Largest and Great Company LG
Yoonsun
Experience Information
Employer: LG Chemicals in Holland
Job Title: Electrode Intern (Co-op
Major: Electrical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
As well known as, LG is one of largest company in the world. LG also has many affiliated companies; largely divided into electronics, chemicals, and telecommunication and service. Most of people know LG and they may have experience using their product. Electronics are making a cell phone, TV, refrigerator or laundry. Telecommunication and service is providing cell phone service or any service in Korea. Chemicals are making batteries. They are making various kinds of batteries for cell phone, energy storage system and HYBRID cars. In Michigan, there are two LG Chemicals located. One is battery manufacturing in Holland and another is R&D in Troy.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
About work experiences, LG Chemicals are dealing with lots of automation devices. I learned process of battery production. Electrically, I was also dealing with lots of automation program. I was not actually designed a program. However, I had experiences with finding a problem on PLC Program. Because I can speak Korean, I also worked with Korean technician. And then, I educated other engineers, operators and American technician.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
Mechanically, problem solution abilities and hands-on skills are required. Also, understanding process logic is important because the work requires improving solutions. LG Chemicals looks for a person who can suggest better process or improvement skills. For this, the person has to understand their process and logic of the automated machines. Electronically, understandings of process and program logic skills are required. All automated machines are programmed with Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). It is stable program for automated machines and easy to fix when they have problems. Designing PLC is not required because manufacturer designed all the programs. However, electrician or program technician needs to understand characteristics of machines and logic to solve problem in software. These are what Engineers mainly dealing with at LG Chemicals electronically and mechanically.
Favorite Part of the Experience
I have had Co-op experience at LG Chemicals in Holland. As LG is a Korean company, there are Korean Managers and last of engineers are American. I had chance to working at multi-cultured working environment. Cultures are not very different from each other, but there are some differences. The differences could be easily overcome because people were very nice and concerned me during work. What I was impressed from them was that they tried to have communication as many as they could. Manager asked engineers' opinions or concerns. They had listening attitude what others said because they believe it was a method to overcome culture differences. Moreover, it led good teamwork each other. If there was a problem, they shared ideas, suggested solution and responded quickly as team.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
I get interested in PLC program. As I introduced above, it is very efficient for control program for automated machines. I learned how important it is. So that, I am willing to learn this program deeply. I want to design a PLC program as control engineer for future career.