Abridged to Web version 5/04/2024 by the Combat Wombats Initially published 09/07/2023 by Hugo Lawler Originally for IB Students... so we apologise if the IB specific lingo isn't understandable!

Introduction

So, you’ve walked into mechatronics, engineering and the ancient art of “yeah, slap it on there, it’ll work”. But now, you’re wondering how you can go from a to b. And to do that, you need to make this, then that, then a mishmash of this and that. In a new project, especially for newcomers, this is always difficult and confusing. This guide aims to eliminate that by introducing a basic prototyping process to augment your abilities to produce parts.

But before we get started, let’s get our engines churning and our IB Creative Juices flowing, let’s start off with a quick inquiry!

Food for Thought - Theory of Knowledge Prompt!

What is a part? What does it do? Why do engineers produce parts? How might you go about making them? How do people organise and plan assembling multiple parts together with multiple communities of knowers?

Make a mind map with your thoughts on these ideas!

1.0 Ideate & Research

1.1 Section Description

In this stage of the part design process, brainstorm some ideas for your part. Creating success criteria for your part is usually a great place to start.

You should aim for concise and specific success criteria that identifies potential ways to measure the success of your part’s ability to solve a problem. It’s all generic IB lesson planning know-how and at this point in your MYP IB journey you should have become more than familiar with success criteria and how to make them!

Food for Thought

What makes a good success criterion? How can we measure this?

Next, you must be able to define some constraints that limit your part in one aspect. These will be the goals that you aim to achieve through the part. These constraints will be important in identifying the limits of your ideas/parts.

To Infinity and beyond! (Until we run out of funding...)

Some constraints might include considerations in time, cost, weight, size and material/manufacturing type. Uncle Jim has more below: Aim to keep them measurable and realistic – future you will love past you.

Think: size, cost, weight, maximum stress/strain, manufacturing method, material, speed, time, functionality, manufacturability/reproducibility, maintainability, purpose, max payload, etc. Are the constraints realistic?

Make sure to also document and visualize your brainstorming in any way possible that is accessible and gets the point across. Anything that works for you would be best. Dig into your MYP InS inquiry knowledge and think: can the OPCVL structure help me this time? OPCVL can't, but you've got a SWOT with me!

Now that you have what you want it to achieve, you can start thinking of ways to approach this problem like an IB Thinker! Normally, this is the part where research comes in to help you out. How have other people done this? Can you do something like that? How can you improve on their design? Be curious – see how other examples work. You’d be amazed to see what you can apply into your designs!

During this phase you must ensure you have applied research and previous experience to reduce any teething issues. No point going in if you’re going in blind!

Food for Thought

Who/Where could you go for research, help, and tips? Other than google, of course!

Inversely, you should also strive to use your noggin like a problem-solving machine! Do heavy loads of brainstorming. Your mind could concoct the most creative solution to your problem in a robust and ingenious manner.

Woah there, slow down! In the great words of Zachary Sahari, “loosen up, junior”! You need to follow the KISS Principle! What does it stand for? It stands for “Keep it Stupid Simple”. Every solution does not require all the bells and whistles – in fact, most of the time bells and whistles are counterproductive and add unnecessary weight/maintenance to your parts.

1.2 Checklist for Ideate & Research

Identified a problem or goal for the part which is:

• [ ] Specific to the assignee’s sector
• [ ] Not as specific as success criteria

Developed Detailed Success Criteria and Constraints that:

• [ ] Are task specific
• [ ] Are detailed with quantifiable parameters
• [ ] Consider all potential issues

Brainstormed solutions to a problem while considering:

• [ ] Manufacturing of the Solution
• [ ] Cost of the Solution
• [ ] Material
• [ ] Part Stresses
• [ ] Part Weight

2.0 Sketch

2.1 Section Description

After you brainstormed your idea, you need to get it down on paper! Do a rough sketch of your part. It can be as detailed or as rough as you need it to be (within a reasonable extent). Just make sure it communicates enough information about the part to be reflected upon by other team members. Guides on how to draw/sketch well is in 2.2. Don’t forget the orientation of the view!

