The first project I worked on was the development of an isolated aluminum MSU Bracket for vibration analysis. This project was centered in the analysis and validation portion of the design cycle with the goal of comparing the aluminum brackets vibration characteristics to a new plastic version.
My next project was generating a presentation and supporting models for a proposed update to the air cleaner brackets on the DD15 and DD13 engines. This was the first project where I was more closely involved with the generation of a proposal. I learned a lot from feedback on my initial presentation as well as discussing potential changes and improvements with a co-worker. Small changes to the slide structure and annotations made a huge change in the overall ability for the audience to understand and make an informed decision on the proposal.
Another project involved working closely with another intern on the development of low cycle fatigue test fixtures for validation of a simulation for various S-pipe brackets. S-pipe brackets are subjected to a repeated fatigue cycle on the engine due to the thermal expansion of the S-pipe each time the engine is run. The goal of this project was to validate a simulation which would allow for the partial elimination of costly and time consuming physical validation. This project allowed me to see the full cycle of development from conceptualization to design to drawing generation and machining. It also allowed me to work closely with the component-testing department.
At the same time as the last project, I was also working on updating plastic versions of air filter brackets after feedback from the component engineer on a previous iteration prior to production. This project taught me quite a bit about the generation of engineering drawings for production components.This was something I did not have experience with prior to this, so this project was a great learning experience. Feedback from co-workers throughout the progress of the project was invaluable.
One of the larger projects was the implementation of a patent regarding piston cooling jet flow separation. This project was particularly interesting as it was challenging and forced me to interpret and implement patent drawings. However, due to the challenging nature and timeline of this project, I was unable to see the project to completion during my twelve week term.
My final project was the development of concepts for fan and belt routing and tensioners for a prototype engine currently being developed by the Detroit design team as well as groups in India and Germany. This project was also challenging due to the need for relatively rapid development and large packaging constraints.