Three students looking at research poster

IOE students showcase research skills at fall Senior Design Expo

The biannual event illustrates U-M IOE seniors’ workforce preparedness by collaborating with industry partners.

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On Dec. 9, seniors from the University of Michigan (U-M) Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering (IOE) displayed their research to the public and university community at their Senior Design Expo. Eight groups of students proved that they’re ready to enter the industrial engineering and operations workforce after spending the fall semester solving real-world problems for Constellium, Fairbanks Scales, Gemline, General Motors, Neapco, VICO Products and Wacker Chemicals.

U-M IOE senior Corey Cranford was part of the group that worked with Fairbanks Scales, helping to leverage public data to increase their market share in the industrial scales market.

“They really valued the insights our models developed and are going to put them in their business plan moving forward,” Cranford said.

Other research focused on a range of topics, from optimizing automated final inspections and packaging processes to the impact of data-driven manufacturing cost estimation.

“Senior design is the culmination of the degree,” U-M IOE Department Chair Julie Simmons Ivy said. “It takes all the things that you’ve learned and then you’ve got to put it into practice.”

Four students pose for a photo with their research poster.

The Fairbank Scales group – Abdullh Albadani, Corey Cranford, Zachary Collard and Patorn Hanchaikul – won the event and will showcase their research nationally at the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers’ (IISE) senior design competition next year in Atlanta. 

Please join us for the upcoming spring Senior Design Expo on April 18, 2025.