Electrical and Computer Engineering Newsblog

Electrical engineering senior Eli Richardson from Traverse City, Michigan takes us inside RM Young Company. Read on to learn how this Michigan Tech student’s passion for electronics fuels both his corporate role and a massive high-power motor project in his garage.

What are you doing this summer?

I’m working at RM Young, based in Traverse City. It’s a company that makes a majority of the weather sensors used all around the world. Most of the components are made entirely in house. My specific role is R&D intern, which is all about updating our old sensors. That includes through-hole components to SMD, designing and programming retrofit boards for older model sensors, and fixing broken PCBs. My primary project is the 05103 wind monitor. I’ve been updating it to use a newer protocol. 

What are some of the challenges?

When I first started, I had no idea what I was doing. I had to learn all these different CAD packages, along with niche programming software. At the same time, my boss wasn’t used to talking with people who didn’t know what was going on, so he’d use a bunch of niche terminology. I’d need to Google what it meant after each conversation—and then hope I was responding to him correctly!

What do you enjoy most?

It’s the freedom I get from having an engineering job that allows me to take a project in whatever direction I think would be best (or sometimes most fun). And at the same time, nobody asks any questions if I get up from my desk and walk around for no real reason. A consistent schedule is really nice, too.

How did you get interested in electronics?

I’ve been interested in electronics for as long as I can remember. I was always intrigued by things that plugged in. I slowly learned more and more about how to plug things in correctly, so to speak, up to the point that I jumped into the deep end of a job here at RM Young where I was expected to know quite a lot. But I had no clue how much I didn’t know.

What are your career goals?

After graduating, I very much hope to continue working at RM Young (if they’ll have me) and see where life takes me from there.

What do you like to do for fun?

For the past 6 months I’ve been trying my best to make a high-power axial flux motor. It takes up a grand majority of my free time. I only have a small portion completed, if I can even call it that. 

What’s an axial flux motor?

Axial flux motors have mostly been used in generators. Recently, though, the high-performance car maker, Koenigsegg, which is owned by Mercedes, made their “dark matter” motor based on axial flux topology. After seeing a video of its construction, I wanted to try making one, myself.

Tell us more

The controller needs to be tuned for the motor to work correctly, and ideally, it is a pure sine wave controller that uses field-oriented control. I will be making a controller with the Open Source Enterprise at Michigan Tech next semester that can hopefully drive the motor. Once it’s all done, I honestly still have no idea what I’ll be able to do with it. 

My design is going to be incredibly heavy and powerful, but the only manufacturing tool I have is a 3D printer. It should work, but I have no idea for how long. I’ll probably buy some kind of CNC machine to make a version 3 that isn’t just made of mostly plastic. At that point I should probably learn some simulation tools to make sure everything is designed in an ideal manner.

If you could create any company or invention what would it be?

I would make axial flux motors and subsequent controllers to go with them. I’m way too fascinated with them!

Electrical engineering senior Evelina Hovis from Grosse Isle, Michigan takes us inside Professor Middlebrook’s PCB Lab. Learn how she tackles manufacturing challenges, analyzes micro-structures under the microscope, and stays organized through it all.

Q: What are you doing this summer? 

A: I am working in the PCB research lab of Professor Chris Middlebrook. My job is to determine the accuracy of the electroplating rates on the lab’s LPKF Contac S4 Electroplating Machine. The work involves testing, data collection, and analyzing the consistency and quality of the plating process. 

Q: What are some of the challenges?

We do a lot of troubleshooting when trying to achieve uniform plating, to narrow down exactly where any issues are coming from. Research involves a lot of trial and error along with careful testing. Another challenge is organizing collected data properly so that results are accurate and easy to analyze.

Q: What do you enjoy most?

A: I really enjoy microsectioning. That involves taking tiny samples of circuit boards, embedding them into resin pucks, grinding them down, and analyzing them under a microscope. It’s really interesting to closely examine the internal structure of the boards and see the results of the manufacturing process in detail. 

Q: How did you end up at Michigan Tech?

A: MTU stood out to me because of its great engineering program. I really enjoy the close-knit campus community, along with the beautiful nature and scenic views in the area.

Q: How did you become interested in electronics?

A: Soon after arriving at Michigan Tech, I started taking circuits and electronics courses and labs. That’s when I realized how much I enjoy circuit building and analysis. Seeing ideas we learned about in the classroom become real and functional through hands-on work was really rewarding. That’s what made me interested in pursuing electronics further. 

Q: What are your career goals? 

A: Once I graduate with my BS in Electrical Engineering next year, I hope to begin working in the electronics or PCB manufacturing industry. I’m also interested in pursuing automotive-related work. I feel optimistic about my career prospects. Electronics and manufacturing continue to grow and evolve. There will always be a need for engineers who can solve problems, improve processes, and adapt to new technologies.

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?

A: One of my personal hobbies involves making appliqué and custom hoodies. I would love to create a business where I sell my handmade creations. It would feel rewarding to know that other people enjoy something I created and can find beauty in it as well.

Q: How would you change the world if you could? 

A: I would change the way our government operates to make systems more efficient, transparent, and focused on helping our people.

Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

A: Ask questions, even if you think they might sound dumb. Sometimes the person explaining something may unintentionally leave out details because they already understand it, so asking questions helps bridge the communication gap. It also creates opportunities to learn from different perspectives.

Q: Any advice of your own you’d like to share?

A: Learn how to manage stress in school or the workplace. Things can become overwhelming very quickly, so it’s important to step back and think, “What’s something I can do today to make tomorrow easier?” Small habits that help you stay organized and prepared can make a huge difference.