Chippewa Valley Times

It was the moment of truth for a team of UW-Stout engineering majors. As peers, professors, and industry representatives gathered around, they engaged the manufacturing prototype they had created.

In about 10 seconds, their cube-shaped device housing numerous moving parts and approximately 250 components perfectly achieved what they had been working on for nine months: pneumatically feeding a hinge to the precise spot where Phillips-head drivers moved in to install two screws into a hinge assembly.

To the engineers looking on, it was poetry in motion.

The nVent hinge team gathered around their design: Caleb Rathje, Mack Klafter, Gervase Thompson, Evan Zaves, and Andrew Hoeft.

The Fryklund Hall lab demonstration was one of 12, preceded by detailed classroom presentations during the final two weeks of the spring semester Senior Design Experience capstone course. A total of 60 students majoring in manufacturing, mechanical, and computer and electrical engineering developed solutions for real manufacturing problems while building their skills and confidence as they prepare to begin their careers.

The hinge assembly project was closely watched by its sponsor, nVent, a $3 billion-a-year global company based in St. Louis Park, Minn., that makes electrical products. Hinges in some nVent products are currently installed by hand. The UW-Stout team demonstrated that this process can be automated with robotics.

“It’s cool to see it finally come to life and have the motion we were hoping for,” said Evan Zaves from Hortonville, a senior in manufacturing engineering. He added that the team did a “really good job with machining” the parts to one-1,000th of an inch to help their prototype operate smoothly.

Other corporations sponsoring student work included Viracon, Fastenal, DiaSorin, Industrial Heat Transfer, Loos Machine and Automation, St. Croix Tactical Manufacturing and Graco. Several companies sponsored more than one project.

Project challenges involved automation processes such as developing a pressure regulator, adaptive fluid monitor system to manage machine chips drill and ream jig tilt table material handling cart mesh shear part marker for threaded rods quality control device for threaded rods

Viracon sponsored handling cart and tilt table projects aiming to automate steps in its process of manufacturing industrial glass for large buildings. The automatic handling cart rotated so two sides could be loaded while communicating with a robot on the production line — theoretically without touching the glass panels. The tilt table used built-in pistons to push 200-400-pound boxes onto a cart which attaches with an electromagnet during loading controlled by software systems

From Viracon Senior Engineering Manager Peter Kuhlman witnessed aspects of both projects that could be incorporated into final design solutions especially citing material handling cart team which "achieved more than anyone should expect from engineering students."

“I am very impressed by the students professors program,” he said citing great communication teams effective development design review processes

“I hope this is beginning ongoing partnership It’s really win-win-win; students get real-world experience we get solution problem hopefully this can turn pipeline engineering talent our company I hope sponsor projects every year moving forward work professors make sure providing best possible learning opportunities students” Kuhlman said

He has invited professors tour Viracon’s production facility help identify new student projects “I can’t wait see what comes this partnership” he said

More than 20 ongoing projects

Along with projects completed spring others underway will finish end fall semester while new ones also begin fall — more than 20 industry collaborations any given time

Sponsoring companies provide full financial support all needed equipment materials testing ideas build final products or systems Students had stay within budgets ranged from $5K-$20K although one budget was $110K because it used two robots They also submitted project documents companies

Assistant Professor Danny Bee Senior Lecturer Glenn Bushendorf Instrumentation Coordinator Paul Craig were project advisers worked closely students labs industry sponsors

“The true value our Senior Design Experience allow developing engineers practice stage gate-driven design project build” said Bee noting methodology includes built-in reviews “Our students know how design build their projects”

Senior Design Experience blends all three university tenets applied learning research business industry collaboration career-focused experiences

Craig new program director manufacturing engineering said experience prepares students smooth transition workforce “They begin careers leg up other engineering graduates because extensive laboratory-based instruction which polytechnic university known” he said

Graduates mechanical manufacturing engineering programs 2022-23 reported 100% employment average starting salary more than $70K according new university First Destination Report

UW-Stout’s Robert F Cervenka School Engineering also has program plastics engineering bachelor’s program engineering technology master’s manufacturing engineering available campus online

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