[archiver]

Posted by Andy Baker at 04/18/2001 2:21 PM EST


Engineer on team #45, TechnoKats, from Kokomo High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.


In Reply to: Mechanical Engineers
Posted by Patrick Dingle on 04/13/2001 11:41 AM EST:



Welcome to the dark side, Pat!

I am a mechanical engineer (BSME - U of Evansville, '91), and I work as a machine designer for Delphi Automotive Systems - Delco Electronics. My company makes automotive electronics, and I work in a department that makes production equipment for our products.

Right now, I'm working on a small assembly cell that performs "final assembly" of a product. This cell consists of 4 axii: x, y, z, and theta. The cell is itself a robot that sits still while doing work on the product. This work could range from dispensing gel or glue, automatically driving screws, or performing an inspection of the product.

Also, I get to design conveyor systems for electronics while integrating vendors' equipment into our production lines. Not only do I get to develop the equipment, I also get to specify and integrate equipment that we buy from outside vendors... it's fun while stressful.

The "ship date" that FIRST gives us is just like what I get to deal with here at work. If a production line is waiting on equipment from my department, we do whatever it takes to meet our deadlines.

The nice thing about what I do is that I've been in the same job for 9 years, but I've worked on many different types of equipment... so it's not too boring.

In order to do my job, I use Unigraphics CAD to design the equipment. Also, I make my own print packages and release them to a UAW machine shop, which is across the hall from our engineering department. I get to oversee the construction and debug of the equipment in our shop (but I cannot touch a tool!), and work with the skilled tradesmen who get the machine ready for shipment to our production floor... either in our plant here in Kokomo or across the world in another Delphi plant.

We use extrusions, motors, indexing assemblies, pneumatics, sensors, robots from other vendors, fasteners and many other things to make our equipment.. . so it is a good fit for me to be on a FIRST team.

I gotta keep all of the prints updated and filed, and give assistance to our customers who want to develop a production process for the products we are to produce. Customer communication is key, because their needs may change throughout the life of the project.

I hope this helps a bit. If you have any more questions, please ask.

Andy B.