Engineering Fair
Curriculum
Compiled by Amber Barron
Engineering Curriculum How-to videos are available on
"Engineering Fair Curriculum" YouTube channel.
What’s an Engineering Project?
In a traditional science fair experiment you
test a hypothesis through experimentation. In an engineering project you
design a new solution to a problem, build it, and test the
outcomes. You might do this process several times in order to create
the best outcome. Since you are coming up with the design, you won’t be
using a kit.
The benefits of participating in the engineering
process:
·
Create solutions to real world problems which interest you.
·
Choose how you want to work, alone or in a group of 2 - 3.
·
Solve a personal issue or help others solve a problem.
·
Apply what you have been learning or know.
·
Win cash awards, scholarships, and other prizes.
·
Travel to other competitions at the Regional, National, &
International level.
·
Prepare yourself for college with independent work.
·
Meet engineers who are experts in your areas of interests.
What’s the Engineering Process?
The engineering process is the guide to help
with the creation of a new product, or innovation. You take your idea
through the series of steps which helps you decide if your idea is unique by
seeing what others have done to try to solve the problem (research); helps you
decide what you want your innovation to accomplish (design criteria); helps you
take your idea and create plans to build your innovation (preliminary design);
helps you build and see how well you solved the problem (building and prototype
testing); helps you change your prototype to make it better (redesign and retest);
and helps you share what you have discovered (conclusion).
Step 1: Identify a Topic and Decide if a
Team is Needed
Before forming an engineering team, discuss 1)
individuals’ availability and schedule for being able to get together; 2) what
talent they can bring to the project; and 3) agree before you start what to do
when a member can not meet or does not do an assignment. Just because you are friends does not mean
you should become team mates.
Step 2: Get Approval and Permission
ISEF Rules Wizard can help you determine if
additional forms and permissions are needed. For instance, if your
project uses physically hazardous material (i.e., bacteria), human, or animal
subjects you need approval before you start experimenting. If your project is a continuation from last
year, performed in a facility outside school or home, or needs scientist’s
supervision then you need permission and additional forms. See ISEF Rules Wizard (http://apps.societyforscience.org/isef/students/wizard/) for forms.
Even if your project is not using the materials
or subjects previously mentioned, you must
fill out ISEF forms before you begin experimentation. If you are experimenting at home or at another
site prior to filling out the required forms, then you are not participating in
the engineering process.
Always work under the supervision of several
adults to avoid accidents in the prototyping and testing processes.
Discuss with mentors the hazards which could result throughout
prototyping and testing; take all necessary precautions to avoid such outcomes.
Give a copy of any forms to your teacher
and keep originals safe.
After you have finished your project, complete
an ISEF Abstract (available at drsef.org). Give a copy to your teacher to go
with the copies of the other ISEF forms and display a de-personalized copy
(cover name/school) with your project whenever you exhibit. For a team
project, only one registration is needed for the whole team.
Step 3: Understand Teacher/ School/
District Fair Due Dates
Find out the date your engineering project is
due. Make a timeline for when the different components of the process are
due.
Step 4: Use the Engineering Fair Template
Using the following template with headings,
indented subheadings, and bullet points will help you include all the
components of the engineering process. Following each heading, an example
is shown to help complete your text.
Engineering Fair
Template
Need Defined (Use this heading)
Engineering Problem: (Use this indented
sub-heading)
·
Address the current issue(s) to be solved through the engineering
process.
·
Are there problems with current technology, problems involving the
user, or problems affecting the environment?
·
List possible consequences of leaving the problem unsolved.
Example of Engineering Problem: “Plastic louvers on
dryer vents often get stuck open and permit mice to crawl into the dryer
exhaust tube. The rodent (1) could die causing odor and unsanitary conditions
or (2) gains access to the residence with the possibility of spreading
disease.”
Engineering Objective: (Use this indented
sub-heading)
·
Describe the intended goal of this innovation; what problem(s)
will be minimized/solved?
