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Meet One of Our Interns, Carl!

Carl was kind enough to agree to an interview. You can learn more about him by reading his answers below.

1. What are you studying and how did you decide to study that subject?

I am studying Manufacturing Engineering at North Dakota State University (NDSU) and have begun pursuing an MBA which I will finish a year after I complete my undergraduate degree. I first considered engineering after a mentor recommended that I look into it. While I was earning my Associate of Science, with an emphasis in Engineering, a recruiter from NDSU came and advocated their Industrial & Manufacturing program at which point I experienced the proverbial “Click.” Further inquiry into the specific field confirmed my inclination as I grew more excited about becoming a part of creating goods and products locally.

2. What are you working on as an intern at Smith Metal Products?

This is my second summer as an intern, I now have enough experience and a thorough enough understanding of operations to provide support to the engineering team. Much of my time is split between assisting an engineer in one of their projects or implementing Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) for production use. One project I have enjoyed is creating work instructions for a 3D scanner and using said scanner to analyze tests or samples.

3. What do you like to do in your spare time?

I’m a social butterfly. If there is some activity to do with people, I am on my way if not already present! I am also a motorcycle enthusiast. If the weather is clear, I love taking my sportbike out to some winding back roads or taking a short road trip to any nearby recreational area. A past work experience in the bartending industry sparked a creative outlet in me. I enjoy mixing beverages (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) to entertain family and friends; some claim that they can’t order certain drinks anymore because they pale to the ones I’ll make them at home. I am a very avid musician, playing both piano and guitar. I absolutely love playing with sounds and melodies making up my own tunes and short scores.

4. Is there anything else you would like to share?

Something that has been a monumental blessing to me at Smith Metals is that the engineering team is both good at what they do and extremely helpful and gracious in answering all my questions. Whether it be where a file is located for the third time, or an Excel shortcut to help save time, I have never felt inferior or incapable while working with anyone.

Thanks for spending your summers with us, Carl!

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New fresh look

We updated our landscaping in the front of the building, making it more inviting for both employees and guests.

We know the snow will be falling sooner than we want it to, but we will be ready for spring when it comes around again.

Tradeshows!

by Ashley Paulson • 26 December 2024

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Merry Christmas

by Ashley Paulson • 23 December 2024

Merry Christmas to those that celebrate. Smith Metal Products is closed tomorrow, December 24, and Wednesday, December 25 in observance of the Christmas holiday. We will return to the office on Thursday, December 26, ready to collaborate with you. Hopefully, you get some time to relax and spend time with friends and family. Happy Holidays!

Can Metal Be Used for Injection Molding?

by Ashley Paulson • 16 December 2024

The answer is yes and no. Yes, metal can be used in injection molding, but not by itself. In order to get the powdered metal to take the shape of the mold and hold the shape, about 20% of plastic is added to approximately 80% powdered metal. These pellets are called feedstock and they are melted and pushed into the mold. After this point, the part is not complete like it may be with plastic injection molding. The metal part needs to go through the debinding process in order to remove all of the plastic. You cannot leave the part alone after debinding, because it is very fragile and you can think of it like a sandcastle like structure. Then the metal parts go through the sintering process to strengthen the part and remove the holes that were left behind by the plastic. We most commonly use stainless steel powder. Titanium is another metal that we commonly work with. There are some metals that are not compatible with our process. We do not use aluminum, zinc, brass, magnesium or copper in the metal injection molding process. If you want to learn more about the whole process, see the "What is MIM?" section of our website.