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UW Oshkosh
Department of Engineering & Engineering Technology

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Engineering Club Activities

Below we presented descriptions, thoughts and impressions related to the engineering club’s activities.

Oshkosh Corporation

Oshkosh Corporation designs and builds the world’s toughest specialty trucks and truck bodies and access equipment by working shoulder-to-shoulder with the people who use them.

“We visited the Oshkosh Corporation on Thursday morning to go through the plant to learn about their own operation. As far as first impressions, I realized the size comparison to every part on the vehicle to be way larger then on any street legal truck. This was a good depiction on the reliability of the vehicles they build by the pure strength each part has. The fact that they have so much hardware and parts on hand makes the company very dependable as to get the job done and makes no down time for their employees. Besides the employees being very hard working they are also tremendously friendly and open to conversation. When taking rides in the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) it made my understanding so much clearing on how invested this company is to be the very best in the world. When I was going into the experience I couldn’t guess on how smooth and fast these vehicles are, I was blown away! I am confident that they are making the best equipment available from their scissor lift to the fire trucks by all of the research and testing done. I am very thrilled to have been part of this tour, I am able to walk out with a great understanding of how Oshkosh Corporation operates.”

Ryan Weber,
Nov 30, 2017

“I had the pleasure of visiting Oshkosh Corporation with the UW-Engineering Club for a plant tour on Thursday, November 30, 2017. The tour began with some history of the company, where its success all started from the manufacture of a four-wheel drive vehicle. We were then able to see some of their vehicles, including a slideshow showing all of the vehicles they manufacture and sell globally. This was an incredible experience because students were given a “ride” in two of the vehicles that Oshkosh Corporation manufactures for the U.S. Military. The rides were performed over a test track with slopes, mounds, and large rocks in the T&D (Testing and Development) area of the plant. These vehicles handled everything easily and it was very fun! Seeing military vehicles in movies is one thing, but nothing beats being able to ride in one of them in person. I enjoyed the tour knowing that Oshkosh Corporation makes these vehicles for those who protect our lives and serve our country. Thank you Oshkosh Corporation for providing us with this exceptional tour.”

Caleb Schaubroeck,
Nov 30, 2017

“On Thursday, November, 30th 2017, the UW-Oshkosh Engineering Club had the opportunity to visit Oshkosh Defense in Oshkosh, Wisconsin for a tour. Oshkosh Defense is a branch of Oshkosh Corporation just like our previous tour host, Pierce Manufacturing. Though allowing the public inside Oshkosh Defense is extremely rare, we were treated to an awesome tour by our guide Mike. The main focus of the tour was seeing the Test and Development (T&D) Center. The T&D Center includes a test course that simulates the types of terrain Oshkosh Defense Products are operated on. During an overview presentation of the company, we watched simulations of the trucks attempting various obstacles. Later, we had the opportunity to experience the real-world equivalent of the simulations with a ride through the test course in two different light weight tactical vehicles. One of the original T&D Engineers, Don, was at the controls and it was an incredible experience. First, I rode in a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). Secondly, I rode in a Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV). The course featured, gravel, rocks, dirt, whoops, a 2 foot drop, and even a 60% grade. The contrast in the suspension capabilities between the two trucks was astounding. The L-ATV was a much smoother ride through the whoop section with its advanced suspension. We also met Graham, another T&D Engineer, who holds a Mechanical Engineering Technology degree just like the one we are pursuing as UW-Oshkosh students. It was great hearing his story and learning about the opportunities available at Oshkosh Defense with a Technology degree. Thank you Oshkosh Defense for fantastic day and a once-in-a-lifetime experience “

Matthew Riehbrandt,
Nov 30, 2017

Pierce Manufacturing

Pierce Manufacturing being a part of the Oshkosh Corporation provides custom fire and rescue apparatus and firetrucks. The company as a Wisconsin-based manufacturer is located in Appleton.

