UAlberta mechanical engineering students put their design lessons to the test by building robotic vehicles designed to complete specific tasks.
(Edmonton) This semester, second-year students in the mechanical engineering program brought the Force with them as they participated in a Star Wars-themed droid challenge. Students in Mechanical Engineering 260: Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Design were tasked with designing and building a robot that could manoeuvre an obstacle course, and hold a camera that would take pictures of targets posted along the route.
"The most important lesson for the students from this project is that it's fun to build," says professor Pierre Mertiny, the course instructor. "We could teach all this design in class but the actual building is different. It's the fun part."
The Star Wars theme for this semester inspired many teams. "We started by looking for Star Wars designs that would work," says Salmaan Rashiq of his team's 'droid tank' inspired vehicle.
The Star Wars theme for the course was also a source of inspiration for teams "We heard there would be potholes in the course and we knew we'd use a caterpillar track," says David Chrapko.
"Treads go over anything," agrees Matt Short.
The design challenge provides students with opportunities to use their creativity and ingenuity to come up with solutions on the spot and throughout the semester as they design and build. A week before the final exam, members of team #6 had a particularly tense and busy test run when the gear at the base of their robot detached and flew across the test course. "We just shoved it back on," says Inder Dhiman, pointing at teammate Liu Liyang, who nods. "And then we ran to the shop guys and asked them to crimp it and it just worked."
This one team's experience was a good lesson in perseverance for the whole class; at the end of the first round of competition team No. 6 was in first place.
This semester David Aldrich, a master's student and teaching assistant in the course, developed a computer program that determined whether the team's on-board camera captured the target.
"In the past the TAs would judge and say either yes, you captured the image or no, you didn't capture the image. But when the crowd is cheering, in the heat of the moment, it's too difficult to judge objectively," says Aldrich.
MecE 260 students acquire many different skills beyond engineering design and building techniques. "I've always worked in shops, with my dad and my uncles," says Nathan McKay. "So I knew about the tools and I had to learn to teach my team mates. It was a new experience for me."
Teams divided up tasks according to skill and experience while also keeping everyone involved in the entire process. "We would all meet in the shop once a week," says Ross Remesz. "And work on different parts of the project."
This semester's course provided excitement for spectators as well. The vehicles had hills to climb and potholes to maneuver, providing plenty of action for the crowd and every vehicle got its share of cheering and celebration.
As one vehicle maneuvered a corner to the finish line someone yelled, "Drive it like you stole it!" sending laughter through the crowd.
The truth is, though, that all of these finishes were hard-won.