Robotics at its Best - CO-OP I
Ryan
Experience Information
Employer: JR Automation Technologies, LLC
Job Title: Controls Engineer
Major: Electrical Engineering
Received Credit: Yes
Paid: Yes
Abroad: No
Description of the Organization
JR Automation is a leader in factory automation, ranging from small one operator machines, to fully automated assembly lines.
Description of the Tasks/Projects Completed
My first month at JR involved editing electrical and pneumatic prints, minor PLC programming, and HMI programming for a large assembly line. After the assembly line was finished, I was assigned my own project. I started off by spec'ing the right components for the machine, and performing power and pneumatic calculations. The next step was electrical, pneumatic, and control panel design. After the design and bill of materials were approved by the customer, I started the PLC and HMI programming. The last phase I was involved in before the semester ended was powering on the machine and debugging my code.
Skills/Knowledge Gained Through The Experience
I gained more valuable knowledge during these 16 weeks than I ever have before. Some examples of the skills/knowledge I have gained are, electrical design, pneumatic design, PLC programming, HMI programming, debugging, and communication skills.
Favorite Part of the Experience
My favorite parts of the co-op experience were the opportunity to work on my own project, communicating with other talented engineers, and experiencing most of the design process.
How the Experience Influenced Future Career Goals
Early off in the engineering program, I wasn't sure if I wanted to become a hardware engineer, or a controls engineer. After my first semester at JR as controls engineer intern, my mind has definitely changed to controls. This was one of the best experiences I have ever had, and I can't wait to go back for CO-OP II.