Dawn Williams: Dublin, Ireland

Hello from IBM Technology Campus here in Dublin! Working these past three months with the Process Engineers (PEs) for i, p and z series servers has been great craic!

Here on Campus, things are changing very quickly. When I came in June 02, they were in the middle of reorganising the entire manufacturing (mfg) floor to maximize the use of available space in order to improve mfg line efficiency. I have to say, it is starting to come together, and I am pretty excited about the new floor layout and mfg process flow.

Each engineer in my department owns an area on the floor and is responsible for all operations within it, as well as any parts that come through. I have been learning about each area and how they interact through various projects from different PEs. I have assisted the PEs to implement the change in the BUILD area to a Cellular manufacturing process by:

I have also had the opportunity to do a follow-up analysis/ergonomic study of workstations in the SHIPGROUP area, which will be used to help convince Finance that a certain piece of equipment is needed for that area. My favorite project thus far was creating a training document for a small subassembly, and then training an FKitter on how to make it!

How did I get here? As Dublin e-server is the sister plant of both Rochester e-server (for i&p series) and Poughkeepsie e-server (for z series), I had the opportunity to interview at Iowa State University for an international co-op with the first half in Minnesota and the second half in Ireland!

I spent spring 2001 working in IBM Microelectronics Division, Fiber Optics department 3EH (now part of JDS Uniphase). My job included the mechanical design and analysis of housing for various fiber optics products. It also included independent projects such as the creation of a miniature wind tunnel used for thermal testing of chips and heat sinks.

Not only has working abroad given me the chance to expand my perception of what Mechanical Engineers can do within IBM, but it has also given me the opportunity to work alongside people from all places and walks of life! I have met twenty-five or so other students from U. of Limerick, U. of Cork, U. of Galway, Universität Stuttgart (Germany), France, and Spain, as well as employees from Italy, Japan, Congo (Zaire), Nigeria, South Africa and Turkey!

Note: U. Of Limerick and U. Hohenheim, Stuttgart, have exchange programs with Iowa State.

You can imagine what it was like in the canteen during the 2002 Fifa World Cup. We could watch 3 of the 64 matches, and at each one it was packed, with people cheering for both sides!

I can’t say that I have any regrets about entering a co-operative program with IBM. Though it adds a year to my graduation date, that is 12 months of solid engineering work experience BEFORE graduation. I have learned so much that would be impossible to repeat in a classroom setting. My experiences have encouraged my growth professionally, as well as personally and academically. It is exciting to come back to school after working, and to use and apply knowledge gained on-the-job.

Whoever told you the weather here is awful was lying! It is lovely except for when it rains. Slainte! <wink>