“On Thursday, October, 12th 2017, the UW-Oshkosh Engineering Club had the opportunity to visit Pierce Manufacturing in Appleton, Wisconsin for a tour. Pierce, a subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation, is the largest manufacturer of fire trucks and related equipment in the world. Their facility is truly world-class and is incredibly impressive. One of my favorite parts of the tour was learning about the TAK-4 Independent Suspension System, developed by Oshkosh Corporation, that Pierce uses in many of their firetrucks. According to our tour guide, the suspension allows massive vehicles, such as firetrucks, to handle like racecars at high speeds. Of course, my favorite part of the tour was seeing the Pierce “Blue Floor” room where I had the opportunity to sit in a freshly completed firetruck. As engineering students, the tour was very valuable because it revealed how amazing pierce is as a company and also highlighted the impressive products that are being produced just miles from our campus. The tour was also inspirational. Our tour guide shared that it was always his goal to work with his passion, firetrucks, and he insisted that we can reach our goals just the same as long as we never give up and dedicate ourselves to our passion entirely. I cannot thank Pierce enough for allowing us in their facility and for giving us a fantastic tour. “

Matthew Riehbrandt,
Oct 16, 2018

” The tour at Pierce Manufacturing that the Engineering Club went to recently was my first real-world experience of where my education can be applied to. I was fascinated by the fact that human ingenuity can start from creating an idea and then manufacturing a product so impressive—firetrucks! The tour first began with a short discussion of the company’s history, including their famous wall of patents. Later on, we went through various parts of the plant, such as the paint shop and cab assembly. At the end, we were allowed to hop in a few finished firetrucks on the “blue floor” and see some of the various customizable features they offer on their firetrucks. I thoroughly enjoyed this tour. It was very motivating and inspiring!”

Caleb Schaubroeck,
Oct 15, 2017

“On Thursday October 12th we visited pierce Mfg. assembly plan in Appleton Wisconsin. This was an extremely positive and helpful experience. It was a great tour that gave a lot of insight into all the parts that go into the assembly process of a manufacturing plant. This plant tour was helpful to show us how our classes can be applied to real world application. The caught my attention most about this tour was the amount of their products that were conceived, designed, developed and produced in house by the pierce company. These products range from the Command ZoneTM, which is a fully integrated display for the statue of the truck, to the TAK-4® suspension system, which is an independent rear suspension that still allows for power to be driven to the back wheels, and many more. These are extremely innovative features for the trucks and it was very inspiring to the extreme amount of innovation that takes place so close to home. It was very impressive to hear about the company’s history as well as see there wall of patents. The patio and commitment of the workers was also very moving showing just how much pride and dedication they have to their work. This was a very useful tour and I would like to thank Pierce Mfg. for allowing us to tour there facility.”

Arthur Rathjen,
Oct 16, 2018

Walker Forge

Walker Forge specializes in closed-die steel forging and heat treating of manufactured parts for wide industry. The company provides gear blanks, crankshafts, driveline yokes, steering knuckles, pistons, rods and a variety of other steel forging parts and products.

“The tour began in the office of the die designer, where he showed us the beginning stages of the die design on paper and on a 3D computer program. we then moved on to the CNC machining area where the dies are made and surfaced. The next area we saw was the welding area where the dies are welded to make a strong press and cutting edge. old dies are not thrown away, rather they are rewelded and refinished to be used again. we then saw the various presses and hammer presses that would not only press the steel but cut off the flash and put it in a bin for recycling. We worked our way over to the robot building where the controller showed us the various operations. We finished the tour looking at the furnace, and compressed air systems, and chiller systems. We then met in the conference room where we asked questions and finished the tour.”

James Sobotka,
May 2017

Matthew Riehbrandt,

Oct 16, 2018

“During this tour we were taken from the beginning design process all the way to the final product being boxed up and shipped. At first, we were taken to talk to one of their engineers. He told us about the entire design process, from receiving 2D CAD drawings of the part, and it is his job to turn them into 3D CAD drawings of the dies. The next step is to make the dies, this is done by a CNC Lathe/cutting machine to make the die to exact specifications. We also saw the raw material coming into the plant, it is just long and thick rods of metal that is cut to weight of the part they need to forge. Once the pieces are cut they need to be heated in the oven before they can be pressed. The final shape usually takes about 3-4 presses, it is very rare that a final product will be pressed only one time. Multiple presses helps give the part the desired grain flow. Some of the presses are fed the material by a robot, but others are still run by a person putting in the hot metal, turning on the press, and removing the pressed metal. Once all of the pressing is done the object is still very hot, and must be cooled at a desired rate. A robot places the finished parts on a long cooling conveyor belt with lots of fans blowing on them. Once the pieces are finally cooled a robot puts them on a pallet ready to be shipped.”

Dylan Calabresa,
May 2017

Mercury Marine

Mercury Marine is the global marine leader in propulsion systems and services, integrated electronics and parts and accessories.

