Ceremony honors 2009 Spring AutoCAD competition winners

Experience seems to be a key ingredient to the success of winners of the 2009 Spring AutoCAD competition. They were honored at a ceremony in early December.

Slobodan Urdarevik, the lead lecturer for IME 1420 Engineering Graphics, presented the awards before a Fall 2009 IME 1420 lecture class. The audience included students eligible to compete in the 2009 Fall AutoCAD Contest. “The 2009 Spring competition was very close,” he said. “They all did a very good job.”

Russell Parsons,a sophomore in civil engineering, won first-place. The Rochester Hills, MI, native graduated from Adams High School, where he took two years of high-school, computer-aided design (CAD) classes. He has been busy with coursework.

The second-place winner is Brandon Weeda, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, lives in Kalamazoo but graduated from Plymouth Christian High School in Grand Rapids. His background in graphics includes a semester in an architectural program called SoftPlan 13. He is presently a teaching assistant (TA) in IME 1420. His future plans are open but include an internship.

Third place winner Blair Ward, a sophomore majoring in engineering graphics and design technology (EGR), is from Kalamazoo. The Paw Paw High School graduate had two years experience in AutoCAD and drawing before coming to WMU.

In addition to classes, Ward is also an IME 1420 TA, and he works at Pizza Hut in Paw Paw. He recently joined Engineers Without Borders, which is planning a summer project in Honduras. His future plans include finding an internship before he graduates and eventually finding a job “someplace warm like Georgia.”

Slobodan Urdarevik (right), lead faculty for IME 1420 Engineering Graphics, with
(L to R) Dr. Paul Engelmann, IME chair, and Spring AutoCAD winners Blair Ward (3rd), Brandon Weeda (2nd), and Russell Parsons (1st); Parson’s winning drawing is shown

All three winners received Best Buy gift cards and engraved plaques, which were donated by Dr. Hooks, Inc., a Kalamazoo-based business.

Dr. Paul Engelmann, IME department chair, congratulated the winners. “These students have demonstrated their ability to bring together what they have learned in the classroom and demonstrated their ability to use it.” He encouraged the audience to participate in this semester’s competition. “You all have the same opportunity next week.”

The competition is held at the end of each semester for the more than 300 students enrolled in IME 1420 Engineering Graphics, where students complete about 50 CAD-related assignments.

For the competition, students create a two-dimensional AutoCAD drawing and a 3D-solid model of a complicated part. They must show all dimensions and all symbols needed for manufacturing. For more information about the competition or about CAD drafting at WMU, Email slobodan.urdarevik@wmich.edu

SWE workshop offers Girl Scouts an introduction to engineering

For five hours on a Saturday in November, WMU’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE) presented its annual “Engineer for a Day” workshop at the Parkview Campus. Twenty-eight middle and high school Girl Scouts from the Heart of Michigan Council completed hands-on, problem-solving and learning activities to simulate what engineers do.

SWE members who directed the scout event (L-R), Courtney Heath, Katie Risnes, Lauren Fromm, Lynnette Neil, Fernanda Pereira, Laura Alger, Allison Porrett, Persefoni Lauhon, Kelly McCarthy, and Melinda Katanbafnezhad

For the first activity, “The Leaning Tower of Pasta,” the scouts designed and built structures from spaghetti and marshmallows with the goal to have the structures hold as much weight as possible.
The scouts ventured outdoors to test how adding Mentos to a liter of soda pop can create some spectacular soda spraying.

For the Egg Drop Event, the scouts worked in pairs and used a variety of materials to design, create, and test packaging that would protect a raw egg from breaking when it was dropped from the second floor to the first.  Some packages were more successful than others.

The scouts toured the Parkview Campus and learned why a concrete canoe floats, how a race car is designed and built, and what type of careers are open to those who major in engineering.

Geoff Van Gemert (right), a member of WMU’s Formula SAE team, showcases the 2009 car the team designed and built

Fernanda Pereira, a first-year chemical engineering major from Canton, MI. coordinated the event. At the conclusion of the workshop, SWE President Allison Porrett asked the scouts how many were interested in a career as an engineer, and approximately a third raised their hands.

“This workshop helped me decide what I want to do for a career,” said Maddie Dietrich, an eighth grader. “I’m definitely considering engineering.”

SWE’s (L to R in green) Allison Porrett, Laura Alger, and Lauren Fromm lead the final engineering feat: the scouts made their own ice cream treats with milk, sugar, cream flavoring, ice, rock salt, who plastic bags, and a lot of shaking.

Girl Scout leaders who attended the event with their troops were impressed with how the event stimulated the scouts’ problem solving abilities and introduced them to the idea of an engineering career, said Heather Ackman, a representative of Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan.

SWE is planning a workshop for younger Girl Scouts in February 2010.

Tues., Dec. 8, SEDP conference: 89 seniors offer 32 projects

The 45th Conference on Senior Engineering Design Projects (SEDPs) is set for Tues., Dec. 8, at the Parkview Campus; 89 seniors from six departments will present 32 projects from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The 25-minute presentations are scheduled to begin between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; all projects start exactly on the hour and half hour. No projects are scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. The event (including parking) is free and open to the public.

From the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering (MAE), 23 students are presenting 10 projects in D-109.

MAE: Using parametric solid modeling and CFD simulation software, (L to R) Geoff Van Gemert, Nicholas Haydon, and Michael Nienhuis are designing a gasoline direct-injection fuel system to improve the fuel economy of the WMU Formula SAE vehicle.  The project is being presented at 9:30 a.m. in D-109.

From the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME), 8 projects prepared by 31 seniors are scheduled in D-201.

IME: Eddie Brabandt, a manufacturing technology major, examines improvements that he and teammates Dan Jasperse, Cory Niemi, and Curtis Stack have made in redesigning a hydraulic bike for competition in the next Chainless Challenge.  The project is featured in a presentation at 10:30 a.m. in D-201.

From the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), 16 students are offering 5 projects in D-115.

From the Department of Computer Science (CS), 11 students are scheduled to present five projects in D-208.

