Break it apart! challenge take one project

In this project, our main objective was to take an object from home that we could disassemble in class. It was challenging at first to find the proper item that would work with the task, but eventually I was able to find the perfect object! I brought in an electric pencil sharpener, which would be possible to break apart and discover all its components, but challenging enough to push me out of my comfort zone.

We first worked on disassembling the object and carefully observing its parts. We then came up with questions we had about it, and made conceptual sketches in our engineering notebooks. After more observation and break down of the object, we made "exploded view" sketches and flow charts that described how the components worked together to achieve its purpose. It was important to explore every aspect of it and note its elements, sub-systems, systems, connections, and dynamic relationships. After fully taking apart my electric pencil sharpener, I was able to discover all of these key aspects. I learned a lot that I had not known before about how this object actually works to sharpen my pencils! It was interesting to develop a deeper understanding of the processes that go on inside!

Throughout the project, I was able to incorporate many of the concepts I had previously learned in class.

I made sure to act like an engineer and excecute all the characteristics of one. I strived to think and see the material differently, and ask precise questions about it. Some of my questions included "How do I unsauter the motherboard in the pencil sharpener?" and "Why do the size of the gears matter?" (the number of gear teeth, shape, size, etc.)

I also used my new knowledge of conceptual sketches to draw out my object to identify its different elements, see how groups of elements are connected in subsystems, and understand how subsystems work together to create the whole system. It was important to sketch everything to scale and accurately label the different components. I learned about how motherboards work and their importance in objects. They have serial numbers on them, which signify the registration of it, compatible parts, and they help manufacturers get information related to the product. I also made sure to include my flow chart to highlight the process of how the parts engage with one another and produce its task. For example, I started my chart with the force of the pencil entering the blade chamber, where it then triggered a switch to send electricity to the motor, which powered the blades to rotate and sharpen the pencil, as well as release heat.

Other important concepts that were equally as important to utilize included things like time management and collaboration. As this was a project we accomplished during class time, it was essential to focus and get as much done as possible in our class period. This also ties into work ethic, where staying on task with the work was vital to success. Although this project was done induvidually, it was helpful to reach out to classmates with questions, to share tools, and other helpful advice they might be able to provide.

Two things I believe I did well with were these skills I previously mentioned. I managed my time very well, as I was able to successfully complete the project on time and with only the designated class work time. By staying focused, I had no trouble getting everything done. I worked hard and rarely let myself get distracted. While this class is fun and sometimes easy to get off track in, I tried to keep my attention geared towards my work. My collaboration was the other component I think I did very well on. While I was able to complete the project by myself, asking group mates at my table who were maybe more skilled or experienced in this area of work was very beneficial to my success. An example is when I initially had trouble understanding which tools to use or how to disconnect certain things in the sharpener. I was able to ask a friend who had lots of different screwdrivers and other tools to help me break it apart. An important quality of an engineer is to utilize resources, which in this case included my teacher and peers who were able to assist me.

Two things I struggled with were my physical use of tools, and my problem solving. I did not have much previous engineering experience with hands-on tasks such as this one, so when it came to breaking down some of the more complicated parts, I often got confused and had to ask for help. While asking for help is not a bad thing, I would love to get more comfortable and confident with skills like this on my own in the future. I'm hoping through this class, I will better develop my skills in this area. My problem solving was also something I think I could improve on, as I would often find myself stuck at a question I did not know the answer to, or something I did not know how to do on my own, and get frustrated. I think I could find better ways to move past such frustrations and not let myself give up as easy as I sometimes did.

I learned a lot from this project, and think it was a great gateway to the rest of this class's material. I will work to improve previous struggles, and continue to produce my best possible effort and work!