A few years ago, Greg Hibblen, our General manager for Pumps and Services, was invited to Oklahoma State University (OSU) to consult with them on a research and development project at their Agriculture department. As Greg puts it, “It was a little intimidating because there were several PhDs.  It was like meeting with the Agricultural Science’s version of the Big Bang characters.”

An invitation to teach all things about industrial pumps
As a result of this meeting, Greg was introduced to Joshua Ramsey Ph.D, PE, an associate professor  with the OSU School of Chemical Engineering.  Dr. Ramsey asked Greg to give a lecture to his senior class about how distributors and suppliers can be a valuable resource once the students graduated and found jobs in the chemical engineering field.

Greg took his lecture to a level higher by inviting Faron Kelly from Gorman Rupp Pumps to attend his lecture and bring along one of their mobile pump technologies displays that included a clear face pump showing the inner workings of a pump during operation.

Greg, Faron, and the mobile pump arrived at the Endeavor Engineering Department Lab and were met by the lab manager, Brad Rowland, Ph.D. Dr. Rowland stated that the class schedule is rigorous, and he only has a few days each semester to discuss pumping applications. He acknowledged that in the field, multiple project timelines and new applications make it difficult to know everything about a product or even where to go for information. After review Dr. Rowland was so impressed with Greg and Faron’s curriculum and the 3D pump display that the plan expanded to include both the Chemical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering classes.

Pump suppliers and distributors are a vital resource for chemical and mechanical engineers
During their lecture, both Greg and Faron discussed how the distributor and manufacturer are resources that an engineer can tap into for assistance.  Greg highlighted this point by stating, “We have often seen the particular application before and can free up time as you work on the project. Also, BlackHawk’s broad product lines allow us to bring multiple suppliers to the table, reducing the time searching for components.”

Faron reviewed how he can provide documentation, sub-assemblies, samples, and even additional training.  The primary theme was, as a team the distributor and the manufacturer can help them be more successful. In the end, over 200 students attended the lecture and Greg and Faron have been invited back for next year.

So, what happened to the original project that Greg worked on with the OSU Agriculture department? We’re happy to say that it has since progressed into the real world and is in the process of finding its first commercial application. The next time that you need pump help, you might want to call Greg,

BlackHawk Industrial Supply
BlackHawk Industrial is proud to be a distributor for Gorman Rupp, PSG Wilden, Crane Pumps & Systems, Halliburton and many more.

Contact BlackHawk for more information
For more information on pump services, contact us at 855-610-1001 or on our website.  BlackHawk Pumps and Services manufactures the BlackHawk Centrifugal Pump. Our distribution center carries a complete stock of pumps and parts. BlackHawk can fabricate packages to your specifications with electric motors, pneumatic drives, gasoline, natural gas, or diesel engines. As part of BlackHawk Industrial, we have access to thousands of suppliers allowing us to customize a package to fit your needs.