S24 First Co-Op Rotation
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Experience Information
Employer: Herman Miller
Job Title: Tool & Machine Design Engineering
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Herman Miller, headquartered in Zeeland, is a global manufacturer of home and office furnishings. I currently work with the Machine Tool Services (MTS) automation engineering group, which is located at the distribution center near Holland. While consisting of 7-8 members, MTS designs and builds requested machines and tools for each of the Herman Miller sites located across West Michigan.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
During my first rotation, I mostly worked on making small additions to larger assemblies that the team has been working on for months. For example, if a change or modification is requested for an existing station on the floor, I would be tasked with designing and releasing my assembly.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
During my time at Herman Miller, I've gotten much better at modeling within SolidWorks, a very popular CAD software. Working at a large company, there was a steep learning curve when it came to getting used to the design standard of the MTS automation group. Similarly, I think I've gotten much better at reading and designing engineering drawings, which are pivotal to getting a design fully built.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite part of my co-op experience was being able to design parts and assemblies. It's something that I've missed out on during previous internships and that I've looked forward to for a long time. It's been fun to design tool prototypes and slowly refine my design over time.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
This co-op experience has given me an in-depth look on what it's like to work as a professional design engineer at a large company. So far, I've enjoyed my time here and look forward to coming back for my next two rotations.
Internship Format
In Person