Beginning at 9 a.m., 6 students from the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering (CCE) will offer 2 presentations in D¬204/5. Following the CCE presentations, 2 seniors in the Department of Paper Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Imaging will present their projects in the same room.

Sponsors for this semester’s projects include the following: City of Battle Creek Wastewater Division, DENSO Manufacturing Michigan, Inc., Eaton Corporation, Kalamazoo Animal Rescue, Kalamazoo County Road Commission, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes Warehouse,
Kalamazoo Public Library, Panther Arms, Reflex Industries, Inc., Stryker Medical, Tech Care TronLabs, WMU’s Western Herald, and the WMU School of Music.

 
MAE: Dressed for work in the CEAS Clean Room, Joseph Mowat worked on a project with Tyler Ondracek and Doug Ford.  It involved ferrogels and the study of the characteristics of hydrogels infused with magnetic nanoparticles.  They have potential applications ranging from sensors to targeted drug delivery.  The presentation on the project is at 1 p.m. in D-109.

About 30 faculty and administrators are serving as advisers for one or more projects. Professors chairing the various sessions are Dr. John Polasek (CCE); Dr. John Kapenga (CS); Dr. John Gesink (ECE); Drs. Betsy Aller and Bob White (IME); Drs. Claudia Fajardo, Rameshwar Sharma, and Pnina Ari-Gur (MAE); and Dr. Peter Parker (PCI).

For more information, call Tamara Bergman at (269) 276-3248 or see project details at http://www.wmich.edu/engineer/senior-design-conference.htm

IME 1020: offering students professional communication skills the first year

Sometime during their first year of college, most CEAS and aviation students take IME 1020 Technical Communication, a three-credit-hour course that provides a total immersion in professional communication.
According to Tom Swartz, the master faculty specialist who has coordinated IME 1020 since 2003, IME 1020 is offered in about 30 sections to approximately 600 students each year. In addition to the regular classroom sessions, he has also set up E-learning components of the courses.

ED Eckel (standing), the science/engineering librarian for the University,
shows IME 1020 students how to use library databases

According to Swartz, the IME 1020 program was initiated in the early 1970s when WMU experimented with eliminating the requirement for a first-year English writing class to encourage writing across the curriculum. “Those at the engineering college said CEAS students should have a technical writing course,” he said. “Later when the University decided that English composition should again be required, the [engineering] college decided to keep the new technical writing course.”

At the heart of the IME 1020 curriculum is the requirement that students research, write, document, and produce a formal 12-to 17-page research paper that uses current, high quality resources and focuses on an engineering topic. Students follow a research process that includes choosing and limiting a topic, learning about scholarly research, and collecting the best current information on the topic.

The process requires several standardized assignments: a topic proposal, a bibliography of sources, an outline, and an abstract. Students use the American Psychological Association (APA) documentation style, and present the results in a written report and in an oral presentation to the class.

Ed Eckel, the science/engineering librarian for the University, along with many others at Waldo Library, offers ongoing support to the IME 1020 course. They provide IME 1020 students with a focused course guide on the library’s Web site with direct links to the sources that help them with their assignments.

The WMU library also provides a student-oriented self-paced electronic research review, recently upgraded and called Research Path. In its six modules students receive a complete overview of the major steps involved in the research process. Students are then quizzed on the module material, and the results of the quizzes can be electronically forwarded to the instructors.

IME 1020 students learn to write an assess procedural instructions.  First-year students Michelle Repka (left) and Katie Stickels read instructions written by another IME 1020 team to create a K’Nex item.

IME 1020 students work in teams to learn how to write good instructions. Each team designs a three-dimensional K’Nex object and writes instructions to make the object. Other teams assess the instructions.

Other course requirements include learning formats for business letters, memos, and e-mail, preparing a career assessment of a chosen major, and registering for WMU’s career Web site. Students also study ethics, standards for source material, and the use of visuals. Assignments are word-processed and must feature complete sentences and standard grammar, spelling, and mechanics.

IME 1020 instructors work closely with the CEAS STEP program to help first-year students connect with the University. New lifelong learning components of the course encourage students to explore professional societies and attend and write reflections on special WMU events. “We read and assess a lot of student papers,” said Troy Place, a faculty specialist who teaches three sections of IME 1020 each semester.

Swartz says all IME 1020 instructors adhere to a tradition of maintaining high academic standards and expecting professional behavior from students. “To prepare for professional careers, students need to have WOVEn communication skills – Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic,” he said. He continually updates a study guide with pertinent assignment information for students, and he provides an electronic course template for IME 1020 instructors.

2009 EAS career fair set to connect job seekers with employers

More than 55 employers have signed up for the 2009 Engineering and Applied Sciences [EAS] Career Day. It’s set for Thurs., Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Parkview Campus. The event is free and open to the public. Name tags and a layout to find employers will be available at the sign-in table as early as 8 a.m.

Nicole Maggio, career advisor for CEAS and assistant director for Career and Student Employment Services, is coordinating the day and several related events to link internship, co-op and full-time job seekers with local, regional, national and international employers.

Post Foods, LLC, is sponsoring this year’s fair. The Battle Creek company has been making cereal and related products since 1895 and has been an active partner with the University. “Post has been very supportive of our [CEAS] engineering students,” Maggio said.

Post Foods is the 2009 EAS Career Fair sponsor.  In this photo from our archives, CEAS Post interns Josh Wiese (left) and Alex Hiday, who are now CEAS alumns, discussed employment activities with  job seekers at last year’s EAS Career Fair.

New to this year’s career fair are formal presentations by several employers every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Maggio said the concept has been introduced to encourage freshmen and sophomores to engage earlier in the career development process. “This may help introduce opportunities to students in a way that they can build up to networking with the representatives,” she said.

In addition to Post Foods, representatives from Kohler, Amway, Stryker, Sircon, Parker Hannifin and more will share information about and prospects for employment at their respective companies.
On Fri., Oct. 23, follow-up campus interviews are planned by 14 of the 55 companies featured at the career fair.