“Mercury provided us with a first had view of everything we learned in the classroom. It’s one thing to see it on a screen and be told what it is but it’s so much better to see it all in person. Walking around and watching all those processes take place really sets it in your head how it’s done and what it takes to accomplish it. I enjoyed seeing the molten aluminum be poured into forms. This really helped me grasp how similar techniques are still used as were used long ago just now it is poured in with a robot. I noticed that a lot of the factory was run by computers and there were still a lot of people around which shows that even though it’s all becoming automated you still need humans to repair the machines and keep them in check. This whole trip was very eye opening to me and offered a lot of new job opportunities I had never thought of before.”

Tyler Schultz,
April, 2017

“On the 28th of March, the engineering club took a tour to the Mercury Marine Plant. The tour consisted of learning the history behind the products and the reasons for the way they produce their products.
When looking at the plant for the first time, I noticed that the scale of the operation was overwhelming. With multiple factories located in a single lot was a very efficient way to be self-sufficient and have not to negotiate with 3rd parties; this keeps the cost significantly down. On top of being able to create their own products, they are also manufacturing for outside company’s do to the rare machines they have working. I think the fact that they found a way to make more than just parts for Mercury is genius and makes for a good income. The overall layout and job duties make for a very efficient manufacturing process.
The coolest part of the trip was to witness how the lost foam casting is done. The idea of making extremely intricate parts out of foam first is a great idea; it enables the complex designs and makes no limitations for engineers and the tools available. The only setback for the operation at this plant would be they have to receive the foam molds from an outside source. I believe more companies will take this skill on to continue to innovate.
The scale of the forging is extremely large and very expensive; it make more of an understanding on why lathing or milling would be a viable option for smaller companies. This tour game me a great understanding on the thought that needs to go into layout. With that machinery, space needs to be used as efficiently as possible.”

Ryan Weber,
April, 2017

Worthington Industries

Worthington Industries is a global diversified metals manufacturing company, processing steel and manufacturing pressure cylinder, such as propane, oxygen and helium tanks, hand torches, refrigerant and industrial cylinders, camping cylinders, exploration, recovery and production products for global energy markets; scuba tanks, and compressed natural gas storage cylinders; custom-engineered open and enclosed cabs and operator stations for heavy mobile equipment; framing systems for mid-rise buildings; steel pallets and racks for shipping.

“I thought the tour today was really cool and very interesting. I took a lot away from going to Worthington Industries and didn’t realize how much went into manufacturing propane cylinders and torches. There are so many different small processes that went into making them that it was really amazing to see in person. I also took away what he was talking about in the meeting room, about the internships possible there and what kinds of things the interns did while they were working there. Also what specifically he himself is looking for in an intern. Those three things I learned from the most while on this tour and a bonus was just getting to see the processes at work and how cool it was.”

Trevor Christophersen
15/11/2016

“I really enjoyed the tour. I thought it was really cool seeing and following the complete process from start to finish of the torches and pressure cylinders. I was really impressed in the advancements and push they have to implement more automation in there processes. Also how they are building devices to drain and recycle the left over gas and can so they don’t end up in our landfills.”

Trevor Faldet,
15/11/2016

“On Tuesday November 15, 2016 I attended a tour of Worthington Industries with the UW-Oshkosh Engineering Technology Industrial Club. We saw many fascinating processes and learned a lot about the business of making propane tanks. One thing that I found most impressive was the fact that nearly all of the machines involved in the manufacturing process were designed and built in-house. The other thing I was impressed by was the level of cleanliness in the assembly and machining areas. Overall I found the tour quite interesting and very worthwhile. We made connections with the Engineering Manager that may lead to opportunities for the UW-Oshkosh Engineering Program to work with Worthington in the future. “

Matt Riehbrandt,
16/11/2016

“We had another great plant tour and visit at Worthington Industries in Chilton. This plant produces many tanks that we see every day including propane, oxygen, and other tanks that hold compressed gasses. On the tour we were able to see many different processes in action including industrial presses, ovens, painting stations, and high tech robotics. The plant is in the process of slowly upgrading entire product lines and it is amazing to see how one modern machine can replace seven 50 year-old machines. During this tour we have seen process in which we have never seen before and it really puts into perspective how much work goes into a simple everyday component.”

