My experience

Overview

I led the mechanical design of a new conduction-cooled FPGA module with demanding cooling requirements. I designed all the custom metalwork through a parametric study and analyzed heat transfer via conduction using SolidWorks Simulation. I created the assembly model, complete with fasteners and imported PCB models, analyzed tolerance stack-up, and prepared a technical report on my findings. At the end of the term, I presented my assembly design to my supervisor and the company's general manager, and my parts were sent out to be CNC machined. I also worked on assembly instructions for manufacturing technicians and dimensioning part drawings for manufacturing. I also got a chance to see what I was working on, as AMS has an in-house, ESD-safe manufacturing facility, complete with a multi-million dollar pick-and-place machine. As a mechanical engineer in a primarily electronics-focused company, I collaborated with many different teams, whether purchasing or PCB.

Overall, the internship was a good experience for me and really challenged me to step up to the plate, so to speak. I learned a lot about practical engineering work and felt like I accomplished something meaningful. I learned that I do not want to spend my career working on the mechanical design of FPGA boards. It was good to be working during the semester rather than during the summer, as I had more time, but gradually I lost a sense of purpose in my life and was very lonely in Annapolis, as nice as the place is. I put in a lot of weeknight and Saturday overtime, even though I was never asked to, just to complete my work to the level I wanted to. The job was somewhat suffocating, though, located in a nondescript industrial park with cubicles and offices. The in-house manufacturing facility was cool, and I got a chance to spend a day shadowing one of the process engineers. As good as it was for my career, I would not want to go back, as I did not really enjoy the work I did and gained no emotional satisfaction.