Herman Miller Options Engineering Co-op
Taylor
Experience Information
Employer: Herman Miller
Job Title: Options Engineering Co-op
Major: Product Design and Manufacturing Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
Herman Miller, Inc., based in Zeeland, Michigan, is a major American manufacturer of office furniture, equipment and home furnishings. It is a 100-year-old-plus company that places great importance on design, the environment, community service, and the health and well-being of our customers and our employees. Its award-winning furniture and related services and technologies are available through dealers, retailers, and e-commerce websites around the world.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
I engineer a customer's special order that has deviations from the standard furniture product. I choose which products I want to engineer prioritized by order date. It starts with research on the standard products and the changes that were quoted. Then, I create the appropriate CAD parts and drawings that are needed for the order. The bill of materials would be altered by creating new parts, adding existing parts, and/or removing parts in order to match the order. I self check all of my work, then pass it onto another engineer to audit. My product is then signed off and sent to the next step towards manufacturing.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
I learned how to problem solve design issues and customer specific deviations. I also strengthened my technical verbal and written communication.
Favorite Part of the Experience
I contributed to our goal everyday and could actually see the support I made in the team. The collaborative and open environment contributed to my progression in the position.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
I will be continuing with this position full-time after I graduate. I now have more thought in how I want to make progress within the department to further our output. My mentor and management have given me a lot of insight in how to get the most out of my experience here at Herman Miller.