Students looking for full-or part-time, intern, or co-op positions are encouraged to dress appropriately and to bring copies of their resumes and notepads to collect information. “We’re encouraging students to wear formal professional business suits,” Maggio said.

Maggio encourages job seekers to review the list of employers and research those of interest ahead of time. All employers registered are identified on the Web site. Employers have until the day before the event to sign up. “As they register, the employers are added to our Web site in real-time,” Maggio said. To view registered employers and/or to register as an employer, one can log on to www.wmich.edu/career and click on Broncojobs.

Two workshops offered students career fair preparation ideas. “The sessions focused on cover letter and resume development, professional dress expectations, and interview tips,” Maggio said. The informal workshops included group exercises.”

Assistance in resume preparation is also available during drop-in office hours in the Advising Suite at Parkview: Tuesday and Thursday – 12:30­ 3:30 p.m. Additional hours are available on the main campus. Students can also call (269) 387-2745 for an appointment.

Maggio, who is coordinating the annual event for the first time, credited several registered student organizations and student assistants for their support. These include AICHE, SPE, SME, GAS, Alyssa Schafer, CEAS peer educator, Danielle Boyd, engineering employer student coordinator, and Jasen Ratajczak, CEAS industry research educator. For more info, call (269) 387-2745 or go to www.wmich.edu/career

STEP begins fifth year welcoming new students to the CEAS

CEAS welcomed 391 incoming students at the Summer Orientation. According to Dr. Edmund Tsang, CEAS Associate Dean, about 85% of those students have been placed in STEP Learning Communities. STEP is an acronym for the STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math] Talent Expansion Program. The five-year-old program has been providing a comprehensive first-year experience to increase retention and graduation of majors in STEM fields.

 
At the STEP Kickoff, first-year students enjoyed hamburgers, bratwurst, and an opportunity to check out student projects in the works for this year.  In the foreground is the SAE Baja car, a new project. Other featured projects were the Formula SAE car, the Sunseeker solar car, the “Black Pearl” concrete canoe, and several tables that provided information about student organizations.

To connect first-year CEAS students with the college experience, Tsang organizes the freshmen into learning communities. The students in each learning community share at least three classes and are assigned to cohort groups of about 20 students. Each cohort is led by a CEAS faculty or administrative mentor with access to organized activities.

This year’s orientation events included CEAS Fall Welcome, Pizza with the Profs, and a STEP Kickoff picnic in the Valley pond area.

The Welcome offered incoming students an up-close experience with more than 30 Parkview Campus labs and activities. Students made paper, played red-button computer games, built spaghetti bridges, made plastic WMU license plates, and checked out a variety of vehicle, fuel cell, robotics, and simulation labs.

At the CEAS Fall Welcome, Mike Hoonhorst, a Ph.D. student in industrial engineering, explains chair research to first-year students.  Other CEAS faculty, administrators, and students shared their research in fuel cells, CAD, robotics, vehicle systems, and simulation software.  Students also examined a variety of CEAS labs and services.

Pizza with the Profs brought students and their professors together informally for lunch after a formal matriculation ceremony. Following the pizza lunch, the students participated in an interactive Academic Etiquette workshop and were assigned to send their IME 1020 Technical Communication instructors a professionally drafted e-mail.

The Kickoff provided another opportunity for students to meet and greet CEAS faculty, administrators, and students and to learn about CEAS while they enjoyed hamburgers and brats.

 
Following “Pizza with the Profs”, Dr. Edumnd Tsang (standing on left), CEAS associate dean and STEP director, works with first-year CEAS students on an Academic Etiquette Competition

New to STEP this year is an engineering mathematics course, funded by an NSF Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement: Phase 3 grant and headed by Tsang and Drs. Ikhlas Abdel-Qader and James Kamman, faculty in the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering respectively.

The Early Intervention Initiative in IME 1020 Technical Communication is being continued under the direction of Tom Swartz, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering faculty and IME 1020 coordinator. STEP is also pilot testing computer software designed by two computer science seniors to take attendance in IME 1420 Engineering Graphics.

Tsang began the STEP project in 2004 with an NSF grant that ends this month. The STEP project is being continued through 2009-2010 with funds provided by Provost Tim Greene. “Provost Greene also said he will put into the Office of Academic Affairs planning to support our retention efforts,” Tsang said. “Our collaboration with Residence Life will continue to allow us to leverage their resources to build on our efforts.”

New CEAS dean returns to Michigan roots

Dr. Anthony (Tony) Vizzini took the reins at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences this summer. The new dean comes to WMU from Mississippi State University where he had served as department head of Aerospace Engineering since 2003 when he earned the Bill and Carolyn Cobb Chair of Engineering. He comes to WMU with outstanding credentials.

From 1986 to 2003, Vizzini had been a member of the aerospace engineering faculty at University of Maryland where he taught undergraduate and graduate courses in composite structures and manufacturing and in aircraft structures. He also researched the integrity of composite structures and low-cost manufacture of composites.

After growing up in Allen Park, MI, Vizzini earned four degrees at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): a BS in mathematics and BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees in aeronautics and astronautics. In 2006 he became a registered Professional Engineer in Mechanical Engineering in the State of Mississippi. He is now tenured in the CEAS Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering.

Vizzini’s primary interests include response and failure of composite structures, particularly in energy absorption and crashworthiness, in tailoring techniques to improve structural integrity, and in damage tolerance of sandwich structures. Additionally, he is interested in manufacturing methods for polymer-based structural components including affordable manufacturing and manufacturing for automotive and space applications, system design and mission planning of unmanned aircraft.

He was awarded the A. James Clark School of Engineering Poole & Kent Company Teaching Award for Senior Faculty, May 1998. Two years later, he was selected Professor of the Year, by the University of Maryland AIAA and SGT Student Chapters.

Vizzini’s honors include being an Associate Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a fellow for the American Society for Composites (ASC). In September 2008 he served as general chair of the ASC 23rd Technical Conference. He was voted ASC vice president (president elect) for 2008-2009.