Annotate it vigorously. Put any idea (even the bad ones!) down. What does this little feature on the part do? How does it do this? What is this made of? How is this manufactured and how have you considered this? What extra parts do you require?

2.2 How to Sketch/draw Well

A sketch is something that has a rough drawing with annotations of basic functionality. A drawing is a more detailed derivative of the sketch, with

When you draw something you want it to be able to communicate ideas and details quickly, efficiently and effectively. A basic scribble sketch wouldn’t work to fulfill this requirement. A drawing works well when it’s not messy and instead when it is clear and detailed.

Bottom line: Draw clear, detailed and annotated for drawing; draw messy for sketches.

General rules for a good drawing/sketch can be found in the sketch phase checklist (2.3).

2.4 Sketch Phase Checklist

Drawn a 1 or more basic sketches with:

• [ ] Reasonably accurate shapes
• [ ] Key component functionality annotations

Drawn 1 or more detailed drawings with:

• [ ] Very accurate shapes
• [ ] Key component functionality annotations
• [ ] Estimated Dimensions
• [ ] Multiple orientations/views
• [ ] Manufacturing methods annotated
• [ ] Key issues/concerns with design
• [ ] Material type

3.0 Reflect

3.1 Section Description

This is the part where you become a picky Pauline – start being selective of your ideas. Which idea performs the best? You must evaluate each idea. A great way to lay this out is to use a Pros and Cons chart or a SWOT analysis. You should also check it against your success criteria from Ideate & Research.

Be the most critical person you can be. Identify possible issues in your design from different minds/mindsets. That’s right you have to talk with your team members (groan). Yay social interaction! Which aspects of the idea don’t perform as well as you had expected? Is there a way to fix it?

But don’t be a doomer – point out positives of your designs. What parts should be re-incorporated into a second iteration? This way you can determine parts of a design that should be given a chance to be recycled in the great train of thought.

After identifying these issues, go back to the ideate and research phase for adaptations to the old design. Are certain functionalities of the part required? Is this material needed? This way you have identified potential shortcomings of your design.

So many things to consider, right? That’s why engineering takes time and effort. Procrastinators, your game is through!

3.3 Evaluation Phase Checklist

Evaluated a design in the aspects of:

• [ ] Functionalities
• [ ] Material Efficiency

Detailed examples of positives and negatives of each design Reached a consensus on the design that would be produced by justifying it with:

• [ ] Functionality
• [ ] Maintainability
• [ ] Material efficiency
• [ ] Simplicity
• [ ] Success Criteria

4.0 CAD

4.1 Section Description

Great, now you’ve got a design that’s ready to roll, right? Wrong!

You need to transform it into something 3D using CAD! What does CAD stand for? It stands for Computer Aided Design. Examples might include Tinker cad, Solid works and Fusion 360. I would strongly recommend Fusion 360 as it is covered under Student licenses and has ALL the tools you will need for Robotics (and beyond!).

CAD is a very good tool to learn. It allows for the development of simple ideas and drawings into a more transformative medium that allows it to be fully manufactured.

A CAD instruction is not covered under this guide’s scope. However, other sources will aid you in understanding how CAD software could be used.

Ideally in this stage of the process you will develop a 3D model of your part which could be manufactured by accessible means. It should include considerations for all your success criteria. Not much can be said in this part, except for:

learn to cad!

When I CAD (in Fusion 360) I follow a few great rules:

Manufacturing Considerations!

