The Design Process
What is the first step of the Engineering Design Process
Asking a questions or defining the problem.
What is "A product that no longer meets people's needs and is no longer used?"
Obsolete
What are criteria?
Guidelines in a project that discuss what needs to be done and how it should be done.
Name two types of engineering
Software, chemical, mechanical, electrical, civil, industrial
What is Science?
The study of the natural world and how it works.
What is a "technology product that is made of parts that work together?"
A System
What are constraints?
Any factor that limits or restricts a design.
What are two areas of technology?
Technology products can be classified into six major areas: Transportation (cars, trains, planes), Communication (cellphones), Manufacturing (cars, forks, knives, pens, etc.), Biological and Chemical (medicine, insect repellent, etc.), Energy and Power (solar panels, wind turbines, energy efficient light bulbs)
Construction (highways, bridges, etc.)
At what step in the Engineering Design Process does Brainstorming occur?
Step 2 - Imagine.
What is a patent?
A legal document issued by the government that gives the inventor exclusive rights to make, use, or sell the invention for a limited time.
What are trade offs?
An exchange in which one benefit is given up in order to obtain another.
Give an example of a type of model or prototype.
Drawings, sketches, physical models, computer generated models,
How are Science and Technology different?
Science and technology are NOT the same thing. The goals of science and technology are different.
Science – the study of the natural world to understand how it works. Scientists study something to learn about the topic.
Technology – changes the natural world to meet human needs or to solve problems. Engineers studies something to learn how to apply that knowledge to solve a problem.
Improve
What happens during troubleshooting?
Engineers analyze a design problem and find a way to fix it.
Give an example of a trade-off.
One material may be sturdy, but look ugly. Another material may be more attractive, but weaker. If the design team decides to use the more attractive material, they are trading off strength for appearance.
Why is communication important in engineering?
Engineers need to explain the design to manufacturers who will produce the product and to the marketing people who will advertise the product.
What is "current" technology and give an example.
Technology is current when it is in use at the present time (i.e Google drive, iPads).
What is Technology?
The process or products of how people change the world around them to meet their needs or to solve practical problems.
What is a prototype?
A working model used to test a design.
Give an example of a constraint.
A physical constraint would be the material and strength of the material used. Another constraint could be the cost of the product or the overall size and appearance of the product.
Why is it important for an inventor to file a patent?
A patent is a legal document issued by a government that gives the inventor the exclusive rights to make, use or sell the invention for a limited time. If others want to use the invention, they must obtain the patent owner’s permission. After the patent’s time runs out, anyone can make or sell the invention.
What were some of the early problems with a computer mouse?
The mouse was originally designed for use with large, complex computers. The earlier versions had problems such as:
They were expensive
Dirt often became trapped in the mechanism, stopping the mouse from working.
The mouse “slipped,” meaning the cursor didn’t move when the mouse moved.