In the School of Engineering's Design and Manufacturing Clinic, upper-level engineering students tackle problems at regional industries. Our students tend to think outside the box. One mechanical engineering team, hindered by the 180 mile distance to Phoenix Inc. in North Canton, Ohio, even gathers in Doepker's office for conference calls with coordinating engineers at the factory. Generally, student teams communicate with the company several times a week and visit the plant about six times during the 15-week semester. After they identify what a customer wants, they must formulate an approach, design the solution and present the company a narrative report with calculations and drawings.
Projects requiring extensive design and prototype manufacturing sometimes run two terms.
The students practice design for manufacture. They deal with suppliers to get product samples, model numbers and cost estimates. Projects have ranged from developing a prototype automated pillow tester that simulates pillow wear to an inexpensive, easily adjustable computer table for children with cerebral palsy. A committee of industry leaders, chaired by Dean Ruwe, president of Copeland Corp., provides advice on the mission, management and projects of the clinic. The industry sponsors have been impressed by the performance of the student teams of engineers.