Adam Hynek,
16/11/2016

“I really enjoy going on this tour to the Worthington Industry. It was a unique experience to see the process that they implement as company to design and manufacture the cylinder that they produce. As consumers, we never think about the sophisticated process apply to those propene cylinder while being build. Furthermore, we were able to see the effect and significant of working as a team while being part of a project and benefit of good communication. “

Juan Cabrera Gil,
16/11/2016

Special Guest Presenter

Jessica Peters, Bemis, Campus Recruiter

Testimonial 1

Jessica, a recruiter from Bemis Corporation, came in and spoke to our Engineering Club on October 27th. She told us about her background and gave us many useful tips for interviewing and landing a good job. First impressions are very important and it is crucial for an interviewee to make good eye contact and to give a firm handshake. Have confidence in yourself! Jessica also made the point that we need to visit the company’s website and develop some open ended questions to ask the interviewer. Make the interview into a conversation. Lastly, another main idea she pointed out was to google the most common interview questions and prepare written answers to them. When writing the answers, it makes you think deeper into the topic allowing expansion and new ideas to develop. Thank you for the visiting us and providing important useful information Jessica!

Adam Hynek
10/28/2016

Bemis

Neenah

Bemis is a global supplier of flexible packaging used by leading food, consumer products, healthcare, and other companies worldwide.

Testimonial 1

We had another great educational visit, this time at the Neenah WI Bemis Company Headquarters. It was amazing touring the 400,000 square feet of manufacturing floor and seeing all of the machines and process that go into a seemingly simple plastic food container. After our one-on-one tour we met in the conference room with a human resource representative along with many engineers of different experience levels. They were more than happy to have an in depth two way discussion to advise and help prepare us upcoming engineers for this field of work. Thanks again to Bemis for helping make this experience happen!

Adam Hynnek,
05/08/2016

MarquipWardUnited

MarquipWardUnited, a Barry-Wehmiller Company, designs and manufactures corrugating, finishing, and sheeting machinery for the corrugated box and paper converting industries.

A field trip to Marquip Ward United was my first field trip for Engineering Club. It was a great experience because I had an opportunity to see the company, what they are doing, how do they operate the company, and most importantly meet with the engineer team and had Q&A session.

As I toured the company, one thing I found interesting was how they combined different parts into one big machine. There were different departments which operate differently to make one big machine. The machines were very complex and sophisticated although they were built to make papers and boxes. I never thought of how card boards or boxes were created, but after I saw the machine (which creates card boards and boxes), it elevated my interest in engineer. No matter how small or insignificant a product may seem, it went through a complex procedure and the engineering team had put a lot of work and time in it.

One interesting thing I heard from one of the engineers was that they, in their work, were not pressured by any one and they were on their own with the team leaded by senior engineer. One thing that socked me was that finishing engineering school did not meant I was ready for the job. I had to go through different trainings, and learned how different machines work. Graduating as an engineer was a proof for the company that I was capable of learning how different machines work.

Thang Khup,
05/05/2016

Having the chance to see MarquipWard United’s plant in Phillips WI was an absolute pleasure. There was so much information to be gained not only from the tour alone but from talking with some of the engineers too. To this day it still amazes me the precision and accuracy required in the engineering behind a “simple” product such as corrugated paper. Being part of the Mechanical Engineering Technology program I was impressed with how many different topics related to the field were considered in the design of just one corrugator such as: heat transfer, thermodynamics, and mechanics of materials, finite element analysis and programmable logic computers (PLC’S). It goes to show that as engineers we must be well rounded in our knowledge to answer any problems that may arise.

Nelson Figueroa
04/29/2016

The plant visit to MarquipWardUnited in Phillips, WI was an amazing experience for me. I didn’t expect that the cardboard that I usually recycle has lots of complexity and engineering behind it. What mostly grabbed my attention was the complexity and accuracy of the making of the corrugators. I was able to connect the theories that I learned in my heat transfer class to these corrugators (when steam passes inside/ internal flow). At the end, when we met the engineers, I learned that the engineering degree that we get doesn’t necessarily mean that we should know how everything works, but it indicates that we are able to learn.

Jamal Arafeh
04/29/2016

On the week of April 19, the Engineering Club of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, visited the facilities of this company established on Phillips in Wisconsin. While being inside the facility we had a tour for the different type production plants that they have related to the elaboration of the paper of process of it.

