Break it apart!

Evidence of work

This was our first project of senior year and it involved bringing in a object that we wanted to take apart and learn more about. My object was a relatively modern waffle maker. The first step was to do a rough sketch and visual of the outside of the maker. Then, I used a small screwdriver to slowly and carefully disassemble all of the parts of the device. I laid them out and make sure to take notes on where everything went and if I had any design questions. Next, I started on a more detailed sketch of the device and its internals. I measured out every little screw and tube as well as took observation on where each wire connected and what I guessed it was used for. After my first sketch, I decided to do another one because I wanted to make it easier to understand and read. Finally, I researched what all of the parts where used for as well as worked through some of the questions I had written down in the beginning. My final product was 4 pages of notes, sketches, and questions that is a great first step in learning about the engineering process.

Content

Reflection

One thing that I did well on during this project was time management. Because we had a set due date, I had to use all of the time in class efficiently. I feel that I did this very well because I finished in time and had enough time to edit my work and make revisions. This also allowed me to not feel stressed about the due date. Another thing I did well choosing the correct object. The waffle maker was both not too easy and not too difficult to sketch and learn about. Anything more complex would have been too challenging.

One thing that I could have improved on was my organization for my sketches. Even though I am not a very good artist I could have spent more energy on making my drawings easier to comprehend. I could have used a darker pen as well as spread out the drawings and labels. Another thing that was difficult was drawing everything to scale. Next time, I will take more precise measurements and create a key.