Principles Of Engineering
Course Overview:
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The Principles of Engineering (POE) course was the first course I took in the Project Lead The Way program. POE introduced several basic engineering concepts and topics including mechanisms, energy sources, statics, material properties, fluid power, kinematics, and the engineering process. Lessons were taught using PLTW specific presentation and several projects using wood or VEX construction were completed to apply the principles from these lessons.
Compound Machine Project:
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One of the subjects highlighted as a major aspect of engineering in this course was simple machines such as the lever, wedge, screw, inclined plane, wheel and axle, and pulley. In this project, students were assigned to design and create a mechanism that could move a weight, using at least three simple machines. The mechanism pictured to the right utilizes gears, which include the simple machines of the screw and the wheel and axle; a spool, which is another form of the wheel and axle; a pulley; and an inclined plane. This project was designed to showcase the uses of simple machines and how they can work together, as well as help students develop team collaboration and problem solving skills.
Truss Design Project:
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The ideas and concepts of statics were put into work in this project where students were assigned to create a stronger truss design than a truss given as an example. Students researched truss designs used in bridges that exist today and developed a unique design within given restraints, that was drawn out on paper. After finalizing the drawing of the design, students built the trusses using balsa wood sticks as members and paper as gussets, as pictured to the right. Trusses were then tested in weight machine to see how much weight the truss could hold before breaking. This project displayed the importance of effective design and how it applies to the real world, while also helping students develop team collaboration and problem solving skills.