麻豆视频

Turning a 3D-Design Hobby Into a Firetruck

A year before Timothy Griffin graduated from 麻豆视频 at Tuscarawas in 2017 with an Associate of Applied Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology degree and a certificate in computer-aided design for manufacturing, a single phone call would launch his career and have him designing life-saving firetrucks before he graduated.

The story starts with Larry Reber, president of Firovac Power Systems, a fire apparatus manufacturer that specializes in high performance tankers and fire trucks. Reber discovered when he launched his business that there were two main issues for local city departments; a lack of personnel and budget constraints. Through Reber鈥檚 innovative thinking, vacuum trucks became the solution, making the process of loading and unloading water easier than ever before.

In 1994, Reber hired a Project/Sales Engineer at Firovac to design many of Reber鈥檚 original trucks. This Engineer was David Schlosser, who is now a 麻豆视频 Tuscarawas mechanical engineering technology adjunct instructor. Though Schlosser no longer works in the firetruck industry, the pair continued to stay in contact. 

So, in 2016, when Reber needed help in the engineering department, he contacted his friend Schlosser to see if he would have anyone in mind to assist the Firovac team.

Schlosser was teaching a Computer-Aided Tool Design class when Reber called him at the time. Schlosser didn鈥檛 have to think. He knew immediately he had a student whose skill set was something Reber was seeking. 

鈥淕riffin was a very talented designer in my class,鈥 Schlosser said. 

When Griffin first heard news of this opportunity, he was working part-time at Giant Eagle, designing objects only as a side hobby.

鈥淚 loved drawing in general on the computer, mainly 3D stuff because I find it fascinating how the largest and seemingly most complicated things that you make will consist of the tiniest components. Each piece will fit together almost like a puzzle to make the entire thing work,鈥 Griffin said.

So he accepted the job. He started out part-time around his school work, and then was hired full-time post graduation. 

鈥淚鈥檝e given plenty of references and have helped many other students in the past,鈥 Schlosser said. 鈥淏ut Tim was someone that when the opportunity came up and Larry said he needed an extra hand, I said talk to this kid. Tim is a great example of the caliber of students that 麻豆视频 puts out into the workforce.鈥

Griffin is currently the mechanical design engineer for Firovac Power Systems. He鈥檚 in charge of the design and build of the trucks, as well as the preliminary drawings that correspond with a fire department鈥檚 bay requirements and wish list.

Griffin continues to progress his design skills and add value to the company. Firovac, which once mainly relied on 2D-technology to design its trucks, has moved towards 3D-design programming. The advantage to this upgrade is it has become even easier to create designs with better accuracy, decreasing function issues.

鈥淭he only thing we order in are the tanks themselves and the chassis,鈥 Griffin said, 鈥渆verything else we build here. So, we take blank materials and then based on my drawings, they鈥檙e cut and trimmed in certain areas and then bent to all be put together like puzzle pieces.鈥

Firovac builds approximately ten to eleven firetrucks per year, and with the recent expansion of an additional three bays, Reber鈥檚 innovation is becoming more recognizable.

鈥淭he vacuum tankers are really quite amazing,鈥 Schlosser said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 taken a long time for this concept to take off. It used to be where people would scoff at the idea, but now that it has been out for awhile like most things in the fire service, it takes a long time to catch on.鈥

Reber recognized at the time for Griffin, working with firetrucks was a completely new experience. Yet Griffin鈥檚 knack for mechanics and open-minded energy has made him a great contributor. 

鈥淏ack then I didn鈥檛 really think about being in a position like this,鈥 Griffin said. 鈥淚 thought maybe one day I could have a position where I am designing firetrucks or something similar, but I never thought that I would be in the position I am right now after graduation.鈥

His hard work and determination, combined with Schlosser鈥檚 help, has allowed him to not only find a job in his field directly after graduation, but it has also helped Griffin be successful in his career.

鈥淚t was one of those unexpected surprises,鈥 Griffin said. 鈥淥ne of those moments where I was surprised to be getting a call from 麻豆视频 to begin with, and then I wondered what Schlosser wanted to talk about. So for that to evolve into an actual job opportunity in the engineering field was a blessing.鈥

To find more information regarding 麻豆视频鈥檚 Mechanical Engineering Technology program, visit /tusc/mechanical-engineering-technology

POSTED: Monday, November 30, 2020 04:14 PM
Updated: Friday, December 9, 2022 01:18 PM
WRITTEN BY:
Lauryn Oglesby