Engineering solutions for Ohio manufacturers
Spivey has just completed the first year of a two-year Honda executive-on-loan assignment at Ohio State, where he is executive director of the Ohio Manufacturing Institute (OMI). A College of Engineering center, OMI connects Ohio manufacturers with Ohio State’s technical expertise and resources by facilitating applied engineering service engagements. Spivey leverages his years of experience and Honda’s approach to supplier relationships to help remove barriers and bridge the gaps that can exist between industry and academia.
At any one time, there are five to ten OMI projects proceeding simultaneously with multiple manufacturing companies. Depending on the scope, projects range from $1,000 to $50,000 and one to six months in duration.
“These applied engineering projects are a great mechanism to introduce manufacturers to the resources at Ohio State and to keep faculty members aligned with industry needs,” said Spivey. “Ultimately, we are striving for mutually beneficial relationships that lead to more advanced research projects for the university and economic sustainability for our partners.”
Typical OMI projects include product design support, new manufacturing process development, material analysis, product testing, or help resolving an ongoing quality issue. OMI works with engineering faculty members to provide a statement of work to the manufacturer, supports any negotiation of scope, price or schedule, and executes a simple engagement contract to begin the project.
OMI is currently collaborating with Euclid, Ohio-based MesoCoat, a surface engineering company developing advanced coating and cladding materials and application processes. Wei Zhang, associate professor of materials science and engineering, and Graduate Research Assistant Hye Yun Song are working with MesoCoat to optimize the fusion cladding process for application of a corrosion-resistant alloy. This high performance cladding is uniquely applied by MesoCoat to the interior of steel pipes that will eventually be used in petrochemical pipeline applications.
“We have found the Ohio State students and staff to be greatly helpful in thermal model development, as well as microstructural analyses,” said Joshua Caris, metallurgical design engineer at MesoCoat. “They have been thoughtful and consistently engaging and we look forward to further future collaborations.”
Mission of OMI Leads to Honda Engagement
The Ohio Manufacturing Institute was initially established in 2010 in response to various reports on a lack of Ohio manufacturer engagement with the technical resources available in Ohio, including universities. Glenn Daehn, OMI’s founding director and professor of material science and engineering, established the initial mission and developed various technical support mechanisms focused on industry needs and expectations.
In 2011, Daehn was called on to lead the Honda/OSU Partnership, a bilateral collaboration between Ohio State and Honda that supports initiatives in education, research and public service. In discussing Daehn’s replacement at the helm of OMI, the Honda/OSU Partnership Committee considered the potential benefit of bringing in someone from industry.
Enter Spivey, a seasoned purchasing and supply chain senior manager at Honda who was asked to lead OMI into its next phase of growth and work with Ohio State on strengthening its position as a manufacturing technology hub.
“I have been extremely impressed with the talent and technical capabilities at Ohio State,” said Spivey. “I am convinced that we make a difference when we successfully connect these resources to manufacturers in Ohio.”
To understand the needs of industry partners and match them with the university's assets, OMI works closely with Ohio State’s Industry Liaison Office (ILO). The ILO is charged with fostering economic development by connecting companies to university discoveries, research, faculty and students.
One such project with ILO origins involved a unique co-located student internship with Abrasive Technology, a Lewis Center, Ohio, company that manufactures superabrasive grinding wheels and tools for aerospace, medical, dental and other industrial applications. They were interested in conducting a proof of concept for using fused deposition modeling—a form of additive manufacturing—for the fabrication of complex plastic electro-plating fixtures.
Adam Merz, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering, was hired as a student intern by Abrasive Technology to design and manufacture prototypes of electroplating fixtures using 3-D printing. Adam worked closely with the company’s engineers in understanding their needs, as well as the controls and constraints in the electro-plating process. With the support of Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Blaine Lilly, Adam developed progressive iterations of designs that would reduce material loss and improve process time in fabricating the fixtures. His work helped Abrasive Technology achieve a 55 percent reduction in material on the first fixture that he re-designed.
Spivey wants to collaborate with more companies and add success stories to OMI’s portfolio. After all, he needs things to ponder on the drive home.