To me, this was a very unique experience because I have never been inside of a production plant, and being able to see all the process behind the elaboration of boxes or paper. Furthermore, I enjoyed this visit because we were able to talk to different departments from the company, like the Engineering and the Human Resources department. The representatives from those departments gave us a lot of good advises about how to interact and be able to get involve within the engineering world. This was very helpful because we have an idea about how the real engineering world’s field and how or what to do to be part of it.

Juan Cabrera
04/29/2016

Special Guest Presenter

Christophe Pietruczak, Eur Ing, Bemis NA

Mr. Christopher Pietruczak is the Project Manager in the Bemis NA. For years he conducted numerous engineering feasibility studies, product and project developments. Nominated for the “1999 Engineering Excellence Awards”, Mr. Pietruczak has wide international professional experience. He holds Masters degree in Precision Engineering (Technical University of Warsaw, Poland). His professional portfolio is enhanced by numerous courses he participated: Effective Project Management, Holland; Six sigma methodology, Belgium; Course in Interpersonal Management Skills, Switzerland; Course in management techniques, France.

Testimonial 1

Attitude is the important trait in order to become a successful engineer. The speaker said that I, as a beginner engineer, must pay attention and listen to senior engineers. Engineering field, according to the speaker, require a person with strong communication and good at team work (willing to learn and open to different opinions). Although higher education, such as master or PhD degree, are important, attitude is more important because it is more difficult to develop attitude than getting a higher degree. Companies are more interested in my attitude that my education.

Thang Khup
05/05/2016

Mercury Marine

Mercury Marine is the global marine leader in propulsion systems and services, integrated electronics and parts and accessories.

On December 3rd 2015, the UW-Oshkosh Engineering Club went to visit the Mercury Marine plant in Fond Du Lac. We were warmly welcomed by a group of engineers. They told us about what exactly they did at Mercury and what skills are useful to be a successful engineer. They then gave us a tour of their massive plant and showed us how everything functioned. It was a very rewarding and informative experience which I gained a large amount of learning from.

Kevin Jooss,
12/04/2015

The visit to Mercury Marine was very interesting and educational. We first started off the tour by getting to know all seven of the engineers employed at the plant. Some were environmental, mechanical and others were electrical. I was able to take away so much from each presentation. One fact that I will remember was that brought out by the environmental engineer, Scott Louks, who stressed the point of keeping in mind the life cycle of a product throughout its design process. Not only should we bear in mind the role of our product but what will happen to that product when it is no longer needed or obsolete. This is one of many facts taken away from the visit and although we were not able to cover all 2 million square feet of their facility I hope to return in the near future to finish the tour or as an employee.

Nelson Figueroa,
12/11/2015

Green Bay Packaging

Green Bay Packaging manufacture custom packaging and corrugated cardboard boxes, used for a wide variety of retail packaging and labeling applications.

Testimonial 1

The tour of Green Bay Packaging was a great informational time. Speaking with the engineers was very helpful in deciding the best ways to prepare for the career ahead of us. I learned that no matter how simple a task may sound there are so many aspects to the designing process. With that being said the process in which corrugated paper is very complex. As simple as it sounds to make a “cardboard” I was very impressed with the precision in the cutting process of the corrugated paper. In all, the tour was of great benefit to my peers and I.

Nelson Figueroa,
10/31/2015

Bemis

New London

Bemis make plastic wrapping for different food companies. Although it seems basic, there are lots of processes and engineering behind making the plastic wrapping. The plastic wrapping contains different layers to help protect the food that is going to be used for. At Bemis, we met with different engineers who were working at the plant.

Testimonial 1

Leaving today after the tour of Bemis and discussions with the engineers left me feeling strong and happy to be studying Engineering, I was able to take away so much important information not only about what I need to accomplish in my college career but what to expect outside of graduation. Looking back on the trip I was able to take away so much helpful information however there are a couple of points that really stuck in my head. For one as engineer’s knowledge and problem solving skills must be strong, however we must realize that our communication and people skills should be fine-tuned to promote an efficient work environment. It would be wise to acknowledge the maintenance crew and other employees for the work they do, because they too will bring ideas to the table that we may never even think about. Also, I learned that as an engineer we should choose a job just as much as the job would pick us, meaning that if we do not have a real desire or passion laid out before us then it would be wise to continue to search for such a job because there is a demand for engineers which gives us the opportunity to make such a radical decision.

Nelson Figueroa,
04/21/2015

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