Understanding How A Grinder Works

11.10.16
DE Class
Logan HS


Many of the students in DE have ever seen a metal grinder let alone use one. We took part of the class today to go into our welding lab and have them all use a grinder so they could feel and experience the operation.

The students were asked to feel what muscles and joints were used in the operation to better visualize what is needed for a final design solution.

Pictured is Taren grinding a piece of metal.

Balanced Approach to Design

11.8.16
Guest Speaker: Dave Foye, Retired Electrical Engineer

The DE class asked Dave Foye to come in and lead us through different considerations for the Exo Arm Project.

Some key bullet points we took away from the discussion were:

• The real problem is the relationship between the tool and the workpiece.
• How much force (ft/lbs) can the exo skeleton structure support.
• We have to determine the idealized path the tool moves on.
• How many degrees of freedom of movement do we need to support.
• How do we balance the design? For example..over design the tool holder but under design the support structure for it.
• Mechanical vs fully automated or hybrid.

Dave Foye talking to the DE class on Exo Arm Project