STEM - Engineering

1. STEM - Engineering

2. A Trundle wheel is a device used to measure distances and helps scientists and engineers gather data to make calculations.

3. Discover new hands-on builds and programming opportunities to further your understanding of a subjectmatter.

4. TheCompletedLookoftheBuild Completed TrundleWheel The Trundle Wheel is used to calculate distances. Attach a yard or meter stick into the slot of the build to roll the wheels across a surface.

5. Build Instructions

11. Exploration • Now that the build is finished, return to the first page to read about what a Trundle Wheel is used for. Explore your build and then answer these questions in your engineeringnotebook. • The build included two wheels. Is it possible to use only one wheel? What is the benefit(s) of using twowheels? • The purpose of the Trundle Wheel is to help measure. Identify and explain the part of the build which helps the measurement process in yournotebook. • How would changing to a smaller wheel affect measuring with the Trundle Wheel for a set distance? And, how would the measurements change if a larger sized wheel was used?

12. Test your build, observe how it functions, and fuel your logic and reasoning skills through imaginative, creativeplay.

13. What is STEM? STEM and the includedprocesses • What is STEM? • STEM is the combination of science, technology, engineering, and math. The concept of STEM promotes the integration of all four skills to foster the growth of a better skill set and promote more comprehensivesolutions. • Take a look at what each skill of STEM consists ofbelow: • Science is studying specific areas of our natural world by inquiring, observing, and experimenting and by applying these understandings using a systematicprocess. • Technology is the techniques, skills, tools, and methods created through science used to solve a problem or create aproduct. • Engineering is the application of math, science, and technology through a process to invent, innovate, design, and build products andsolutions. • Math is the study of numbers, data, equations, geometric shapes, logic and their relationships that help craft and verifysolutions.

14. EngineeringinSTEM Flight engineers fromNASA • Engineering inSTEM • Engineers use their technical knowledge and problem solving skills to be involved from start to finish of any production. The engineering discipline incorporates all aspects of STEM, so that they will be able to think about a problem in multiple perspectives. In many ways, engineers are similar to scientists, but the difference lies in the focus of the practice. You can think of engineers' goal to "make it work", as opposed to scientist's goal to "find new knowledge". Engineers work hard to make sure everything around you is sturdy, safe, functional, and sometimesfun. • Design: First, engineers identify a problem and create a design that will solve it. It can be anything from designing a building that can withstand an earthquake to designing the perfect wedge to keep a door lockopen. • Build: Once the design is created with clear specifications, engineers gather their resources to build theirdesign. • Test: Engineers are also evaluators. It means it is engineers' job to use their knowledge to test and make sure the product they've made meets certainspecifications.

15. Here are some examples of questions under a specification engineers may try to answer: • "Can this building we built withstand anearthquake?" • "Can this smartphone outer casing design protect the inner structure at a 12 foot drop?" • "Would this space pen we designed write smoothlyunderwater?" • "Can this tiny microchip we designed survive a temperature hotter than summer day?"

16. WhatisaTrundleWheel? TrundleWheel What is a TrundleWheel? The Trundle Wheel is a device that connects to STEM. Scientists and engineers use it to collect data, perform calculations, and generate solutions. Even the Trundle Wheel itself is a technological tool that is used to solveproblems. Imagine if you had to use a meter stick to measure the distance from your classroom to the cafeteria, gymnasium, or any long distance. This would be very difficult and time consuming. However, if we could bend a meter stick into a circle or wheel, each time the wheel makes one revolution we would complete one meter of travel. This also would get rid of markingthe

17. end and beginning of the next measurement. A Trundle Wheel is a device that offers a solution which makes measuring long distanceseasier. Usually, a Trundle Wheel has a circumference of 1 meter, which means one revolution of the wheel will equal 1 meter of travel. Many Trundle Wheels have an indicator or deliver a clicking noise when one revolution is complete that lets the user continuously count a distance.

18. Ergonomics Ergonomically well designed scissors are safe and easy touse Ergonomics for the Hand A tool with a good ergonomic design is considered human friendly. "Human friendly" means something is efficient, easy, and safe to use for human to use. Think about scissors. Most scissors have a handle with one long hoop and one short hoop. This design helps humans interact with the tool comfortably; a thumb supported in one of the hoops and a finger in the other. The scissors would become uncomfortable to use if these hoops didn't exist, or if they weren't the right size or shape. It is an engineer's job to think about ergonomics and incorporate it into theirdesigns.

19. Engineering the Handle 1. Investigate ergonomics of theHandle • Imagine you are an engineer who just finished building the Trundle Wheel. You would want to make an ergonomic tool, or a tool that is "human-friendly" and easy to use. Identify at least two issues with the current handle design of the Trundle Wheel incorporating meterstick. • Try thinking about thefollowing: • Will the meter stick be comfortable to use over a long period oftime? • — Can you make its grip morecomfortable? • Is the way the meter stick is attached to the Trundle Wheelsturdy?

20. How could the meter stick slide out? • Can you think of ways to make itsturdier? 2. Build or Design theImprovement Start describing the improvement you would make to solve the problem by drawing a diagram of of your solution. When describing in words, try to be as specific as possible, and avoid recording statements such as "make it better". Describe what modification you will make, using what material, and how. This practice allows other engineers to understand your idea, and helps you execute yourdesign. 3. Build your design(optional) Based on the design you've specified, try fixing the Trundle Wheel with the material you have available. Make sure to record the material you've used, and what steps it took to make the fix.

