IPM Co-Op II - Beyond The Machine
Gavin
Experience Information
Employer: Integrated Packaging Machinery
Job Title: Mechanical Engineering Co-Op
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Integrated Packaging Machinery is an employee-owned solutions-based engineering company dedicated to quality service and providing experienced project management. We have developed a unique customer-driven approach to the supply of packaging machinery, which brands us as more than an equipment supplier; we have termed this "The IPM Method." IPM provides high quality packaging systems for a multitude of different products, primarily in the food industry. We specialize in developing turnkey packaging lines, where we provide integrated solutions throughout the line, from empty bottles to fully wrapped pallets. This involves a lot of custom machine design, as well as integrating our system partner's equipment. This application driven approach to machine building is what makes IPM an engineering company.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
This semesters experience was largely focused on a standardization project for several of our different conveyor product lines. The goals of this standardization project was to ultimately reduce delivery time from receipt of order to commissioning of a line. This required thinking outside of my traditional machine design roll, and focus more on processes and procedure than I would during a typical design process. During the course of this project, I spent a lot of time working with individuals throughout the company in a different capacity than I typically would throughout the course of a project. Aside from completing new equipment designs, I also worked with purchasing agents to develop new ordering strategies, mechanical builders on how to more efficiently deliver the information they need, as well as better equip our sales groups to accurately cost our equipment. I also worked to develop new process documents, libraries and templates, and finally trained my fellow engineers about how to best utilize the program. Once all of these deliverables were met, I helped apply the program to several customers' packaging lines and helped to realize the completion of customer's projects.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
I have worked at IPM as a machine designer for several years, concurrent with my educational career at Grand Valley, so I have some experience in design and development of new product lines. This experience helped me to think about the complete scope of a custom engineering project, and really analyze how an engineered solution moves from customer request to a functioning packaging line. I think this experience really challenged my design thinking and help me develop more of my project management skills. From a product development standpoint, completion of this project involved taking a lot of different individuals input and determining the bests solution to meet the needs of both IPM's internal and external customers. I think this will be very valuable in determining what is really required of something I am designing moving forward.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite part of the experiences at IPM is always the people that I work with. We have a great team of problem solving people here that make working through complex challenges a great deal of fun. Through the course of this project, I got to spend a lot of time brain storming with many of IPM's team members, not just my fellow engineers. This is something I really enjoy, as you get to see the diverse ways different people approach solving a problem, which always challenges how I think about potential solutions going forward.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
Every experience at IPM reaffirms that machine design and equipment integration is my real passion. Even when developing standards for product lines that we have built many times, there are always custom applications to consider, which make the product development and design processes a really engaging. I look forward to completing more challenging projects with IPM in the future.