FROM BIG SANDY TO NASA, BAHNMILLER HOPES TO BRING INDUSTRY BACK TO MONTANA

Layton Bahnmiller’s journey as an Oredigger starts 4 miles down a dirt road on a family farm near the small town of Big Sandy, on Montana’s Hi-Line, but lately it has taken him far from his rural roots, to a summer internship with NASA in Cleveland, Ohio.

“I grew up working on vehicles and farm equipment, so I thought mechanical engineering would be something that interested me,” Bahnmiller said. “Three of the neighbors’ kids had been to Tech, and I didn’t want to go to a big school, so Tech was the only school I applied to.”

Bahnmiller graduated with his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in December 2022. He’s currently working in the Montana Tech Advanced Materials research group of Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Dr. Peter Lucon and Assistant Professor Dr. Nathan Huft, while pursuing his M.S. in General Engineering.

“I’m working on developing alloys for additive manufacturing,” Bahnmiller noted.

NASA has released several studies indicating that additive manufacturing enables many opportunities to reduce costs for space exploration. Additive manufacturing involves 3D printing, which is exceptionally cost effective for the complex parts and low part volumes needed for space missions.

“This research project has been an excellent collaborative opportunity for our students to bring our mechanical
engineering approach and solutions to the team while learning from the material science experts at NASA Glenn,” Dr. Lucon said. “Bahnmiller’s background and skills have made him an outstanding student for this multidisciplinary task.”

Bahnmiller is using a new 3D printer on campus that creates metal parts. In his work he consults with advisors and mentors on campus, as well as at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. This summer he traveled to NASA Glenn and spent several weeks working with the team there in person.

“I got to work with some brilliant people who taught me a great deal and are an inspiration to me,” Bahnmiller said.

Bahnmiller was also able to squeeze in a trip to Austria this summer, with the Montana Tech Study Abroad Program. It dovetailed nicely with his training as an engineer.

“Being mindful of other cultures is an important part of being a professional individual,” Bahnmiller said. “As an engineer, you work with a variety of people, and understanding that people have different mindsets and methods of approaching problem solving is valuable.”

While Bahnmiller’s career could take him anywhere, his long-term goal is to end up back in Big Sky Country.

“My goal is to help bring jobs and expertise back to Montana to help grow Montana’s industry as a whole,” Bahnmiller said. “I’d like to see the day that Montana students can graduate and not have to leave this wonderful state to get a good job.”