Second-year materials science and engineering major Trevor Eggleston learned how theoretical principles apply to industrial processes while interning at Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc., a steel fabrication and mining company located in Burns Harbor, Indiana,Eggleston worked in the finishing quality assurance department, where he investigated steel coils that failed to meet specifications for mechanical properties. At the start of each week, Eggleston checked the process automation logs for coils that needed to be reprocessed. Guided by lead engineer and mentor Clark Lykkegaard, Eggleston analyzed data from the materials lab and product tracking to identify the cause of the failure and evaluate courses for reprocessing.
“With this project, we hope to continuously improve product quality, reduce the number of coils that need to be reprocessed and identify patterns that may aid in diagnosing future coil failures,” Eggleston said.
In addition to accessing and managing massive amounts of data, Eggleston gained experience and knowledge in applying the theoretical principles of materials science directly to industrial processes, especially microstructural evolution and strengthening mechanisms, a topic he is exploring with his academic advisor, Professor of materials science and engineering Leonid V. Zhigilei.
“As I continue in my studies, I expect the knowledge I gained will give me a more intuitive understanding of the importance of microstructural control and the power of data,” Eggleston said. “The most enjoyable part of my experience was learning directly from people who have many years of experience in the industry and being able to perform meaningful and interesting work with them. While study in the classroom is a necessity, the unique opportunity to be taught in a real-world production setting is one that I will never forget.”