POWER February 2023 - 16

FOCUS ON O&M
3. A tour of the workshop was given so the
students had a good understanding of Sulzer's
operations. Courtesy: Sulzer
(R&D). Its main objective is to expedite
the testing phase through a smarter
workflow and reduce the negative social
impact of a product. Furthermore, when
properly
applied,
it can reduce R&D
times, improve quality and lower costs.
Thommassen connected the relevant
teams at the Venlo Service Center and
Fontys University to set up the coating
samples project. After agreeing on the
scope and course outline, the project began
in earnest.
The Taguchi Method
To begin with, professors at the university
delivered lectures on the Taguchi
method. As an initial introduction, students
took part in a paper helicopter
case study. The aim was to modify the
design parameters of the helicopter to
maximize the amount of airtime it could
achieve. The students were then invited
to the service center (Figure 3).
" We spent two days with the students
at Sulzer, " Thommassen said. " First, we
gave them a workshop tour so they had
a good understanding of our operations,
especially concerning gas turbines. Then,
we showed them the laboratory with the
polishing and grinding machines, so they
could see the process in action and build
a knowledge base. "
Thommassen continued: " Next, we
moved to the classroom to learn the
steps of Taguchi. With everyone up to
speed, we split the students into five
teams of five, with each team providing
a proposed test schedule for the
coating sample preparation. Once we
received each schedule, our laboratory
carried out the tests following the student's
instructions, with results sent
back to the university for data analysis.
Finally, we all met again for teams to
present their results. "
Solving a Real-World Engineering
Challenge
The fact that a test schedule developed
by the students is now being in16
corporated
into quality documentation
at the service center proves that the
project was a success. The optimal approach
heavily depended on parameter
selection.
The more successful proposals focused
on shortening the process while
reducing scratches. To achieve this, students
reduced the original eight grinding
stages down to six, eliminating the very
coarse sandpaper used at the beginning
to instead rely on the finer grades used
later. This helped to avoid
scratches,
which were being caused during the first
stages of grinding.
Furthermore, the students suggested
increasing the speed of the grinding
machine to ensure that any particles
that came loose from the paper were
quickly swept away before they could
cause scratches. As well as improving
the quality of the samples, the new
process also reduced lead times and
costs, offering a tangible benefit to Sulzer
customers.
Young Engineering Students
Making the Grade
The project didn't just benefit the service
center, it also provided up and
coming engineers with the chance to
prove their skills in the real world. Nicky
Janssen, an Industrial Product Design
student, said, " Putting my knowledge
into practice is something that gives me
great satisfaction. I found it very interesting
to see the different departments
at Sulzer and ask questions.
" Being able to apply the knowledge
of different disciplines is necessary to
arrive at the best products. During this
project, I discovered that not only the
right mix of engineers, but also different
techniques can make a distinction in
the quality of what is delivered, " Janssen
said.
Also studying Industrial Product Design
with Mechanical Engineering as
an option, Jill Vloet was another project
participant (Figure 4). " If I may speak
for myself, I learn the most from these
internships and other practical assignments.
This also applies to the project
we carried out with Sulzer-I think it is a
good way to prepare students for entering
the working world, helping to provide
them with the tools to work independently
and also take initiative in groups, "
said Vloet.
" I think that every person can contribute
a lot to a team, everyone has different
perspectives, qualities, and learning
goals. I believe that bringing different
viewpoints together can lead to true innovation, "
she added.
Nurturing the Engineering
Community
4. Nicky Janssen and Jill Vloet, both studying
Industrial Product Design, learned invaluable
skills from the practical training. Courtesy:
Sulzer
www.powermag.com
" At Sulzer, we are always looking for new
talent and for the chance to engage with
young people. We've set up this program
to help equip them with the knowledge
they need to overcome engineering challenges
while providing students with
valuable real-world experience. We want
to actively support the next generation of
engineering talent and that means providing
young engineers with opportunities, "
said Thommassen.
" Sulzer also welcomes apprentices
to the company across all departments, "
he continued. " We have students who
have graduated from Fontys University
training and [are] working with us
now-so we offer a clear progression
path. Anyone wanting to know more
can contact us or visit during one of our
open days. "
With the success of the Taguchi
method project, Sulzer's Venlo Service
Center and Fontys University are
working to set up projects annually,
providing engineering students in the
Netherlands with even more support
going forward. " I've always been curious,
and I have a strong desire to understand
how things work. In my 22
years at Sulzer, I've always had the opportunity
to be a part of projects that I
can put my engineering heart into. This
includes working with students, as we
are given the freedom, from our General
Manager and Management Team,
to develop ideas and engage with the
local engineering community. This support
and trust from Sulzer is one the
reasons I enjoy working here so much, "
Thommassen concluded. ■
-This article was contributed to
POWER by Sulzer.
POWER | February 2023
http://www.powermag.com
POWER February 2023

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