Co-op Update!

DFO Small Craft Harbours is giving me plenty of work to do. Multi-tasking and management is key in this workplace because I’ve got a whole pile of projects on my desk that can easily be fumbled up. From minor electrical projects to massive construction, I’m getting it all.

One skill I’m happily developing is AutoCAD. After working with our (beloved) NX5 from the PACE lab and SolidWorks at home, I must say that AutoCAD is damned archaic. We use AutoCAD LT at work so it’s basically all you get with regular AutoCAD minus, well, one dimension. Seeing as we’re not going to be modeling 3D floats very often, 2D is all we need. However, the fact that I have to draw everything manually gets quite tedius. I’m too used to the other programs automatically generating correct dimensions and doing my centerlines.

Site visits are also quite neat. I got to see some PILE DRIVING action down at Ladner. You know those vertical timber piles that anchor floats in place? Well they go reaally deep into the mud so we contract crews to do some hammer-driving on them. Engineers need to consider the depth they go down to see how much bearing they can supply the float. In high wind/wave locations, a pile can rip right out.