Do you ever wonder if you are prepared for the workforce after college? A handful of Washington State University Tri-Cities (WSUTC) students are about to see how prepared they really are, even before they graduate.
While some students are working on senior projects like designing a solar-powered car or a robotic device, these six seniors have been thrust into a real-life problem that requires a real-life solution.
AREVA has partnered with a WSU engineering class for their senior project, hoping these students can devise a solution for a current challenge at our Horn Rapids Road site in Richland, Wash. These students have accepted the task of designing and building a cart that will transfer uranium pellets between the Specialty Fuels (SF) building and the Ceramics building, a distance of approximately 500 feet.
The WSU Interns Team (l to r): Jared Beauchene, Jose Chavez, Alex Schwartz, Juan Mejia, Travis Lewis, Manuel Bustos Ramirez, Dr. Messiha Saad
The students must adhere to the stringent requirements and specifications provided by AREVA under industry regulations. Their solution will need to address some of the limitations that exist with the current equipment such as pinch points, ergonomics and capacity – and other issues identified with the current cart design.
During the first semester the group will develop the design for the new cart, and then they will build the SF cart concept during the second semester.
How challenging will this be? We are about to find out.
Join us as we follow Jared Beauchene, Jose Chavez, Alex Schwartz, Juan Mejia, Travis Lewis, and Manuel Bustos Ramirez on their year-long journey of innovation and invention. A real-world journey intertwined with complex issues like safety, utility, and cost. This group of students will track their progress in a monthly post to this blog.
Good luck WSU team!
