Katherine M. Stevens
Steel Dynamics Inc. - Southwest Sinton Division
This summer, I had the privilege of returning to Steel Dynamics Inc.’s Flat Roll Group, this time at their facility in Sinton, Texas. After my previous internship as a process engineer on the paint line in Butler, Ind., I was excited to return as a metallurgy intern and gain further experience in steelmaking and the cold rolling process. As an intern, I split my time between projects and spending time in the mill learning from the operators and technicians.
One of my main projects involved implementing an on-ine inspection application, Exit HMI, to replace paper inspection forms and production schedules. Beyond the technical side of the project, I worked with operators, IT, and engineers to understand existing workflows, validate data and develop work instructions for the crews using the application. Leading the project from planning through implementation gave me the opportunity to experience the challenges of introducing a new system in an operating mill. I quickly learned that even well-designed technology must be reliable, intuitive and practical because production environments leave little room for uncertainty or downtime.
The most rewarding aspect of my internship was being encouraged to identify problems and develop my own solutions. A project I took pride in was creating a millwide defect identification reference. The goal was to establish a consistent understanding of surface defects across multiple production lines. Developing the guide required me to understand the entire process, from casting and hot rolling through cold rolling and finishing, so I could understand where defects originated and how they could be distinguished. I collaborated with metallurgists, who gave me constructive feedback, and this challenged me to investigate problems more thoroughly and refine my ideas.
Beyond my project work, I made it a priority to spend time in the mill learning firsthand from the operators and technicians. Their willingness to answer my questions taught me the importance of being curious and showed me that Steel Dynamics’ culture is built on people who are just as eager as me to learn and help others succeed. Watching the work they do every day also gave me a greater appreciation for the physical demands of the job and the perseverance it requires. Most importantly, I learned the value of building relationships with the crews and staying engaged in the work happening around me. This internship reinforced my passion for the steel industry and confirmed that it is the career I want to pursue.
I am beyond grateful to Steel Dynamics, my peers and the AIST Foundation for supporting me throughout this process and for an internship that strengthened both my technical knowledge and my confidence as a future engineer.