I built a mechatronics system of motors, microcontrollers, and sensors to pump water through filtering funnels and collect flow rate data. The organization was founded on a filter paper invention that uses nanotechnology to filter out bacteria and other particles. The system I built helped the organization gather data and compare quality of the different improvements of the filter paper.

Water is pumped from reservoir when the start button is pressed. Target volume of water to be filtered is pre-defined in the Arduino code that has to be uploaded prior to starting the system. Float sensors make sure the funnels do not overflow with water as they activate and stop the motors. A timer was built in to the code to keep track of influent volume pumped by the motors and weight scales measured mass of effluent water volume coming out of the filtering funnel. This system consisted of eight motor pumps so eight different data collection could be done in parallel. I used this system to obtain data on the filter paper and do analysis. The organization sent this analysis to other companies, such as Unilever, for grants to continue future work.

I used my degree in mechanical engineering to understand how the motors and sensors function, how to program using microcontroller, designing in CAD mounting brackets, and doing hands on mechanical work, such as drilling, casting etc. The manufacturing courses I took helped me to build the physical system and to choose what method of manufacturing to use. For some cases, casting was better suited, or 3D printing or woodwork. I thought about the feasibility and strength needed to choose the method of manufacturing. The design courses I took helped me to design the parts in CAD using Solidworks. When desgning, I thought of stresses and made sure to avoid stress concentration. I thought of bolt and screw placement and appropriate sizing. Mechanical drawings were also created to document the design for future replication. The programming courses I took helped in writing the code for the microcontroller to be able to read inputs from the sensors and output control the motors and collect data. The microcontroller courses I took helped in wiring the different equipment, taking care of grounding and appropriate voltage, and the different pins that interact. Problem solving skills learned from my degree were used to overcome obstacles that I faced.

The job required a lot of electrical knowledge. I am a mechanical engineer, so I found myself lacking sometimes in that area. I had to learn procedures such as splitting and joining wires, preparing a power supply, and using motor drivers, etc. The company was under a deadline to submit data, and I was on a time crunch to build the system. I had to learn how to set up a flow to get the work done faster. Analyzing data into a specific format took some tries, as I was not sure which way to present the data. The work hours started later in the day, which, along with a long commute, pushed me back in some of my other responsibilities outside the job as I returned home late. I had to work on my time management to be able to finish the work for my other commitments.

My takeaway from this experience is that, while in the classroom, you can get theoretical knowledge and some practical knowledge, training in the field allows a great deal of learning that is not usually gained from just attending classes. I have learned a lot more about microcontrollers and how to program using them in this job than I have learned taking courses. I have picked up a lot of electrical knowledge that I otherwise wouldn’t have been exposed to in mechanical engineering classes. I have also gotten a lot of hands-on experience in mechanical practices and even had my supervisor demo to use different power tools, which you don’t get in classes. I recognize what kind of work environment I flourish in, if I work better in a team or working alone. I think internships are a great venue to figure out what field, position, and work environment are best suited to you.