He is also a member of Tau Beta Pi (engineering), Sigma Gamma Tau (aerospace), and Phi Beta Kappa (arts & sciences) honor societies. Vizzini has been active in the Society for the Advancement of Material and Pro¬cess Engineering (SAMPE) and is presently serving as International Vice President of SAMPE’s Executive Cabinet.

He was also the founding faculty advisor for chapters at Mississippi State University (2003-2009) and at University of Maryland (1990-2003). He has also served SAMPE in numerous other positions, including technical co-chair in 2007.

Among his other credits, Vizzini has been the editor of several professional journals. He is presently an associate editor of the Journal of Advanced Materials, 2002. He also served five years on the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Composite Materials, two years on the editorial advisory board of AIAA Education Series, and eight years as an associate editor of the Journal of the American Helicopter Society.

He is presently a reviewer for the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), a position he has held since 2004.

His wife, Patty, is originally from Birmingham, MI, and their three children – Anthony, Katrina, and Sean – are currently enrolled at Mississippi State University. Anthony and Katrina are pursuing degrees in aerospace engineering and Sean is pursuing a degree in computer science.

CEAS projects showcased at 2009 WMU Day in Lansing

Late last spring, about 700 WMU supporters traveled to Lansing for the second annual WMU Day. Several CEAS projects were among the more than 30 showcased at the event aimed at introducing legislators to WMU. Here are some photos submitted by Abe Poot and the PCI department. In addition to those pictured on this e-news, the CEAS also featured Dr. John Patten and his plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

Concrete Canoe: WMU American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) students Allison Doty, Adam Eaton, Ryan Stoughton, and Mike Romkema brought Black Pearl – this year’s entry in the North Central concrete canoe competition.

RoboBronco: Manthiramurthy Paramasivam “talks” to RoboBronco.  Dr. Tarun Gupta, and IME professor and a team brought RoboBronco, a six-foot tall robot with a friendly horse face, to WMU Day.  Gupta mentored two robotics teams of area high school students, Quantum Ninjas #1677 and FLEET (Future Leaders Exploring Engineering & Technology) #2767, in the 2009 FIRST competition.

 FSAE car: The WMU Formula racing team of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) brought this year’s entry in the 2009 Formula SAE Michigan Competition.  The WMU team successfully completed all events at the competition, which requires teams to design and build a formula-style race car.

CAPE: Presenting examples of printed electronics from the new Center for the Advancement of Printed Electronics (CAPE): front (L to R): Dr. Margaret Joyce, Dr. Massood Atashbar, and Sara Lara; back (L to R): Dr. Erika Hrehorova, Dr. Marian Rebros, Michael Joyce, Dr. Dan Fleming.  Dr. Joungmin Cho is missing from photo

Flying Machines: Dr. Kapseong Ro led the development of a plane with solar panel wings (in front of the van) and teamed up with Dr. Jun-Seok Oh and a team to develop the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for traffic and emergency surveillance that is on top of the van.  Team members DaeWoon Park and Taeseung Kuk also participated.

 Sunseeker 05: WMU’s solar car team reviewed features of Sunseeker 05 while solar car adviser Abraham Poot photographically documented CEAS projects.

“Dr. Sam” offers a decade of hands-on metal-casting outreach

Every summer for the last decade, Dr. Sam Ramrattan, an IME professor, has been offering a weeklong, hands-on metal-casting workshop for high school students. At the 2009 workshop held last month, 10 students from the U.S. and Canada spent a week as college metal-casting students.

One element that makes the workshop fun is the hands-on aspect. “Dr. Sam,” as many refer to him, had students do real metal-casting work in the Metal Casting Laboratory at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences’ Parkview Campus.

The students made molds, melted metal, and poured. “It’s a fun way to learn about metal casting,” said Luke Gossen, a Plymouth, Minnesota, junior.

Dr. Sam Ramrattan (left) oversees the students as they prepare
the molds that they will test with molten metal.

Ramrattan is a technical advisor to the American Foundrymen's Society and a Key Professor for the Foundry Educational Foundation. He offers the summer hands-on workshop to identify and promote the variety of viable metal-casting careers available today. It is open to up to 15 area tenth-through-twelfth-grade students.

In addition to the lab work, the workshop offered lectures and discussions on metal casting history, methods, and trends. Students examined metal casting from the perspectives of manufacturing (molding, melting, filling, and finishing), engineering, quality control, purchasing, marketing, and sales. They also networked with metal casters at area foundries.

Students attending this year’s metal casting workshop donned safety
apparel to pour molten aluminum into sand molds they
prepared. Dr. Sam Ramrattan (left) oversees the process.

Jordan Kimble, a senior in the manufacturing technology program and IME’s 2009 top manufacturing engineering senior, assisted in the workshop. He will represent IME at the upcoming Foundry Educational Foundation (FEF) conference.

WMU administrators provided the students with materials about programs and requirements at WMU. Students also reviewed career opportunities with a panel of industrial professionals and FEF.

The workshop included visits to area foundries to see real-world technology. Their tours included A.C. Foundry, Battle Creek, MI, and Metals Technologies’ Three Rivers Gray Iron Plant. The students also enjoyed activities in the Kalamazoo / Portage area.

Students who attended the program were selected on the basis of aptitude for math and science and were sponsored by various chapters of the American Foundry Society (AFS) and the North American Die Casting Association (NADCA). There was no cost to the students, who stayed in WMU dorms and enjoyed campus life.

In a thank-you note to Ramrattan following the workshop, Joshua Jarvis-Peters from Ontario, Canada, praised the workshop. “I wish it had been longer,” he said.

WMU’s metal-casting program is over 100 years old. The most recent accreditation began in 1992. Contact Dr. Sam for more information on WMU metal casting or on the summer workshop, at sam.ramrattan@wmich.edu

IME’s 2009 Presidential Scholar aims to design auto components

WMU President John Dunn (left) and Faculty Senate President John Jellies (right) present IME’s 2009 Presidential Scholar award to Jordan Avery, EGR senior

Avery, an Engineering Graphics and Design Technology (EGR) senior with a minor in automotive systems, is the 2009 Presidential Scholar Award from the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME).

