2024 Steel Intern Scholarships
Trevor L. Racine
This summer I had the incredible opportunity to intern at Waupaca Foundry in Waupaca, Wis., USA. Waupaca Foundry is the largest iron foundry company in North America and the world. During my internship at Plant 1, I worked as a metallurgy intern in the melt lab and was assigned to several projects, the majority of which focused on resonant frequency. Resonant frequency testing is used for production testing of rotors to meet customer requirements as well as correlate to strength. My main project was working to expand the current understanding between resonant frequency and compressive wedge strength. This project specifically focused on automotive brake rotors and learning how to use and interpret resonant frequency testing machines and software. This project involved a lot of hands-on work as well as data acquisition and analysis.
I was also assigned additional projects related to resonant frequency, specifically focusing on cast iron aging and crack detection. As cast iron ages, its resonant frequency changes. My task was to revalidate existing aging curves and create curves for several different parts. These projects involved a lot of hands-on testing which I thoroughly enjoyed. An additional aspect of my resonant frequency project was to explore the capability of crack detection. This was an exciting research opportunity and allowed me the freedom to create and analyze testing methods and data.
In addition to working on resonant frequency projects, I also tackled the improvement of the carbon equivalent equation used by the plant to monitor iron chemistry. This involved analyzing past chemistry data and utilizing statistical regression analysis software. This project was particularly engaging as it introduced me to a new statistical software and allowed me to apply statistical analysis in a practical, real-world context.
I've really enjoyed my experience at Waupaca Foundry. I was able to apply concepts and use equipment that I had learned about previously, as well as some that were completely new to me. The workplace culture and the positive attitude of all the employees make it a great place to work. I've learned a lot about cast iron technology and processes and gained insights into the industry. Waupaca ensures that interns are there to learn and grow professionally while also enjoying their time at the company. Additionally, the foundry organized extra activities for interns such as a boat cruise on local lakes and educational opportunities to broaden our understanding of all aspects of the foundry operations. I would like to thank everyone I worked with at Waupaca Foundry this summer for making my internship an enjoyable experience. I would also like to thank AIST for their incredible generosity and investment in the future of engineers and the industries they will be a part of.