Here at C³, engineering and manufacturing go hand in hand. Our engineers are the driving force behind our designs, but they aren’t done with their ideas once the design phase is complete. Mitch, one of the electrical engineers at C³, explains that an electrical engineers’ work begins with concepts and designs and ends when a machine has completed the start-up phase. It includes selecting components, designing panel layouts, and wiring schematics, but it doesn’t stop there. Electrical engineers also write the PLC programs and design the HMI’s. Then, once the machine is built, they help with the troubleshooting and testing and make any adjustments needed to improve efficiency.
“We don’t just draw schematics and then hand it off to another company, or do machine programming and then have someone else build it – we do the whole design process,” Mitch explains. “We take the machine from infant stage to adulthood.”
Meet Mitch in this video! Mitch started with C³ as an intern and now works full time on the compression engineering team.
Seeing machines from design to finish is one of the things Mitch finds most rewarding about C³’s approach to engineering. Being a part of the entire design process is not something electrical engineers always get to do. Mitch explains, “There is a nice balance of hands-on and behind-the-scenes work. Seeing how your design turns out is satisfying.”
Mitch has been involved in many projects during his time with C³. One of those projects involved adding a fourth seal to the Block Compression System, which adds extra security when packaging compressed foam. The goal was to meet customer demands for a stronger seal without adding extra cycle time to the machine.
Mitch was also part of rewriting the program that controls the Pushing System, which is an ergonomic way to apply mattress covers within a production line. Mitch took feedback from customers to develop and implement plans for simpler, more efficient operator controls.
When it comes to C³ culture, Mitch enjoys being a part of a collaborative environment. “We have a lot of different people’s eyes and angles on how to creatively solve problems,” he says. “It is nice to see different perspectives on our design.” He found that working as a team with other electrical and mechanical engineers allows them the opportunity to support each other and be creative with their problem solving and designs. With the engineers on a dedicated team for either lamination or compression equipment, it brings them together to focus on these machines and making them perform at their best.
“Everyone’s really easy to talk to and approach. If I ever have a problem with wiring, I can walk up to any electrician; if I have a problem with something mechanical, I can find any shop employee. I always feel like I’m supported here at C³.”
C³ always strives to support our employees by fostering a work environment that encourages teamwork, ingenuity, and integrity. Generating ideas and tackling problems as a team helps to not only design a better machine, but also develop a sense of community and reward for everyone involved. As Mitch says, “When you come to work, you’re happy all day; you work with good people.” That feeling is amplified by the fact our teams can watch their designs progress from start to finish in one building.
All this fosters our drive to delight customers by accomplishing our ultimate goal – as Mitch puts it – “…making sure we have machines that are perfect.”
Are you interested in joining the C³ engineering team? Do you like the idea of working in an environment that encourages collaboration and creativity? If you’re like Mitch and enjoy problem solving with a rapidly growing company, we have a position for you.