Break It Apart!

Task

For our first project of the year, we were assigned to take an object and disassemble it to observe its parts that make up the object and better understand how it works. We had to draw sketches of the components we found and write down questions we had in regards to how the systems work together in order for the object to function properly. This allowed us to gain a better understanding of the different systems that make up certain objects, and it gave us the opportunity to deeply analyze and question the idea of engineering.

Sketches of Different Parts of Object

Sketch of Circuit Board

Other Notes I Made

Elements and Questions

My Object: Toy Hamster

The object that I chose to break apart was a toy hamster. I first had to cut open the cloth part of the hamster to get to the inside. I then noticed that I had to unscrew some screw in order to fully take it apart. Once I did that, I found that there were many parts of the object. I found a battery holder, an electric motor, a sound generator, and the circuit board. I followed the wires to see what was connected to which part, and I also noticed that the motor and sound generator were magnetized. There were many small components that made up this object, and after taking it apart to discover what specific necessities that it has, I was able to better understand how the object functioned. I also analyzed the flow of energy that put into the system for it to work.

After analyzing the components and noting some questions that I had, I started my research. I learned that the copper filament in the electric motor helps as a strong electric conductor due to its resistivity. I also discovered that the purpose of oily substance on the gears in the object is to reduce the amount of friction while the gears turn, which allows them to move with ease. This prompted me to come to the conclusion that the main purpose of this object is pure entertainment. The toy hamster moves and makes sound, which many people find entertaining.

Important Concepts

conceptual sketch: free-hand drawings to get ideas on paper quickly
explosive sketch: a sketch that distinguishes the components that make up an object that expresses the uniformity of its composition
engineering drawing: 3D object on a 2D piece of paper or computer screen (projection)
isometric drawing: 3 axes form 120 degree angles with each other; circles appear as ellipses; held with one vertical edge tilted toward viewer until other horizontal edge at 30 degrees
perspective drawing: drawing that appear the way human eye would see them; parallel lines converge to single point (vanishing point) at the horizon
orthographic drawing: object appears to be inside "glass box" with each face of an object projected onto the side of a box
Computer Aided Design (CAD) Software: engineering drawings produced on computers with CAD software

Example of Conceptual Sketch

We practiced our first conceptual sketch in class by sketching an image of a bicycle from memory.

Example of Exploded Sketch

Reflection

As I worked alone for this project, there were many areas where I showed strength, such as my communication skills. When I wasn't sure what to add to my sketch, I directly asked my teacher for help. I also communicated my findings well, which is shown in my journal. I drew detailed sketches and wrote down important questions that would help me learn more about my object. I also excelled in my problem solving skills. When I wasn't sure what a specific components of my object was, I did more research and discovered the function and purpose it served within the system. This allowed me to better understand the idea of engineering.

However, there were some things that I could improve on in the future, such as my ability to plan. There were often times where I focused too much on one thing that I had to rush to finish the next step. Because I spent so much time thinking of questions to write down, I didn't save a lot of time for myself in class to work on my sketches. In turn, I ended up having to work on the project at home. This also brings me to say that I could have improved my time management skills. I should have known to make time to add more detail in my sketches. I will keep these goals in mind for our upcoming projects or even any assignment I may have in the future.

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