Engineering with Perrone
Principles of Engineering • VHS

Vandegrift High School | 9500 McNeil Drive, Austin, TX | T: 512 570 2300 |  Andrew.Perrone@leanderisd.org

Calendar (2017-2018)

8/28 - 9/1

 

Unit 1.1 Mechanisms

 

  • Class lecture on ideal and actual mechanical advantage, work and energy.
  • Use this ASPIRE website to gain familiarity with your assigned machine (each group will be assigned one machine). Also use, as needed, any of the relevant documents or websites linked on the 1.1 Mechanisms webpage on this site.
  • Share your findings on a padlet. Describe how your machine works, how to maximize its mechanical advantage, various real-world examples of it in use, and describe whether the machine is ever used in such a way that its mechanical advantage is less than or equal to 1.0.
  • Access the padlets here:

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  • Practice calculating AMA, IMA and efficiency for various simple machines.

9/5 - 9/8

 

Unit 1.1 Mechanisms

 

  • Class lecture on moment and static equilibrium.
  • Build simple machines and measure their efficiencies.
  • Sign in to myPLTW and change your account password. (Login info distributed in class.)

9/11 - 9/15

 

Unit 1.1 Mechanisms

 

  • Continue building and testing simple machines.
  • Complete Activity 1.1.2 Simple Machines Practice Problems
  • Quiz over simple machines
  • Introduction to gears

9/18 - 9/22

 

Unit 1.1 Mechanisms

 

  • Gear notes and practice problems
  • Discuss a car's gearbox (transmission) - video clip and handout
  • Build gear trains

9/25 - 9/29

 

Unit 1.1 Mechanisms

 

  • Build gear trains and determine their gear ratios (instructions)
  • Review chain and belt drives
  • Begin Activity 1.1.6 Compound Machine Design Challenge
    • Goal: Lift a weight 6 inches

10/2 - 10/6

 

Unit 1.1 Mechanisms

 

  • Continue working on Activity 1.1.6 Compound Machine Design Challenge
  • Quiz on gears

10/10 - 10/13

 

Unit 1.1 Mechanisms

 

​Unit 1.2 Energy Sources

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  • Introduction to electricity
  • Build simple circuits and measure voltage with a multimeter

10/16 - 10/20

 

​Unit 1.2 Energy Sources

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  • Class lecture on electric circuits, including definitions of current, voltage and resistance
  • Measure resistance
  • Practice using Ohm's Law

10/23 - 10/27

 

​Unit 1.2 Energy Sources

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10/30 - 11/3

 

​Unit 1.2 Energy Sources

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  • Quiz on circuits
  • Compare and contrast the different types of power plants (Google folder)

11/6 - 11/10

 

​Unit 1.2 Energy Sources

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  • Review work, power, and types of energy; calculate gravitational potential energy
  • Log into https://my.pltw.org/ and navigate to Activity 1.2.5 Mechanical System Efficiency - VEX. View the Winch Construction Guide Using VEX Robotics Platform and construct a winch. You do not need to construct weights to be lifted by the winch; rather, we will use a class-set of weights.
  • Following the construction of your winch, complete the Procedures for Activity 1.2.5. Record all measurements in your class notebook. Answer the Conclusion Questions. Show your work for all mathematical calculations, and include units for all quantities.
  • Discuss maximizing motor power.

11/13 - 11/17

 

​Unit 1.3 Energy Applications

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  • Discuss the workings of a photovoltaic (solar) cell and a hydrogen fuel cell (handout), along with the pros and cons of using each to produce electricity
  • Discuss thermal insulation, focusing on R-value, U-value and thermal conductivity. (handout)

11/27 - 12/1

 

​Unit 1.3 Energy Applications

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  • Discuss specific heat capacity and use it to calculate related quantities
  • Calculate thermal conductivity, R-value and net energy transfer (worksheet)
  • Quiz over energy topics

 

​Unit 2.1 Statics

  • Review forces and moments. Discuss static equilibrium and Newton's 2nd Law of motion.
  • Define center of mass.

