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Mahr Inc. has partnered with the engineering department of the University of Rhode Island (URI) to offer students the opportunity to work on real-world engineering and manufacturing problems. Students in their senior year are selected to take part in a year-long capstone project focused on the automation of submicron finishing of ring gages. During the fall semester, students examine the problem from a theoretical perspective, while they apply what they’ve learned in the spring semester.

The automation of submicron finishing of ring gages presents challenges because the current process uses costly, high-precision CNC grinding equipment. To maintain tolerance levels regardless of size, the process must be finished by hand, making it time-consuming and highly dependent on operator skill level. URI students have been tasked with finding methods to eliminate or reduce the influence of operator skill level to create consistency and predictability, reducing rework and product variation.

Mahr’s role is to introduce students to the basic principles behind precision engineering and manufacturing. It also exposes students to multiple aspects of the manufacturing environment, including design engineering, manufacturing engineering, operations and process improvement, and production work. Through the program, students see their academic learning come to life in a professional setting, the company says.

“Our collaboration with the URI engineering department is a great way for the Mahr team to help develop the Rhode Island workforce and expose local talent to opportunities in our state,” says Don Foisy, director of operations at Mahr. “We are excited to continue to provide promising students with access to our facilities and personnel so that they can grow as future professionals.”