·
Begin objective with verbiage, “To design and manufacture...”
Example of Engineering Objective: “To design and
manufacture a passive (automatic) device preventing rodents from accessing the
dryer exhaust through the outside vent while minimizing energy loss between the
home and outdoors.”
Research (Use this heading)
In order to create a design to solve the
problem, extensive research must be done in order to avoid recreating an
existing process or known technology.
·
Start the research process by building off current knowledge or
past experience.
Example: “During the cold winter months, after the dryer has finished its
cycle, rodents can feel the warm air, and they can often access a home through
the louvered exhaust vent’s flaps.”
·
Research existing innovations or processes. How could these
existing technologies be improved? Consider the following problems: the
cost of manufacturing, energy efficiency, operational safety, etc.
·
If there are no current innovations or processes to address this
problem, make sure to note this idea/innovation is unprecedented.
Abbreviated Example: “Currently there are three basic designs of
dryer exhaust vents…the Louvered Exhaust Vent allows rodents to access the home
and is not energy efficient...”
·
Take research information for various websites and utilize
different research resources (i.e., university videos, scientific journals,
market studies, interviews with industry members, etc.).
·
To avoid plagiarism and to give credibility to your research,
correctly cite all sources using the APA format.
Example: “The U.S. Consumer Product Safety commission (2009) estimates in
1998, clothes dryers were associated with 15,600 fires.” (In text citation)
1- “Dryer Safety.” (2009). Orange County Fire December 20, 2009 from http://www.ocfa.org/_uploads/pdf/dryersafety.pdf
·
Throughout the research process, list design considerations (ideas
and elements) useful to include in your designs and prototypes. This list
will be used to create the project’s Design Criteria and during testing will
determine if the project’s engineering innovation (prototype) meets the
original Engineering Objective. Possible elements may include, but is not
limited to: safety, aesthetics, cost, efficiency, ease of manufacturing,
maintenance, and other considerations specific to the original Engineering
Problem.
Example: “First, the design needs to have the lowest possible air flow
restriction so humid air can be exhausted and replaced by dry, warm air so
clothes dry quickly.”
Engineering Hypothesis
·
Using your Engineering Objective, create the Engineering
Hypothesis in the form of an “If…then” statement. If the
innovation is designed and manufactured, then the problems previously
mentioned will be diminished.
Example of Engineering Hypothesis: “If a passive dryer
exhaust vent device is designed and manufactured to prevent rodents from
entering while minimizing undesirable air flow, then (1) rodents will be unable
to enter and die in the exhaust tube and (2) energy loss between a home and out
of doors will decrease.”
Design Criteria
·
From your experience and research, describe the characteristics
the prototypes must possess. The Design Criteria may consider, but is not
limited to: safety, visual appeal, economic feasibility, efficiency, ease of
manufacturing, maintenance, and the original problem. Consider the ideas
and elements you listed in the Research section.
·
Each design consideration in the Design Criteria should have a
bulleted sentence and then go into specifics concerning the characteristics of
this design consideration.
Example of Design Criteria: “Design needs to allow
the dryer to operate safely. The device can’t lead to a house fire.”
o
To safely operate dryer, design cannot have lint traps including
screens or cages.”
Engineering Solution Table Design Phase
·
Create at least five designs and sketches pertinent to the
Engineering Problem and Objective. Do not create a prototype during
the Design Phase.
·
Compare these sketches to the established Design Criteria.
·
Some of the brainstormed designs may not pass all components of
the established Design Criteria. The design that best meets the
established Design Criteria is the best candidate for initial prototyping
and/or you may make an additional design and sketch based on the best features
of the previous designs; just recheck the new design against the Design
Criteria.