12/4 - 12/8

 

​Unit 2.1 Statics

  • Discuss structural member properties (moment of inertia and modulus of elasticity)
  • Continue reviewing forces and moments

12/11 - 12/15

 

​Unit 2.1 Statics

  • Quiz over forces and moments

1/4 - 1/5

 

​Unit 2.1 Statics

  • Introduction to trusses and their internal member forces (tension and compression)

1/8 - 1/12

 

​Unit 2.1 Statics

  • Begin construction of file-folder truss bridge

1/17 - 1/19

 

​Unit 2.1 Statics

  • Continue construction of file-folder truss bridge

1/22 - 1/26

 

​Unit 2.1 Statics

  • Continue construction of file-folder truss bridge
  • Perform a mathematical analysis of a truss

1/29 -2/2

 

​Unit 2.1 Statics

  • Quiz over mathematical analysis of a truss
  • Complete work on file-folder truss bridges

Unit 2.3 Material Testing

  • Define and calculate stress, strain and modulus of elasticity (watch the videos on the Material Testing page of this website)
  • Complete Activity 2.3.1 Stress/Strain Calculations

2/5 - 2/9

 

​Unit 2.3 Material Testing

  • Review strain energy and toughness

​Unit 2.2 Material Properties

​-if you have a school-issued laptop, complete this form

2/12 - 2/16

 

​Unit 2.2 Material Properties

  • Review material properties
  • [Install ROBOTC software]
  • Watch documentary on Coca-Cola manufacturing process

2/20 - 2/23

 

​Unit 3.1 Machine Control

  • Construct VEX Testbed
  • Practice controlling motors and servos, and reading from various sensors, using ROBOTC; find instructions within the myPLTW web portal

2/26 - 3/2

 

​Unit 3.1 Machine Control

  • Learning to Code in ROBOTC - class assignment
  • As you complete the class assignment, write out your ROBOTC code in your class notebook. Label each section of code.
  • The class assignment above takes the place of Activity 3.1.2 and 3.1.3. However, I want you to review the Program Design page under Activity 3.1.3 within the myPLTW portal.
  • Once finished with the class assignment, and after you've read the Program Design page, continue to Activity 3.1.4 in the myPLTW portal.
  • For Activity 3.1.4, type your code and save each program as a separate file. Psuedocode is not necessary, but include comments on non-trivial lines of code.

​

3/5 - 3/9

 

​Unit 3.1 Machine Control

  • Complete Activities 3.1.4, 3.1.5 and (if possible) 3.1.6
  • Instructions and guidance can be found in the myPLTW portal
  • You should be saving copies of each program, named as requested in the portal, in your own folder. Pseudocode is not required, but your programs should have comments on non-trivial lines. Answer conclusion questions in your class notebook.

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  • Assigned: Professional Interview + Online Research of an Engineering Field; these two items will be due March 26
    • Submit papers through Turnitin.com
    • ClassID for 3rd pd: 17766886
    • ClassID for 4th pd: 17766891
    • Obtain the Enrollment Key in class

3/19 - 3/23

 

​Unit 3.1 Machine Control

3/26 - 3/29  and   4/2-4/6

 

​Unit 3.1 Machine Control

4/9-4/13

 

​Unit 3.1 Machine Control

4/16-4/20

 

​Unit 3.1 Machine Control

  • Continue working on Ball Sorter Machine; each person is responsible for writing code to control the machine

4/23-4/27

 

​Unit 3.1 Machine Control

  • Continue working on Ball Sorter Machine; each person is responsible for writing code to control the machine
  • 3rd pd folder; 4th pd folder : for ball sorter code

4/30-5/4

 

​Unit 3.2 Fluid Power

  • Notes on pressure, the ideal gas law, and Pascal's law

5/7-5/11

 

​Unit 3.2 Fluid Power

  • Discuss hydraulic and pneumatic systems; watch Modern Marvels: Hydraulics
  • Design a hydraulic lift capable of lifting 5000 lb

5/14-5/18

 

​Unit 3.2 Fluid Power

  • Review of unit: pressure, gas laws, hydraulics, a hydraulic lift, pneumatics
  • Quiz over unit

5/21-5/24

 

​Unit 4.2 Kinematics

  • Review of projectile motion
  • Review for End of Course exam

5/29-6/1

 

  • Review for End of Course exam
  • End of Course exam (Thursday)
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