Take Apart Skillbuilder 

Project Context

Cornerstone Engineering, GE 1501, is an introductory course at Northeastern University that provides first-year engineering students the foundations of engineering. This assessment used reverse engineering on an everyday household object. Our intention: understand how everyday items and designed to understand mechanisms. 

Description of Our Item

Requirements: thrift an item or purchase an item at a low price. 

Results: $5 LED USB light from Target. 

At first, we wanted to thrift an alarm clock as our item, but we couldn't find one within budget. The components of our LED USB light include the led light strip, flexible metal spring coil, protective white casting, red and black wires, USB connector, and screws. 

1) The led light strip = the light

2) The flexible metal spring coil = structure for the light

3) The red and black wires connect the LED light to the USB. 

4) The subsystems include the safety component, visual component, structural component, and the power component. 

4.1) Structure component: Spring coil to provide the shape of the light. 

4.2) Safety component: White casing to prevent contact with the wires and to reduce injury. 

4.3) Visual component: The decorative elements that provide an aesthetic visual.

4.4) Power component: The USB connector and wires, which deliver electricity to the LED. 

Trial and Error

• We found the spring coil difficult to remove. 

• We had to be cautious to not damage the other components of our item, so we decided to use scissors. 

• However, this method was ineffective as it made no progress and was unsafe because of the instability. 

Trial and Success

Our initial attempt: use scissors to separate the wire and spring coil = failed.

We adjusted our approach and decided to use pliers. 

• We used the pliers to dismantle the spring coil from the wires. This method allowed us to observe the components without causing damage to the other components of our item. 

Inspiration

Goal: Analyze an everyday object through reverse engineering. 

The small LED USB-powered computer light is cheap, portable, and provided a challenge for us to analyze. Its wiring and complex protective features allowed us to analyze its design. 

Uniqueness 

Our LED light is a simple and sleek. Yet it included LAYERS of protection: white, silicon outer barrier to the flexible, internal spring coil. This simple and sleek design protects its users.

Takeaways

• Reverse engineering, problem solving, and analytical thinking is important.

• Item was previously assembled, so we had to carefully disassemble it and document the process. 

• We encountered various issues. Main issue being: not being able to cut through spring coil with scissors. We adjusted our tools when our initial technique failed. 

• Analyzing each component allows for us to develop critical thinking skills as we consider why the item was designed the way it was and how it impacts the users. 

• Documentation Process: 

1) Show how items can be disassembled and possibly reassembled if there aren't any wires or external components that need to be destroyed. 

Problem Statement

We wrote this problem statement from the perspective of engineers who designed the product. We wanted to highlight the users' needs and design an effective solution. By The problem is that students require an aesthetically pleasing, free standing, simple USB-powered LED light to use in work areas with a lack of lighting. This is important because current USB lights are not stylish and do not stay upright on their own, making it hard for devoted students to work in low-light areas. Currently available designs are portable, bendable LED lights that tend to lack visual appeal and stability. These current solutions however fail to meet students' needs for a fashionable accessory. The users need a design that is visually appealing, portable and stable. Our solution will brighten work areas while providing a slight touch of style. This is designed to be an accessory for young students and must be eye-catching, as well as simple to use. To accommodate this, our solution must have a flexible yet sturdy wire with a protective and sleek barrier as this design must attract young buyers.