Engineering Design Process (EDP)
An engineering team is designing a wearable fitness tracker. Before picking a final concept, they draw 10 different sketches exploring different strap styles and screen layouts. Why is generating multiple ideas essential during the design process?
It allows engineers to compare different possible solutions and choose the one that best satisfies the project's criteria and constraints
A high school graduate wants a career developing original mathematical algorithms and conducting high-level theoretical research for advanced aerospace systems. What educational pathway is required?
A 4-Year University Degree in Engineering
*(Bachelor of Science)
How did the introduction of the electrical telegraph in the 1800s revolutionize military operations, news reporting, and global commerce?
By enabling near-instantaneous, long-distance communication across vast distances for the first time in human history
What is a major environmental AND economic benefit of expanding renewable energy technologies like commercial wind farms and solar grids?
It reduces greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel dependency while creating new green energy industries and technical jobs
Identify the organization that enforces workplace safety laws (like posting safety rights) AND name the term for equipment like safety glasses, earplugs, and steel-toe boots.
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
After an engineer selects the best design solution for an automated garden watering system, what specific actions must they take during the PLAN step before building?
Create detailed labeled sketches/schematics, identify required materials/tools, and outline the step-by-step construction plan for the prototype
Which major engineering discipline historically originated during ancient and 19th-century public works to design infrastructure like bridges, municipal aqueducts, dams, and roadways?
Civil Engineering
What major technological innovation of the 18th and 19th centuries allowed factories to transition away from manual labor toward mechanized mass production and rapid urban growth?
The Steam Engine
An airport installs automated passport control scanners. How does this technological shift impact travelers and airport operations?
It allows travelers to complete security checks faster while helping airports process higher volumes of passengers efficiently
A student spots a laboratory storage barrel marked with a flame pictogram and an SDS sheet stating it has a low flashpoint. What safety classification applies to this liquid?
Flammable
What is the difference between a design Criterion and a design Constraint? Give an example of each for designing a smartphone case.
A criterion is a desired feature/requirement (e.g., must survive a 6-foot drop); a constraint is a limitation/boundary (e.g., must cost under $5 to make, weight under 50g)
A technology firm fires all of its field technicians to save money, keeping only its university-trained design engineers. Why will this decision severely harm the company's projects?
Technicians possess specialized hands-on skills needed to assemble, calibrate, test, troubleshoot, and maintain physical hardware that engineers design
What are the three primary driving forces behind why technology continually advances and updates over time?
Human needs/wants, market competition, and the drive to solve complex societal problems
A hospital integrates an Artificial Intelligence (AI) diagnostic assistant to review mammograms and MRI scans. How does this tool impact medical doctors?
It acts as a decision-support tool that helps doctors make faster, more informed decisions without replacing human clinical judgment
Explain the correct disposal procedures for:
1) A broken glass beaker
2) Used acidic chemical solution in an engineering lab
1) Sweep with a brush/dustpan or use tongs wearing PPE into a designated punctured-resistant sharps/glass box
2) Pour acidic chemical into a labeled chemical waste container (NEVER down the sink)
An engineering team builds a prototype drone, tests it in high winds, and notices the battery dies in 3 minutes. What step of the design process must the team perform next?
Redesign/Improve (evaluating test data to iterate and optimize the design)
Explain the difference the educational preparation and daily job duties of an Engineering Technician (2-year Associate Degree) versus a Professional Engineer (4-year Bachelor Degree).
Engineers focus on theoretical design, complex math, research, and project management; Technicians focus on practical application, testing, equipment operation, and maintenance
A bank transitions all physical paper ledger books into a centralized cloud database. What main factor motivated this technological shift?
To drastically improve data accuracy, operational efficiency, speed, and ease of access to critical information
What are TWO realistic workforce predictions regarding the widespread integration of AI in professional engineering and medical workplaces?
1) Workers will need specialized training to manage and interpret AI tools
2) Professionals will diagnose/solve problems faster using AI as an assistant
During a lab build, a bench grinder makes a strange grinding noise when switched on. Even though it still spins, why must students immediately lock out the machine and report it?
Regular inspection and proactive maintenance prevent equipment failures, protect human operators from injury, and ensure safe engineering practices
Why must engineering notebooks be bound with stitched pages, written in permanent ink, and signed with dates?
To maintain a legally binding, chronological record of project designs, prevent tampering/page removal, and prove design idea ownership
An automated electric car factory relies on robotic arms, high-voltage battery banks, chemical paint coatings, and structural frames. Identify the FOUR main engineering disciplines involved in this factory.
Mechanical (robotics/frames)
Electrical (power/wiring)
Chemical (paints/batteries)
Civil (factory infrastructure/layout)
Describe one major societal benefit and one major historical tradeoff/challenge brought about by the Industrial Revolution.
Benefit = Mass production of goods, economic growth, rapid transport
Challenge = Environmental pollution, harsh initial labor conditions, urban overcrowding
Explain why new technologies (such as autonomous electric vehicles) often require updates to societal infrastructure and government regulations before full adoption.
Existing systems (power grids, traffic laws, charging networks, safety standards) were built for older technologies and must adapt to handle new requirements safely
What will happen over time if an automated CNC machine's laser measurement tools are NEVER calibrated?
The machine will cut parts that fall outside acceptable tolerance limits, leading to defective products and expensive wasted materials