From designing practical solutions to improving manufacturing operations, Clarkson student Cazian Comeau-Elman ‘28 put his skills to work this summer as a manufacturing engineering intern at Siemens Energy. He secured the opportunity through Clarkson’s Career Fair.
The aspiring aerospace engineer spent several weeks collaborating with industry professionals and fellow interns on manufacturing projects at the Siemens Energy facility in Painted Post, New York.
“I gained a better understanding of how engineering concepts are applied in a manufacturing environment,” he says. “It was exciting to see how different technologies and processes come together to produce complex equipment while gaining hands-on experience in an industry that was new to me.”
Throughout his internship, Comeau-Elman explored the design and production of reciprocating and centrifugal compressors, gaining insight into Siemens Energy specialized equipment and manufacturing operations.
He also put his engineering skills into practice, using the Siemens NX computer-aided design (CAD) software and Bambu Lab 3D printers to design, prototype and test modular micrometer stands intended for use throughout the facility. His work extended to improving shop-floor operations, where he helped implement 6S, a workplace organization system designed to improve efficiency and safety.
“One of the most rewarding parts of the internship was being able to take a project from the design stage through prototyping and testing, knowing that the final product could make a difference in day-to-day operations,” Comeau-Elman says.
Building on a Clarkson Foundation
While the Siemens Energy internship introduced Comeau-Elman to new technologies and manufacturing processes, many of the skills he relied on were developed through hands-on experiences at Clarkson.
“Feeling comfortable using CAD and 3D printing before starting my internship made a huge difference,” he says. “My time in the PEAK Makerspace and on the Design/Build/Fly SPEED team helped me develop the problem-solving skills and confidence to work with new software and turn ideas into physical designs.”
He says Clarkson’s Multidisciplinary Project Team courses, which cover machine shop safety and equipment operation, also gave him technical knowledge that helped him communicate with programmers and machine operators.
Beyond developing technical skills, the internship offered the college junior something equally important: an opportunity to explore an unfamiliar industry and gain a better understanding of his professional interests.
“One of my biggest goals with internships is to experience different industries and see where my interests might take me,” Comeau-Elman says. “My time at Siemens Energy showed me how much I enjoy the manufacturing environment and helped me better understand the kind of workplace I’d like to be part of after graduation.”
Many Clarkson University students spent last summer taking their knowledge and skills beyond the classroom, gaining hands-on experience through internships across a wide range of industries and workplaces throughout the country.
Clarkson’s Beyond the North blog series highlights their experiences, the work they accomplished and the lessons they learned along the way.
