RIT Team Receives National Recognition for Material Handling Design

A team of industrial engineering students from Rochester Institute of Technology has been honored for design efforts in the area of material handling. The group earned a second place finish in the 2007-2008 Material Handling Student Design Competition sponsored by the College Industry Council on Material Handling Education.

The team, which included Joshua Monsees, Leonardo Gala, Andrew Lawlor and Lindsay Power, developed a design for a warehouse and distribution center including an analysis of material flow and a detailed operation description.

“The students sought to utilize their classroom training and cooperative education experiences to develop a design that would enhance the productivity and efficiency of warehouse operations,” notes Andres Carrano, associate professor of industrial and systems engineering at RIT and the faculty adviser for the project. “It is my hope this success will encourage all of the students involved to pursue additional opportunities in design and engineering.”

“Being given the opportunity to take part in the competition was tremendously gratifying,” adds Gala, a fourth-year industrial engineering major. “It is not often that you get the chance to undertake a design project of this scope and compete against other students from around the country.”

The College Industry Council on Material Handling Education was created to enhance the development of material handling training and research as well as increase the application of new technologies in the industry. The council’s student design competition is held annually and is open to undergraduate and graduate students.