Summer 2015 Engineering Co-op
Zachary
Experience Information
Employer: Innotec
Job Title: Engineering Intern
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Innotec designs and manufactures innovative products and processes using advanced automation techniques. They employ over 300 people in four countries with around 200 of those employees working in Zeeland. Innotec believes that what makes them a great company is not only from their success in industry, but also by their efforts in giving back to the community. The company is based on biblical principals and created a culture in which every employee is expected to use their talents to improve the lives of others.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
During the summer I was part of a five man cell that operates an automated assembly machine that produces electrical parts for Haworth office furniture. Daily tasks for the cell included being machine responsible to make sure the machine is running smoothly, daily machine maintenance, machine repair, and design for new machine processes or re-design existing processes. I spent a lot of time working on projects to improve the efficiency of the assembly machine that I worked on as well as a quality check station re-design for another machine in my building.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
From this experience I learned a lot about how to troubleshoot and diagnose machine systems that include pneumatic cylinders, die presses, electric motors, and various sensors. By learning how these different components interact I was able to use this knowledge when designing new machine parts and process to improve efficiency. Not only did I develop hands on skills working with the machine but I also improved my skills working with a team. With my cell containing five engineers I worked closely with them on projects and was able to practice developing and explaining my ideas with the members of my team.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite part of the co-op experience was being able to design a part for my cell's machine and then be able to install that part and see how it effects the efficiency of the machine.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
This experience has made me want to continue to grow and become a great engineer who can lead a team of others. After working with lead engineers in my building I have seen how much knowledge they have in the field of engineering and want to strive to acquire just as much knowledge as they have.