My name is Elizabeth Pry and I am a second-year student at the University of California Davis studying to receive my Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. Through my coursework I have become quite familiar with CAD and CAM engineering software such as Solidworks and Autodesk, as well as basic coding necessary for analysis and basic functions through MATLAB and Arduino software. Along with my coursework, I have gained design, manual manufacturing, and computer-aided manufacturing experience through my employment at the Engineering Student Design Center on the UC Davis campus as a student shop technician. As a shop technician I am required to be able to read engineering designs and offer students advice and important information on how they can best manufacture the parts they design.
The responsibilities of my job have led me to gain important experience in manufacturing processes including the use of mills, lathes, laser cutters, drill presses, 3D printers, power saws, 3D scanners, CNC mills and lathes, and the tooling and procedure for each machine. This experience has given me expertise on how each machine can be utilized for different processes and the machining of unique geometries, as well as teaching me the geometrical and physical constraints of each machine. Throughout my experience I have been drawn to examining how CAD software improves the manufacturing process and exploring how new technology allows for quick prototyping and testing of designs as well as how CAD and CAM software has become useful to both beginner engineers and professional engineers in industry alike.
Mills and Lathes and Printers, Oh my! 