• [ ] Always have your manufacturing method in mind. What are some limitations of it?
• [ ] For example, with 3D printing, one plane MUST contact the print bed, and there should be no extreme overhangs (45°)
• [ ] What about the strength of your part? 3D printing is weak with forces perpendicular to the print bed! Consider Design Adaptations (Timeline cleanliness, File management, coherent naming)
• [ ] That’s right, you need to maintain the cleanliness of your file hierarchy. That means good naming and grouping.
• [ ] It also means keeping a well-ordered timeline.
• [ ] Please, please, please resolve ALL errors/conflicts in the timeline. They bug the slicer. Assemblies, Bodies and Components (ABC) – What is the biz?
• [ ] Assemblies are the actual file with multiple components. It’s the final product that has multiple components.
• [ ] Bodies are the actual 3D model. It is the geometry that will be manufactured.
• [ ] Components (parts) are composed of one or multiple bodies. It is practically a bunch of grouped bodies that are treated as the same item. It is an independent system to other components. In fusion 360, it will include both sketches and bodies.
• [ ] Always in fusion 360 start off with the create component tool – future you will be super happy!

That said, go wild!

4.2 CAD Phase Checklist

Developed a 3D model of the part which incorporates:

• [ ] Functionalities
• [ ] Stages 1-3 of the Part designing process
• [ ] Detailed examples of positives and negatives of each design

Reached a consensus on the design/prototype that would be produced by justifying it with:

• [ ] Functionality
• [ ] Maintainability
• [ ] Material efficiency
• [ ] Simplicity
• [ ] Success Criteria

5.0 Create

Now here’s the fun part – you get to make your part! This section of the guide will vary for different parts. However, the most common methods would be 3D printing or laser cutting. After the creation of your first part, you must consider it as a prototype. Put it under those stresses you set in the digital environment and soon learn that your part isn’t “overengineered” to the fullest potential. That way, before you mass produce it, you will have parts that function as intended.

6.0 How do we Work as a TEAM?

6.1 Introduction

Didn’t expect this to be part of the manual, did you? Well, in order to develop your soft and interpersonal skills, you have to use these skills. Remember, anyone can be a leader in any instance, including in Engineering!

6.2 Communication (Interpersonal) Skills

To work well as a team, you have to be able to communicate your ideas and opinions to others well. It could be in any medium (digitally, in-person or by drawn means). Talk to your peers if you have any concerns/queries. This is particularly important when sorting out what jobs you want to do to help the dream work!

6.3 Time + Goal Management

Who’s a procrastinator? I’m one. But I still try to manage time and tasks so that all works can be produced at the highest quality. The same is with robotics!

You need to put a date to every task that needs to be done. When should this part be produced? Do I need to talk to someone to get my part made?

But to do that, you need to identify the required task first! A great way to do this is to retrace your steps from the product. For example, you might want to make a robotic arm. What parts does it need? What parts do those parts need? Do we need to wait on anything to complete those parts?

Now that you know what tasks need to be completed to make your product, you need to assign people to each of those parts. Who currently has the best skills? Consider everyone’s opinions when doing this.

Great, everyone’s happy with their assignments! But you need to tell them when these must be done to keep your project on track. Try to write out your tasks on a calendar or timeline. That way you can cross things off and check to see if there is anything due soon in an easy + graphical way. Make sure these goals are realistic and timely. Can you really finish the CAD in less than a week? How about that InS Assessment you have due soon?

Mark your tasks off as you go. But don’t fret if something goes awry! That’s why we have the next section:

6.4 Adapt and Overcome

Resilience and flexibility is a must! Let’s say something goes wrong. What happens? Are there any contingency plans? Don’t go straight to panic mode though! Let’s work something out. If it’s a case of a part breaking, then simply remake it! 3D print it again! Laser cut it again! Think of any obstacle in your path as a new learning experience, just for you. This is inquiry-based learning. This is excellent learning.

6.5 People, not Cold Computers

Projects are hard. Especially under soul-crushing and stress-injected situations. Do not end up with premature lobotomization – take things easy.

Loosen Up junior!

Robotics is extra-curricular and should NEVER be a substitute for school work. And always practice your ability to empathize with people. Don’t get mad. Look at it from their perspective and try to work according to their (projected) perspective. There is nothing wrong with just walking away from something for a while. Take a break when things get too bad (but do not be a SloMo).

7.0 Conclusion

Right, well there were my top 10 tips on how to Engineer good. Start small, then build big! But remember to keep it fun and interesting for yourself.

There is no point in doing something if you don’t enjoy it.

Great job on sticking around for this long!