EGR 390 - 2nd Co-op Rotation - Mechanical Design Intern
Kaylor
Experience Information
Employer: Towerpinkster
Job Title: Mechanical Design Intern
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Towerpinkster is an architecture and engineering firm with offices located in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Grand Haven, and New Albany with over 200 total employees. Towerpinkster provides a variety of services to clients including architecture, engineering systems and assessments, landscape design, and interior design. The company follows a team dynamic with project managers organizing all projects as the employees of the different disciplines work together to find solutions. This provides a degree of communication to the work place and allows for ideas to spread and evolve.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
As an intern with little experience in the industry, I mostly do existing drawings based on "as-built" prints whenever possible. However I also have done load calculations for buildings, HVAC piping design, domestic plumbing design, demolition design, and some sheet metal design as well. I have also looked through specifications and cut sheets to calculate which mechanical equipment would be the best performance, as well as efficiency calculations based on utility bills for certain buildings. Every week I find myself doing something new for different projects based on what work needs to be done and who needs help at that time.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
This rotation, I was able to learn the entire process of going through a load calculation. I was also able to learn about sheet metal design and calculations. I also was taught how HVAC piping design is done with calculations, as well as some domestic piping in addition to sanitary and storm drainage piping. I learn something new almost everyday by working alongside professional mechanical engineers and designers, as there are so many ways to go about a solution in mechanical design.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite part about my co-op experience is always being invited to go on site visits. This time around, I wasn't able to go on as many because of the weather and the time of year. However, I was able to learn more stuff and implement my own design into actual plans that will be constructed and that is very exciting. I hope that by next rotation these designs will be in construction so I can go on a site visit again and be able to see my work in person.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
I love my co-op. I love my job and responsibilities, as well as the aspect of team-work mixed in with independent ideas and design. This experience has definitively influenced my future career goals because I would love to do this as my career. I never knew much about the industry prior, nor have I really taken any classes that directly apply to it yet (but I will be in the future). Because of that, I would never have known about the industry and how much I love it if it were not for the co-op experience.
Internship Format
In Person