Evidence of Work

This shows our step by step process and planning of how me and my group completed our reverse engineering project. Our item that we chose was a rc car that was battery powered and controlled by a phone app named R.E.V.  Our theoretical goal was to redesign and add a modification which we decided to go with a higher suspension and bigger rubber tires.  We first had to dissemble the car by unscrewing a lot of screws. Then one of my group mates sketched a blueprint of the internals and externals of the car while the rest split on to researching parts such as its framework, axel, materials its made of and its suspension. Finally, we gathered up our research and constructed a google slide presentation and created our reverse engineering report through google docs. 

Our final outcome was an R.E.V toy RC car with a theoretical modification of a higher suspension and larger tire wheels. My group ultimately chose an item that was already brought in for the Break It Apart project and decided what it would look like to modify it and potentially make it better. We presented and demonstrated our effort by creating a report and a Google slideshow that explains the before and after contents of our item. This demonstrates and provides the audience with an overall view of how we decided to include such modifications via detailed blueprint sketches. The test that was built, materials, structural analysis, manufacturing analysis, framework, hypothesis, and conclusion for our item and its test are the primary features of our work. 

Content

Reverse Engineering

• A strategy used to find answers to questions about an existing product that are used in the design of another product

Invention

• Design work that results in something unique or novel

Innovation

• Process of improving or modifying an existing product

Reverse Engineering Process

1. Identify the Purpose

• What do you want to learn about your product and what are the areas of research you want to focus on?

2. Develop a Hypothesis

• A hypothesis is a statement that suggests a possible, unproven answer to a question. 

3. Disassemble

• Tear-down: It's important to thoroughly document all parts, relationships and connections using conceptual sketches, labels and notes.

4. Analyze the Elements

• Functional analysis (What is the function of the different parts, how do they work together, what are the underlying scientific principles behind their functioning?) 

• Structural analysis (How are the different parts connected together?)

• Material analysis (What materials are used, what are their properties?)

• Manufacturing analysis (How was the product made?)

5. Prepare the Report

• Address the purpose of the reverse engineering inquiry and to revisit your hypothesis in your preparation for your report. 

6. Redesign

• Modifications and what can you do to make it a better product.

Reflection

This project was a lot of fun for me because it encouraged creativity in both myself and my group members. It demonstrated how having a larger group to work with makes it simpler to generate brilliant ideas. We each had a task that we had to accomplish during class, and we all did so on time and with creativity. Staying on task and putting in a lot of effort to build the majority of the report and the google slide presentation were two things I did pretty well at. When it came to descriptions and everyone's research projects, I helped format everything. One thing I discovered while working on this project was how easily I can wander off course in class, yet how much more efficiently I work at home.

My ability to communicate with my team and as a leader are two areas I need to develop. I should have intervened to assist and direct those of my group members who were struggling with the project and getting off track. By directing my team members to assist me with some of the presentation and report development, I may have demonstrated better leadership. I found it difficult to divide the work among my group since I was impatient with how long it would take, so I made the decision to complete most of it by myself. I want to make certain adjustments in my future projects, including having the bravery to speak out for my team rather than working by myself and performing the majority of the work.