ME Co-op at BISSELL: Rotation #3
Carlos
Experience Information
Employer: BISSELL Homecare, Inc.
Job Title: Engineering Co-op
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
BISSELL Homecare, Inc. provides a wide variety of home cleaning appliances which include vacuum cleaners, upright and portable deep cleaners, hard surface cleaners, hand-held cleaners, and cleaning formulas. Melville R. Bissell and his wife, Anna, owned a crockery shop in downtown Grand Rapids in which sawdust cleanup was a continuous problem. Melville's solution was to invent a unique carpet sweeper that was then patented in 1876. The sweeper gained traction throughout the nation and the company was formed shortly after. BISSELL Homecare Inc. is now a global company but still maintains its headquarters in Grand Rapids, MI - more than 135 years later.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
I have done many smaller tasks throughout the semester which consisted of performing tests and organizing data for reports, but I have worked on two large projects that have spanned the entire semester; liftoff/pivot project and MTU fixture project. In the liftoff/pivot project I was presented with a set of problems and issues with a new product platform and was asked to design/develop a solution to those issues. Concept generation, design calculations, CAD work, physical prototyping, and a final design presentation were all stages of this project. The MTU fixture project consisted of reprogramming a motor for a test fixture. This required calculations to determine a new gearhead and motor to purchase and further calculations to effectively code the programmable motor. Along with this, I was also tasked with training certain individuals on the device and provided documentation for future users of the fixture.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
I learned to work with motor programming, the design process (including design calculations), and to work under time constraints.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite part of this co-op rotation was the greatly increased responsibility. I was given much to do throughout the semester, but had little supervision. This allowed me to figure out how to best solve problems on my own and work toward a solution with little help from other. That being said, there was always someone willing to help if I did need help and this was also a great benefit.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
I feel much more confident in my abilities to function as an Engineer and therefore also feel very prepared to begin my search for my first entry-level engineering position.