3rd Co op at Disher
Zachary
Experience Information
Employer: Disher Design and Development
Job Title: Engineering Co op
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Disher Design and Development is a company located in Zeeland, Michigan. It provides engineering support on a broad spectrum. The company philosophy is to take a product from "napkin to launch", meaning that it can help an individual or company develop a visual concept or put the finishing touches on a product in order to get it on the shelves at local stores. This company would be considered a product design and manufacturing company however most of the engineers are mechanical engineers.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
I built a parade float for a non-profit organization known as Ready For School. It is pictured as my title photo. I designed the entire float by myself. I was able to then build the float with the help of another co op student. I built a battery cart to transfer Chevy Volt batteries that are defective and exploding. The cart had to contain the vapors and gases being released from the battery. The cart had to withstand extreme heat and chemical exposure. I learned a lot about designing the cart in CAD as well as dealing with supplies to have it made. I also worked on a lot of internal projects around the office. Many projects i worked on I would provide support to an engineer for a small part of the main project. It was nice because i got to get my hands on many different projects of many different fields. i worked on some office furniture projects as well as some automotive.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
i learned a lot of CAD design work, specifically in SolidWorks. I became very knowledgeable in 3D printing. I got a lot of experience doing brainstorming for various product ideas. I did some work making prototypes as well.
Favorite Part of the Experience
I liked designing projects in CAD and then sending them out for fabrication. It was nice to see a finished product i had made myself.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
I think i might work at Disher in the future. I am an ME student but working at Disher has opened me up to product design. That is what i think i enjoy the most