The award is given each year to the most outstanding senior in each WMU department based on general academic excellence, academic and/or artistic excellence, and intellectual and/or artistic promise.

The 2009 award was presented to only 46 WMU students at the 29th Annual Presidential Scholars Convocation, held earlier this spring. For the event, Avery was joined by IME’s Dr. Mitchel Keil, whom he invited as his most supportive faculty member.

Avery, who is from Jackson and who maintains a 3.95 GPA, received a WMU Academic Scholarship from the Medallion competition and a Dean’s Scholar grant. He also won the Herbert E. Ellinger scholarship for engineering technology students.

Avery’s main academic interest is “design engineering of automotive components and making that process more efficient through the knowledge-based engineering (KBE) process,” he said.

Avery has completed two internships. First, he worked with the chief engineer at the Kalamazoo County Road Commission on project management and the review of local road construction projects. He also designed new plans for county drain culverts for approval through the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

For his second internship, he worked for the North American Automotive Experience Interiors Division of Johnson Controls, Inc., (JCI) as part of the KBE team involved with project automation.

“KBE works to assist in the engineering design process and ultimately speeds up the process, making it more efficient and saving the company time and money,” Avery said.

Avery’s responsibilities included building engineering knowledge into computer-aided design (CAD) applications to facilitate a lean approach to engineering. “This involved working with current subject matter technical experts (SMTEs) and building their knowledge into the CATIA CAD software through Knowledgeware programming,” he said. Avery’s professional memberships include the Golden Key International Honour Society and WMU’s Delta Chapter of Tau Alpha Pi Engineering Technology Honor Society, for which he presently serves as treasurer.

While working at JCI last summer, Avery joined the West Michigan CATIA User Group (WMCUG), a group of industry professionals that meet monthly to learn new CATIA functionality to keep their companies lean and efficient.

Outside of school Avery enjoys sports and outdoor activities. In the winter he snowmobiles with his Dad, and in the summer he water skis and wakeboards at his family’s cottage. He recently began mountain biking. “I also have an interest in automobiles, whether it be working on them or trying to keep up with the latest technology in the automotive market,” he said.

After he graduates in December, Avery would like to stay in West Michigan and be involved in “automotive technology to help companies develop a lean approach to engineering in the design phase.” Eventually he plans to pursue a master’s degree in engineering management and get involved in the management side of engineering design.

2008 Fall AutoCAD competition winners honored this month

Experience seemed to be a key ingredient to the success of the three winners of the 2008 Fall AutoCAD competition. They were all honored at a ceremony earlier this month.

 
Slobadon Urdarevik, lead faculty for IME 1420 Engineering Graphics (L to R) with the 2008 Fall AutoCAD winners Grant Miller (2nd), Karl Waltzer (1st), and Stephan Telenko (3rd); in the background is Waltzer's winning drawing

Slobodan Urdarevik, the lead lecturer for IME 1420 Engineering Graphics, presented the awards before a Spring 2009 IME 1420 lecture class. It was an audience of students eligible to compete in the 2009 Spring AutoCAD Contest.

Karl Waltzer, a first-year civil engineering student, won first-place winner. Waltzer is from Memphis, MI, which is located near Port Huron. The Capac High School graduate had three years of high-school, computer-aided design (CAD) classes.

Waltzer’s future plans include obtaining bachelor’s and master’s degrees and then starting his own construction company.

The second-place winner is Grant Miller, a first-year engineering management (UEM) major and integrated supply management minor from Byron Center. He had three years of high-school CAD. He is presently interning with CollegeWorks Painting.

Miller would also like to be a teaching assistant for IME 1420. His future plans include obtaining bachelor’s and master’s degrees and starting his own engineering firm.

Third place winner Stephan Telenko, a first-year engineering graphics and design technology (EGR) major, is from Canton, MI. Telenko graduated from Salem High School, where he took four years of CAD and drafting classes. His is currently employed putting up tents for special events, but he would eventually like to be a designer. “I’m interested in all kinds of designing,” he said.

All three winners received Best Buy gift cards and engraved plaques donated by Dr. Hooks, Inc., a Kalamazoo-based business.

The competition is held at the end of each semester for the more than 300 students enrolled in IME 1420 Engineering Graphics, where students complete about 50 CAD-related assignments. For the competition, students create a two-dimensional AutoCAD drawing and a 3D-solid model of a complicated part. They must show all dimensions and all symbols needed for manufacturing. For more information about the competition or about CAD drafting at WMU, e-mail slobodan.urdarevik@wmich.edu

IME honors the 2009 top scholars at Clausing luncheon

IME Departmental Outstanding Students From left, Dr. Paul Engelmann, IME chair; Ashley Hovenkamp, IENM; Josh Wiese, UEM; Aarti Valsadia, IE/IEE; Jordan Kimble, MFT; Amanda Glick, Service; Jordan Avery, EGR; Madeline McAuley, Service; Jason Horton, MNEM; Dr. John Dunn, WMU president; and Dr. Dan Litynski, CEAS dean. Missing from the photo is Casey Koopmans, EMTN.Casey Koopmans

IME’s top graduate and undergraduate students were honored this month at the annual Student Recognition Luncheon provided by Clausing Industrial Inc.,a supporter of IME programs for 56 years.

Emcee Dr. David Lyth, IME professor, wore his favorite “It’s a great day to be a Bronco” hat for the ceremony that honored winners of IME’s outstanding student awards: four undergraduate seniors, three graduate students, and two service award winners. IME’s presidential scholar, the CEAS dean’s outstanding students, and the winners of a number of other scholarships and awards were also acknowledged.

Jordan Avery, IME’s top engineering graphics and design (EGR) senior, was lauded as the department’s WMU Presidential Scholar and as the CEAS outstanding dean’s student in EGR.

