ACUTRONIC’S
Student programs
About ACUTRONIC
About the program
ACUTRONIC is recognized as the global
ACUTRONIC offers college students the opportunity to apply
leader in the production of motion simula-
their learned knowledge through a Cooperative Education
tors for the aviation, space, defense and
Program (Co-op) or Internship Program in the areas of Electri-
automobile industries, and provides custom
cal Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Computer Science.
and standard products used to test gyroscopes, inertial navigation systems, missiles,
The programs give students the opportunity to gain real world experience with the
smart munitions, countermeasures, elec-
possibility of permanent employment when they graduate.
tro-optical systems, and radomes. Motion simulators accurately reproduce roll, pitch and yaw motion in the laboratory. Products range from small single-axis rate tables and simulators, to three-axis simulators for flight motion profiling, to five-axis simulator systems for the missile test industry.
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Challenges at ACUTRONIC USA Inc. Students participate in and learn from the design, development, evaluation, and testing of electro-mechanical motion control systems, specifically inertial guidance test systems or flight motion simulators. Inertial guidance test systems are used to test and calibrate navigation instruments and sensors, whereas the flight motion simulators are used to emulate missile flight via hardware-in-the-loop simulations.
Co-op and intern students in EE, MechE, and CS can look forward to challenges in the following areas:
Computer Science and Software Engineering • Systems Software – Driver routines, Working with makefiles, Synchronization, Multithreaded programming • Embedded Processing • Object-oriented Programming • Working with Real-Time Operating Systems • Protocols • Interfaces
Electrical Engineering • Electrical Design of Motion Control Systems and Subsystems • Servo System Design • Integration and Testing of Motion Simulation Systems • Installation and Testing at Customer Site • Modeling and Simulation • FPGA Design • CAD
Mechanical Engineering • Machine Design • Basic Statics and Dynamics • Kinematics • CAD • Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics • Modeling and Simulation • Finite Element Analysis
Qualifications • Must be U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident • College freshman or sophomore • GPA 3.0 or higher • Majoring in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Computer Science
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ACUTRONIC Co-op and Intern Perspectives “ACUTRONIC USA Inc. continues to be an enthusiastic sponsor of cooperative education and internship programs. Former and current Co-op and intern students offer their perspectives on their experiences at ACUTRONIC.”
Roman Tchakev
Laura Almendinger
Keith Bates
Electrical Engineering Co-op, University of Pittsburgh
Mechanical Engineering Intern, University of Pittsburgh
Computer Science Intern, University of Pittsburgh
“Working in a real company environment
“My experiences during my two internships
“As a Co-op student at ACUTRONIC, I have
is something that school will never be able
at ACUTRONIC taught me a great deal. The
gained confidence in my abilities as an
to recreate. After completing four Co-op
work material helped me academically by
engineer and confirmed my choice of career
rotations with ACUTRONIC USA, I feel that
strengthening what I had learned in school
by solving real engineering problems. Many
I improved as an engineer and as a leader.
and preparing me for my future classes. I used
of these problems have drawn from the
This experience also taught me how to inter-
and expanded my knowledge of a variety
knowledge I acquired in my classes, but
act in a corporate environment, which once
of subjects, including statics, dynamics,
more often than not that knowledge has
again cannot be acquired through school.
physics, calculus, and computer-aided de-
been extended as well as reinforced. What
In addition, I got to apply and develop skills
sign. I learned a lot about what is necessary
I have learned at ACUTRONIC has proven
that I learned in classes like Computer In-
for a company to operate successfully and
invaluable in my academic life, giving me an
terfacing, Operating Systems and Modern
how to function as both an individual and
edge over the other students, and allowed
Controls to real-world problems, and got a
a team member within a business setting.
me to learn the material at a deeper level
chance to see my solutions work in real life.
I developed stronger interpersonal skills
than others. For instance, I first learned about
Overall, Co-op with ACUTRONIC USA was
interacting with my co-workers across all
C programming and threads at ACUTRONIC.
enriching to me personally and educationally,
levels of the company, and enjoyed getting
Then, when my classes covered these topics,
and I am happy to be on board with them as
to know them as individuals.”
I could ask more informed questions in class
a full-time employee.”
“What I have learned at ACUTRONIC has proven invaluable in my academic life, giving me an edge over the other students, and allowed me to learn the material at a deeper level than others.” Keith Bates
and learn even more about them.”
4 ACUTRONIC Co-op and Intern Perspectives (cont.)
Peter Gruber
and software engineers helped me grow in
Zachary Matthews
Electrical Engineering Co-op, University of Pittsburgh
my understanding of engineering as a career. I started my first Co-op rotation having
Mechanical Engineering Co-op, University of Pittsburgh
“Working as an Electrical Engineering Co-op
practically no idea of what to expect; I came
“Working as a Mechanical Engineering Co-
for ACUTRONIC was a very positive experi-
away from it with an entirely new perspective
op at ACUTRONIC has been one of the
ence. Working at ACUTRONIC allowed me to
on my role in engineering.”
most rewarding experiences of my life. I feel
use what I learned in class to create solutions to real-world problems. Also, my experience
that the environment at ACUTRONIC has
sense of responsibility from working on my
“I started my first Co-op rotation having practically no idea of what to expect; I came away from it with an entirely new perspective on my role in engineering.”
own. Working with electrical, mechanical,
Peter Gruber
taught me an abundance of material that I would not see until later in my education, giving me a definite advantage over other students. This experience greatly assisted in narrowing down my field of study to an area that I am very interested in. While absorbing this knowledge, I observed how engineers interact with the real world, seeing things that would not even be discussed in the college setting. At ACUTRONIC, I contributed to major projects in a team atmosphere and gained a
Contact ACUTRONIC In order to be considered for a Co-op or internship program please send your resume to: ACUTRONIC USA Inc. 640 Alpha Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15238 or email to jlee@acutronic.com
been a major reason for this claim. My coworkers have helped me learn so much about the mechanical engineering profession. Many of the typical subjects taken in class often appear in my work. I deal with a lot of material that I have learned from courses such as statics, calculus, physics, ME design, and computer-aided drafting. However, I have also learned many things at ACUTRONIC that were not covered in the classroom. When I graduate I feel that I will be a step ahead of my classmates because of my positive experience at ACUTRONIC.”