School Of Engineering Microproject Eggxo

School Ofengineeringschool Of Engineeringmicroproject Eggxo

School Ofengineeringschool Of Engineeringmicroproject Eggxo (School of Engineering) School of Engineering Micro-Project - Eggxotic: Design, build, and test an egg delivery system to transport a hard-boiled egg unbroken to a target zone within specific rules and constraints. The project involves teamwork, creativity, safety, cost-effectiveness, rapid setup, and environmental considerations, culminating in presenting a functioning prototype and documenting the process on a wiki.

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Introduction

The challenge set forth by the School of Engineering Micro-Project Eggxotic requires students to conceive, design, manufacture, and evaluate a prototype system capable of delivering a hard-boiled egg unbroken to a specified target zone. This task integrates multiple engineering disciplines, emphasizing creativity, safety, practicality, teamwork, and adherence to constraints. The project’s essence is to simulate real-world engineering problems such as remote object handling in hazardous environments, which cultivates essential skills like innovative thinking, systematic design, collaborative work, and effective communication.

Design Process and Methodology

The project adopts the CDIO (Conceive-Design-Implement-Operate) framework, guiding students through distinct phases of product development. During the conceive phase, teams identify user needs, such as safe egg delivery over a challenging obstacle course within 2 minutes, requiring safety and efficiency. In the design phase, students develop detailed specifications, sketches annotated with key features, engineering drawings, and a bill of materials (BOM). Through the use of tools like Pugh’s decision matrix, teams select the most viable concept based on criteria such as safety, cost, simplicity, and reliability.

Manufacturing follows, where teams construct a functional prototype mainly with scrap materials, hand tools, and basic components. Emphasis is placed on replicating real product functionality, aesthetics, and compliance with safety and environmental guidelines. Testing involves deploying the prototype in the designated environment to evaluate egg delivery success, speed, and safety, with comprehensive documentation using videos and photographs.

Finally, the operate stage entails demonstrating the system’s capabilities, analyzing outcomes, and reflecting on the design process' successes and limitations. The documentation, including a detailed wiki page, visual media, and advertising webpage, not only collates the project journey but also showcases the final product comprehensively.

Teamwork and Communication

This micro-project underscores the critical importance of effective group collaboration. Teams are encouraged to divide responsibilities thoroughly, from design sketches to manufacturing and documentation, fostering shared accountability. Utilizing online collaboration tools, face-to-face meetings, and sketches, the group demonstrates cohesive project management, with clear roles and contributions tracked throughout. Participation and communication skills are vital, as the project simulates professional, geographically-dispersed engineering teams working together to develop innovative solutions.

Safety and Environmental Constraints

Adherence to safety protocols is mandatory: team members must wear safety gear, operate tools responsibly, and maintain a clutter-free workspace. The device can traverse or interact with the ‘DMZ’ zone—through which it may contact walls and floors—without damaging the environment. It must also be quick to set up and dismantle, taking no more than 2 minutes each for these activities. Safe operation within designated zones ensures team and environmental safety, aligning with realistic engineering constraints in hazardous scenarios such as nuclear or chemical plants.

Evaluation and Marking Criteria

The project’s evaluation emphasizes various criteria:

- User needs clarity and specification (10%)

- Design input specifications (10%)

- Concept sketches and annotations (20%)

- Decision matrix application (10%)

- Final product quality and functionality (15%)

- Wiki documentation and presentation (20%)

- Individual participation and contribution (15%)

Quality of work in each area directly impacts the final grade, with particular focus on creativity, safety, teamwork, and problem-solving effectiveness.

Learning Outcomes

This micro-project aims to develop key engineering education attributes:

- Application of the design cycle: fostering systematic planning, development, and evaluation.

- Group working: emphasizing the importance of teamwork, role distribution, and collective accountability.

- Communication skills: through oral, written, and graphical documentation.

- Reflective practice: encouraging ongoing self-assessment and refinement of skills and processes.

Integrating these competencies prepares students for real-world engineering challenges, emphasizing adaptability, innovation, and lifelong learning.

Conclusion

The Eggxotic micro-project exemplifies a holistic engineering experience, blending technical design, practical manufacturing, environmental stewardship, and teamwork. By navigating through conception, detailed design, prototype creation, testing, and presentation, students gain invaluable insights into engineering workflows and professional practices. Success hinges on creativity, safety consciousness, cost-awareness, and effective communication, all critical for future engineering endeavors.

References

1. Baldwin, C. Y., & Clark, K. B. (2000). Design Rules: The Power of Modularity. MIT Press.
2. Pugh, S. (1991). Total Design: Integrated Methods for Successful Product Development. Addison-Wesley.
3. Ulrich, K. T., & Eppinger, S. D. (2015). Product Design and Development (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
4. CDIO Initiative. (n.d.). The CDIO Syllabus. Retrieved from https://www.cdio.org/content/cdio-syllabus
5. Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2010). Business Model Generation. Wiley.
6. ISO 12100:2010. Safety of Machinery – General Principles for Design — Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction.
7. Grece, V., Zemen, J., & Kucera, T. (2017). Risk Management in Engineering Design. Procedia Engineering, 192, 1219-1226.
8. Brown, S., & Wyatt, J. (2010). Design Thinking for Social Innovation. Stanford Social Innovation Review.
9. Schmidt, D. C., & Riedesel, M. (2007). Engineering Design Process. Wiley.
10. Harvard Business Review. (2014). The Discipline of Innovation. Harvard Business Publishing.