IME seniors Jordan Kimble, in manufacturing technology (MFT), and Joshua Wiese, in engineering management (UEM), were IME’s and the CEAS dean’s outstanding students in their respective majors.

Aarti Valsadia won IME’s outstanding student award in industrial engineering and industrial and entrepreneurial engineering (IE/IEE). Yenni Chen was the CEAS dean’s outstanding student in IE/IEE.

Outstanding Service Awards were presented to Madeline McAuley, an EGR senior who developed the IME blog and Web site, and Amanda Glick, an IEE senior who was credited for assisting wherever she is needed.

Graduate students honored as outstanding students were Casey W. Koopmans, engineering management (EMTN); Jason Horton, manufacturing (MNEM), and Ashley Hovenkamp, industrial engineering (IENM).

WMU President John Dunn, CEAS Dean Dan Litynski, and IME Chair Paul Engelmann offered kudos to the award winners and the faculty who support them in a ceremony that included paying tribute to the officers and advisors of seven student societies with IME members and three IME student honor societies.

Engelmann challenged the winners, society officers, and other future leaders to envision every decision they make as keys to who they will become.

The event was organized by Tom Swartz, who chairs the IME Scholarship and Awards Committee, and committee members Drs. Steven Butt, Kailash Bafna, and Jorge Rodriguez.

Klaz Welch, Mary Fosburg, and John Jacobs, the IME office administrators, were acknowledged for their support in organizing the luncheon.

 

On Tues., April 14 ... 69 seniors showcase their design projects

The 44^th Conference on Senior Engineering Design Projects – set for Tues., April 14 at Parkview – features 69 projects by 180 seniors from seven CEAS departments. The 25-minute presentations begin on the hour and half hour between 8 and 4. No projects are presented from noon to 1 p.m. The free event is open to the public, and parking is available.

Here is the schedule with start times:

Civil and Construction Engineering (CCE):
34 students / 10 projects – 9 to 2:30 in D-204-5.

Computer Science (CS):
13 students / 6 projects -9 to 11:30 in D-210.

Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE):
22 students / 7 projects – 8:30 to 11:30 in D-208.

Industrial Design (ID):
14 students / 14 projects – 8:30 to 4 in D-115.

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME):
33 students / 10 projects – 8 to 1:30 in D-201,
and 2 multi-disciplinary projects with MAE.

Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering (MAE):
48 students / 16 projects in concurrent sessions –
9 projects – 9 to 2 in D-109 and 7 projects – 9 to 2:30 in D-212.

Paper Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Imaging (PCI):
16 students offer 6 projects – 1 to 3:30 in D-208.

This semester’s project sponsors include American Axle & Manufacturing, Armstrong International, Battle Creek Area Habitat for Humanity, Biomet Orthopedics, CSM Group, DENSO North America Foundation, Eaton Aerospace, Eaton Corp., Eliason Corp., Fabri-Kal, Graphic Packaging International, Humphrey Products, I.D. Systems Inc., Kapenga Design, Kellogg Co., Kelm Acubar, Michigan Department of Transportation, Michigan Biodiesel, Midwest Business Exchange, Miller-Davis Co., National Transportation Research Center, Inc., Noble Networks.net, Parker Hannifin Corp., Project H Design, Stryker Medical, Terra Trike, VSA Arts of Michigan, WACO Classic Aircraft Corp., and W.K. Kellogg Institute.

For more information, call Tamara Bergman at 269-276-3248. A complete schedule of project presentations is available at http://www.wmich.edu/engineer/senior-design­conference.htm

CEAS showcases engineering in Gagie School outreach

Students from Gagie School, a private Kalamazoo elementary and middle school, examined the world of engineering and applied sciences for four consecutive Friday mornings earlier this semester. CEAS faculty, administrators, and students from three CEAS departments and from career services offered each new group a taste of engineering. Based on their thank you notes, the students approved of the CEAS efforts.

Dr. Tycho Fredericks Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) faculty, and Heather Highhouse, CEAS career adviser, organized the community outreach program.

Each Friday, students from two grade levels were welcomed by Dr. Paul Engelmann, IME chair. Scot Conant, CEAS outreach coordinator, then provided guided CEAS tours led by Jennifer Soetaert, outreach graduate assistant and John Ihling, student ambassador. Fred Sitkins, CEAS director of co­operative education, presented the Sunseeker.

Dr. Koorosh Naghshineh, MAE faculty, and Kyle Myers, a graduate student, started demos and hands-on activities in the Noise and Vibration lab by demonstrating a shaker table, which can simulate vibrations of vehicles, and the anechoic chamber, a heavily insulated room that absorbs sound into the walls. "The floor that simulated the back of a truck was really cool," a student said in a thank you note.

In the manufacturing lab directed by IME faculty Dr. Tarun Gupta, Srinivas Ghattamaneni, a graduate student, described the FIRST competition robotics and encouraged the students to interact with RoboBronco. “I really liked the robots,” a student put in his note.

In the Parker Motion and Control Lab, Dr. James Kamman, MAE faculty, showed students the two hydraulic bicycles. “We discussed how the bikes functioned and compared them to the bikes they have at home,” he said. “They were intrigued that the bikes had no chains and were curious about how the bikes were driven by hydraulic oil.”

For the first/second grade and third/fourth grade visits, Larry Ahleman, Lois Lemon and Matt Stoops – faculty in the Department of Paper Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Imaging (PCI) – provided hands-on experience. “We emphasized the idea of a template because screen printing uses templates or stencils so we can create images that are the same size and shape every time,” Lemon said.

One highlight of each visit was the various design challenges provided by Fredericks and Dr. Steven Butt, IME faculty, with the assistance of graduate students Supreeta Amin, Fehime Utkan, Amanda Glick, Ilgin Acar, and Ashley Hovenkamp.

Each week, various age-appropriate design challenges included the building of spaghetti towers, marble transport systems, and 30-second “junk” timers.

Conant is planning similar visits for other area elementary and middle school students. “We are thrilled to provide these exciting hands-on opportunities to area youth,” he said. “Future Bronco engineers are sure to come from programs like this.”

