Advanced Manufacturing Engineer
Eric
Experience Information
Employer: Flexfab LLC
Job Title: Advanced Manufacturing Engineer
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Flexfab is one of the world's top manufacturers for high-performance silicone hoses and polymer compounds. This company was started in 1961 in Hastings, Michigan and they now have over 1,000 employees. In addition to their Michigan locations, they also have locations in Europe, South America, and China. Flexfab is made up of four different business units: Heavy-Duty Truck, Automotive, Aerospace, and Locomotive. This diversification helps create a consistent revenue stream regardless of market fluctuations. Products manufactured by Flexfab include silicone hoses and ducts, assemblies, thermoformed ducts, and foam panel ducts.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
Day to day activities includes quoting, part setup, tooling design, material deficiency report review, and change-order processing. I also managed two projects: one was the acquisition and logistics of a new gas-fired oven (dims: 16ft x 10ft) and the other was the design and execution of a new 10.1 HP lathe. Both pieces of equipment were installed at the M-43 location.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
Over the course of the semester, I would say I have gained the most experience in project management. In order for your project to be successful it is important to facilitate communication between different disciplines, especially during the project's conception. If key pitfalls and bottlenecks are not addressed, the project may not be successful.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite part of working at Flexfab is the sheer number of individuals I'm able to work with from varying disciplines on a daily basis. It is often the case at companies that your work is very compartmentalized, but at Flexfab you learn many aspects of what it takes to run a business. When issues arise, I feel it is much easier to understand how the issue can be resolved with a basic understanding of how the company operates.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
The switch from Application Engineering to Manufacturing Engineering has been a bit of a challenge, but I feel that I am more of a well-rounded engineer having gained the experience this semester. It is extremely important that the two respective disciplines interact and communicate as much as possible to ensure the success of a given project. In the future, I hope to continue increasing my level of communication and use my knowledge to manage engineering teams.