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Maintenance Tech-  Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology
Staff: 1995 – 2015
Student: 1992 - 1995

Welding Lab Upgrade

Around 1997, I discussed with Dean Warren Hill a maintenance issue with the old mismatched welders in the lab. There were several welders that were not working. Parts were very hard to find to repair them. I had recently been to the DATC in Kaysville and toured their modern, well equipped Welding Lab. I suggested that maybe a partnership could be set up to use that facility to give students hands-on welding experience. At that time, the Welding Lab was only used a couple of weeks, twice a year. This led the Dean to fund replacement of all equipment and a Welding Emphasis was eventually added to the MMET program.

Conversion from IBM AIX (Unix) computers to Windows-based computers for CATIA lab in 2000

The AIX computers were very expensive and when CATIA was platformed for Windows we could put twice as many workstations in the lab for less money than it cost for the AIX workstations.  Plus, the Windows computer would work with the campus Novell network.  The workstations could run other applications as well, i.e., 3DS Max, AutoCad Mechanical Desktop, ANSYS and MS Office products, which made the lab much more versatile.  

In 2008 we added a “server farm” to link multiple computers together in our labs to render 3D Studio Max projects.  This included an automated student project back-up system.  This saved more than one project that students failed to back-up on a regular basis. 

Added LCD projection systems in all classrooms with computers for teaching

Use of student ID cards for computer lab access which allowed students to access computer Labs without Faculty opening the door

Senior Projects

I believe that several Senior Projects added a lot to the Automation and Hydraulics Labs.  Senior Projects added robotic platforms for the SEIKO robots that were integrated with GE Fanuc programmable logic controllers (PLC) and five portable PLC trainers.  Another Senior Project added additional work stations to the Hydraulics Lab.  I built several National Instrument trainers one summer which added more capability to the Automation Lab. 

This is not much but most of my time was spent just maintaining equipment and lab space. So much happened so many years ago that I am having trouble remembering all the changes that occurred.  And some, like the 3-year electric bus project, I tried to forget.  I assume the Senior Project plaques are still in the hallway which give a great history because so many projects added to the teaching capability of the department, i.e., Plasma Cutting Table, PLC Training Stations, etc.