IME Night offers students career opportunities, fun, and prizes

More than 100 students attended the third annual IME Night last month at the CEAS Parkview Campus. For three hours, attendees ate pizza and learned about IME programs and projects. They also received advice on preparing for employment and dialogued with representatives from local companies, faculty, and students doing co-ops and internships.

Slobodan Urdarevik, IME faculty, coordinated the event, which included prizes and games. All students were welcomed, including the 28 students who registered with undecided majors.

Alumni from area companies discuss their products and hiring practices.  From left: Mike Ziemelis, Wayne Nicolen, and Mark Wallace answer questions of students attending IME Night

The Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) offers four undergraduate programs: manufacturing engineering technology (MFT), engineering management technology (UEM), engineering graphics and design technology (EGR), and the new industrial and entrepreneurial engineering (IEE).

Chris Briolat (seated second from the left), discusses IME programs with Fred Sinkins (left), Trent Kentworthy (standing left), an IE master's student, and Slobodan Urdarevik

Fred Sitkins, IME faculty and CEAS director of co-operative education, emceed the event.  Stryker's Mike Ziemelis, Glassmaster Controls' Wayne Nicolen, and Tenneco's Mark Wallace shared information about their respective companies.

 
Key organizers of the third annual IME Night (from left): Fred Sitkins, Nicole Maggio, and Slobadon Urdarevik

Nicole Maggio, career development and cooperative education graduate assistant, and Anna Perez, a first-year chemical engineering student, coordinated the check in and collected names for the 14 prizes offered.

Several IME students participated in the event. Josh Weise, an UEM senior who is presently interning at Post, shared information about the work he is doing. Timothy Gaston, a MFT senior, explained the value of belonging to professional organizations such as Sunseeker and engineering fraternities. Trent Kenworthy shared his experiences with attendees, and MFT senior Jordan Kimble displayed the IME hydraulic bike. Srinivas Ghattamaneni, an IE graduate assistant, supervised RoboBronco, who welcomed the attendees electronically.

Jordan Kimble, a MFT senior, with the hydraulic bike that is the focus of a senior engineering design project which he is presently involved.

Others who assisted with the event included IME faculty Dr. Steven Butt, Dr. Tycho Fredericks, Dr. Tarun Gupta, Dr. Pavel Ikonomov, and Mr. Troy Place; IME office assistant Mary Fosburg; CEAS career advisor Heather Highouse; and volunteers from many CEAS organizations: IEE, SME, SPE, and Sunseeker.

Engineers’ Week serves up a smorgasbord of events

For the 30^th Annual Engineers’ Week Dinner (EWD), held in last week to celebrate the engineering profession, an audience of nearly 300 enjoyed food, camaraderie, and a glimpse of how algae may be a prime biomass for future bio-diesel fuel. Five CEAS students were awarded scholarships at the event that featured the theme “Engineers Make it Work.”

Dr. Jay Newman, president of Optional Energy Partners, Inc., located in Sturgis, MI, provided the keynote address on "Sustainable Energy -Sustainable Communities.” His seven-month-old company is using the waste from waste treatment plants for fuel.

CEAS students won five scholarships, two sponsored by Eaton Corp. and one each from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Consumers Energy, and the Society of Plastic Engineers (SPE).

Joshua Wiese, an engineering management technology senior from Belleville, Mich., is Epsilon Mu Eta president and the Tau Alpha Pi VP. He graduates this spring. He is presently interning at Post Foods and spent four summers interning at GM.

Greg Vosters, an electrical engineering senior from Otsego, Mich., graduates in Dec. He is currently working at Eaton in a co-op, working full time in the summer and part time while he’s in school. As the Tau Beta Pi president, he is involved with Relay for Life. Eventually he would like to work in power distribution

Britney Richmond, a civil engineering junior from Chesaning, Mich., is a member of ASC, the concrete canoe team, and Tau Beta Pi, and has been active in the development of service learning projects for local schools. She interned with MDOT last summer and is planning a career in the structural aspect of civil engineering and the completion of a master’s degree.

Nicholas Pohl, a mechanical engineering (ME) senior with math and science minors, is from Fowler, Mich. He wants an aerospace career after graduating.

Peter Feldpausch, a ME junior from Hastings, Mich., has career aspirations in engines and transportation. Both Pohl and Feldpausch are members of Alpha Lambda Delta and St. Thomas’ Parish.

Prior to the formal ceremony, four CEAS professors showcased their labs and research: Dr. Bade Shrestha, from MAE, introduced the students to the work done in the Fuel Cell Evaluation and Research Center; Dr. John Patten, from MFE, explained research about the CEAS’s wind turbine and the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle; Harold Hladky, from PCI, offered an update on bio-diesel creation; and Abe Poot, Sunseeker adviser, discussed solar-powered vehicles.

Sponsored by the Southwestern Michigan engineering societies, the event annually celebrates National Engineers Week and the engineering profession. The dinner and scholarships are possible thanks to WMU, professional societies and area industries.

Donors to the event include Pfizer, Post Foods, AIAA, SAE, ASCE, AIChE, ASME of Central Michigan, Haworth, IEEE, SW Mich. Chapter of MSPE, SPE of West Michigan, CEAS, Byce and Associates, Consumers Energy, Eaton Corp., Prein & Newhof, Soil and Materials Engineers Inc., and Tower Pinkster.

The EWD committee, chaired by Mike Schwartz of Prein & Newhof, included several CEAS people: Dr. Jorge Rodriguez, Dr. Peter Parker, Dr. Dean Johnson, Scot Conant, Johanna Wells, Tamara Bergman, Samuel Kallen, Jenni Soetaert, Michael Romkema, and Heather Highhouse.

Other members are Dave Caldwell (DENSO), John Lobo (Eaton), Pradip Sagdeo (AIAA), Tim Mitchell (SME), and David Anderson (VBISD).

