2015 - 2016 Engineering Design Projects
2015 Electric Race Vehicles
torBackground:
Everyone is trying to go green these days, and automakers are listening. Concerns about the environment and rising costs of fossil fuels are driving automakers to design and build cleaner, more energy efficient vehicles. Much of the focus is on electric vehicles (EVs).
Did you know the electric car was older than the gas-powered car? It is believed that the first electric car was invented between 1832 and 1839 by Scottish inventor Robert Anderson. The contraption was not more than a carriage with an electric motor and non-rechargeable batteries. In 1835, American inventor Thomas Davenport is credited with building the first practical electric vehicle, a small locomotive.
Design Challenge:
The student will design and fabricate a multi functional Electric Race Vehicle that will be able to travel down a track over a given distance, climb a hill, drag race or other specified events determined by the instructor.
Everyone is trying to go green these days, and automakers are listening. Concerns about the environment and rising costs of fossil fuels are driving automakers to design and build cleaner, more energy efficient vehicles. Much of the focus is on electric vehicles (EVs).
Did you know the electric car was older than the gas-powered car? It is believed that the first electric car was invented between 1832 and 1839 by Scottish inventor Robert Anderson. The contraption was not more than a carriage with an electric motor and non-rechargeable batteries. In 1835, American inventor Thomas Davenport is credited with building the first practical electric vehicle, a small locomotive.
Design Challenge:
The student will design and fabricate a multi functional Electric Race Vehicle that will be able to travel down a track over a given distance, climb a hill, drag race or other specified events determined by the instructor.
2016 Reverse Engineering Project - Lego Rendering
Students will reverse engineer a toy of their choice using calipers to precision measure while drawing their product in 3D Inventor. Students will print out multiple versions of their product in a presentation style format.
2016 Air Powered Vehicles - APV
Students designed and fabricated a multi-functional Air Powered Vehicle (APV) that traveled over a long distances, traveled over various terrains, drag raced and other events specified by the instructor. The vehicles are propelled by forced air from a custom pneumatic firing mechanism developed by the instructor.
Learning Objectives
The concepts this project covers are forces and the basic understanding of aerodynamics and the effects of rapid acceleration. Students will demonstrate the skills in accommodating friction and alignment geometry. Students learn the application of pneumatic power to generate motion. The ultimate goal of the APV is to design and fabricate a vehicle that will travel at a high rate of speed while traveling the furthest distance. Engineering principles include brainstorming of ideas, analyzing, testing, and revisions. Using creative problem-solving techniques, students will brainstorm about the best material to use: then design their solutions based on their brainstorming and researched ideas. By having each student create an individual design, each solution will be unique in its own innovative way.
Learning Objectives
The concepts this project covers are forces and the basic understanding of aerodynamics and the effects of rapid acceleration. Students will demonstrate the skills in accommodating friction and alignment geometry. Students learn the application of pneumatic power to generate motion. The ultimate goal of the APV is to design and fabricate a vehicle that will travel at a high rate of speed while traveling the furthest distance. Engineering principles include brainstorming of ideas, analyzing, testing, and revisions. Using creative problem-solving techniques, students will brainstorm about the best material to use: then design their solutions based on their brainstorming and researched ideas. By having each student create an individual design, each solution will be unique in its own innovative way.
