Koops Mechanical Engineering Co-op
Adam
Experience Information
Employer: Koops
Job Title: Mechanical Engineering Co-op
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Koops Inc. designs and manufactures custom factory automation equipment. The equipment is designed to improve and increase efficiency of business operations. The design process includes on-site visits, customer design cooperation, frequent design reviews, in build process engineering changes, wiring, plumbing, programming, and launch adjustment. Koops works with several companies including Johnson Controls, Stryker, Magna, International Automotive Components, MSPE, Groupo, and many more.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
As a mechanical engineering co-op I was placed as the lead mechanical engineering on projects, assigned to work on engineering changes for machines that have been shipped to the production plant, traveled to several productions plants, worked one-on-one with several customers, participated in and lead design reviews, and worked on designs with other mechanical engineers. Koops ensures that their co-ops are treated as mechanical engineers as soon as they enter the workplace. I would say that my experience was nothing short of having a full-time engineering position at Koops.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
I was able to work with customers, gain experience through design reviews with customers and peers, extend my knowledge and use of SolidWorks, creating a bill of materials, working with quotes for machines with the business development team, communicate with the machine assembly group to gain feedback about my designs, and developing business relationships with customers and vendors.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite part of the co-op experience was being in charge of my own projects. Over the last few months I was assigned to be the lead mechanical engineer on several projects. This meant I worked directly with our customers to develop a design to increase their productivity and efficiency.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
Koops has made me realize exactly what type of mechanical engineering I would like to pursue. Factory automation is a field where every project is unique, you have a new project to work on every three months, you must be very creative to solve unique problems, and development of relationships with each customer is unique.