Woodward Governor Company
Rockford, IL
Intern: Brian Nolan
Northern Illinois University
Woodward Governor Company was founded in 1870. Woodward manufacturers
and services a variety of products including energy control systems, components
for aircraft, and industrial engines and turbines. These products serve
four main markets that include transportation, power generation, process industries,
and aerospace. Over the years Woodward has grown into a globally recognized
company that has twenty-six locations globally including eleven in the United
States. The Rockford facility focuses mainly on Woodward’s aircraft
operation. This includes a variety of fuel control systems for different
types of turbine engines. The Rockford facility currently employs 1058
people.
Results:
The intern:
- Completed an application to obtain a water discharge permit.
- Compiled spreadsheets that showed how much was paid and the quantity consumed
for the water, gas, and electrical utilities over the past ten years.
- Developed an oil skimmer that would float in the machining coolant reservoir
that would allow the fluid level of the reservoir to fluctuate without affecting
the performance of the oil skimming. This skimmer underwent a two-week trial
period and was shown to perform better in skimming the oil from the coolant
than the previously used devices at the facility.
- Explored the option of installing hand dryers and removing the paper towel
machines in the bathrooms which would yield a payback period of approximately
9 months and have an annual savings of over $18,000.
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