Example of Checking
Designs against Established Criteria:
Lowest Possible Air
Flow Restrictions
|
Dryer Operates Safely
|
Energy
Efficient/Reduces Convection
|
Reduce Conduction /
Easily Manufactured
|
Maintenance Free
|
Economically Feasible
(Mass Production)
|
Prevent Rodent Access
|
X
|
X
|
/ X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
Materials
·
Following the Design Phase, take the most successful design and
begin listing the materials need to create the first prototype.
·
Throughout the prototype, test, and redesign phase list all the
materials, tools, and equipment used. List the dimensions, volume, or mass of
the materials used; all units must be converted to the metric system.
·
When listing equipment include the model number and company name.
Example of Materials: “1 shoe box (27.94 cm x 19.05 cm x 10.16 cm), 1
EXTECH 401021 Foot Candle Light Multimeter Adapter, and 8 Kirkland
Procedure
·
Consider when (time of day) and where the equipment used in
testing and prototype will work most efficiently. Document the test
location/ environment and procedure for testing prototype.
·
By maintaining a controlled testing environment, testing may be
replicated multiple times (at least three) and maintain similar results.
o
Identify all the controls for testing.
§
The controls (i.e., temperature of the testing environment, time
of day tested, etc.) are the components that do not change throughout
experimentation.
§
Example of Controls for Testing: “Considered dark
basement with a drop-down fixture for test light but noted the temperature was
eight degrees cooler than main floor. The research indicated compact
fluorescents would not work as well in cool environment.”
o
Identify the variable for testing.
§
To viably test the prototype, there must be at least one variable
control (i.e., temperature, distance something is moved, light intensity, etc.)
which changes and can be measured and collected during the testing of the
prototype.
§
The variable measurement will allow the results from each designed
prototype to be compared to your established Design Criteria to determine if
prototype meets Engineering Objective.
·
Document the method for making each prototype.
·
Example of Documenting Prototype: Evaluated Design #8 and
determined another fixture was needed to be designed, prototyped, and tested to
decrease the range between the lowest and highest data point and provide a more
consistent distribution of light.”
Analysis
Each prototype created and tested must have a
“Results and Analysis” section and must contain the following:
·
Engineering Hypothesis; students’ prediction of how prototype is
assumed to act, this was formulated during the Design Phase.
·
Actual results of the test (each prototype must be tested three
times to demonstrate reliability of testing) and recorded in metric units.
·
Description of the prototype tested, i.e., what made it different
from past prototypes.
·
Conditions of the testing environment.
·
Date tested.
·
Evaluate the actual results against established Design Criteria.
·
Graph(s)-specific to variable(s) and testing environment.
·
Problems with prototype.
·
Successes with prototype.
·
Sketch of prototype; include measurements (reported in metric).
·
Summative statement making “Recommendations for Future Designs.”
Example of Recommendations: “Recommendations for
Future Designs: Approach power utility company asking for mini-grant to
purchase LED street Riverton City
Conclusion
·
Engineering Problem
o
Example of Addressing Problem: “Street light fixtures
are designed to direct light for different purposes. Too often, these
fixtures direct light into the sky where it is not needed...
·
How Problem was addressed.
·
Brief description how procedure was conducted.
·
Results from all prototype tests; were there any surprising
results?
o
Example of Results of Testing: “All design fixtures prevented light trespass. However, the final
prototype, “50, 60, 70 Fixture,” provided a consistent distribution of light
over the intended area using both compact fluorescent and LED technology...”
·
Possible errors, human or equipment.
·
Description of possible project continuation.
·
If the best prototype was manufactured for public use, how would
the prototype affect society or the environment?
Real World Connection
·
Describe how the idea for this innovation occurred; was there a
specific need or event that required such an innovation?
·
Describe if the best prototype was manufactured for public use,
how would the prototype effect society or the environment?
Example
of Real World Connection:
“I was at the University of Utah where a physics graduate student discussed the
effects of light trespass at their observatory...If fixtures were replaced with
Design #9, which directs light to the intended area, then light trespass would
decrease leading to better air quality as less energy would be needed to
produce energy...”
