Experience Matters - Grand Valley State University

Co-op 2

James
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering During my time at Trans-Matic I completed many engineering related tasks. One of these projects involves improving the current process of drying and demagnetizing the media that is used to deburr one of our parts. The media consists of tiny stainless steel pins that are ~0.019" in diameter and ~0.125" long. In the current process the media is dried using an electric skillet. A previous intern developed a concept using a pneumatic vibrator attached to a sort of runway below a heat lamp that would dry the media as it was vibrated slowly down the track and into a bowl at the end. Through many tests I found more flaws and fixed them until we found that it was becoming too expensive and complicated to finish. I then came up with a completely new design which I will complete in my final week. I also researched and contacted outside suppliers of high speed cameras with hopes to purchase one for use with our presses. There is a meeting scheduled for 04/25 to determine which one we will purchase. Additionally I came up with energy consumption values using Ohm's law and measurements taken directly from the presses and a couple other assembly machines. With these values we were able to figure out how much money it was costing the company to run them.

Steelcase Co-Op1

Mark
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering -Cost Reduction projects on Hosu, Visalia, Millbrae, and SW_1 chairs. -Involved in a few brand new start up product lines. -TPS project: Documentation of test specification on existing products. -Only engineer on importing some new products -Ganging project: Modeled and Prototyped a panel clip to resolve an issue on an existing product.

Interning at Trans-Matic

Nicholas
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering My first rotation at Trans-Matic began with updating 3D cad prints using the Pro-E software. This job was a constant throughout the rotation due to the large amount of requested changes. Intertwined with the 3D updates, I was placed on several projects such as designing a conveyor system to sit in the back of one of the presses to remove scrap or redesigning a spindle head to better fit parts placed on them.

Product Design at Knape & Vogt

Alex
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering I worked in the Product Engineering department on new product development and the improvement of current products. Daily tasks included 3D modeling of design ideas that turned into either making or ordering prototype components and any all new designs needed research and calculations to prove they could be effective or not. Those products would then have to be presented in a clear manner that explained their workings for other employee's to understand. Also completed testing of the prototypes as well as current production products to compare to competitor products with data analysis of testing done to present to other employee's and give recommendations on the best option to proceed.

Working at Steelcase

Mark
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering -Worked on and involved in multiple different projects involving a variety of existing and new products - Chairs and Tables. -Worked on a sustainability project for a single product by organizing a full Bill of Materials for both EMEA and NA. -Worked on multiple projects with life cycle management (LCM) -> Cost reducing existing products by changing materials or changing the design by reducing the material used, but not decreasing the strength and integrity of the product. -Worked on developing mechanism plate for a new products chair - Worked on CAD modeling, prototyping, and organized and evaluated all FEA and physical testing to comply Steelcase standards. -Worked on a power management for a new table product - brainstorming, modeling, and testing to follow codes and compliance. -Organized, packed, and attained the materials for large important shipments to Europe for trade shows. -Created prints/drawings for a variety of products for supplier quotes and manufacturing. Worked on a HOT customer complaint issue by scientifically testing and proving multiple solutions.

Work Instructions

Dustin
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering Over the course of my second co-op experience, I wrote work instructions for different areas of the plant. The areas were the test stand for bypass valves, compressor assembly, and UPS shipping area. The instructions included steps and pictures for each step to eliminate confusion for the operator. I designed different ideas for a lifting device for one of their compressors. I also updated the plant layout for the core area of the foundry for equipment that was rearranged.

Co-op 2

Heather
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering I continued a project I started in my first co-op semester designing a reduced weight cast stadium seat part, which included testing samples from China, further design revisions, and being introduced to the world of documentation. I also worked on a few R&D projects that included 3D printing prototypes, such as a part that would prevent fold-up seats from being able to fold and another part that would prevent damage to a pivot assembly during transportation. Other assignments I had were doing CAD work for developing a multifunctional part for stadium seats that would greatly reduce the number of types of parts we produce, and general CAD and drawing work for other smaller projects.

Attwood MotorGuide

Forrest
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering cost saves, part improvements, sample mockup, basic electrical work, CAD design via NX.

CAE Engineering Co-op

Steven
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering I have worked on modal, static, dynamic and CFD analysis using creo to simulate real world scenarios. I have had the opportunity to perform analysis's on the new and upcoming cars. Everyday at Magna brings a new idea of something we need to test through CAE.

Lasting Impressions

Hayden
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering This was my third and final rotation at GHSP. Over the course of the semester, I was tasked with different root cause analysis assignments. I helped record and track a major failure as well as work with the team designated to solve it. We made some major breakthroughs and I found a lot of valuable information from my data. I was also given the failures from our dyno tester to sort and analyze. I've helped look through and determine the causes of some of these varying failure methods we have seen.

Manufacturing Engineering at Haworth

Kevin
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering During my time at Haworth I worked in the laminated products plant where the worksurface, casegood products and some panel components are made. I was able to attend a couple of Kaizen events where a team was brought together to tackle a project within a relatively short period of time. During these events I was tasked with creating and developing CAD drawings of the plant layout and help with determining ways of overcoming problems and improving productivity.

NASA Langley Research Center Internship

Amanda
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering Over the course of my internship I worked in the Systems Integration and Test Branch (SITB). I worked with both technicians and engineers in day-to-day operations and both preparations and running of thermal vacuum tests. I was also given the opportunity to complete and present a project that took the full semester. During thermal testing contaminants are collected on cryogenic surfaces. This is included in the test because the hardware will be operating in space where there is high fluctuations in temperature depending on which side of Earth the equipment is on. When the equipment moves from the hot side to the cold side there is a possibility of a condensation-like film that can occur on the surfaces. The purpose of the cryogenic surface is to collect the partials that will cause the film and remove them from the hardware. It also allows for the particles to be evaluated to determine the degree of danger they possess to the hardware. My project was to write a procedure about how to evaluate the rinse from the cryogenic surface using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy.

