Break Apart Challenge

Prior to starting the Break Apart challenge, we first analyzed an exploded view of a car and its parts. This was to understand how to sketch an object from an exploded view. Without background knowledge of the vehicle's arrangement and function of its parts, we were left to use critical thinking and worked backwards to decide our answers. Surprisingly, we triumphed with very little error in naming the parts.

Our objective was for the Break Apart challenge was to bring an item that could be easily broken down and inspected, part-by-part. The goal was to sketch an item to better understand the item as a whole. It was an exercise to look at the engineering process and how we can observe an item's function. Additionally, it was to practice the ins-and-outs of technical sketching. My item was an electronic misting fan.

I approached the technical sketching of the misting fan from a simplistic view (as this is my first time creating one). I started out by first naming, numbering, and measuring every part. In addition to this, I asked questions about my object.

Then I drew an exploded view of the misting fan. Also, I provided a diagram displaying the transfer of energy from one part to another along with the object's main function. Next time I do an exploded view, I would like to create a more to-scale image yet because of time constraints, I just wanted to get the view down.

Engineers - People who use creative design and analysis processes that incorporate energy, materials, motion, and information to serve human needs in innovative ways. In this challenge, we analyzed how other engineers designed their products.

Conceptual Sketch - Expressing the elements and relationships involved in a problem in visual form. It is intended to help the engineer identify the elements in a problem, see how groups of elements are connected together to form subsystems, and to understand how all those subsystems work together to create a working system. In this challenge, we drew conceptual (technical) sketches of our item.

Exploded View - A diagram, picture, schematic or technical drawing of an object, that shows the relationship or order of assembly of various parts. It shows the components of an object slightly separated by distance, or suspended in surrounding space in the case of a three-dimensional exploded diagram. In this challenge, we used exploded views in our conceptual sketches and to show the parts in an item.

Research/Data Analysis - The systematic process of learning about and building new technologies to design/analyze a product. In this challenge, we used research to find out how the parts of our item works.

Materials - Parts that constitute an object. In this challenge, we used materials both to break apart our items and they actually composed of our items.

Motion - The phenomenon in which an object changes its position over time. In this challenge, we used motion to analyse our items' function.

Energy - The capacity or power to do work. Energy exists in a variety of forms, such as electrical, mechanical, chemical, thermal, or nuclear, and can be transformed from one form to another. In this challenge, we used energy to analyse an items' function and to show depth of understanding of our items (shown by energy transfer diagrams).

Information - Facts provided or learned about something. In this challenge, we used information to inform ourselves on more about our objects.

Systems (components, connections, tasks) - A set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized framework or method. In this challenge, we analysed systems of function.

During this short-lived project, there was ups and there was downs. For the first time doing technical sketching, I felt I did pretty good. One specific thing I felt I did good on was presenting. I demonstrated this skill through drawings. I feel that anyone that came across my drawings would have no questions on what parts there are, how big it is, and what its function is. Another thing I felt I did good with was problem solving. I demonstrated this skill through researching on what my item was and how it worked. I was able to solve my own problems without the assistance of the teacher, which I am sure was much appreciated.

One thing I could work on is time management. If I improved on my time management I could've scaled and drawn the item with more accuracy. It would also relieve some of the time pressure I felt. Another thing I could work on is organization. My penmanship and note-taking during this unit was subpar. I hope to improve upon this with my next assignment.