It's Hard to Stop A Trane
David
Experience Information
Employer: Trane
Job Title: Intern Creative Solutions Engineer
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Trane is a global provider of air conditioning (HVAC), heating, and ventilating systems. Trane Creative Solutions (CST), which I was involved in, deals heavily in the modification of factory Trane units in order to fulfill additional customer demands that factory units are unable to accomplish without modification. Through these services, Trane has become a leader in the HVAC market, offering modifications such as Hot Gas Bypass and Variable Speed Compressors (and Digital Scroll Compressors) which allow the unit to meet the exact desires of the customer while saving the company money through energy savings and the environment by cutting unnecessary energy waste.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
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.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
This semester, I advanced my knowledge of the refrigeration cycle, and the minute modifications that can be made to drastically improve or hinder the overall performance capabilities of the unit. With this knowledge, I was able to complete jobs at a higher difficulty level, assisting the engineers in whatever way I could. I continued to hone my skills in ProE as well as AutoCAD. I also learned the importance of effective communications, and to treat each interaction with a fellow engineer as a one to two minute meeting. This helped me to successfully ask questions and receive a response that might not have been available if I did not bring the engineer successfully up to speed on what the job was, where I was, and what I thought the course of action should be. Communication is one of the most vital aspects in any workplace.
Favorite Part of the Experience
I would say seeing the advancements from where I started to the level that I am at now. My AutoCAD abilities far exceed those of when I started, and I have been able to successfully navigate the ProE program as well. The most rewarding part of the job for me is knowing that my input matters, even if it seems trivial. My work is no longer just for a grade, it counts now. For instance, in the weeks I spent updating the controls templates and the components that went into them. Yes it was somewhat tedious at times, but now my coworkers can save a large amount of time and effort using them, because they know that they are correct, as well as the presence of other components now in the AutoCAD design center.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
This co-op experience has given me the tools to succeed later in life. I am not sure what road lies ahead for me, but I know that I am definitely better prepared for it. Through my time at Trane, I have gained vital communication skills and workplace experience, giving me a foot in the door for what lies after graduation. While this may not be the sect of engineering that I expected to find myself in, interning here has done nothing but benefit my future in engineering.