The Project:
To kick off our senior year of STEM, we completed a reverse engineering project. The main objective of the project was to learn about how simple objects work and to start thinking like an engineer (including designing like one, considering appropriate materials and manufacturing systems, and following a code of ethics). Through a process called reverse engineering, we broke apart an object to determine how and why it works and consider ways to duplicate or enhance it. While we didn't duplicate our device, we came up with a thoughtful redesign idea. Throughout the process, we did thorough research and completed various sketches. We started the project alone, each taking apart our own object (mine was a trackball mouse); then, in a group, we selected one person's item to focus on. My group chose Jackson's object, a dynamo flashlight, also known as a crank flashlight. Once we figured out how everything worked, we took advantage of the fact that it contained a functioning dynamo that could turn almost any rotational energy into electricity to power the light source; our redesign attached that dynamo to a bicycle to use the rotating tire to power the light source, which is perfect for people who night bike.
Write up:
Presentation:
Content:
Reverse engineering: the reproduction of another manufacturer's product following detailed examination of its construction or composition. Our project was to reverse engineer a simple device following the six-step reverse engineering process shown below.
4 Areas of Analysis:
Conceptual sketch: Concept sketches are freehand drawings/sketches that are used by designers such as architects, engineers and interior designers as a quick and simple way of exploring initial ideas for designs. The sketches helped us examine our object and figure out the parts we didn’t know that required further research.
Exploded view: An exploded view drawing is a diagram, picture, schematic or technical drawing of an object that shows the assembly of various parts. It shows the components of an object slightly suspended or separated by distance.
Flowchart: A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents a workflow or process. For this project, our flowchart demonstrated the series of events and what happens in order to produce the light from our crank flashlight.
GANTT chart: A GANTT chart illustrates a project schedule. This chart lists the tasks to be performed on the vertical axis and time intervals on the horizontal axis. For this project ,we used a GANTT chart to help manage our time.
Professional ethics: Professional ethics are principles that govern the behavior of a person or group in a business environment. Professional ethics provide rules on how one should act toward other people and institutions in such an environment. We learned a lot about professional ethics and about the responsibilities of engineers in the community. For instance, we learned:
5 Cornerstones of Ethical Behavior
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) Code of Ethics
4 Areas of Analysis:
- Functional Analysis--an analysis of the function of an object's different parts, how they work together, and the scientific principles that explain their function. We used functional analysis in our report to list all of our materials and explain how each of them works.
- Structural Analysis--an analysis of how an object's different parts are connected together. We used structural analysis in our report to show how our device stays together; for instance, a plastic cover protects interior parts from external forces, and three shafts hold gears in place.
- Material Analysis--an analysis of the materials used and their properties. We used material analysis to identify the materials used and consider why certain materials might have been chosen for the product over other options. Our device is made simply and manufactured in bulk, so we can assume materials were chosen based on availability and affordability.
- Manufacturing Analysis--an analysis of the transformation of raw materials into a finished product. In our report, we wrote that our device is constructed on an assembly line and in a relatively simple manner. We can assume only a few parts were manufactured outside of the factory, as they contained part numbers; the rest, which represented the majority, were lacking part numbers and likely made in house.
Conceptual sketch: Concept sketches are freehand drawings/sketches that are used by designers such as architects, engineers and interior designers as a quick and simple way of exploring initial ideas for designs. The sketches helped us examine our object and figure out the parts we didn’t know that required further research.
Exploded view: An exploded view drawing is a diagram, picture, schematic or technical drawing of an object that shows the assembly of various parts. It shows the components of an object slightly suspended or separated by distance.
Flowchart: A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents a workflow or process. For this project, our flowchart demonstrated the series of events and what happens in order to produce the light from our crank flashlight.
GANTT chart: A GANTT chart illustrates a project schedule. This chart lists the tasks to be performed on the vertical axis and time intervals on the horizontal axis. For this project ,we used a GANTT chart to help manage our time.
Professional ethics: Professional ethics are principles that govern the behavior of a person or group in a business environment. Professional ethics provide rules on how one should act toward other people and institutions in such an environment. We learned a lot about professional ethics and about the responsibilities of engineers in the community. For instance, we learned:
5 Cornerstones of Ethical Behavior
- Do what you say you will do.
- Never divulge information given to you in confidence.
- Accept responsibility for your mistakes.
- Never be involved in a lie.
- Never accept gifts that compromise ability to perform in the best interests of the organization.
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) Code of Ethics
- Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
- Perform services only in areas of their competence.
- Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
- Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.
- Avoid deceptive acts.
- Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation and usefulness of the profession.
Reflection:
This project taught me many things. Not only did I learn how to do things such as create exploded-view and conceptual sketches and think and act more like an engineer, but I learned things about myself. For instance, I learned was that it is difficult to work on something that you aren’t passionate about. I really enjoyed working with my initial object (a trackball mouse) and sketching and learning about it. But, when it came down to choosing one group object, I remained quiet about my feelings and just agreed with the crank flashlight as that seemed to be what the majority of the group wanted. I will keep this in mind going into the capstone project, because while I certainly understand the vital importance of compromise, I also know that some level of passion or at least interest is key to success. This also taught me that I should be more assertive, because maybe if I had expressed my thoughts to my group, they might have considered my object more seriously. Through this project, I’m grateful to have further developed my skills of researching topics thoroughly and in depth, which I know will come in handy with our capstone project. Although I have worked with each of my team members in this group before, I enjoyed working with them again. We collaborated really well and helped each other out throughout the rather complex, highly detailed project. I’m glad we started with this project, because I think it will really help with future projects and especially the upcoming capstone.