Mechanical Engineering Co-op
Austin
Experience Information
Employer: Adient
Job Title: Intern
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Adient is the world's largest automotive seat manufacturer, with 86000+ employees and 250+ plants worldwide. Originally under Johnson Controls, Adient became independent in 2016.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
During my co-op, I worked on a range of projects dealing with robotic welding cells used for the assembly of auto seat frames. My work was mainly focused on the fixtures that the seat assemblies are welded in, modifying components or creating new ones using SolidWorks to help save money, meet new customer requirements, or increase quality of life for operators.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
I gained a lot of experience using SolidWorks modeling, learning more from a machinist's point of view on how to model logically for easy machining. I also gained knowledge of proper methods of documentation for drawings and operator description sheets. Along with these, I gained hands-on knowledge through inspecting, adjusting, and replacing components in the cells.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite part of my co-op experience was being given new and unique assignments almost daily, with many requiring unique solutions. The balance of office work and hands-on work in the plant always kept my experience interesting and engaging, and the impact of some of the work involved gave me a sense of worth in the company.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
This experience helped me learn more about what the engineering environment consists of as a whole. It also influenced me to want to make a career in an industry with little stagnation and new issues to tackle all the time, keeping the work interesting.