Plastics engineering (PLE) students at the University of Wisconsin–Stout are required to produce a stunning senior design project in order to graduate. The PLE program utilizes sophisticated equipment; however, the inventory management system was sometimes a source of frustration for students and faculty alike. UW–Stout’s PLE class of 2017 decided to overhaul the system for their senior project. At first, they weren’t sure if it was possible but they decided to give it the old college try with the help of Rice Lake.
Students are drawn to the PLE program for its dynamic hybridization of computer software design, mechanical engineering and manufacturing. Considered a polytechnic university, UW–Stout turns out graduates who have specialized aptitudes molded around the job market. Upon graduation, PLE students are rewarded with top-notch job placement rates of 100 percent, with starting salaries averaging $59,000. With access to an institutional lab filled with materials and industry-leading machines used for injection molding, plastics extrusion and testing, PLE students prepare for careers in engineering, design and manufacturing of all types of plastic components.
As one of the college’s most coveted programs, plastics engineering receives accolades for being one of only two PLE programs in the United States that is Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited, a status highly sought after within science, computing and engineering sectors.
Students work with polymer resins throughout all coursework in the program’s three core areas: material testing, plastics extrusion and injection molding. Across these fronts, an occasional problem lurked in the shadows, with the potential to completely halt operations: material scarcity.
The program had no real data to show how much resin was used each semester. Therefore, purchasing accurate amounts of resin was more of an educated guess than a controlled plan. They needed a more refined system to ensure sufficient inventory.
Travis Mullen, Bill Miller and Zach Schulz had an idea to improve the system. The three PLE students collaborated efforts to propose a solution that would track materials usage using a scale.
