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What I Did This Summer...Students Learn Valuable Project Development Experiences at Rose-Hulman Ventures
August 24, 2011
Alex Titus lifts his welding helmet and surveys the bead of weld
he just laid down. The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
senior mechanical engineering major spent the summer working on a
project at Rose-Hulman Ventures that provided the unique
opportunity to be involved with a project from concept to its
completion.
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Hands-On Learning: Alex Titus
studies the plans before putting the finishing touches on a welding
project that was part of his summer experiences at Rose-Hulman
Ventures. Titus, a senior mechanical engineering student,
learned valuable lessons about welding and other items about
product development.
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Rose-Hulman Ventures, a certified technology park located on
Rose-Hulman's South Campus, produces solutions for client companies
in a wide variety of industries. Along with way, Rose-Hulman
students are a vital part of multidisciplinary teams which solve
industrial technology challenges, while gaining valuable hands-on,
real-world experience.
"I worked with clients, talked to vendors, ordered components
and participated in a team with other disciplines," Titus explained
during a break in his welding assignment.
In addition to honing communication, management and
collaboration skills, Titus gained insight into designing for
manufacturability. The Highlands, N.J., native had never
welded before coming to Rose-Hulman Ventures.
"It's a lot of good work experience and really a level of
learning I wouldn't be able to attain in the classroom," he
adds.
Titus wasn't alone. In the electronics shop, sophomore
electrical engineering major Wesley McCullough soldered a custom
circuit board to provide the electronic components needed for
various projects. He kept track of inventory to
ensure that components were always on hand, and helped other
students acquire items necessary to complete their projects before
the end of the summer.
"I wanted a job that would give me good experience in the
field," said the Terre Haute native about this summer's
internship. "I liked going around to all the different
projects and seeing what they're doing."
Throughout his summer experience, McCullough gleaned valuable
knowledge from other disciplines.
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Looking At The Big Picture: Wesley McCullough, a sophomore
electrical engineering major, used state-of-the-art equipment to
examine circuit boards used for projects that were completed this
summer at Rose-Hulman Ventures.
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Learning About Technology: Daniel Dalenberg, a
senior mechanical engineering major, learned to use a water jet
cutter to create parts from aluminum. The equipment is part
of the state-of-the-art technology available at Rose-Hulman
Ventures.
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Down the hall at Rose-Hulman Ventures, Daniel Dalenberg of
Georgetown, Ill., could be found at the controls of the water jet
cutter as it sliced shapes out of a piece of aluminum.
"If you can draw it flat, you can cut it on the water jet," said
Dalenberg about the machine.
The water jet cutter is programmed to make parts based on
computer-aided design files students created for the custom
components needed for each project. Depending on the project,
students may use the machine to create parts from aluminum,
stainless steel, polycarbonate or other materials.
"We're building functional prototypes of the new designs we're
working on," Dalenberg explained of his work.
For the senior mechanical engineering major, working at
Rose-Hulman Ventures has sparked an interest in biomedical
design.
"It's a great biomedical engineering experience which I hope
will help me get into the industry when I graduate," Dalenberg
said.
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| Problem Solver: Han Yang helped design, build and test an
automated apparatus which will increase efficiency for a
Rose-Hulman Ventures client company. Yang is a senior
majoring in electrical engineering and mechanical
engineering. |
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In a nearby laboratory space, Han Yang tested the custom machine
she designed and built for a client in the biomedical
industry. The senior mechanical and electrical engineering
double major from China created an automated apparatus which will
increase efficiency for the client's manufacturing process.
"It's like a design from zero project," she said about her work
on the prototype. Yang used both her electrical and mechanical
engineering knowledge to create the machine, but the project also
provided a unique opportunity for hands-on experience. A
lathe, water jet cutter and other machine tools were used to create
the custom-made small parts necessary to build the device.
"Half the time I spent on this project was spent in the machine
shop," she said.
Yang also experienced the business side of product development,
meeting weekly with the client and learning about budgetary
concerns. She says her internship at Rose-Hulman Ventures has
given her valuable hands-on opportunities as well as clarity of
purpose for her career.
Rose-Hulman Ventures brings together outstanding students with
technology-based companies. For students, that means the best
engineering professional practice experience possible within an
academic program. For businesses, it means prototypes,
refining the design of existing products, and expanding current
engineering capabilities. Find out more at www.rhventures.org.