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| Engineering students who worked with Honda: (from L-R-row 1), Brad Stamn, (row 2) Eddy Na, Miranda King, Christine Djunaedi, (row 3)Nat Bedford, Terry Bubb, Scott Emerick, and Mark Bergrin worked with Honda. Photo: Geneva Ringel |
Students Solve Real Engineering Problems at Honda
The College of Engineering’s strong partnership with Honda has led to the creation of a modern learning experience for Ohio State engineering students. Students in their senior year can participate in multi-disciplinary capstone projects based on real engineering problems at the Honda of America plants in and around Marysville, Ohio.
This program is part of the extensive Honda-Ohio State partnership. The partnership spans an array of education, research and public service initiatives positively impacting diverse audiences - students, faculty, public and private sector practitioners and the transportation industry as a whole.
Anthony Luscher, associate professor of mechanical engineering, along with Jerry Brevick and Carolyn Sommerich, both associate professors of industrial and systems engineering, supervised the development of the program from the Endowment for the Growth of Student Activities within the Honda-Ohio State Partnership. The undergraduate capstone project was designed to directly tie student-led projects to engineers in industry.
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| Mechanical engineering students working with professor Tony Luscher created a finite element analysis of a mezzanine. Image courtesy of Tony Luscher. |
“The undergraduate capstone projects at Honda provide a hands-on approach to engineering education that is invaluable,” said Jim Williams, dean of the College of Engineering and Honda Chair of Materials Science. “Not only do students get experience working in a multi-disciplinary atmosphere, they are introduced to the product development cycle. This teaches students how to solve the problems they will face once they enter the work force.”
Each quarter Honda engineers and Ohio State professors identify problems that provide an educational opportunity for students. During class time, students visit the Honda plant in order to understand, analyze and ultimately design a solution to the problems.
“It was like a big homework problem, but you were actually getting something accomplished,” said Brad Stamn, a mechanical engineering student.
One of the projects students completed winter quarter was the redesign of a mezzanine within the Honda Marysville Motorcycle Plant. Mechanical engineering students suggested structural changes to the mezzanine based on a finite analysis model they created. Working in tandem were the industrial engineering students, who analyzed the manufacturing activities performed on the mezzanine and suggested process changes. The students presented their findings to Honda engineers, who plan to use the results.
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| Miranda King, an industrial engineering student, presented her team's candidate solutions to Honda engineers. Photo: Geneva Ringel |
“The multi-disciplinary capstone projects at Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc. give OSU engineering students experience in problem solving through teamwork in a real-life manufacturing environment,” said Jim Wolever, Associate Chief Engineer, Corporate Planning, Honda of America Manufacturing, Inc. “In return HAM gets the opportunity to utilize OSU’s academic resources in achieving its business plan goals.”
“HAM also utilizes this program to identify promising students for recruitment into full-time engineering positions in its manufacturing plants. This program has an overall impact on OSU’s engineering curriculum in developing engineers for successful careers in manufacturing.”
In addition to providing a valuable learning experience, the mulit-disciplinary capstone projects were well liked by the students.
“There’s nothing better than working with a company rather than sitting in class,” said Mark Bergrin, a mechanical engineering student.
The College of Engineering and Honda intend to continue the multi-disciplinary capstone projects next year as part of their ongoing partnership.