06/23/2025 Moeller Aerospace Partners with NMU on Senior Engineering Design Project
Category:At Moeller Aerospace, we love teaming up with people who are passionate about solving real-world problems and that’s exactly what we found at Northern Michigan University (NMU). What started as a senior project idea turned into a hands-on engineering success and a meaningful partnership with one of Michigan’s rising universities.
Why NMU? Supporting Local Talent and Advanced Engineering Education
Back in September 2024, our tool design team reached out to NMU’s engineering department with a proposal: pick a senior project that goes beyond the classroom and helps solve actual challenges inside an aerospace facility. We offered a few ideas, tools, and systems specific to our needs at Moeller, not available off the shelf, but achievable for a motivated group of seniors.
NMU was a perfect fit. Several of our newer engineers are proud NMU grads, and the university has been putting serious momentum behind its engineering programs and facilities coupled with affordable education The goal was to develop a solid relationship with a Northern Michigan institution to solve problems, attract new hires, stay current in the industry, and contribute to something bigger, all while strengthening that Michigan-based connection.
Hands-On Impact: A Custom Tool That’s Already at Work
Of the projects offered, the NMU team selected a mobile fixture build platform; a device that gives our tool builders the ability to safely move and test 5-axis Haas fixtures. The idea was to create something that brings the test environment closer to real conditions, helps simplify plumbing and ergonomics, and encourages a more open design approach during the tool-building stage.
Throughout the fall and winter semesters, the students rolled up their sleeves and got to work; designing, building, and refining their platform from the ground up. Moeller hosted regular check-ins and offered guidance when questions came up, but this team ran with it. When all was said and done, they produced a solid first iteration device that met most of their initial goals. They employed a wide array of engineering skills; CAD design, rapid prototyping, CNC milling, 3d printing, CAM, hydraulics, FEA, and others to complete their tasks.
In April 2025, our team made the trip up to Marquette to meet the students in-person, sit in on their final presentation, and bring the completed cart back home. The best part? That cart is now up and running on our shop floor and already making a difference!
What started as a classroom challenge became a real-world tool, thanks to creativity, teamwork, and a shared passion for building what’s next.
Let’s Keep Building Together
We’re always looking for ways to work with students, schools, and people who care about great ideas and hands-on problem solving. Interested in teaming up with us? Get in touch! We’d love to hear from you.
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