WHITEHOUSE – A dozen students had an opportunity to test drive a career field that blends engineering, science and technology, during a three-day camp at DEWESoft USA – a world-class provider of data acquisition (DAQ) systems, based in Whitehouse.
The camp gave students an opportunity to see the day in the life of a test engineer, said Dave Gallop, director of training for DEWESoft USA.
“We wanted to demonstrate how fulfilling a life in these fields can be. The majority of scientists and engineers start with curiosity,” he said.
Gallop’s presentation on the history of measurement was particularly interesting to Anthony Wayne High School senior Ryan Parker, who noted that thousands of years ago the Japanese were using a seismic measuring device that looked like a large bowl.
“The act of measuring has been longstanding throughout human history,” said Parker, who signed up for the camp to learn more about DAQ and career opportunities.
DAQ samples signals that measure real-world phenomena and converts them into a digital form that can be used to develop innovative hardware and software solutions used across industries globally, including automotive, aerospace, defense and power.
Looking out on a test track behind DEWESoft’s Logan Street headquarters, Parker watched as a group of campers prepared to drive go-karts wired with DEWESoft measuring devices – for vibrations, speed and temperature – through a bumpy course. The goal: to see who could finish the course and spill the least amount of water from a cup in a holder near the driver.
“They’ll collect data from all of the sensors on the kart and do an analysis of the data to see how the cart performed and see if there’s any improvements they could suggest on the carts,” said Owen Maginity, a DEWESoft application engineer working at the camp.
The camp was the first for DEWESoft, which tailored the program for both high school and college students who are interested in engineering, science and technology. DEWESoft purchased the go-karts and installed many of the sensors ahead of time, but had the students help with final instrumentation.
“We walked them through installing some of the basic sensors and how to diagnose and troubleshoot any issues. We knew some issues existed, and left them for the students to discover,” Maginity said. “That’s the reality of test engineering – it never goes to plan. Now we’re having them execute the testing on the durability course.”
Before hitting the course – modeled after some of the proving grounds used by big automotive manufacturers – students also tested out the go-karts’ brakes by rapidly accelerating and braking on asphalt and gravel, to get an idea of reaction time, said Academy Coordinator Selena Hooks.
Wearing helmets and seatbelts, the students then took turns on the dirt course, usually following Magnity’s advice to aim for a smooth and consistent speed. That’s what he learned after rolling one of the karts during a test run.
“We’re having them drive the course, collect data from all the sensors on the car, and do an analysis of the data to see how the cart performed, how the comfort was, and see if there were any improvements they could suggest.”
Parker noted that some of the results gave the students insight on all of the factors that need to be measured.
“We looked at technical aspects, like turning and strain on certain pieces. It shows that certain outside forces, like temperature, can impact your results,” Parker said.
While Parker said he’s often thought about engineering in terms of building and design, he can now see how data acquisition dovetails into the design of products in a number of industries. He was surprised to see the number of big companies, including SpaceX and Ford that utilize DEWESoft.
Measuring the success of the camp was easy, based on the enthusiasm and questions from students, said Hooks.
“For the first go-round, it’s been off the scale. We’ve had talented students here that really have exceeded our expectations,” she added.
For more information, visit dewesoftusa.com.
