Introduction to Lab Experiments
- One of the major components of Introduction to Mechanical Engineering and Introduction to Electrical Engineering are the project labs. Those going into applied technical fields should have experience in applying what they know to actual real world systems. This is exactly what they do in our spaghetti bridge, and design projects in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.
- The spaghetti bridge offers some unusual challenges to the student spaghetti can wighstand huge ammounts of tension or compression, but can withstand no shear forces. The student must build a bridge which spans 1.5m taking this fact into account. The only allowed materials are spaghetti and Elmer's glue.
- After the student lays out his bridge and constructs it, he must find out how much load the bridge withstands before it collapses. The student then uses the Method of Joints to find the force in each member at the time of collapse.
- The design projects for Mechanical Engineering have included such projects as a puovmatic egg gun, giant egg slingshot, a two stage egg projecting rocket and a metal melting foundary to cast aluminium parts. Future projects may include a rocket test stand and hybird rocket motors.
- In Introduction to Electrical Engineering the students gain experience in analyzing real world circuits incorporating transistors, op amps, 555 timers and other discre and ic components. The foundation is laid in DC analysis where mesh analysis and modal analysis is introduced. We then advance into AC analysis where complex reactances, currents and voltages are used.
- Projects in Electrical Engineering have included an electrical organ based on op amps and motor controls for a robot. Future projects will concentrate on sensors and electronic control.