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My favorite thing which we have learned so far this quarter has been sheer walls and easy methods to help stabilize structures. This is because over the summer I built many tables for my music studio and this knowledge would have been very helpful in building those tables. I am also enjoying learning to test our woofers and drivers for the speaker building project. I am currently working on a final housing design and a port to match it. It is even possible that if I construct my box from scratch I may have to use information such as sheer walls to help with the rigidity and stability of the housings. The most challenging part of this section of the course has been keeping my website up to date. I need to start using this resource more as a tool to help organize my engineering endevours rather than a chore to do after the fact.
While cutting the dowels if it very hard to make perfectly square cuts, perpendicular to the length of the dowel. I attempted to use the strong scissors to cut the dowels but it did not create a clean cut. After this I switched back to the box cutter, and rolled the dowel underneath to cut more easily. After I had cut all the dowels to roughly the same tenth, it was time to assemble the cube. I made two, two dimensional squares out of the dowels and then connected the corners with a dowel. To stabilize the cube I added two supports to every one of the upper four corners. I angled them back toward the post which the corner sits on top of to create a compressing force. This experience was frustrating up until I had assembled the cube. I was constantly balancing the different parts, stringing hot glue all over the table up until I had a basic shape.
The first struggles I faced in engineering class came on the very first day when I was told I would need to develop and practice my own font. Architectural handwriting was particularly challenging for me and my obsessive compulsive disorder. It had to fit very specific size guidelines and caused great frustration because we were working in pen. If I was to mess up just a little bit, I would have to start over again. It was especially challenging for me to fit the letters in the different sized boxes, while remembering to capitalize each letter. This was the ultimate test of this personality trait which this blog is named after. I also struggled later in the semester while building my first cardboard RRV individually. Both of these two assignments tested my focus and ability to be content with something not perfect.
My favorite thing I have learned in the first quarter of my engineering class is the Paper RRV's. I enjoyed how the simple design was able to demonstrate principles of rotation and gravity. This model is also very easily modified. Changing the length, width, mass, etc all had greatly differing results on each groups Paper RRV. These variables which we tested are applicable to our RRV designs for the rest of the semester, making the Paper RRV a simple assignment that was critical to understand. I also have enjoyed the construction aspect of the class. It allows me to force myself to slow down and focus amidst a busy schedule.
In this article by the Engineering News Record, (https://www.enr.com/articles/48389-a-call-to-action-for-engineers-on-climate-change) the use of engineering to improve environmental sustainability world wide is discussed. Highlighted in this article was the man made structures created around the world to help support natural environments. It notes that dealing with the consequences of climate change through engineering makes logical sense because these structures are mathematically stable and last long periods of time. The Engineering News Record grabbed my attention is this article when they discussed using engineering to stop the production of carbon emissions.Adapting “...to climate change and making communities more resilient only addresses the symptoms of the problem, not the cause. Engineers also need to address the underlying reasons for climate change—carbon emissions. This talks of using engineering to reduce emissions from fossil fuel burning processes without losing efficiency.
As I first entered an engineering course, I did not know what to expect aside from a detail oriented class. I had heard from previous students about a project involving the constructing of a pair of speakers, which sparked my interest as a musician. The science behind how speakers work is good to know for the mixing and mastering of music to help distinguish sound quality. As I have now spent a little of time in the class, I can say it is completely different from my expectations, yet the challenge the course provides stems from personal issues with focus and obsessive compulsive disorder. Hence the name of the blog, the OCA because in the long run it will be more of an advantage than a disorder.
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The OCA
Matt PolkinghorneSoon to be Engineering expert |