Engineering at Koops

Michael
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering I worked as a launch engineer, verifying the mechanical and electrical designs of the machines. Confirming machine functionality and debugging design, controls, or electrical issues all played a role in my day to day tasks.

Learning and Growing at JR

Brittany
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering I finalized drawings, bills of materials, master parts lists (MPLs) and also designed parts for builders as necessary. I learned a great deal about excel coding and as this was my second term in design I was able to practice and reinforce JR design processes and standards. As unexciting as excel coding sounds it was actually quite interesting and involved. I was actually able to automate the process of building a master parts list and was able to share that with our customer which felt great.

Manufacturing Engineering at Herman Miller

Nicole
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering The main project that I completed this semester was a capacity study for a variety of machines. A capacity study determines how many products a machine is able to produce in a given period of time. This helps in high-level decision making such as when to add another manufacturing shift or when to purchase more machines. I also worked on deciding if a proposed process improvement: to use a larger router bit to cut holes in the work surfaces, would be cost effective. I needed to compare the cost of the new bit to the cost of the smaller bit currently in production and also consider the benefit to Herman Miller that this change would provide. The last major project that I worked on was to begin organizing a system to track certain machine parts as they were shipped out for repair and as they were moved throughout the manufacturing plant from one machine to another. This would help us to detect quality issues and ensure that repairs were made to these parts in a timely manner.

Engineering Customized Product at Herman Miller

Andrew
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering I work in the options department on wood storage products. On top of this I investigated the use of a new 3d modeling software to see if it could be used to make our technical illustration creation process more efficient. And in this last semester I used my 3d modeling knowledge to help management solve some communication issues between the applications and engineering departments. It was good to see how management solves problems this semester.

Co-Op at Koops

Michael
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering At Koops, I interned in the controls department. This section of the company is concerned with programming the machines to perform the task desired. I worked on various projects that speed up manufacturing processes, programming the digital logic that commands the actions of the machine and the interface an operator uses to communicate with the machine. The controls team is able to help with design changes as the machine is dry run and debugged, as the project as designed often must receive further adjustments before it is shipped to the customer.

EGR 290 Co-op

Brian
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering On a regular basis I will make machine parts, frames, and plates from stock metal. First cutting them, then squaring them up with a mill or CNC, then drilling them where needed. I will assemble the frames and make risers from them, cut and finish tubes, attach casters to them, as well as finished plates to create a table. The table is the base which the entire machine is built upon. Some of the less complex parts I will cut from stock and finish myself.

Herman Miller - Manufacturing Engineering Co-Op

Nicole
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering I worked on a capacity study of their panel saws to determine how many parts could be produced every shift. This incorporated a variety of variables including different sized parts cut from a sheet of material, a different number of sheets cut at a single time, and varying ways to cut each sheet. I helped with new shop floor layouts that would create space for new machines that were on order and re-arranging the current work cells to accommodate the new machines. I also participated in a corporate Intern Project, which is different every year. This project that I worked on was evaluating the training of new hires in their Customer Service groups and providing recommendations to improve their training programs. These recommendations would allow them to have new hires prepared to assist customers faster and would help Herman Miller provide even more excellent customer service. Some other projects I did this year included: ergonomic assessments, designing fixtures, and designing guards for their hanging staple guns. The ergonomic assessments evaluate the movements of workers on the shop floor and determine if something needs to be changed in the process to help them to have more ergonomically friendly movements.

1 of 3 rotations at Attwood Marine

Forrest
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering I worked in the Quality Control lab, testing new products and old to ensure they meet up to standards largely created by the marine industry.

Irwin Seating: Co-op I

Heather
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering My main tasks consisted of drawing and modeling work. I did a full overhaul of the material information on the drawings of plastic parts, helped other engineers with making dimensioned drawings, I made drawings of assembled chair options illustrating the important dimensions for architects and installers, modeled and helped design a prototype that would reduce tooling costs, and I also modeled and made dimensioned drawings for new reduced weight parts which were being developed. Along with this, I also did some work with the 3D printer. I printed objects for other engineers and designed and printed an aesthetic part for a prototype

Options Engineer Co-op at Herman Miller

Andrew
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering I was in the options department which is responsible for all the customized products. Specifically I work in wood cabinets which surprisingly are the most complex modified products.

PDM co-op at Knape & Vogt

Alexander
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering I worked in the Product Engineering department on new product development and the improvement of current products. Daily tasks included 3D modeling of design ideas that turned into either making or ordering prototype components and any all new designs needed research and calculations to prove they could be effective or not. Those products would then have to be presented in a clear manner that explained their workings for other employee's to understand. Also completed testing of the prototypes as well as current production products to compare to competitor products with data analysis of testing done to present to other employee's and give recommendations on the best option to proceed.

Great Experience

Alex
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering Performed tests on current, competitor and prototype products to determine performance and analyzed the data to allow the engineering team to make informed decisions about what changes need to be made to make a product line better. Designed a self close and a push to open plastic module to fit inside the drawer slides that will one day be part of the KV product lineup.

Practical Experience

Reuben
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering During my Co-op, I was able to design several machines and machine components. I was also able to work on the shop floor and actually build/assemble one of the machines that I designed.