I worked on a device that removed the pins from scrapped parts so that the remaining plastic part could be used as regrind in another cell's process. I also got experience working on controls in order to optimize the molding process, as well as streamlining the process.

Process Support Engineer

Derek
Major: Mechanical Engineering Most of my semester was spent managing and supporting final assembly production lines. The tasks I performed required leadership, management of resources, and social and technical skills. When off the production floor, I worked on several continuous improvement projects and was able to implement them on the production lines during the time I was here.

EGR 390 Co-op Experience

Matt
Major: Mechanical Engineering Throughout the semester I worked closely with technicians and Engineers to help develop parts through the prototype phase of development.

2nd Co/op at Autocam

Brandi
Major: Mechanical Engineering I worked with the engineers on process improvements and quality issues.