Metal casting conference offers networking and scholarships

Dr. Sam Ramrattan, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) professor specializing in metal casting, led a delegation of five IME students to the 61^st Annual Foundry Educational Foundation (FEF) College Industry Conference (CIC) held in Chicago late last fall.

The two-day conference celebrated the metal-casting industry and provided networking opportunities for 30 company reps and the faculty members and 98 students from 24 metal­casting-accredited colleges. Only five students from each college were invited to the conference.

WMU attendees were Michael Horvath, Jason Klein, Kirk Mrozek, Shane Sovia, and Brad Tudor, all technology majors interested in metal casting.

The conference offered information sessions and speakers on innovation, globalization, sustainability, and career opportunities.

Klein, who earned a BS in Manufacturing Technology last semester, won a $2,000 American Foundry Society (AFS) – Saginaw Valley Scholarship. He was one of only 15 students to win a CIC Student Delegate Scholarship.

Klein dined with representatives of MetalTek International, headquartered in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He was impressed with the conference speakers, and especially a Caterpillar, Inc., rep who described the company’s efforts in restoring old equipment. “They take bulldozers that have been rusting in fields for 20 years and make them new,” he said.

The conference camaraderie added to the atmosphere of the conference. “It was definitely a rewarding experience,” Klein said. “Most of the company reps are former FEF students who keep giving back, and you realize that once you’re in metal-casting, it’s a lifelong membership.”

Klein came to WMU from Grand Rapids and is now a graduate assistant in WMU’s manufacturing master’s program. He attends classes, teaches a lab section of ME 2200 Processes and Materials in Manufacturing, and assists in Ramrattan’s research. He is also interviewing for a summer internship.

Having won at least five other metal-casting-related scholarships, Klein is more than enthusiastic about the topic, and he is eager to go to work in metal-casting.

Sunseeker 295 retires again … this time to the Air Zoo

Sunseeker 295 has been refurbished and is now on display at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo Space Annex. It was recently returned to WMU after being exhibited for the past 5 years at the Gilmore Car Museum.

Sunseeker 295 is the solar-powered vehicle that WMU entered in the 2001 American Solar Challenge (ASC), which followed Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles.

In ASC 2001, Sunseeker 295 took 5^th place in stock class and 23^rd overall. It was also featured in a National Geographic solar-car documentary that aired on cable network.

Abraham Poot, adviser to Sunseeker, said that the car played a major part of the history of WMU’s solar vehicles.

Sunseeker 295 was originally Sunseeker 93, built for the 1993 GM Sunrayce, a race from Dallas, Texas, to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Overcast and rainy weather hampered all 34 solar team entries, and Sunseeker 93 finished 18^th .

Sunseeker 93 had a strong chassis and served as the base for Sunseeker 95, which featured improvements in the solar array, power train, and aerodynamics. With a new Bronco Gold paint job, Sunseeker 95 placed 8^th of 38 cars in the1995 Sunrayce, which ran from Indianapolis to Golden, Colorado.

Sunseeker 295 on display at the Kalamazoo Air Zoo Annex

Sunseeker 95 was put on display before the 1997 race and used that year as an educational tool in every town along the race route. It was retired after the 1997 race and loaned to Gilmore Car Museum for exhibition in the Steam and Electric Vehicle barn.

For the 2001 competition, the ASC’s 2400-mile challenge along Route 66 became the longest solar race in the world.

Problems with the modification of the 1999 solar car prompted WMU to pull Sunseeker 95 out of retirement. With a new solar array, carbon-fiber wheels, and new battery pack, Sunseeker 295 was born.

After the 2001 race, Sunseeker 295 was used extensively for recruiting and education. The car visited numerous schools in West Michigan, participated in energy events, took part in parades, and appeared at special WMU events. Sunseeker 295 was retired after a new 2003 Sunseeker was built.

Last November Sunseeker 295 was moved from the Gilmore Museum to the Kalamazoo Air Zoo. “Over the past 19 years, more than a million people have seen the WMU solar cars,” Poot said. “Sunseeker 295 played a major role.”

For additional information, see the Sunseeker web site: www.wmich.edu/sunseeker or contact the Sunseeker team at: sunseeker@wmich.edu

Patten’s new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) to run on wind energy

Last year Dr. John Patten, the manufacturing engineering department chair, secured funding from a Community Energy Project Grant (CEPG) from the State of Michigan Energy Office and from WMU to retrofit his Toyota Prius with a $10,000 battery system that transforms the hybrid-electric vehicle into a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The vehicle now runs up to 40 miles on a battery before it moves into its hybrid mode.

Patten took the five-year-old Prius to Minneapolis – the nearest place where the work was available – for the installation of 200 pounds of lithium ion batteries, a controller, a charger, a regulator, a plug-in, and the interface that makes it a plug in. “It’s pretty cool,” he said. “I can go up to 40 miles on the battery before the hybrid kicks in.”

The new PHEV serves two major purposes. First it’s a demonstration vehicle. “I want people to know that this can be done,” he said.

Second, Patten is monitoring the car’s performance, use of gas and electricity, and costs and the effects of temperature on the battery.

In addition, Patten wants to power the new battery with the electricity produced by a wind turbine located on the WMU Parkview campus along US 131 near the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences sign. He funded the turbine’s installation in 2007 with overhead and residual funds from his other research grants. Now he wants to incorporate it into the PHEV equation.

“The big picture of the research is determining whether the wind turbine produces enough electricity to charge the vehicle on average,” he said. “The preliminary data shows that it will. The research will show if that’s valid.”

Patten wants a completely green transportation system. “When the car runs in electric mode, there are no tailpipe emissions,” he said. “But when the car is plugged into a windmill, there will also be no power plant emissions.”

The present set up at the CEAS requires Patten to keep manual records about miles driven, kilowatt hours used, and time required. A new Web-based meter is presently being installed to automate the collection process. “We’ll put that information into a database and spreadsheet and use that for the analysis,” he said. “The results will be posted on the Web page.”

The CEPG grant lasts one year. Follow the research at http://www.wmich.edu/mfe/energy/research_and_labs.php#phev