Mechanical Engineering Intern at Robert Bosch LLC: Charleston, SC
This summer I was able to do my 3rd and final rotation at Robert Bosch LLC in Charleston, SC. Bosch is a German multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Germany. Bosch core products are automotive components, industrial products, and building products. Bosch is the world's largest supplier of automotive components. I currently work in the Charleston plant where we manufacture automotive components ESP/ASP, fuel pumps, and injectors. At the Charleston plant we are able to machine parts, create components, and then assemble all of components to create our final product.
As far for myself, I am co-op for a manufacture engineer. Prior to this position I was able to work under Line engineer, TPM engineer, and Quality engineer. That is one thing that I loved about working here at Bosch, they find ways to expand your knowledge as well as let you get a feel for different aspects of engineering to see what best suits you. My first rotation at Bosch I was doing a lot of paperwork, classes and miscellaneous work due to the fact I was not familiar with the plant. As for my second rotation, I was able to get a better feel for the plant and I was given small projects I was able to accomplish within my given timeframes. By working with other engineers and understanding the Bosch way these rotations set me up for this last rotation at Bosch. Bosch permits employees from getting too detailed of what or how they do things at Bosch so I can try to explain what I have been up to this rotation without breaking that rule. As for this rotation I am working in the machine department that manufactures t
he aluminum blocks for the ESP/ABS units. I have been given a project of reducing the cycle time of some of our CNC machines to improve the OEE. Improving cycle time is huge for a company, Cycle time is the total time from the beginning to the end of your process. By reducing cycle time in our machines we are able to increase productivity and let us get ahead of our competitors. I needed to coordinate mechanics, electricians, and process group to be able to work together to complete 30 machines in 30 days. I was also in charge of talking to suppliers to get the parts needed to complete project as well as communicating with our mother plant in Germany for support with
machines. It has been one crazy month but we are almost completed with the project. It really feels good to see something you work so hard for actually be completed and work. In completion of this project we will increase our cycle time 4-5 seconds per machine as well as have a huge cost savings.
In my final thoughts of Bosch from being an employee for them for almost two years, I have nothing but good things to say. The company is a very diverse company that has plants over 150 countries so you are bound to work with someone that is not American. I love that in Bosch because it is pretty interesting to see how different countries look at engineering. Everyone here is always willing to give a helping hand, and never want to see you be defeated. I have learned a lot from the engineers at Bosch but I have also been able to gain a lot of knowledge from the mechanics and electricians that have been here over 30 years. I was surprised of how much they really know and how they made my life so much easier at Bosch. I would recommend everyone to do at least one rotation at Bosch if you are interested in manufacture, I have learned so much that you cannot be taught in a classroom.