AIST Foundation Steel Intern Scholarship
Gabriel Bortoni Gonzalez
This summer I was an electrical engineering intern at Pacific Steel Group (PSG) in Mojave, Calif., USA. I got the amazing opportunity of working on the engineering team of PSG’s Mojave Micro Mill, a greenfield project that is to be commissioned in 2027 and is set to become one of the most environmental-friendly steel plants in the world.
During my internship, I worked under the guidance of Felipe Mira, mill automation manager, and helped the team by formulating request for quote (RFQ) documents for electrical equipment that the mill requires. Through this experience, I learned about the importance and the attention to detail required to procure electrical equipment. Initially, I searched through and learned how to interpret single line drawings and equipment schedules that had already been revised and shared by the rest of my colleagues. Thus, there was a very steep learning curve that I had to manage so that I could understand what the mill needed in terms of equipment and verify that I procured the right supplies. Through this, I was able to learn and have a grasp of the importance of providing and meeting the correct technical specifications of equipment like transformers, switchgears and panelboards, which are essential to the operation of the mill. Seeing how the mill requires tedious planning and revisions made me appreciate this unique opportunity to learn about the ins and outs of steel manufacturing, while also allowing me to amplify my knowledge and skills as an electrical engineer in a construction setting. Not only was I able to develop RFQ documents, but I was also able to verify bids submitted by suppliers to make sure they met our technical standards and to evaluate which supplier best fits our needs. Thus, this internship provided me with full-circle experience regarding procurement of electrical equipment; while also providing context as to how the mill will operate and what key features of the equipment will allow operations to run smoothly.
Additionally, I was tasked with constructing a study of how we could incorporate electric vehicle (EV) charging into the employee parking lot once the site is commissioned. This experience allowed me to talk with a lot of sales representatives from the EV charging space, as well as representatives from the solar energy industry to help us come up with an integrated solution that would allow employees to charge their cars with solar power. Moreover, I also designed a single line diagram for these chargers, giving me the opportunity to perform load calculations, choosing breaker ratings, and learning how to use AutoCAD for technical design.
Finally, being around the construction site also helped me view how the mill developed in real-time, with it changing constantly every single day. I planned and executed drone flights and recordings that gave all members of the team a better idea of how things around the site were developing, as well as a very neat way to document the rapidly evolving construction site.
From procuring electrical equipment to flying drones and designing the technical specifications for a green parking lot solution, it’s safe to say that my summer working at PSG was very well-rounded and a great first impression of how the steel industry functions. It immersed me in the highly complex process of building a steel mill from scratch, while also giving me the incredible opportunity to contribute to the construction of one of the greenest projects that the steel industry has ever seen.