21. 4.Communicate Keeping a record in your EngineeringJournal Engineers must record and communicate the problems they've solved and the improvements they've made, including whether or not the improvements have been successful. Sometimes engineers must convince others why their designs are better than existingones. First, write down the advantages of using Trundle Wheel over other tools, such as a straight ruler or a tape measure. Try sharing what type of measurement that would be difficult using a stick-like measuring tool, but would be easy with a TrundleWheel. Second, write down what improvement you made on your Trundle Wheel, and in what ways it changes the experience of using the Trundle Wheel. Share any diagram you've made, and explain how you would make such improvements, as you would to other fellow engineers to either help you design it together, or to improve on youridea.

22. Become a 21st century problem solver by applying the core skills and concepts you learned to other problems.

23. STEM Career Growth Graph displaying projected STEM jobgrowth • STEM CareerGrowth • From the US Department ofCommerce: • In 2015, about 6% of all workers were in STEM occupations, a 5% increase from 2010. At the time, 6% was about 9.0 million STEM workers in the UnitedStates. • Employment in STEM occupations (24%) grew much faster than employment in non- STEM occupations (4%) over the last decade. STEM occupations are expected to grow by 8% from 2014 to 2024, compared to 6% growth for non- STEMoccupations. • STEM workers receive higher wages, earning 29% more than non-STEM workers in 2015. • Nearly 75% of STEM workers have at least a college degree, compared to 33% of non- STEMworkers.

24. Someone working in STEM can expect to earn a salary that is 12% higher than someone working outside ofSTEM.

25. Is there a more efficient way to come to the same conclusion? Take what you’ve learned and try to improveit.

26. ImproveandTinkerwithYour Build • Answer the following questions in your engineering notebook as you tinker with thebuild. • How could you design a better Trundle Wheel? Would you change the handle, the size or materials of the wheel, what? Explain at least one change with sketches and explanations of how your change(s) improves thebuild. • What steps will you follow to change the build? Explain with details and/orsketches. • Does the change(s) improve how well the Trundle Wheel works, how easy it is to use, or both? Explain whether your new design is intended to improve how well the Trundle Wheel measures and/or how easy it is for users to measure with. You can use sketches along with your text to explain to someone who might be unfamiliar with a Trundle Wheel.

27. Understand the core concepts and how to apply them to differentsituations. This review process will fuel motivation tolearn.

28. Review • Which of the following is NOT an example of ergonomic property of a product? • Quantity of a brand's cell phone sold in ayear • Shapes of a scissor'shoops • Brightness of a lamp at maximum and minimumsetting • Distance between each key button on akeyboard • Which of the following discipline do engineers use to solveproblems? • Science • Math • Engineering • All of the above • What sequence of steps does an engineering typicallyfollow? • build, design,test • design, test,build • design, build,test • test, build,design • Is the Trundle Wheel something an engineer couldimprove? • No, it is alreadyperfect • Yes

29. Additional information, resources, andmaterials.

30. RemovingConnectorsfrom Beams and Plates Using a pitch shaft to remove a cornerconnector How to Easily RemoveConnectors You can easily remove corner connectors from beams or plates by placing a metal shaft through one of the holes of the corner connector and pulling outward while holding down the beam orplate.

31. RemovingPinsfromVEXIQ Beams and Plates Removing a pin from a plate assembly using abeam How to Easily Remove Pins from Beams andPlates You can quickly remove connector pins from beams or plates by pressing a beam against the back of the pin, which partially pushes the pin out, so you can remove it with your fingers. You can use this technique to more easily remove pins from individual plates and beams, or from builtstructures.

32. RemovingPinsfromVEXIQ Electronics Removing a 1x1 Connector Pin from a SmartMotor How to Remove Pins that are Stuck in Electronic Components Connector pins can be removed more easily from Smart Motors, sensors, or Robot Brains by using a 1x1 Beam. Push the beam onto the pin and then twist the beam while pulling outward to remove the pin.

33. SupportingShaftsusingRubber Shaft Collars SupportedShaft Rubber ShaftCollar Added toShaft UnsupportedShaft Supporting a shaft with a Rubber ShaftCollar How to Support Shafts with Rubber ShaftCollars Shafts can fall out of place or alignment very easily if they aren't supported properly. You can make a shaft more secure and prevent it from falling out of place by putting a Rubber Shaft Collar before the end of it. You can then connect the shaft to a support structure with the shaft collar positioned against it. That will allow the shaft to turn but will prevent it from wobbling or fallingout.

34. SupportingShaftsusingShaft Bushings UnsupportedShaft Shaft Bushing Addedto Shaft SupportedShaft Supporting a shaft with a ShaftBushing How to Support Shafts Using Shaft Bushings Shafts can fall out of place or alignment very easily if they aren't supported properly. You can make a shaft more secure and prevent it from falling out of place by putting a bushing at the end of it. You can then connect that bushing into another beam or additional part. That will allow the shaft to turn but will prevent it from wobbling or fallingout.