AIST Foundation Steel Intern Scholarship
Gerald J. Dittrich
I am grateful to have worked as an engineering co-op student at ArcelorMittal Dofasco’s central mechanical testing lab (CMTL) for the past sixteen months as part of the technical support team. During my time at the company, I have had a variety of experiences, ranging from writing and revising standard operating procedures (SOPs), conducting internal quality studies, assisting with the modernization of one of our tensile testing frames and exploring various business units and facilities.
One of the areas I was most invested in over the past year was health and safety. We have a strong safety culture at the lab, and I was given the chance to contribute to several initiatives. Firstly, I revised our procedure for testing coil strapping, bringing the document up to date with our current protocols and equipment. Additionally, when we purchased a new horizontal band saw for the shop, I had the chance to write a new SOP based on the manufacturer’s specifications, tailoring the procedure to our lab’s specific needs.
Furthermore, participating in layered safety evaluations strengthened my mindset around assessing potential hazards and finding ways to eliminate or prevent them. Through these evaluations I worked with my colleagues to monitor and improve the health and safety of everyday tasks — like adding a standing desk to our testing room for better ergonomics or finding safe ways to clean steel chips from our magnetic tools. All of this helped me to cultivate a mindset of seeking ways to improve safety in all our operations.
Another aspect of my role involved performing studies to ensure our mechanical testing equipment meets internal and external quality standards. I recently organized an internal study on our Charpy impact testing to confirm the consistency of our results between operators. Furthermore, I worked with the senior members of the tech support team in the modernization of one of our tensile testing machines. I prepared samples and compiled historical data to support the commissioning of the updated test frame.
Connecting with people from across the company was essential to expanding my knowledge of our steelmaking and finishing processes. Over the past year I visited our 5Galv line with one of our product designers and learned about process engineering at No. 2 pickling and cold rolling and saw the blast furnaces up close at ironmaking. I also attended presentations and seminars on topics ranging from conducting root cause analyses to optimizing parameters for welding processes. I’m grateful for the culture of learning we have at the company, and for the opportunities I was given to explore what goes into the production of quality steel. I’m confident I will apply the knowledge and skills I have developed during my internship to my future career.
Finally, I would like to thank AIST for their continued support during my time working in the steel industry, and everyone at CMTL for making these last sixteen months an unforgettable experience.